Gov’t told to investigate alleged harassment of opposition officials in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent activist Edmund Yakani is appealing to the government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to investigate allegations of continued harassment of members of the state government from the opposition SPLM-IO.

This comes after a senior government official, the state minister of youth and sports, who is also a senior member of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) was allegedly beaten by Aweil Centre commissioner.

In a statement to protest the alleged harassment of opposition officials in the state, the SPLM-IO called for deployment of the recently graduated unified forces to provide protection to government officials as “our partners are trying to manipulate the political space.”

Reacting to the reports, Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) described incident as unfortunate, condemned it and called the state governor himself to investigate and bring those responsible for wrongdoing to book.

“CEPO calls for the investigation of the unfortunate incident that happened between the commissioner of Aweil center county and the state minister of youth and sports,” Yakani said in the statement extended to Sudans Post this morning.

“CEPO condemns the incident and calls on the state governor to constitute an investigation process and hold anyone of the m that was found guilty especially if this incident has link with the violation of the recent presidency directives to governors, chief administrators and commissioners on the opening of the political and civic space,” he added.

The prominent activist further warned that the extension of the transitional period will not be a game changer in light of the continued lack of trust between the main signatories of the revitalized peace agreement.

“The extended period of 24 months of the transitional period will not make any difference like of the first 36 months of the transitional period if all the political leaders from the parties’ signatories to the R-ARCSS never have positive political attitudes towards each other,” Yakani said.

“The trend of high deficit I trust and confidence among the political leaders at all levels of the government is the great political enemy of expected successful tradition IG from violence to peace,” he added.

The activist called on the peace presidency “to play proactive role in nurturing political attitudes change and fostering process foe regaining trust and confidence for the success implementation of the R-ARCSS within the extended 24 months.”

“The failure to deliver in the 24 months extended transitional period it will be a grave political mistake for the current political leaders in power. They have no any other excuse for not failing the state and national building processes. The extended 24 months of the transitional period is the final political test for the current leading political leadership,” he warned.