Demonstrations Against Additional Regional Troops Held in Aweil and Gogrial

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“As a sovereign and political independent State, intervention of external forces or UN trusteeship in the South Sudan is totally rejected by the people of Aweil East State as it undermines the vito right of a sovereign State”
Thousands of protestors in the street of Kuacjok, during peaceful demonstrations against proposed deployment of foreign troops in South Sudan [Photo| Ayuel Santino]

By Agoth Abraham/Aweil and Ayuel Santino/Gogrial

AWEIL, 25 July 2016 [Gurtong]-Aweil and Aweil East States joined the rest of the states in South Sudan to protest against the addition of regional in South Sudan.

On Friday thousands of demonstrators marched to the UNMISS and Governors’ offices to deliver their petitions of rejection of foreign troops deployment in South Sudan.

In their petition read by the representative of the civil society alliance, it condemns the approval of intervention of foreign forces in South Sudan initiated by the UN secretary General Ban Ki Moon and IGAD.

“As a sovereign and political independent State, intervention of external forces or UN trusteeship in the South Sudan is totally rejected by the people of Aweil East State as it undermines the vito right of a sovereign State” it reads.

The petition stated that the regional and international community was expected by the people of South Sudan to create a conducive atmosphere for peace and sustainable security in the country.

The petition further reads that punishment of some politicians and army officers proposed by IGAD and UN will add more mayhem and destruction in the country in terms of social stability.

The letter blames Dr. Riek backed by foreign diplomats as the course of suffering and deaths of many civilians in South Sudan.

“People of South Sudan have suffered and still suffering under unjust treatment imposed on them by world super powers like in 1991 attempted coup by Riek Machar against Dr. John Garang Mabior during president Bill Clinton and subsequently resumed by Dr. Riek Machar Teny and Supported by President Barrack Obama in 2013 up to now” the letter reads.

The petition accuses the Troika countries and IGAD to have favored the move to change the regime of South Sudan.

According to the reaction of civil society group, concerns were raised during the Addis-Ababa Peace Accord regarding the danger of the establishment of the two armies in the country.

Shortly After receiving the petition, the State Governor, Deng Deng Akuei appreciated the civil society alliance for the Peaceful reaction saying his office will immediately forward the petition to President Kiir for acknowledgement and consideration adding that rejection of foreign interferences is the right of people of South Sudan.
 
Meanwhile in Gogrial State thousands of protestors spent most of their time on the streets last Thursday in the State capital Kuajok protesting against the same course.

The demonstrators were joined by the State Governor, Abraham Gum Makuac, his deputy and speaker of the State legislative assembly among other top government dignitaries.

Addressing the protesters at Kuajok freedom Square, Gum said the state government is standing behind the leadership of President Salva Kiir and his decision to reject any deployment of additional foreign troops in South Sudan.

“Gogrial State government remains loyal to the leadership of the government under our President by rejecting the so-called intervention of forces, we have our own army to protect us here and therefore we have to, reject any foreign powers in our country, more than 12,000 foreign troops in South Sudan have never helped us in anything so far, this is an attempt to invade our country and can’t be tolerated,” Gum said.

He said that South Sudan’s sovereignty must be respected by the international community.

“We are an independent country, and we have all the rights to reject whatever thing is imposed on us by force, the  proposals are politically motivated and they won’t stop South Sudan’s conflict, these are our internal affairs and they need no foreign answers,” said the Governor.

The petition was submitted to the UN representative by the representative of the State civil society organization.  According to the petition read by Mayen Mayen Jonkoor, “any attempt to invade South Sudan after being liberated by rivers of bloods and mountains of bones is absolutely unacceptable.”

“We the civil society organization, we demand UN, AU and IGAD to refrain from interfering with our internal affairs immediately, we liberated this country with rivers of blood and mountains of bones and we can’t leave it to be invaded by outside powers in our presence, we condemn it and we will be ready to defend this country day and night whatever the result may be,” warned Mayen.

He said, “other African regions have the same internal disputes, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia to mention a few, have rebels fighting with governments and there are no foreign troops deployed in their countries, why South Sudan is being targeted? We are asking you to reverse the decision quickly without delay,” the petition reads.

Chanting at the top of their voices, the demonstrators repeatedly sang, “Down down Ban-ki Moon, down down Barack Obama”.
 
Civil society representative, Robert Majok Kuol condemned the proposal of Intervention of additional forces into South Sudan. He expressed his anger and low opinion about UN, IGAD and Troika.

“No country is peaceful especially when UN intervenes, the UN is in Congo, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Iraq. There is no peace in those countries so Ban Ki-Moon wants our country to be  a destroyed UN based country,” he said.

In Aweil, demonstrators matched to UNMISS where they presented their petition asking for Ban-ki Moon and other foreign diplomats to refrain from interfering with South Sudanese internal affairs.

Demonstrators who were mostly students were chanting “No, no, for foreign troops, Ban-ki Moon must leave South Sudanese alone.”

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