On 30 July, a group of Civil Society Organizations, Think Tank and academia, concerned intellectuals, and advocates formed People’s Coalition for Civil Action to campaign for civil disobedience.
Few days after the declaration of the coalition, the National Security Service (NSS) arrested two of the leaders of the movement, Augustino Ting Mayai and a former state governor, Kuel Aguer Kuel, for signing the declaration.
The National Security shut down the Sudd Institute, a think tank involved in the creation of the People’s Coalition for Civil Action, and issued arrest warrants for Rajab Mohandis and Abraham Awolich, two other signatories of the declaration, who have gone into hiding.
The Citizens for National Solidarity said the call for civil action against the unity government will jeopardize the peace implementation of the 2018 peace deal.
“The call for civil disobedience which can jeopardize peace implementation and cause panic among the people who are currently rebuilding their lives after the return of peace in the country,” Michael Mading Akueth, the team leader told reporters at a press conference yesterday.
“The call for civil action against the government is dangerous, misleading and it can easily trigger violence in the country again,” Mading added.
James Mohandis Apugi, a member of the Citizens for National Solidarity called on citizens to disregard the call for civil action which aims to sabotage the government’s efforts to restore peace in the country.
“We are calling for peaceful coexistence and call on the citizens to give the government a chance to implement the peace agreement,” Mohandis told reporters at Friday’s press conference in Juba.
Juma Mabor Marial, an advocate warned citizens against been by individuals to achieve their personal interests.
“We don’t want our people to be misled on the basis of private interests and this is why we are trying to reach out to our citizens that there are different avenues under the peace agreement of 2018 that can help us to address this issue,” Mabor told reporters on Friday.