By Hou Akot Hou
Two executive chiefs, Dut Majak Majak and Gar Deng, have been suspended following a land dispute that sparked tension between residents of Aweil West and North counties in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
The conflict arose on Sunday when construction in the Wadwil area was halted by Chief Majak.
Information Minister Zechariah Garang Lual explained that Majak’s actions initiated the dispute.
“To prevent escalation, both chiefs have been suspended,” Lual stated. “Area MPs, including Dut Biar, travelled from Juba to mediate, but the Governor was unavailable. The suspension decision was made to prevent violence.”
Minister Lual confirmed replacements for the suspended chiefs, with investigations into the matter ongoing.
However, Majak denies instigating the conflict and claims he hasn’t received an official suspension letter.
“I was only informed verbally,” he said. “How can I be suspended without official documentation?”
Land disputes are a recurring issue in South Sudan, sometimes leading to violence and prolonged communal conflicts.