Thousands Of Civilians In Juba Protesting Against Intervention Of Foreign Forces

By Jok P Mayom

JUBA, 20 July 2016 [Gurtong]- Headed by the civil society alliance, amongst the protesters includes the students union, youth leagues, women, school children reject the additional troops recently agreed by the East African Bloc in Nairobi Kenya.

The protestors marched on the main street of Juba, ministries road through the airport road to the United Nation Mission of South Sudan (UNMISS) in tomping near the airport where they presented their letter of protest.

The banners the protestors held had the writings, “No additional troops to South Sudan by the United Nation (UN), or Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), calling it a red line.”

They chanted no to military intervention in South Sudan, UNMISS must quit South Sudan.

“No ! No ! for UNMISS, control of our airport. Respect our sovereignty “reads the banner held by university of Juba SPLM Student League.

“African Union (AU), European Union (EU), United State of America (U.S.A), UN and IGAD, we love our country more than you think” the banner reads.

Violence flared up again in South Sudan capita on Friday 08th July – Monday 11th 2016, a protraction of the incident that happened on Thursday 07th July 2016 between the forces of President Salva Kiir and his deputy First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.

The IGAD PLUS Council of Ministers held an urgent meeting on 11th July 2016 in the Kenyan Capital Nairobi to forge the way for the South Sudan incident, they demanded in the communiqué No.56 seen by Gurtong the “re-opening of the Juba International Airport to be protected by UNMISS.”

Juba International Airport has been opened now and it’s operational.

IGAD Plus also demanded urgent revision of the UNMISS mandate to establish an intervention brigade and increase numbers of troops from the region to inter alia secure Juba.

Meanwhile President Salva Kiir Mayardit government has recently rejected the intervention of addition.

Meanwhile, African leaders have backed plans to deploy regional troops to crisis-hit South Sudan after fighting between rival forces left hundreds dead.