Nuer Political Backlash: Cabinet Affairs Minister Faces Resignation Calls After “Hostile vs. Friendly” Remark

Juba, South Sudan | May 2025

Nuer political backlash erupted after Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr Martin Elia Lomuro branded several Nuer-inhabited counties “hostile” during a 26 April press briefing. What began as a routine update has become the most serious ethnic controversy since the 2018 revitalized peace deal.

Table of Contents

1. What Triggered the Outrage?
2. Nuer Leadership Peace Forum Responds
3. SPLM Lawmakers Turn Up the Heat
4. Demands: Resignation, Retraction & Legal Action
5. Government’s Clarification Attempt
6. Historic Role of the Nuer in Liberation
7. Implications for National Stability
8. Way Forward: Healing Through Inclusive Dialogue

1. What Triggered the Outrage?

During an Eye Radio–covered press conference, Dr Lomuro categorised nine Nuer counties as “hostile” to government and seven as “friendly.” Critics say the terminology revives wartime language that once inflamed violence across Upper Nile and Jonglei.

2. Nuer Leadership Peace Forum Responds

A joint communiqué signed by Labour Minister James Hoth Mai, former Interior Minister Michael Chiangjiek, Dr John Jooyul, Hassen Deng Gatpan and Wiu Kuon condemned the remark as “derogatory and inflammatory,” warning that ethnic profiling violates the nation’s constitution.

3. SPLM Lawmakers Turn Up the Heat

Nuer Members of Parliament in the Reconstituted Transitional Legislative Assembly echoed the outrage, stressing that community labelling threatens the fragile unity government painstakingly built since 2020.

4. Demands: Resignation, Retraction & Legal Action

• Immediate dismissal from the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and all peace-oversight roles.
• Public apology and full withdrawal of the “hostile vs. friendly” categorisation.
• Pursuit of legal remedy if corrective measures are not enacted within 14 days.

5. Government’s Clarification Attempt

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Joseph Geng Akech later claimed Lomuro’s reference was aimed only at “organised armed groups,” not the wider Nuer populace, and pointed to the reconciliation chapter of the peace agreement as the mechanism to address local militias.

6. Historic Role of the Nuer in Liberation

Critics argue the remark erases the Nuer’s pivotal role in the liberation struggle—from the Fangak 1993 defence to frontline leadership by Generals James Hoth Mai and Peter Gadet. Their contributions remain central to South Sudan’s independence narrative.

7. Implications for National Stability

The controversy surfaces as elections approach and security-sector reforms remain unfinished. Analysts warn that polarising language from senior officials could erode public trust and destabilise regions already grappling with communal conflicts.

8. Way Forward: Healing Through Inclusive Dialogue

Church leaders and civil-society groups propose a televised town-hall meeting where Lomuro addresses grievances directly with Nuer elders. Advocates say transparent dialogue can reaffirm that no community is inherently “hostile” or “friendly” but equally South Sudanese.

Conclusion

The Nuer political backlash against Dr Martin Elia Lomuro illustrates the enduring sensitivity of ethnic rhetoric in South Sudan. Whether through resignation, apology or constructive dialogue, the outcome will test the nation’s commitment to inclusive governance and lasting peace.

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SPLA Battles Against SAF: Complete Timeline of Towns, Commanders & Turning Points (1983-2005)

Published 28 April 2025 – South Sudan Online, Juba

Table of Contents

• Overview of the Second Sudanese Civil War
• Key SPLA Victories (1989-2005)
• Minor Battles That Shaped the Frontlines
• Internal SPLA Splits & Factional Conflicts
• Western Equatoria Campaign
• Legacy: How Battlefield Wins Led to Independence

Overview of the Second Sudanese Civil War

SPLA battles against SAF defined the 22-year war that culminated in South Sudan’s statehood. From the first skirmish at Bor in 1983 to the peaceful entry into Juba in 2005, SPLA guerrillas turned captured towns into milestones on the road to freedom. Below is the most comprehensive timeline of major and minor engagements—towns taken, commanders involved and pivotal years.

Key SPLA Victories (1989-2005)

1. Battle of Kurmuk (1989, 1997)

• Town: Kurmuk, Blue Nile State
• Commanders: Kuol Deim Kuol (1989); later Yasir Arman & Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu (1997)
• Impact: Opened a northern front and severed SAF’s eastern supply corridor.

2. Capture of Torit (Sept 1989)

• Commander: Lt Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit
• Torit’s brief fall electrified Equatoria and forced SAF into costly counter-offensives.

3. Battle of Bor (1991)

• Commander: Dr Riek Machar (SPLA-Nasir)
• Marked the devastating ethnic split inside SPLA, later healed during post-war reconciliation.

4. Capture of Kapoeta (1992)

• Commander: Lt Gen James Hoth Mai
• Secured the vital Kenya logistics corridor for aid and ammunition.

5. Yei “Small London” Offensive (1997)

• Commander: Maj Gen Oyai Deng Ajak
• Yei became an SPLA civil-administration model town.

6. Rumbek Lightning Raid (1997)

• Commander: Lt Gen Paul Malong Awan
• Provided an airstrip and political HQ that anchored SPLA diplomacy.

