SSHURSA welcomes the dismissal of the Lakes State Police Commissioner

SSHURSA

SOUTH SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY FOR ADVOCACY
For contact: [email protected]: Tel. +211955300382
Press Release:
SSHURSA welcomes the dismissal of the Lakes State Police Commissioner, warns other human rights violators to observe the Country’s fundamental law and encourages the Ministry of Interior to exercise control over its erand personnel.
For Immediate Release; June 4, 2012
The South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) greatly welcomes the dismissal of the Lakes State’s police Commissioner Major General Saed Abdulatif Chawuol Lom from his post in Rumbek, upon last month detention of the Radio Rumbek 98 FM journalist Ms. Ayak Dhieu Apar and for which the General was directly and vicariously responsible.
Though SSHURSA hasn’t been able at the time of this press statement, to verify the reality of the dismissal but the circulated and published information by the media houses on the police chief’s dismissal is a great step in the fight against the impunity over the human rights violations in South Sudan. The alleged dismissal of the police General should not just be a ceremonial act to divert interest of justice and public attention from the violation of the Constitution which the General had willingly authored but the act must be real and SSHURSA welcomes greatly such a decision and encourages the South Sudan’s Ministry of the Interior to take more steps against anyone within its ranks and files, disrpespecting the country’s supreme law, the Constitution. The sacking of the said police General should not be a mere change of a geographical location and administrative measures per se but also including legal measures against him so that his case serves as a lesson and practical warning to any other police officers or individuals violating human rights countrywide. The Constitution and the laws of South Sudan are above all people in the Country and no one should be seen to violate them at will without being held to account for his or her acts.
On its May 19, 2012 press release on journalist Ayak’s arrest, SSHURSA recommended an immediate resignation of General Saed and the organization stands so far by this very position hence it greatly welocmes the Ministry of Interior’s decision to sack the police chief. The culture of impunity must be a thing of the past and it must come to an end now. Human Rights are universal and must be universally upheld by all persons regardless of anyone’s position in our society. Justice must be done and SSHURSA again reinstates it call upon the Republic of South Sudan’s Ministry of Justice to prosecute the sacked Police General so that justice is not only said to be done but must also be seen done.