N. Bahr el Ghazal parliament condemns continued arbitrary arrest of its members
By Ngor Arol Garang
January 13, 2012 (JUBA) – The parliament of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state on Friday issued a resolution condemning what it described as “continued” arbitrary arrest against constitutional post holders and citizens.
The state parliament claims that arrests are often carried out by the state security apparatus on the directives of individual members of the executive organ.
The resolution on 11 January seen by Sudan Tribune bears signature of speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Aguer Wol Aguer, and quotes an article prohibiting unjustified arrest in the state constitution.
“Article 15 of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State constitution provides that every person has the right to liberty and security of person. No person shall be subjected to arrest, deprivation or restriction of his or her liberty except for specific reasons in accordance with procedures prescribed by law”, reads part of the statement.
The statement condemned the “arbitrary arrest of constitutional post holders and citizens.
“The Assembly demands immediate stoppage of such behavior”.
Joseph Bol Chan, Speaker of the Council of States expressed his concern over reports of the illegal and arbitrary arrest of MPs and citizens.
“The constitution is very clear. It defines competence of each institution and how they should relate with another within legal parameters. This is done to avoid encroaching into constitutional functions under the competence of other institutions”, said Speaker Chan.
He said arresting any citizen without following prescribed procedures undermines competence of other institutions.
The speaker of the upper house of South Sudan’s National Assembly said that reports over MPs in Northern Bahr el Ghazal falls under his jurisdiction.
He said that he had heard both sides of the accusations – including the governor and the finance minister which some MPs accuse of false reporting and corruption – but did not say whether he would take any action.
Last week, Garang Majak Bol MP, who representing Aweil South County, told various media organisations in South Sudan, including Sudan Tribune, that his life was at risk.
Bol sas that the state governor Paul Malong Awan had plotted to kill him because he raised a motion to impeach his minister of finance, Ronald Ruay Deng, over an alleged financial scam.
The MP accused Deng of failure to account for 2011 budget in which the parliament, through its public accounts committee, observed “huge irregularities”.
But the Northern Bahr el Ghazal ministers of information, finance and physical infrastructure said at a press conference on Tuesday denied that there was no plot to kill Bol or any other MP.
The three ministers charged the lawmaker of being involved in counterfeiting hard currencies. He had been placed under strict security surveillance for months after the state received information from the Kenyan government, the ministers said.
Bol denies the allegations described it on Friday as “cover up” story to divert public attention from other issues.
“I do not have an idea of what they are talking about. I do not have any single case with the Kenyan police. This is just a cover up story to divert the public attention from following sensitive issues of corruption in the state”, Bol told Sudan Tribune on Friday.
“In any case, if there was such a claim it would not have been the state to talk about it. The Kenyan government would have written to South Sudanese embassy not the state”, he adds.
Major General Akot Deng Akot, a director of police in the state denied that any arbitrary arrests had taken place in the state. He said that the police did not act without official instructions.
“Why are you always calling me? I am not a judge. Why don’t you ask judge? Police is a law enforcement agency. We enforce law and order in order to keep peace and stability. So our responses are often necessitated by an act breaching law and security of the people”, the senior policeman said.
But many citizens from Northern Bahr el Ghazal told Sudan Tribune on Friday argued that there have been repeated cases of arbitrary arrests throughout 2011. Some of the arrests were carried out against political opponents and their supporters, while others were carried out against close relatives and their family members, Sudan Tribune was been told.
“There have been a lot of arrests here. Some of the people remain under detention as of today. Are you not aware that Chief David Garang Malong Yor remains under arrest”, asked a citizen who spoke to Sudan Tribune by phone from Aweil town, capital of the State on Friday.
Chief Yor with Awer Makou was arrested late in November 2011 after making statements in the media complaining against the interference of the state governor corruptions allegations he made involving the national MP for the area.
He accused Kom Kom Geng MP of failing to complete construction of a primary school he said was funded through constitutional development funds provided by the Juba government to support development projects.
His arrest was preceded by the arrest of nine political opponents including a lieutenant colonel within the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) on 23 March 2011.
(ST)