South Sudan: protest organizer says it has evidence Kiir supported Sudan coup

JUBA – South Sudan government which is now mediating between rival Sudanese parties, the military and the civilian leadership, has supported the recent coup in Sudan in which the military led by General Abdelfattah al Burhan decided to declare a state of emergency and dissolve the transitional government, according to the PCCA.

Known as People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA), the group was established in early August to call for resignation of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny because, according to the group, the two have failed to achieve peace and development in the world’s youngest country.

In a statement on Friday, the PCCA said South Sudan has witnessed negative changes, despite some positive developments, since its formation. One of those negative changes, it said, is the oppressed civil space.

“There have also been negative developments since then. The civic and political spaces have shrunk dramatically as the President is becoming more insecure. Active and vocal civil society leaders and organizations have been driven out of the country,” the PCCA statement reads in part.

“Other critical voices have been silenced. There is increasing suspicion of South Sudanese coming from diaspora and key SPLM leaders are getting increasingly sidelined. The country is yearning for leadership, but no one is providing that leadership,” it added.

It further added that “The economy is doing terrible, and the quality of life of ordinary South Sudanese has worsened since then. Our people are unable to afford basic commodities such as food and even water.”

“The government is not doing much to alleviate people’s suffering. Efforts to stabilize currency exchange rate with loans remain profoundly superficial and sets no foundation for economic recovery.”

It said that South Sudan government has meddled in the Sudanese affairs since the ouster of the civilian government by the military, adding that the group has concrete reasons to believe that the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit has interfered in the Sudanese affairs.

“Recent events in the Sudan saw our government meddling in Sudanese issues and mediating peace talks that have weaken the oppositions in the Sudan,” the statement extended to Sudans Post added.

“We also have a concrete reason to believe that South Sudan had supported the coup in the Sudan,” the statement said.