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Sudan Tribune

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Lakes state strongly condemns unlawful arrest of officials in Yirol West county

October 2, 2013 (RUMBEK) – Local government administrative unions have sent a message to Lakes state’s military caretaker governor condemning the torture and imprisonment of Yirol West county executive director and his deputy.

In letter signed on Saturday, the local government secretary-general, who is also serving as chairman of unions of administrative officers, asked the governor to urgently launch an investigation into the arrest of local government administrators.

Yirol West county commissioner Colonel Majak Ruei Angong ordered the mass arrest of teachers, chiefs, county police inspector, as well as executive director Thon Rengu Majaok and his deputy Mayom Riak.

The arrest of the two officers was in connection to a outbreak of violence at Yirol Boys Primary School which resulted in the destruction of the commissioner’s office.

The commissioner has yet to bring any charges against those arrested and nor was a written warrant obtained by police on the weekend.

On Wednesday, Majak instructed his county police unit to transfer 14 people to Rumbek Central county for further investigations. However, officers resisted the order, asking the commissioner to present charges that warranted the teachers being transferred for further questioning.

Majak had ordered his private car and one police car to transport 15 people to Rumbek, but later changed his mind after pressure from top authorities.

The group, which consisted of 12 teachers, two students and a leader of the Yirol West Association Union, travelled as far as Bar-Naam River before turning back to Aluakluak in Yirol West.

Authorities in South Sudan’s Lakes state detained at least 23 people in connection with Friday’s violent demonstration in Yirol West county.

The protests broke out after Lakes State authorities blocked powerful MP David Deng Athorbei, the area’s lawmaker in the national assembly, from addressing a gathering at Yirol Boys Primary School’s third anniversary celebrations, in which he was invited as a guest of honour.

(ST)

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