SSPDF accused of torturing religious leaders in Central Equatoria

August 26, 2023 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese army (SSPDF) have been accused of looting, detaining and torturing religious leaders in Central Equatoria State.

The clerics, in a statement issued on Saturday, accused a section of the army units in Yei River County of arresting the clergy of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

A mobile unit of the government army, it said, attacked, looted, and tortured Christians of the Episcopal church of South Sudan in Nyori and Mongo archdeaconries of the diocese of Yei River County on August 24 and August 25.

The actions of the government military caused consternation and condemnation from the office of the Episcopal Bishop of Central Equatorial Internal Province.

“We the bishops, the clergies and the entire Christians of central Equatoria internal province, would like to express our deepest sadness on attacks, torture, looting of the Christians and arrest of the clergy of the Episcopal church of South Sudan by mobile force of Sudan People’s defense forces in Nyori and Mongo payams of Yei River County of Central Equatoria State,” partly reads the statement.

It also called for an investigation and that those responsible be held accountable.

The SSPDF spokesman, Major Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said he was not aware of the incident, adding that it is not the army’s policy to loot, arrest and torture civilians.

“First of all, what is the reason? What did they say was the reason for looting, arresting, torturing and all those stated in the statement? From my side, we don’t know anything and we do not have such a report. Two, there is no such policy to loot, arrest and torture civilians, including members of the religious leaders. We will speak to our command and when we get any information, we will come back to you and share our findings with members of the public”, he told Sudan Tribune by phone.

Last week, a civil-military dialogue in Yei county called for peaceful co-existence.

(ST)