S. Sudan’s former envoy to Russia resigned over “mistrust”
February 4, 2018 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s former ambassador to the Russian Republic, Telar Riing Deng said he chose not to return to Moscow until President Salva Kiir restored initial “trust” he had in him.
He was appointed an envoy to Russia after the South Sudan National Legislative Assembly rejected his first appointment as justice minister.
“As you [Kiir] are aware, you detained me here until the helicopter compensation is done. Some people have misconstrued this as if I was disinterested to return to Moscow,” partly reads Deng’s letter.
The former South Sudanese ambassador to Russia tendered his resignation in a 25 January letter to President Salva Kiir, but did not to give reasons for his decision to leave the position he held since 2014.
He vowed to work for peace in South Sudan as a private citizen.
The foreign affairs minister had, in a separate letter, recalled its ambassador to Russian to return home for consultations within 72 hours. Deng said he resigned before receiving the 25 January letter.
Initially linked to former army chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan, Deng was part of the team delegated by the Juba establishment to persuade the former to return to Juba from Yirol in Lakes state, amid fears the powerful army general planned to rebel.
“Rumours”, he said, had it that he was party to Malong’s alleged ‘coup’, while the governor of Aweil state and others, perceived to be supporters of General Malong were dismissed from their positions.
“It was also reported that even Bor Wutchok Bor, the Governor of Aweil State and myself were about to be sacked on the day together with the Governor of Aweil State,” Deng further wrote.
The ex-envoy, who was considered a close ally of Kiir, largely blamed some unnamed senior and junior officers in the president’s office of allegedly tarnishing his reputation before the South Sudanese leader.
“Some officials in your office have attributed some of these utterances to Your Excellency in more than one occasion,” he wrote.
In one incident, Deng said, his proposed appointment as the country’s foreign affairs minister by the president did not succeed.
“It is alleged that you [Kiir] stated that you were considering me for a position as a minister for foreign affairs in your government, but you dropped the idea, because you believe that I was a part of the alleged Gen Malong’s coup against you,” the former envoy stated.
He added, “This is an allegation I stand to dispute vehemently”.
Deng, who referred to Kiir as a friend, expressed concerns over the political divide in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region, and urged the South Sudanese leader to resolve his differences with Gen. Malong.
“(…) I still strongly believe that unity of Bahr el Ghazal within the SPLM and in the country is paramount. Hence, your reconciliation with Gen Paul Malong is imperative. Doing otherwise would undermine us and could reflect negatively divide our supporters within the SPLM, government and in the entire country,” he said in his 17 July letter.
Deng, a former legal advisor to Kiir, claimed he was being “persecuted” for his political association with the South Sudanese leader, citing his dismissal in 2017 from the ruling party (SPLM). In 2013, his nomination for a ministerial position was declined after parliamentarians questioned his credentials.
(ST)