Students warned against criticising Unity state governor

July 21, 2014 (KAMPALA) – An official from South Sudan’s Unity state has warned students against criticising the caretaker governor, Joseph Nguen Monytuel over the conflict destabilising the oil-rich region.

“Do not interfere with the leadership of governor Monytuel. Everyone has time to enjoy, so it is our time to enjoy ourselves,” said Joseph Juoi, the Unity state coordinator in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.

Juoi, in Uganda to attend an event organised by students, also advised them to put aside fears that they were being targeted in Juba and freely return.

“Whom do you want to leave Juba for? It does not belong to certain tribe, it belongs to all of us South Sudanese people,” he said.

The official dismissed criticism that the governor was “being used by president Salva Kiir to kill his own people” as baseless and uncalled for.

He said Monytuel was aware Nuers were killed, but could hardly do much other than building a new chapter for the country as opposed to rebellious means.

The state coordinator, who represented the governor at the swearing-in occasion of newly-elected student leaders, called for more courage to be given to those badly-affected by the conflict in South Sudan.

Majority of those internally displaced, he said, have mentally been affected by the conflict, especially those who lost relatives and friends in the conflict.

“We know that people were killed in Juba, even governor Monytuel used to talks about this. The governor was not very happy about these killings, but we need to take it easy,” Juoi said.

“We know time will come for those who kill innocent citizens,” he added.

AGAINST FEDERALISM

Meanwhile, the Unity state official opposed federalism, saying the proposed system of governance would promote corruption and cause regional imbalances in states that lack resources.

“The issue of federalism will bring disunity to the people of South Sudan; to me I do not support federal system in South Sudan,” Juoi told the students.

“We need decentralisation system of governance that would be the only choice and trust on all of us,” he said.

His remarks angered many students, the majority of whom accused the Juba state coordinator of trampling on their right to freedom of expression.

The newly elected chairman of the Unity state students’ union in Uganda, Charles Tot, has vowed to mobilise students in support for federalism.

(ST)