SPLM-IO youth wing holds “Red Card” rally against president Kiir
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
July 20, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Hundreds of exiled South Sudanese refugees during the weekend held rally in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in protest to what they said was “unconstitutional extension” to mandate in office of president Salva Kiir.
The protest rally so called “Red Card” rally was organized by the youth league of the opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) all over the world. Protestors said the Red Card symbol which they have been sharing on the social media around the world meant president Kiir was no longer needed in the political playing field as top leader of the country.
Organizers told Sudan Tribune that the objective of the rally was to inform the South Sudanese across the world and the international community that the presidential term of Salva Kiir was over.
In March South Sudan lawmakers voted to extend the president’s term by three years in what they said was important to restore peace in the country and avoid a constitutional vacuum.
However opposition politicians argue that the move was meant to secure president Kiir’s grip on power. They called for his resignation and condemned the “unilateral” extenstion of the term by his regime as unconstitutional and “usurping” the power of the people.
Participants told Sudan Tribune that they were gathered to tell the world that president kiir was no longer a legitimate president and he must step down immediately.
“South Sudan is independent but the people are yet to be free four years after independence” said Martha Nyariang Tiom, chairwoman of South Sudanese community’s women association in Ethiopia.
“What brought these suffering and what is driving the people to flee their home country is because they are being killed by the same person who claimed to be their president” she told Sudan Tribune.
Pout Kang Chol, chairman of the SPLM youth league argues that the “illegal” extension of the president term will affect the next round of peace talks expected to resume on Friday.
“If the world is sincere and they want to bring this war to an end they should be aware that the president has lost his legitimacy” said Chol, further calling on the African Union, IGAD, the UN and the international community at large to consider what should be done next.
“There won’t be peace under the same president who has killed the same people who elected him,” he added.
Similar protest rallies had been held in Egypt, Uganda, Australia, US and Australia.
According to organizers, the Red Card campaigns will also continue in Sudan, Kenya and other countries until Kiir leaves the presidential seat.
At the rally, the youth wing of the SPLM/A-IO shouted “Down, Down, Salva Kiir” and called on the international community to intervene and take action against extension of his term without the consent of the people.
Some 500 South Sudanese people attended the public meeting held at Gerji community hall in Addis Ababa.
(ST)