March 21, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —– At least five humanitarian workers were arrested in Malakal, Upper Nile State, by members of state security agents today.
Among the officials, who were detained, are five officials of Relief of South Sudan(ROSS)Â – a non-profit organization run under the authority of SPLM/SPLA in Opposition.
According to military spokesman of SPLM/SPLA, William Gatjiath Deng, the incident occurred today at 11Am and five of their members were arrested, Gatkuoth Lock Gatwech, the Deputy Executive Director of Relief of South Sudan and Cde. Stephen  Puoch Riek Deng, Public Relation Officer of Relief of South Sudan, Thomas Wijial Choap and two others were detained and deported to Juba without charges.
“The office of the Sudan’s People Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition would like to regrettably announce the disappearances of two senior Relief of South Sudan (ROSS)’s staff in Malakal on transit to Pagak Headquarters.” Gatjiath said.
According to Gatjiath, the Sudan’s People Liberation Movement/Army condemns in the strongest term possible the barbaric act of National Security to capture and detain humanitarian workers and call for their immediate release.
The officials were released today and ordered to return to Juba instead of proceeding to Pagak.
The SPLM/SPLA-IO calls on JMEC and the International community to condemn the national security and call for immediate investigation of this incident in accordance with the implementation of the peace agreement.
Gatjiath explains that the SPLM/SPLA-IO did not surrender but sent its members to Juba and other parts of the country in accordance with the peace implementation and should therefore be allowed to move freely.
Gatjiath also clarified that the imposed restriction of movement by the military governor of Easter Nile has prevented the SPLA-IO generals from traveling to Juba as planned.
“The Sudan’s People Liberation Movement/Army would like to inform the general public that our generals from join integrated police or JIP did not flight to Juba today as planned because of self-restrictions imposed by the current Governor of Eastern Nile (formerly Upper Nile State), Gen. Chol Thon Balok claiming to have not been informed by parties involved in transportation.” Gatjiath said.
3 comments
This is all nonsense, we all knows that, government is not ready for peace. The government is not the one working or trying to bring peace back to the country. There is one thing our brother Dinka failed to understand, the current economic crisis is not hitting only Nuer or Shulluk, but it is affecting every one and I think there is need to have peace.
And until when are we going to have free movement? Our leaders should have in mind that there is no condition is permanent. Their time will come and sit down like other citizens.
This is so wrong. Humanitarian agencies & their saffs should NEVER EVER be subjected to such a unethical treatment by anyone specially by a so called sovereign nation like South Sudan unless ofcourse that sovereignty is valueless in spirit. It is quite disturbing that South Sudan government is allowed to operate with impunity measures for so long..
These are not Humanitarian workers but information collectors/spies. Look at them! they are Generals in the SPLM_IO. Let us not cheat ourselves by saying that they are HTWs. Let us be flexible accept the truth.