Traders and former members of the Aweil East County Chamber of Commerce have proposed an election to settle a dispute over its chairperson.

Earlier this month, protests broke out in Aweil after Deng Garang Deng was appointed chairperson of the chamber. Members of the chamber and local traders were arrested after they blocked Deng from taking office, and say that Anuai Mou Akoon should remain as chairperson. 

A committee that arrived from Juba to mediate the dispute has reportedly found it difficult to find compromise. One official said that the committee has proposed that Akoon be appointed head of the Aweil East Traders affairs, and Deng remain as the chairperson of the chamber. 

“This is what we rejected before, and we prefer only an election,” said Deng Makol, the secretary for the former Aweil East traders’ union in an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Saturday.

Deng said that the chamber office will remain closed until the dispute is resolved.

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Aweil East govt arrests 8 members of Chamber of Commerce after protests (Jun 6)