By Den
g Athian
The leadership of the Aweil East Community Association in Juba, headed by Ambassador Garang Deng Aguer, condemned the active soldiers’ participation in community politics.
The Association described the involvement of army officials in community politics as a violation of the presidential order issued in 2021 that barred the members of organized forces from participating in politics and community, youth, and women’s association leadership.
The condemnation letter comes after an Active Captain in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Agany Kuol Kuol, mobilized a group of young people against the legitimate leadership of the Aweil East Community Association in Juba.
According to the report, Captain Agany Kuol formed a steering committee comprised of 11 members, calling on the chairman, Garang Deng Aguer, to convene a community, and failure within 14 days would be met with repercussions.
However, they did not disclose this in their statement issued last week.
Responding to the formation of the steering committee, the official spokesman of the Aweil East Community Association in Juba, Mr. Kuol Kuol Makuach, called on the army officers to respect Presidential Order No. 27/2021 that prevents active soldiers from participating in community, youth, and women’s politics or else officially resign from the army and then join politics.
“We want to say that let Captain Agany Kuol Kuol be reminded to respect the Presidential Order No. 27/2021 for the prohibition of all active officers and non-commissioned officers in SSPDF and all other regular forces from participating in politics, leadership of community associations, or youth or women organizations,” the statement read.
This week, Agany and his other 10 members signed a petition letter giving the chair of the Aweil East Community Association in Juba, Garang Deng Aguer, only 14 days to call for a general assembly meeting.
The group accused the community leadership of failing to convene the meeting for the last years of governance.
In addition, the move to form the steering committee by the active SSPDF officers has been met with criticism from Aweil East intellectuals, calling on the South Sudan army to monitor the implementation of the presidential order by disciplining the misbehaving army officers.
Mr. Ater Garang Ariath, a prominent intellectual of Aweil East residing in Juba, condemned the act.
“This unscrupulous action by Agany Kuol Kuol and his so-called steering committee should be condemned in totality with maximum follow-up of some punitive legal actions,” Ater said.
“What are the consequences if a soldier chooses not to follow orders from their Commander in Chief?” he questioned.
The Republic Order No. 27/2021, as quoted by the Aweil East Community Association Secretary for information, should be the basis for Capt. Agany Kuol Kuol to doff off his military uniform and join community politics once and for all or cease meddling in community affairs.
“If he chooses not to follow orders, then that is the very definition of ‘outright’ disobeying, and that disobedience can result in a proverbial slap on the wrist to a general court martial and a prison term in the South Sudan Disciplinary Barracks,” Ater said.