S. Sudan Security Council approves new measures against ex-army chief staff
November 6, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan Security Council has endorsed a presidential order directing the chief defence forces to disarm and arrest guards of the former chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan.
The South Sudanese Minister of Defence Kuol Manyang Juuk, Monday urged people not to panic and downplayed a possible escalation of tensions that threaten the security in Juba due to the situation of Gen Awan.
“The security meeting was convened over the weekend in the light of the current situation and it received reports of the deployment of the security forces around the residence of Gen Paul Malong Awan after he refused to comply with the directives of the president. But this is not a big issue,” Juuk told reporters in Juba.
The endorsement of the presidential decision comes after Awan’s rejection of a decision by President Salva Kiir ordering army soldiers protecting his residence to regain their barracks and to arrest and disarm guards who disobey to this order.
He stressed that the situation is quite normal, adding that people when they see a situation, they just go and try to create a story out of it.
“There are criminals, those who want to take advantage of any situation and try to loot shops and what and what. These are the people who agitate and send messages,” further said Minister Juuk.
The top defence official said nobody was interested in fighting but the government was only asking the soldiers to report their units instead of continuing to stay with Gen Malong.
“So there is no need for people to panic. They should not listen to rumours. The situation is quite normal. It is something being addressed through administrative channels and all will be okay,” he said.
(ST)