Death of Akon Deng Kuac poses serious threat to women’s right, peace and security
By Tong Deng Anei
South Sudan is scheduled to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022. This is a significant day for all women and girls around the world and especially in our country, South Sudan where women’s and girls’ rights have been pushed to the back burner.
Unfortunately, the family of Akon Deng Kuac, relatives and friends will not celebrate important women’s day. Skin’s seat will be empty and only gloom will be registered in their faces. Indeed, they will still be mourning this painful and untimely death of the young woman Akon Deng Kuac who was killed by the South Sudan Police Service in Maper Town of Rumbek North County in Lakes State on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Akon was killed while the commercial vehicle she and her family were travelling with, from Aweil to Juba via Rumbek, was randomly sprayed with bullets. According to the report released by the office of the Governor of Lakes State, the driver allegedly took a wrong route from Rumbek Town to Maper, 75km north of Rumbek, where she was shot dead by a police officer at an illegal checkpoint. More details as to what actually transpired and why the driver took the opposite route to Maper instead of Yirol are yet to be furnished to factually establish the genesis of the case.
It is important to mention that since the beginning of the year 2022, South Sudan has lost many human lives within a short span of time, as a result of random attacks by armed men.
The barbaric killing of innocent civilians who have nothing to do with the ongoing conflict remains a major concern among the general public. In this regard, the killing of innocent civilians like Akon Deng Kuac especially by random police shooting at an illegal checkpoint raises more questions than answers: Why do the police kill civilians whom they are supposed to protect?
The establishments of illegal checkpoints across the country also need to be looked into. I called it an illegal checkpoint because there is no justification for their establishment within the state and inside the country, not at the international border or state to state border.
Investigation by Lakes State Government
The Government of Lakes State under the leadership of Governor Rin Tueny Mabor has taken the following steps to address the killing of innocent Akon. (1) First the state government has strongly condemned the killing of Akon Deng Kuac, (2) second, the killer has been arrested and, (3) third, the investigation committee has been formed to establish the truth behind the killing of Akon Deng.
These are commendable steps taken not only to address the killing of Akon but to prevent the future killing of innocent persons passing through illegal checkpoints. We thank the Governor for his quick action. The public is waiting to see the outcome of the investigation.
While I have not seen the terms of reference for the investigation Committee; I suggest the need for the committee to establish why the car coming from Aweil to Juba passed through Maper. It is suspicious why the driver took the opposite route from Rumbek to Maper and not from Rumbek to Yirol.
Appeal to the bereaved family and Aweil community
As the community is mourning the painful moment of Akon’s unfortunate death, let us accept that we lost her but her untimely death has to be treated as an isolated criminal act and must be condemned with the strongest term possible. At this point, I urge everyone to take courage and give the chance to the government to conduct a thorough investigation. We should note that the investigation does not produce the soul of our departed sister; the outcome of the investigation will be used to severely punish the killer (s) as well as prevent the future killing of innocent people. Women are harmless and killing women poses a major threat to women’s right to peace and security.
I conclude by sending my heartfelt condolences to Gen Deng Kuac Deng, The Honorable Ngong Deng Gum and the family of Kuac Deng for the very unfortunate loss of Akon Deng. May almighty God rest her good soul in eternal peace and I pray with family together during this difficult period of mourning.