Tonj residents petition IGAD, JMEC over creation of 28 states

MAY 10, 2016 (TONJ) – Hundreds of residents in Tonj, one of South Sudan’s newly-created states staged a peaceful protest demanding that the decree creating the 28 new states be reversed.

In October last year, President Salva Kiir decreed the expansion of the country’s 10 states to 28, a decision opposed by the armed opposition faction, now part of recently formed Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

The protestors, in a statement, demanded that the creation of the states should have been done in consultation with the citizens.

Addressing the protestors at the Freedom Square on Tuesday, the deputy state governor, Manhiem Bol Malek received the petition, but said President Kiir acted on demands of the people.

“The decision for the president to come up with 28 states was your popular demands, therefore, it is your right to stand firm and today, your peaceful demonstration in Tonj state has clearly delivered out your message to the international community defending your right,” said Malek.

The protests comes a week after the regional bloc (IGAD), Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) and the United Nations vowed not to recognize the legitimacy of the new states and that failure to suspend the 28 states by the TGoNU would amount to non-implementation of the peace agreement.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) also said the decision be suspended until the parties to the agreement reach a consensus to either return to the 10 states or agree to expand the number of states in a manner that would not cause ethnic frictions between the country’s local communities.

(ST)