Two protesters arrested in S. Sudan’s Bor
May 12, 2017 (JUBA) – On Friday, two South Sudanese protesters against the Peace Committee headed by First Vice President Taban Deng were detained in Bor by national security agents.
JIPDD is a civil society group in Bor.
Deng was detained on Thursday and held without charges. A relative who visited him on Friday said the police promised to release him after an investigation was conducted.
“The police said they are still doing investigations to know who organised the demonstrations,” said a cousin who visited Deng in Bor on Friday.
Jonglei State police declined to comment on the arrests.
Governor of Jonglei, Philip Aguer confirmed that his government wants to question the protesters.
“We want them to explain why they were chanting Viva. That is a slogan of people who are not here,” he said by phone from Bor, referring to SPLM in Opposition slogan.
However, Aguer said he did not get information on their arrest, referring any further questions to Jonglei State’s legal office.
One of the leaders of the protest who has remained in hiding in Bor denied changing any political slogan during the protest on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We have uploaded the video and the audio as well as photos on social media and there is no single political slogan. We are condemning the peace initiative of First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, as Bor Youth, when our children and cattle have not been returned from Murle,” he said.
The youth protested during the meeting between Gai and local chiefs aiming to end the ongoing clashes between Bor and Murle youths in Boma State, east of former Jonglei State.
(ST)