Kiir summons N.Bahr el Ghazal Governor over return of political rivals to prison
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By Ngor Arol Garang
March 31, 2011 (WAU) — General Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the
semi autonomous regional government of South Sudan on Thursday
summoned Governor of Northern Bahr El-Ghazal State, General Paul
Malong Awan Anei, over the arbitrary detention of nine opposition
figures.
JPEG - 12.7 kb
Salva Kiir (Reuters)
On March 23, 2011, over 20 political opponents who are members of the
southern ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM),
were arrested in different locations in the state by the state police
and security elements over allegations of a suspected demonstration.
State authorities say they discovered a document written by unknown
groups calling for demonstration in all the five counties, against the
incumbent governor Paul Malong Awan Anei.
Some of the detainees were released without charges after spending two
to three days in local custody between 23- 25 March 2011. Most the
detainees are from Aweil East, a home county to the incumbent governor
Anei. Oyai Kuek, Akot Nyang and Akuei Garang Deng were among the first
detainees to leave prison without charge Others were released four
days after they were arrested but nine — reportedly targeted opponents
— remained in custody at Machar Kunyuk in Aweil town, capital of the
State.
On Wednesday 30, March the court announced the release of releasing
nine political rivals after they had appeared twice before court
without charges being presented against them, nearly two weeks after
detention. However, on Thursdays 31 just a day after their release was
made, Sudan Tribune received reports from individual officials within
the state administration as well as immediate family members and
relatives that the nine officials had been returned to the prison.
The president of southern Sudan government, Salva Kiir Myadrit, called
the governor and asked him to meet him in Juba to elucidate the
situation after being reached by many people to denounce the
unrestrained exercise of power by the state governor.
A highly placed source in the office of the president from Juba
confirmed to Sudan Tribune that governor Malong has been summoned by
the president.
"Yes, governor Malong came today from Aweil. He is in Juba now,"
further said the official declining additional comments.
Police and judicial officials in the state today told Sudan Tribune
that they were ordered by the state governor to return the nine
political opponents in the prison after their release.
"They have all been returned to prison. All nine of them are now in
the prison. The governor ordered their immediate return to the prison
else we replaced them and ordered us to write statement of why they
were released without his approval," one of the senior legal
counselor, who requested to remain anonymous told Sudan Tribune:
"Some of us were threatened with dismissal from our jobs. Others were
arrested. Police officer who was on duty yesterday, has already been
arrested for allowing them go to the court and released. We were asked
to write either an apology letter or accept to go. Above all, we were
accused of collaborating with those the state government accused of
sabotaging peace and security of the state."
He further said they have communicated the situation in which they
have fallen to higher authorities in Juba.
"We have communicated the situation in which we have fallen to higher
authorities in Juba and they said they have communicated this to
office of the ministry of the legal affairs and constitutional
development."
"We, also, at individual levels, have communicated with officials in
the office of the president of the government of south Sudan," he
said, adding the feedback from the office of the president was
positive.
"The feedback from the office of the president has been positive. They
said they have passed the message to the president. And of course, we
believed they have passed it to the president because we have heard
rumors that the governor has been called by the president today over
this issue," he said.
Abuk Athian, a wife to Lieutenant Colonel Garang Joong Akoon, speaking
to Sudan Tribune from Wanyjok, an administrative headquarters of Aweil
East County, also said that her husband and the eight other detainees
had been sent back to prison.
"I am now going back to Aweil. I have just come from there to see
someone here and will go back now. Garang has been returned to the
prison today. He is arrested with eight others. These are the same
people, with whom they were released yesterday”, said Abuk, adding
that she still does not understand the reason why her husband is
arrested.
“I still do not know why he is arrested. Nobody told me the reason of
his arrest and Garang (her husband) also says he does not know the
reason of his arrest," she explained.
Bona Makuac Mawien, minister of information and communications in the
state administration, in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune from
Aweil town, capital of the state, said he was aware of the arrest but
does not know the real cause.
"Yes, I am aware of their detention but I cannot confirm the reason of
their arrest because I do not have the details. So, I cannot confirm
anything because I do not know the real cause," said Makuac.
Minister Makuac who acts as the official spokesman of the state
government said he has summoned security elements he believed involved
in identifying of those suspected to have written a document calling
for demonstration against the governor, for an explanation.
"I have asked security officers I am told participated in
identification of people suspected to have written this document. I
wanted them to come for explanation so that I know what exactly
happened because I do not want to issue statements on rumors," said
minister Makuac.
(ST)
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