By Deng Athian
The National Minister of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services, Ateny Wek Ateny, has dismissed reports circulating on social media that authorities are planning to arrest senior diplomat and community leader Ambassador Garang Deng Aguer.
Minister Wek said no legal case has been filed against him.
Speaking during a meeting organised by the Aweil South Football Association at Yam Hotel in Juba on Sunday, Ateny described the claims as baseless and challenged those spreading the reports to provide evidence.
“There is no case against Garangdit. If there was a case, he would have been arrested,” Wek said.
He stressed that the rule of law applies equally to all citizens, regardless of their position or influence, and that anyone found to have violated the law would face legal action through the proper legal process.
To reinforce his point, Ateny cited the recent detention of former Internal Bureau Services (IBS) Director General Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, saying the case demonstrates that legal procedures are followed whenever there are legitimate grounds for action, regardless of an individual’s status.
Prior to the emergence of the arrest allegations, Ambassador Garang Deng Aguer had appealed on social media for calm among Aweil youth, urging them to refrain from inflammatory exchanges and hate-filled discussions online. He warned that such rhetoric risked escalating tensions between communities.
The rumours of a planned arrest surfaced shortly after his appeal.
The controversy stems from a proposed youth gathering initiated by the Awan Muorkua Youth Union in Juba.
The event aimed to bring together youth leaders from the Bahr el Ghazal states and the Ruweng Administrative Area to discuss issues affecting the region.
However, disagreements later emerged over participation and the leadership structure of the dialogue, creating divisions among youth groups involved in the initiative.
As tensions grew, the Aweil Youth Union, Aweil East Youth Union, and Twic Mayardit Youth Union declined to attend the meeting, citing unclear objectives and inadequate coordination.
In the days that followed, social media reports alleging an imminent arrest of Ambassador Garang began to circulate widely.
The reports prompted some youth in Aweil to gather near his residence in a show of support and to prevent potential misunderstandings.