S. Sudan should be sued for human rights violation

By Lewis Kandi *

23 June 2006 — The Constitution of GOSS provides people with the basic right of freedom, association, movement etc Furthermore, it is the state again that makes sure this freedom is protected respected and upheld. At this time, an innocent South Sudanese woman called, Madame Emellin Desdario, the wife of the now famously known as Governor Patrick Zamoi. Mrs Emellin was rapped of her rights and freedom without doing any single wrong by the Government of South Sudan (GOSS). On the 16 of June 2006, President Salva Kiir Mayardiit issued decree No. 42/2006 suspending the Col. Patrick Zamoi, Sudan Governor of WES. The reason is alleged involvement in tribal clashes in November 2005. The investigation committee is said to comprise three individuals, one member from Bor and none from Western Equatoria. It is worth noting that the tribal clashes which took places involved Local from WES and Dinka Bor IDPs. The first thing to ask is having an investigation committee with a member from Bor investigating tribal clashes involving his own tribe risks being biased and unbalanced.

The second issue to raise here is the fact that the Decree by President Salva Kiir only ordered the arrest of the Sudan WES Governor Zamoi. The decree did not mention the arrest of Governors wife and family. No where in the world apart from dictatorial system do we see such collective punishments. The people of South Sudan however, learnt with complete shock and disbelief that the security forces of the Minister Daniel Awet have executed one of the most despicable acts of human rights violation by arresting the Wife and family of Sudan Governor Zamoi and placing them all in maximum security detention. By doing so the GOSS have not only made her psychologically tortured, but now she suffers internally as a victim of that torture that her government; the government of South Sudan has given her for no reason. I am not even sure if the government is providing her with an access to a psychologist to help her adjust to her new reality. Poor Women!

My suggestion is that, one way to fight the battle against the forces of evil is to educate the uneducated in the government of south Sudan including President Salva Kiir himself who clearly demonstrated that he need to enter an intensive course on running government affairs. By saying that, I mean that the wife of the government should sue the Government of South Sudan in the court of law and supreme court of Sudan and South Sudan for the psychological and physical torture that she has suffered for no reason, for hijacking her freedom for no reason, for rapping her out of her basic rights as a citizen of south Sudan. Prove me wrong if there is any thing in the constitution of South Sudan that says Governors or ministers or any ordinary citizens wife should be punished for his mistakes if any, of course the two of them are different individuals under law and are entitled to equal right and freedom as citizens of Sudan.

I suggest that Madame Emellin Desdario, wife of the Governor should waste no time, but sue the government of South Sudan (GOSS) for such inhuman treatment and deprivation of freedom. If possible, even get human right lawyer to defend this case. If not, I suggest she should see a psychologist, get those document ready that proves that she has suffered as a result of south Sudan’s government mistreatment. In the WES GOSS would certainly pay millions of dollar for such a blunder.

To the people of South Sudan, it is time to face the GOSS and say enough is enough. Let us not be religious about such incident by saying it is ok, don’t panic, hold on etc, but lets us teach the Tribal government of South Sudan that we know how they think. Remember, if such an incident happened in a healthy democracy, the government should compensate the victim in terms of millions for that single mistake. I believe she will win the case no matter at what lever, or at least she will be given attention to avoid such legal challenge from being published. At the least other women of South Sudan will never have to face such

I encourage o our lawyers to help this case to make its way to the high court of South Sudan, the international Criminal court just to mention a few. GOSS has the duty to provide her with answers why she was rapped out of her basic rights as a citizen of South Sudan or Sudan in General or at least as a human being. Minister Daniel Awiet should in fact force to resign for disgracing the Government of South Sudan.

I hope to add more comments on these and possibly advice on possible a legal actions to be taken against GOSS sooner rather than later.

* The author is student of electrical engineering currently living in Boston, USA. He can be reached at [email protected]