S. Sudanese leaders pay tribute to former bank governor
November 2, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir has paid tribute to Elijah Malok Aleng, the country’s former Central Bank governor, who died in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi last Thursday.
President Kiir, in a condolence message to the family, said the deceased was “a committed comrade and true revolutionary figure”.
Aleng was in charge of the Central Bank when South Sudan witnessed a change in its local currency from Sudanese Pounds to South Sudan Pound (SSP), when it seceded from Sudan in July 2011. He was the first governor of the Central Bank after secession.
FALLEN HERO
South Sudan’s former vice-president-turned rebel leader, Riek Machar on Friday sent condolences to the family of the deceased as well as the nation on behalf of his family and the movement.
“Comrade Elijah Malok Aleng is a hero who played his part in the struggle for the freedom of the people of South Sudan,” he said in a statement issued on Friday.
Machar said the former Central Bank governor will be remembered as a fighter and leader who devoted his life to liberate his people.
Lam Akol, the leader of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), said news of Aleng’s passing was both deeply emotional and shocking.
“I knew Elijah as a man of courage and strong views yet compassionate. He will be missed sorely by all of us,” said Akol.
Peter Adwok Nyaba, a former education minister, said his death was unbelievable, although it occurred after long suffering due to health and enduring the agony presented by the nation’s current situation.
“It could as well be an opportunity [for him] to rest. Comrade Elijah was a great leader and an honest man,” said Nyaba.
Elias Nyamellel Wako, a former deputy minister of foreign affairs, said Aleng’s death not only shocked him, but all the people of South Sudan and the country he served before, during and after the liberation struggle in which the deceased served in several positions.
Edward Lino Wuor Abyei, the head of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) branch in Abyei, said he was saddened and shocked over Aleng’s death, saying his family and the nation remain courageous.
Lino, also co-chair of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) described Aleng as an “honest, courageous and clean comrade”.
Ngor Arol Garang, a South Sudanese journalist, said he equally saddened by death of the ex-governor, whom he first met in 1999.
“While my family and I continue to equally mourn the death of Thomas Mou Kuan, a close relative and someone who occupies special place in our family, I was saddened to learn the passing of Uncle Elijah Malong Aleng, whom I first met through late Dr Bellerio Ahoy Ngong in 1999. It was such humble interaction and as different people know different people different,” Garang told Sudan Tribune.
“I can say Uncle Elijah was such a great personality with distinguishing characters,” he added.
Education minister John Yoh also extended his condolences to the family, saying the former Central Bank governor was particularly worried about the SPLM leaders’ politics of blame game and that voices of reason were being gradually silenced by all SPLM factions.
“He (Aleng) was convinced that the current conflict may help in transforming minds of the leaders from mentality of conformity with injustice and relieving the society from pain of pioneering reforms without reformers,” said Yoh.
“Revolutionaries never die, but change physical addresses to spiritual once,” he added.
FACT FILE
Born in 1937 in South Sudan’s Jonglei state, Malok attended Rialbek Bush School, later Malek Primary School before joining Juba Intermediate and Juba Commercial senior secondary schools.
He attended the Free University of Congo, Fribourg Catholic University in Switzerland, and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.
In May 1982, Malok was elected a member of parliament, representing Bor North constituency in Sudan’s regional parliament, but joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in 1983.
During the liberation struggle, the former bank governor played various roles for the rebel movement, including working as a political commissar, second in command on the Blue Nile front, commander of the Eagle Battalion, and at one time special envoy to West Africa.
Malok’s other task, during the civil war days, was to advise SPLM/A chairman on mainly economic and other financial related matters.
However, following the 2005 signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Malok became deputy governor of Sudan’s Central Bank and later as South Sudan’s Central Bank governor. He was removed from heading the Central Bank in August 2011.
(ST)