South Sudan rejects placing Juba airport under regional force
January 20, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir has rejected deployment of the regional protection force with the capacity to place Juba International Airport under its mandate.
“I did not fight for 21 years for this country so that whenever I want to leave the country I have to be subjected to a search by a foreigner searching me and check what I’m carrying,” Kiir said.
“If this is the force they want to deploy, I will not accept,” he stressed.
The President was speaking on Thursday at the State House during the swearing in ceremony of the new governors.
The south Sudanese leader whose remarks were broadcast by the state owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation admitted that his government had accepted in principle deployment of the regional protection force.
“We welcome this force but the issue of giving airport to them, we refuse,” he added.
He asked the SPLM-IO appointed governors of the faction under Taban Deng Gai to go help improve the relationships between civilians from different states.
The state governors, he urged, should cooperate and facilitate free movements of people and goods.
(ST)