Group decries presence of armed foreign forces in Juba
March 24, 2024 (NAIROBI) – A South Sudanese umbrella group has decried the alleged presence of heavily armed foreign troops in the outskirts of the capital, Juba.
The National Consensus Forum (NCF), in a statement, said it is deeply disturbed by the presence of forces purported to be units from the Ugandan army on the farm and military base of President Salva Kiir in Luri, about 7 kilometers west of Juba.
The group, quoting “credible” sources in Luri, claimed about three battalion size heavily armed foreign forces have been deployed to Luri since March 18, 2024.
Also allegedly deployed, are other additional sites totalling to six battalions.
Sudan Tribune could, however, not independently verify claims made by NCF.
“This barbaric act of President Kiir undermines the sovereignty of South Sudan and the ability of the Security Organs to dispense their duties and obligations of defending and maintaining Security in the country,” it noted in a statement.
According to the NCF, the latest presence of foreign forces in the same area is causing fear and panic among the civil population in the South Sudan capital.
It reminded the people about the previous outbreak of deadly violence in Juba in 2013 and 2016, following the concentration and deployment of forces in Luri.
“Civilians are worried that this unexpected deployment may be preparation for another round of violence in the city. This deployment of foreign forces, believed to have been funded by President Kiir, is causing serious fears and resentment among civil servants and security forces in the country,” it further noted.
The umbrella group wondered why a lot of tax payers’ money was allegedly being used to fund foreign troops, yet civil servants and the different sectors of the country’s security forces have endured more than seven months without salaries.
It appealed to President Salva Kiir to abandon any preparations for war and instead redirect attention to the peaceful search for lasting peace in the country.
Kiir should invest the country’s resources in the welfare of citizens facing a dire man-made economic crisis as the country teeters on the edge of collapse, it said.
The NCF is an umbrella entity comprising 21 South Sudanese political, civil society, women, youth and faith-based organizations and the academic and professional association and represents a major segment of the South Sudanese society.
(ST)