South Sudan rebel leader’s wife skips UN summit over health issues
September 29, 2017 (JUBA)- The leading figure of the main South Sudan rebel group (SPLM-IO) Angelina Teny could not attend the general assembly of the United Nations due to her health conditions.
Rebel officials said her health conditions prevented them from lobbying the different African and Western delegations participating at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly.
“It is true we did not participate in major events and activities to draw the attention of the world leaders to the cause of the Movement simply because Madame Angelina whom the leadership had hoped would lead the team was not well. So we just decided to engage at individual capacities”, a senior member of the faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under Angelina’s husband, Riek Machar, told Sudan Tribune from Washington, United States, when reached on Friday.
The opposition did not elaborate on the nature and degree of illness, saying it was not of his roles in the movement to talk about the health of one of his group without permission from the leadership.
“I have no permission to talk about the details of the health of Madame Angelina. I just told you the reason for which we did not meet world leaders in an organized manner as a political entity”, he said.
A relative told Sudan Tribune separately Angelina hurt her knee while exercising at a gym in August and evolved into a health matter due to her sugar level in the blood. Sudan Tribune was unable to independently verify the veracity of the reports.
Attempt to contact and get official clarifications from Isaac Kang, the opposition’s representative to the United States and Stephen Par Kuol, one of its senior members currently in the United States were unsuccessful. None of them had responded to telephone calls and email messages.
(ST)