SPLM-IO condemns disruption of party’s meeting in Aweil
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The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has condemned the disruption of the party’s meeting by the security personnel in Aweil, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State.
The security officers allegedly stormed the meeting and dispersed all the SPLM-IO members who were in the hall discussing the party’s issues.
The SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations Puok Both Baluang, who doubles as the Machar’s acting press secretary, described the move by Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State security organs as politically motivated.
“The act is barbaric and the leadership of the SPLM-IO condemns [it] in the strongest terms possible.
“First of all, our members were conducting a meeting on the affairs of the party and discussing issues to the implementation of the peace agreement; not something illegal,” Puok explained.
The information director said the behaviours of the individual security personnel were against the spirit of the revitalised peace agreement.
Puok urged the authorities in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State to take serious note of such issues and allow its party to conduct their activities according to the constitution and the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
He called on security agencies to carry their work professionally for all South Sudanese without discrimination.
“We believe that the move was politically motivated by some elements in Aweil but I want to remind everyone in the country that we are a part of the peace agreement,’’ he emphasised.
“What happened was a great violation to the human rights, and also to the agreement to itself, SPLM-IO will not entertain these to happen and call on the law enforcement agencies to stick in their work for the all South Sudanese without discrimination,” Puok stressed.
He said there was a need to create political space for all parties including individuals across the country so that every citizen can have the right to associate and express to choose their political affiliation.
However, efforts to reach Northern Bahr el Ghazal State authorities for comment were futile.
