President Kiir to visit W. Bahr el Ghazal on Sunday
July 10, 2014 (WAU) – South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir is expected in Wau, the Western Bahr el Ghazal state this Sunday, governor Rizik Zackaria Hassan disclosed.
Hassan revealed this on Wednesday while addressing thousands of people gathered in Wau to commemorate the country’s third independence anniversary.
The event, marked at the freedom square, also witnessed several traditional dances, student processions and a parade by members of the Sudan’s Peoples Liberation Army(SPLA).
This year’s celebrations, however, attracted somber moods from citizens, given the ongoing violence that has killed thousands and displaced over a million people.
Governor Hassan, on his part, questioned the country’s former vice-president, Riek Machar for allegedly orchestrating war against the legitimately elected government.
“As South Sudan gained here independence in 2011 already and you are now fighting and killing your own people for the sake of someone who are fighting for leadership,” Hassan said.
“What are you liberating South Sudan from again?” he asked.
The governor said his peoples fully support president Kiir’s leadership, insisting that they never took arms and joined the opposition forces fighting the latter.
“The people of Western Bahr el Ghazal state are people of peace who respect the vision and mission of South Sudan’s ruling party [SPLM] and are committed to respect the current Country’s constitution,” he stressed.
“We have cleared out all criminals who were trying to use the forests of Western Bahr el Ghazal state to carry out their activities against current government”, Hassan added.
ARMY WARNED ON FEDERALISM
Meanwhile, the army’s fifth infantry division commander in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Major Gen. David Manyok warned his forces not to interfere in public debates on the proposed federalism system of governance.
“Am telling you this because I do not want similar incident that occurred in Maridi town of Western Equatoria last week where by a soldier from division shot dead a civilian whom they were arguing over the federalism issue,” Manyok said during Wednesday’s independence occasion.
“We do not want this to happen here, leave the civilians to discuss it alone without your participation because your duties are not associates with politics, you are a military man of which your deal with military’s commands from your unit, only you wait to join or not when it come to effect,” he added.
The army commander, however, urged pro-federalism supporters to hold their advocacy until peace and stability was fully restored in the new nation.
(ST)
