S. Sudan security apologies to Sudan Tribune journalist expelled from SPLM meeting
April 1, 2012 (JUBA) – A senior security officer on Sunday said the expulsion of Sudan Tribune journalist, Ngor Garang, from covering the last day of National Liberation Council (NLC) of South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) was unintentional, claiming it was case of mistaken identity.
He also asked that the public and media not “magnify and capitalise on the incident”.
However, another security officer from the same office, Thiik Kuot, said: “I do not see any logical reason for offering an apology“.
He explained that checking the identity of visitors was standard procedure, which could not be carried out while Garang was in the hall where Kiir was on stage and the national anthem was being sung.
Garang was removed from the hall to be questioned. He was then not permitted to re-enter because, according to Kuot, “nobody even the national ministers would be allowed to enter after the president had entered.“
“I do not see my expulsion as personal vendetta with security. I look at it at the bigger picture because it is something to do with relations involving our president,” Garang responded.
Garang was was taken into custody by South Sudan’s security services following the publication of an opinion piece criticising South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir in The Destiny, in November 2011. Although he did not write the article, as an editor of the newspaper he was held for over two weeks.
Garang was tortured while in detention before being released without charge. This led to condemnation of South Sudan’s security services from South Sudanese and international human rights organisations.
“The fact that my expulsion has not been justified until this moment leaves a lot to be addressed as far as freedom from torture or inhumane or degrading treatment of individual citizens is concerned”, Garang said.
(ST)