Police arrest protesters calling for Unity governor’s sacking
Four activists were arrested by police in Juba on Monday after they were found holding a protest outside Freedom Hall, where MPs had converged to receive a bill on the constitution-making process.
They were calling for the sacking of Unity State governor, Dr. Joseph Manytuil, due to the ongoing killings in Leer County.
One of the activists, Ruth Nyaleel Kai, told reporters that the demonstration was held at Freedom Hall to enlighten parliamentarians who are the ‘‘people’s voice’’ and the public about the situation in Leer.
“We are here to ask if we are not part of South Sudan. Are we not supposed to also deserve the peace people are talking about? If we people of Unity State or Leer County are not part of this country, then we should be told where we should be sent to, “said Nyaleel.
“We are here today to say we need leaders who are here to bring peace, not leaders who are coming to kill us. The bloodshed in Unity State is enough. The bloodshed in Leer County is enough. We are calling for the President to relieve the governor of Unity State of his position. He really wants peace and the citizens of this country. “
Lawerance Chang appealed to President Salva Kiir to intervene in every crisis in the country to ensure that whatever is going on in all regions of the country is dealt with swiftly before it escalates into more bloodshed.
Chang blamed the killings and torching of houses in Leer on the county commissioners of Koch, Leer, and Mayendit, as well as the governor of Unity State.
“We hold three people accountable. The first people held responsible are the commissioners. The commissioners are Koch’s commissioner, Leer’s commissioner, Mayendit’s commissioner, and the governor himself. We hold them responsible, “he said.
When asked whether he had evidence of the accusations levelled against the three state officials, Chang responded: “Yes, I have evidence against them.”
He added: ‘‘They should control the movements of the culprits, the movements of the soldiers who are causing destruction.”
Ana Nyakuet, a young activist from Leer, called on the president and other concerned authorities to intervene and end the violence.
She chastised the governor for resolving the Annet conflict between the Arab Misseriya and the Dinka Ngok of the Abyei administrative division.
“Today we are crying in grief. We cry with our hearts felt a lot of distress. What do we do if our own leaders cannot show up for us? Why do our leaders of Unity State have to go and look at the dirt in somebody’s eye and yet his is not clean? “What kind of leader is determined by cleaning some other places while his own place is dirty?” Nyakuet questioned.
“We call on the President to relieve him with immediate effect,” she continued.
When The City Review contacted Denial Justine, the police spokesperson, yesterday to inquire about the whereabouts of the activists who were arrested by police officers and one military officer, he said he was unaware of the arrests and that he would get back to The City Review after consulting with the police divisions.
