S. Sudanese students in Kenya demand ex-governor’s unconditional release
February 1, 2016 (JUBA) -The leader of South Sudanese Congress of Patriots, a body comprised of students in Kenya is calling on human rights defenders and the international community to investigate the disappearance of former Western Equatoria governor, Joseph Bakosoro.
Bakosoro was arrested last year by national security agents on allegations linking him to be the leader of the arrow boys, an group operating in Western Equatoria.
However, in a statement, the South Sudanese students led by Dak Both condemned government for denying the former governor justice.
“The present regime in our country has backtracked and it is now perpetuating what we undoubtedly call an ‘invisible terrorism’; and hence the world cannot deal with this criminal Act selectively but rather collectively,” he said.
Both also called for urgent attention from the international human groups on the arrest of Bakosoro referring his detention as an attack to freedom of access to justice.
“We call on all democratic stalwarts to come to our aide and help us stop this continuing onslaught against our freedoms. Our political sovereignty is facing assaults from all fronts and we need a concerted effort to have these cabals dethrone,” he added.
Bakosoro was first arrested on 17 August last year by armed security at Juba airport while enrooting to Western Equatoria, after his dismissal from the gubernatorial position.
Both claims the ex-governor family members have been denied access to him, doubting his whereabouts and urging authorities to ensure Bakosoro’s immediate release.
“Neither the nation nor his family knows his where about. We hereby demand for his immediate release because we believed he is innocent; and if there are claimants, who accused him of any wrongdoing, let him be brought before an impartial and competent judicial institution to answers such accusations,” said Both.
“Our revolutionary history of fighting all kind of dictatorships; our forefathers battled unwaveringly against all Arabs monolithic rules until we achieved our independent on 9th July 2011 and thus this latest SPLM [Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement] regime is not the one which we can be worried much about,” he added.
(ST)