Unity state students urge Kiir to reverse decree creating new states

December 29, 2015 (KAMPALA) – Members of the union of students from South Sudan’s Unity State in Uganda have rejected the recent appointment of 28 new state governors, urging President Salva Kiir to reverse his decree for a proper peace deal implementation.

Derpiny Khan, the speaker of the student’s union said the decision made by the South Sudan leader violated the accord he signed with the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO).

“This action is a clear violation of the signed peace deal between the two warring parties, and a setback to the peace implementation, and not only that but a deliberate creation of continuous inter communal and tribal conflicts among the people of South Sudan”, he said.

The student leader also claimed most of the Nuer land, particularly in Mayom, Rubkotna and Guit counties have been annexed to the Jiengpadang and Abimnom communities.

“The same scenario has happened in Western Bahr el Ghazel and Upper Nile states where some of the Shilluk-land is given to Dinka community,” further stressed Khan.

Tap Beliu Bol, is the union’s finance secretary, said the creation of the 28 states was an incitement of more conflicts among South Sudanese communities, adding that most of territories of within the new states have not been properly demarcated.

“It is shocking news to see that this genocidal government of Jieng Council of Elders is always interesting in creating unstable south Sudan in order for them to achieve their selfish ambitions,” Bol told Sudan Tribune in Kampala, Uganda.

According to Bol, the South Sudanese leader has administratively failed to handle the ongoing economic crisis in the country, raising doubt on motives behind the new states.

“It is a foiled decision as we witness the current 10 states face huge problems. You cannot create more problems meanwhile you are failing to handle minor ones,” he said.

John Jal Wuor, an external affairs coordinator for the Unity state students union, said the decision taken by the government was harmful, warning of a potential future conflict.

“We call on the South Sudanese people and in particular the citizens of Unity state to stand up for popular uprising that demands immediate reversal of the decree,” he said.

Meanwhile members of the student’s union called on the East African regional bloc (IGAD), United States, Norway, Britain and other partners in South Sudan’s peace process to immediately step up efforts aimed at ending the violent conflict in the young nation.

(ST)