10 young men being held by NSS in Western Bahr el Ghazal

WAU – A group of Youth were arbitrary arrested yesterday on the 18th of October 2020 by the South Sudan National Security operatives in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State according to a several eyewitnesses. The reason for such deliberate arrests and detention is not yet clear. Based on the information received, the youth were holding a meeting on the agenda of employment and opportunities for Western Bahr el Ghazal natives which the state labour department failed to address over the years.

The youth believe that their share is not being recognized by the employers both the governmental and non-governmental institutions being the natives in the state. The youth also believe there is a corruption in relation to the employment in the state stating that in most cases, even when they follow the usual ways of job requirements by submitting their application forms either online or in person in hard papers and get shortlisted still in the end, those employed just happen to be out from the shortlisted.

This was one of the agendas of their meeting unfortunately, they were unable to conclude their meeting due to the interruption by the South Sudan National Security Operatives who emerged and locked them inside and called for National Security pick-up vehicle that arrived immediately and took them to state national security site.

Under the international Labor Convention ‘Discrimination’ (Employment and Occupation) 1958 (No: 111) which South Sudan is a member of under article 2 states that, “Each member for which this Convention is in force undertakes to declare and pursue a national policy designed to promote, by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice, equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation, with a view to eliminating any discrimination in respect thereof”.

This provision is also reflected under the South Sudan Labour Act 2017, Act No: 64 in its preamble stating “This Act is drafted in accordance with the provisions of Article 52, paragraphs (36) and (39) of Schedule A, and paragraph (1) of Schedule C of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011, (Amended 2015) which grant the Government the legislative and executive competence to enact legislation establishing nondiscriminatory standards for Labour relations and occupational safety and health at all levels of government in South Sudan”.

The agents who detained those youth have not yet clarified whether the detained youth’s meeting has issues pertaining to be of political or civil matters but as per the report received and stated above, it shows that their meeting was of a civil matter and as such, the civil rights recognized under the International Bill of Rights stated under the South Sudan Interim Constitution 2011 recognizes and grants the Right of Peaceful Assembly and Association “The right to peaceful assembly is recognized and guaranteed; every person shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form or join political parties, associations and trade or professional unions for the protection of his or her interests”.

This act by the South Sudan National Security agents of arresting and still detaining those youth from 18th October 2020 in Wau Western Bahr el Ghazal State is in violation of the above stated provisions both the international and national laws and the people of Wau demand for an immediate release of those youth and be compensated for being wrongfully arrested on no valid legal grounds.