UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
By Julius N. Uma
August 28, 2011 (AWEIL) – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has strongly condemned the alleged assault of one of its senior officials by police officers, less than two months after the Republic of South Sudan became the UN’s 193rd member state.
After being held for five hours without charge he was taken to a UN hospital.
UNMISS spokesperson, Aleem Siddique said the behavior of the police was unacceptable and contravenes the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the UN and South Sudan.
“The police act on the UN staff was totally uncalled for. In any case, it was contrary to the agreement between the mission and the South Sudan government as well as international treaties governing UN privileges and immunities,” Siddique told Sudan Tribune by phone.
The spokesman did not say why Sannoh was attacked and instead deferred these inquiries to the police.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that Sannoh, a Liberian national had rejected a police request to enter his hotel room.
According to the UMISS spokesperson, a staff member cannot be arrested and detained on the basis of an arrest warrant, without approval from the office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG).
“In principal, if an arrest warrant is issued to a UN staff member, the matter is brought to the attention of the special representative who conducts an investigation in consultation with the government of South Sudan before appropriate actions are taken,” he said.
Hilde Johnson, the SRSG reportedly raised the matter with South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit and the country’s foreign affairs ministry, while investigations by the police are said to be ongoing.
When contacted on Sunday, Biar Mading Biar, South Sudan’s police spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the incident.
On July 9th, South Sudan officially separated from North Sudan as a result of the referendum held earlier this year in which Southerners voted almost unanimously in favor of independence.
The incident so soon after independence will raise questions as to the commitment of South Sudan’s authorities to upholding human rights and rule of law in the fledgling country.
(ST)
Khartoum92
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Why are your beating your fellow African brothers. Now you want to fight even your brothers?
Lorolokin
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Khartoum 92 ,
Don’t judge let wait for the investigation otherwise UN staff members are not Angels they are normal human being like you so they are subject to any form of abuse including crime why not.
Kinkak
MINDED.DUDE
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Dinka police are behind everything in south sudan.
they arrested MPS in Warrap state.
Dinka LAW is Dog law.
death to you.
mohammed ali
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Lorolokin,
You are absolutely right any person is a possible target for criminals.Unfortunately here the criminals are the police and not one but 12 police men!The poor man had to go to the hospital after the assault inflicted upon him by those who are supposed to protect him!
The question remains , if such a high profile ” immune figure” faces such a crime , what will happen with ordinary people?!
Ironically, the gentleman was the UN human right chief officer to south Sudan!
Logic
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Here we go again…
The racist and supremacist northern bigot is forgetting the institutionally corrupt, defunct and systematically abusive police force of North Sudan to gloat at their southern counterparts, North Sudan’s police force is amongst the most brutal in Africa if not the world but yet you want to point a finger at a police force which is at its infancy stage, you’re a funny guy!
However, South Sudan government needs to implement discipline amongst it law enforcing officerss pronto.. as it would reflect very badly on the new nation. But I don’t understand why such a case must be escalated to the level of the presidency, it should be dealt with by the relevant authorities (Ministry of Interior, Foreign Affairs and the courts).
The police force should be discouraged from beating/ abusing anyone, let alone a foreigner with special status.
Logic
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Here we go again…
The racist and supremacist northern bigot is forgetting the institutionally corrupt, defunct and systematically abusive police force of North Sudan to gloat at their southern counterparts, North Sudan’s police force is amongst the most brutal in Africa if not the world but yet you want to point a finger at a police force which is at its infancy stage, you’re a funny guy!
However, South Sudan government needs to implement discipline amongst it law enforcing officers pronto.. as it would reflect very badly on the new nation. But I don’t understand why such a case must be escalated to the level of the presidency, it should be dealt with by the relevant authorities (Ministry of Interior, Foreign Affairs and the courts).
The police force should be discouraged from beating/ abusing anyone, let alone a foreigner with special status.
Gabriel KK
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Hi Dude,
behave responsibly, South Sudan police is not a Dinka police. There must be a reason behind this incident, Let’s not jump into conclusion and pointing fingers at wrong direction before the full invastigation. Those African working with UN should not be trusted but our police on the other hand must stop beating and use of force even if a person is a criminal.
Rising of the Sun
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
As a matter of fact, we don’t have real police in most of South Sudan. These guys are a gang who are mistakenly called police because we don’t know what “police” actually means.
They know nothing about the laws of policing let alone the laws of the land. Neither do their bosses. No understanding of diplomacy at all.
In good policing not even a known criminal should be slapped or kicked. But in South Sudan’s capital Juba, a police person can slap anyone in the street for a simple offence. Most of them are always rude and sometimes drunk during working hours.
The rule of law is just a nightmare in South Sudan. You don’t know the next time you are arrested for saying something a policeman does not want to hear even if it is not the wrong thing to say.
Our police need routine and regular lessons on law and order and how to deal with people of various categories.
Otherwise these embarrassments will one day cause a diplomatic war that will cost South Sudan more than just an apology.
God save South Sudan
Waucity
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
If they are rude…People need to listen to law.
sam Dut
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
this issue should be investigated thoroughly. i personal don’t like the way UN personnel behave. they are undermining us but police should have not acted in primitive way
Tambura
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
I said it many times, those Dinkas in uniform specially those were in bush, they behaved like cows they should not allow them to deal with human beings. Who told them to take the law at their hands?. Police work is to arrest criminal and protect them they have no right to put hand on anybody. police words to criminal are they have right to remain silent any words from theml can be used against them in the court of law. They never teach them all that?
mohammed ali
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Logic,
The jalabbi in southerners shoes
The jalabbi in disguise!
Lying as usual!
Southerners say ” our” government or the government as it is well understood what they were talking about. Jalaba like you say government of S.S!
By the way Iam not pointing any finger to anybody. It is the whole world represented by the UN.
Josh
UN condemns South Sudan police assault on top official
Wow Dinka in power, well done Dinka. I wish dinka to beat USA Diplomance. The world is watching your idiot president. Where is the court of law?