Wau state activists protest against regional forces
July 26, 2016 (WAU) – Hundreds of citizens and school pupils joined civil society activists for a peaceful demonstration aimed at rejecting the African Union’s recent proposal to deploy additional troops to boost United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan.
“No to deployment of foreign regional forces in the country,” they chanted.
In the petition, the protestors accused the Troika nations who are members of the UN, of disrespecting South Sudan’s sovereignty.
A representative of the civil society, Santino Madut Uchalla said much as they recognise the positive roles played by UN peacekeepers, South Sudan needed to be respected as a nation.
The civil society fraternity, in the petition, said foreign troops may only be interested in South Sudan’s natural resources, such as oil.
“The UN should know that the government of South Sudan is capable to solve its own problems as leadership of this country ordered cessation of hostilities, general amnesty and establishment of military court martial which is functioning now in dealing with any crime committed during the past violence in the country,” partly reads the civil society petition forwarded to the UN office in Wau.
“We strongly rejected, condemned and denounce the foreign troop’s intervention and proposed sanction on the sovereign South Sudan,” it further read.
Members of the civil society warned that South Sudan should not encounter what happened in Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Afghanistan. These countries, they said, have no stability, despite UN intervention.
The groups urged UN to support South Sudan in implementing the peace deal rather than deploying additional foreign troops.
The state Governor, Andrea Mayar Acho assured the protestors that their petition would reach the UN and president’s office as demanded.
(ST)