S. Sudanese political parties petition Kiir over travel ban
September 19, 2014 (JUBA) – At least 13 South Sudanese political parties have petitioned president Salva Kiir over his government’s decision to restrict their representatives from attending the peace talks peace talks in Ethiopia, despite an invitation extended by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
“This development comes hot on the heels of recent activities staged by the political parties that are in government, both national and state levels. Acting on the behest of the minister of information and cabinet affairs the group declared that they have changed the official delegation of the political parties and formed new delegation of their own composed entirely of the parties in government, including the SPLM”, the petition reads in part.
The document bears signatures of Lam Akol, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), who initially headed the parties’ delegation to the talks. Several other leaders also signed the same petition.
The parties, in their petition, said the act committed on their leaders showed that the government was not committed to the peace talks, and violated the constitutional rights of citizens intending to travel out of the country.
“At about 2:30 pm on Saturday 13 instant, the delegation of the political parties to the IGAD led peace talks in Ethiopia, was refused to travel. The immigration officer at the airport stated clearly that he was under orders that members of our delegation should be denied exit visas. This act is a flagrant violation of the transitional constitution of the republic of South Sudan 2011. Article 27 (2) of the constitution states that every citizen shall have the right to leave and or returns to South Sudan”, the group argued in the petition.
The opposition leaders urged the president to “take corrective measures”, stressing that what transpired was a “black spot” in the face of the country and “a big blow to the claims to be promoting multi party democratic state”.
The United States and the representatives from the European Union member countries said, in a statement issued on 16 September, that they were concerned that some members of the political parties’ delegation were prevented from travelling to join IGAD talks in Ethiopia to which they were invited by the IGAD mediators.
“This does not sit well with an inclusive and representative process that takes into account the views of all constituencies and all stakeholders. Preventing an individual from travelling may also violate his or her right to freedom of movement. We remain deeply concerned about the political and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, an entirely man-made catastrophe,” partly reads the statement, signed by envoys from the US, the United Kingdom, Norway, the European Union, Germany and The Netherlands.
“We call on leaders on all sides to recognise the need for compromise, to put their people first and to make peace a reality as a first priority”, it adds.
(ST)