Juba rampage caused by soldiers’ demand for more money
Dec 16, 2006 (NAIROBI) –The South Sudan government said that the cause of Juba rampage yesterday was the refusal of SPLA-JIU soldiers of their pay claming they should be paid in equality with SPLA soldiers who received their salary plus arrears.
The government of southern Sudan said in a statement issued through its Liaison Office in Nairobi that the SPLA soldiers in the Joint Integrated Units (JIU) refused their salary on Thursday a day before their demonstration in Juba streets. The JIU soldiers demanded to be given what their colleagues in the SPLA are paid.
While the JIU soldiers were receiving regularly their salary since the institution of the joint units, the SPLA was still in the reorganization process and took time for the soldiers to be paid their dues.
“When all the modalities were worked out, the SPLA soldiers were then given salaries with accumulative arrears for the months incurred. “This is the reason why they have been receiving higher salaries. That is why the JIU units have misunderstood the difference in their salaries with the SPLA soldiers;” the statement said.
Earlier reports said the JIU demonstrated on Friday 15 December in Juba firing in the air in protest at the government’s failure to pay them. Southern Sudan officials had promised to address the situation with the Government of National Unity.
According to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the JIU soldiers are paid by the federal authorities, while the SPLA is paid by the government of Southern Sudan.
On the morning of the material day the soldiers marched from their base to the mausoleum of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and began random shooting.
This incident created panic to the civil population in Juba town and attracted some of the senior officials in the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) who tried to calm the situation. The soldiers however ignored the pleas. They only agreed to calm down after the Minister of Road and Transport, Madam Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, the wife of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and other government officials intervened.
SALVA KIIR IRRITATED
The rampage occurred when the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Senior Officials of GOSS and invited Guests were in the Assembly Hall attending the opening of a workshop organized by the Ministry of Public Service.
The South Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) building is situated a few meters from the mausoleum of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior.
The shooting disrupted the workshop as well as Government Business and other key public functions. This incident however, prompted the President to convene an Emergency Cabinet Meeting.
After the cabinet meeting, the President ordered;
– The imposition of a curfew from 7.00pm to 6.00am effective from December 15th 2006. This is a security precaution to avert any eventuality in case any elements take advantage of the situation.
– The President ordered immediate investigations to establish and ascertain the root cause of the situation to avoid a similar incident in future
– The President ordered the removal of guns and ammunition from the soldiers who were involved in the shooting protest pending investigations.
(ST)