The Former Detainees group of Deng Alor and John Luk Jok has called on South Sudan's Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin to resign his position after he stated that prominent Abyei-born academic Luka Biong was not South Sudanese.

Abyei is a disputed territory between Sudan and South Sudan, whose Ngok Dinka population has voted to join South Sudan. A recent foreign ministry statement signed by Barnaba and sent to the United Nations said Luka, who was recently dismissed from his post at the University of Juba, is actually Sudanese.

"We call on the Ministers who are responsible for this saga to voluntarily resign their positions or else be dismissed by the President," the Former Detainees said in a statement issued Tuesday. "Otherwise, Parliament should summon these ministers for grilling and possible sanction, including withdrawal of confidence in them for bringing the country into disrepute."

The Former Detainees said the minister's statement was "inconsiderate, ill-advised, unconscionable, and certainly unconstitutional." South Sudan's Transitional Constitution states that Abyei is part of South Sudan.

"Many distinguished sons and daughters of Abyei have served and continue to serve in high offices in the Republic of South Sudan. So, since when did the sons and daughters of Abyei cease to be part of South Sudan?" the Former Detainees asked.

The Foreign Ministry has tried to walk back its statement that Luka is Sudanese, saying that Abyei people are South Sudanese and that Barnaba signed the statement without knowing what it said about Luka.

The Former Detainees group has been allocated the Foreign Minister position in the proposed transitional government of national unity.