UN accuses S. Sudanese army of over taxing it’s food trucks

November 26, 2015 (WAU) – An official at a United Nations base in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state has accused soldiers at checkpoints in the region of allegedly overtaxing trucks delivering food items to civilians in dire need for assistance.

The accusation comes a day after over 30 heads of UN agencies and international organisations forwarded complaints to the governor over unfair taxes.

The group, in the petition, claimed trucks carrying goods for those deprived were being held for numerous hours at Aweil checkpoint by the soldiers who demand huge money.

Mach Anyang Yuang, the UN World Food Program’s head of sub office in the state said their trucks on the Greater Bahr el Ghazal route, were being held at Kuom checkpoint for hours by government soldiers who demand for money.

“Our trucks are already having a letter of exemption from the national government of which the soldiers at checkpoints are not entitled to ask [for money] and they are asking for this letter. It can only be produced at the checkpoint for only entering,” Yuang told Sudan Tribune Thursday.

“This is against the conformity reached between the South Sudan government ministry of foreign affairs and the UN agencies on funnel of humanitarian agencies operating in the country,” he added.

Allegations against the army by the world body could, however, not easily be ascertained.

(ST)