Warrap parliament orders immediate release of detained MPs
May 11, 2015 (WAU) – The legislative assembly in South Sudan’s Warrap state on Monday demanded the immediate release of two lawmakers detained on orders of the state governor last Friday.
“It is unlawful to detain members of parliament without legal procedures or even reported to the state assembly for acknowledgment,” assembly speaker, Moses Madut said Monday.
“As state legislators, we are urgently urging the state governor to immediately order the release of the MPs,” he stressed.
Malek, in a letter to security organs, said the two lawmakers were behind the recent students protest in Kuacjok secondary school over changes in the education system.
The MPs were allegedly planning a demonstration by the residents of Malek Gumbel in Kuacjok, purportedly over rising living conditions.
The government had instructed students to follow the newly introduced South Sudan curriculum, which allows them to study up to fourth year in secondary, but students preferred to follow and sit Sudanese system of education which would allow them to study up to third year and sit for Sudan school certificate of secondary education.
However, authorities wanted change, saying the Sudanese system of education was allowed to temporarily continue until the young nation establishes its own system.
The divergence of opinions between the students and government twice caused demonstrations, forcing the latter to suspend studies and closed down Kuacjok town secondary school.
The demonstration is what the state government claimed was masterminded by the two MPs and ordered for their arrest without waiving their parliamentary immunity.
The governor’s office is yet to officially react to the legislative assembly’s decision.
(ST)