7. Siege of Juba (1992-2005)

• Commanders: Salva Kiir, Oyay Deng Ajak (multiple phases)
• Sustained pressure isolated SAF until the city entered the CPA framework and changed hands peacefully.

8. Capture of Malakal (1997)

• Commander: Maj Gen George Athor Deng
• Temporarily halted Khartoum’s oil export revenue stream.

9. Wau Twin-Axis Assault (1998)

• Commanders: James Ajongo Mawut & Pieng Deng Majok
• Pushed SAF westward, foreshadowing the collapse of its Bahr el Ghazal front.

10. Gogrial “Triangle” Campaign (1999)

• Commander: Anyar Mayol
• Cut the Wau–Aweil supply line and protected displaced civilians.

11. Battle of Nimule (2002)

• Commander: Brig Gen Obuto Mamur Mete
• Denied SAF access to the Uganda border, cementing SPLA logistics superiority.

12. Aweil Final Push (2004)

• Commander: Salva Kiir
• Secured northern Bahr el Ghazal in advance of the Naivasha peace talks.

13. CPA Entry into Juba (July 2005)

• Commanders: Oyay Deng Ajak & Kuol Manyang Juuk
• Symbolised victory of diplomacy: SPLA troops marched in under UN supervision.

Minor Battles That Shaped the Frontlines

Smaller engagements—Pochalla defence (1984), Yirol clashes (1986-87), Mangayat ambush (1988)—proved decisive in denying SAF mobility. Raids on Renk (1990) and Bentiu oilfields (1997-98) targeted Khartoum’s economic lifeline, while Paul Malong’s 1995 Aweil ambush isolated SAF garrisons in the north-west.

Internal SPLA Splits & Factional Conflicts (1991-2002)

The 1991 Nasir Declaration triggered painful intra-SPLA battles at Panyagoor, Ayod, Waat and Fangak. Concurrent rebellions—Kerubino Kuanyin Bol in Mapel (1992), William Nyuon in Akobo (1993), and Gordon Kong’s militia (1994-95)—stretched SPLA defences but also honed its decentralised command system.

Western Equatoria Campaign (1990-1994)

Securing Yambio, Maridi, Tambura and Mundri opened the “Equatorian link” to Central Africa. Commanders James Hoth Mai, Salva Kiir and Oyai Deng built rear bases, trained thousands, and broadened SPLA’s diplomatic reach.

Legacy: How Battlefield Wins Led to Independence

By 2003 SPLA controlled or contested most of southern Sudan, shifting the balance that led to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Six years later, South Sudan became the world’s newest nation—its freedom etched town by town on the war map.

South Sudan Cabinet Affairs Minister Under Fire for “Hostile vs. Friendly” Nuer Remark

Published: May 2 2025 – South Sudan Online, Juba

Introduction

A political storm is raging in Juba after Martin Elia Lomuro—Minister of Cabinet Affairs and secretary of the High-Level Standing Committee on peace implementation—classified Nuer-inhabited counties as either “hostile” or “friendly” to government. The comment has ignited nationwide outrage, renewed ethnic tension and triggered calls for his immediate dismissal.

What the Minister Said

During a recent press conference, Lomuro claimed nine of Upper Nile’s sixteen Nuer counties are “hostile,” while seven are “friendly.” Critics say the statement deepens ethnic fault lines at a time when South Sudan’s fragile peace still hangs in the balance.

Immediate Backlash

Nuer lawmakers in the Reconstituted Transitional Legislative Assembly accused Lomuro of stoking division and “weaponising identity.” The Nuer Leadership Forum and Nuer Youth Union branded the remark “genocidal rhetoric,” demanding the minister resign or be fired.

Threat of Legal Action

Labour Minister James Hoth Mai—chair of the Nuer Leadership Peace Forum—has threatened legal proceedings, stating, “We cannot allow language that endangers national cohesion.”

Context: A Region on Edge

Upper Nile has been tense since February, when a senior government commander and several troops were killed. Authorities blame the White Army—a Nuer youth militia they claim is aligned with First Vice-President Riek Machar’s opposition forces.

Nuer Contributions to Liberation

Nuer legislators remind the nation that Nuer fighters played decisive roles in South Sudan’s liberation, arguing that portraying them as “hostile” dishonours their sacrifice and risks reopening war-time wounds.

Government Clarification Attempts

Youth and Sports Minister Joseph Geng Akech attempted damage control, asserting Lomuro’s remarks were “misinterpreted.” Observers, however, say only a formal apology and retraction can ease tensions.

Silence from Lomuro

At press time, Martin Elia Lomuro had not responded publicly. His silence fuels speculation over whether President Salva Kiir will keep him in Cabinet amid mounting pressure.

Why Words Matter

South Sudan’s peace deal relies on trust between communities fractured by years of conflict. Officials and civil leaders warn that careless language from senior figures can undermine reconciliation efforts and trigger fresh violence.

Conclusion

South Sudan stands at a delicate crossroads. Whether Lomuro retracts, resigns or is dismissed, the episode underscores the urgent need for leaders to employ inclusive rhetoric and prioritise national unity over ethnic labelling. Only through mutual respect can the world’s youngest nation safeguard its hard-won peace.

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