Abyei chief appoints town mayor, commissioners
The Chief Administrator of Abyei Special Administrative Area (ASAA), Dr. Chol Deng Alak, appointed the Abyei town mayor, heads of departments, and county commissioners on Friday.
He also appointed the commissioners of land and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).
Abionweng Majith Diing was appointed head of the department for local government and the rule of law, and Deng Kiir Mater was appointed head of the department for physical infrastructure, public utilities, and communication.
Dr. Bol Ajing Deng was appointed the head of the Department for Agriculture, forestry, animal resources, and Fisheries, and Malony Tong Ngor took over as the head of the Department for Finance, economic planning, investment, labour, public service, and Human resources development.
Bol Koch Aguar was appointed head of the Department for Information, culture, youth, and Sport, and Nyinkwany Aguer Bol was appointed head of the Department for Education.
Deng Arop Mading was appointed head of the Department for Health, and Aluel Achuil Kiir was appointed head of the department for Gender, children, and social welfare.
Mading Anyang Kuol was appointed mayor of Abyei town.
Deng Ali Bathbuny was appointed the Commissioner of Alal County; Ajang Kuol Dau was appointed the Commissioner of Ameth-Aguok County; Luar Mayol Deng was appointed the Commissioner of Mijak County; and Mithiang Wour Atem was appointed the Commissioner of Rum-Amer County.
In Decree No. 3 of 2023, the Chief Administrator appointed Aguer Nyok Bar as the commissioner for the Land Commission, and Ajak Deng Miyan was appointed the commissioner for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.
The oil-rich Abyei region is contested by the Dinka Ngok of Abyei, who demand land ownership, and the Misseriya Arabs, who demand grazing rights.
In 2013, the people of Abyei held a community-based referendum in which they voted 99.9 percent to separate from Sudan, but the vote was termed unilateral by the international community and the Sudanese government.
However, the area has been experiencing countless conflicts that have led to the loss of lives, displacement, and property.
