Protests Against The Four Freedoms

This article was last updated on May 25, 2022

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The activists today marched in Juba and gathered at the gate of the South Sudan National Assembly (SSNA) denouncing the four freedoms which compose the citizenship agreement and also placing of Mile-14 in Northern Bahr el Ghazal as a disputed area.

“Cognizant of the fact that the cooperation agreement is purely a political deal aimed at saving the two near-economic collapse systems, we believe such agreement is not for the best interest of our people,” a statement handed over by the Chairperson of the Alliance Deng Athuai to the representative of the SSNA leadership said.

“The signing of the cooperation agreement and especially of four freedoms has seemed to resemble the return to the partnership enjoyed by SPLM and NCP during the interim period,” added the statement.

The four freedoms reached are; freedom to movement, own property, trade and residency.

The activists gathered as the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir prepared to brief the assembly on the agreements as it convenes after recess.

The Alliance believes that the four freedoms agreement is going to benefit the people of Sudan more than their South Sudanese counterparts.

They are the cornerstone in the citizenship rights – something South Sudanese do not see to be appropriate at this time.

They added that Southerners took arms against marginalization and eventually voted in the referendum to create our identity, so as to remain separate from Sudan.

“There weren’t any citizen rights we think we have left in Khartoum to want to revive, if any, Khartoum is the master of great exploitations,” said the Alliance.

 The alliance disapproved the Mile 14 being placed under the security agreement on special arrangement and to be fully demilitarized.
 
“We feel this arrangement may place the Sudan in the better position to occupy the area of Mile 14 South of River Kiir should that area become demilitarized. We have experiences of the NCP Sudan that does not respect the international law. Therefore, the security arrangement is not acceptable, and we urge your able leadership to seek some avenue to reconsider the issue of Mile 14,” said the statement.

The Alliance urged the South Sudanese government and the international community to reconsider South Sudan position in the agreements.
 
“We believe no peace can be achieved without facing the reality,” said the Alliance.

The Alliance’s criticism on the four freedoms is the latest of its kind following criticism by numerous South Sudanese intellectuals and demonstrations in Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal over the placement of Mile 14 as disputed area.