Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba condemns Governor Gregory Deng of Gogrial State
Re: Condemnation of reckless behavior of the Governor Hon. GregoryVasilli Dimitry Yalouris (Deng Kuaac Aduol)
By Simon Machuar Mankeracnaak, President of Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba
April 19, 2017 (SSB) — On behalf of Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba, we are strongly condemning the irresponsible handling of our state affairs by Hon. Governor Gregory Vasilli Dimitry who created disunity and renewed the conflict between the people of Gogrial state especially Aguok and Apuk communities. The governor is using some youth against each other, community against another community as a means of saving his own interest.
The Governor is a part and partial of the renewed conflict between Apuk and Aguok communities because he released all the firearms that were collected from civilians (Tit-weng) by the former governor and distributed them to some group of cattle keepers. He also ordered the army and police that were deployed in the borders to go back to Wau and Wunyik. He recently released 100 guns in which he has given to Kuac South county commissioner to distribute them to the youth for defending themselves. But the question is, from what, who and where? Governor also directed the commissioner of Apuk County to distribute 16 AK47 rifles disarmed during disarmament process and store in county Headquarters to Titweng.
The governor has renewed the conflict through his speeches he made in Alek Aguok and Apuk west county by instigating the people to go for revenge based on clans by saying that his ‘’mission was not to come and stop the conflict among communities but that he will clearly investigate and identify the clans to which those who previously killed people and report to the clan of the victims to decide on their own’’.
We condemn unconcern and nonchalance of Governor because the fighting started at Ameth Village in Aguok Centre County while he was there, immediately, he ran to Wau State for weekend together with the Commissioner of Aguok South County and other senior government officials leaving two sisterly communities Aguok and Apuk in fighting.
However, when he was requested for forces to disengage the confronting groups, the Governor ignored the incident he knew and told them to continue with fighting as they wished, unceasing intra communal conflict between Aguok and Apuk communities that the state government will not manage to cease hostility between our lovely communities.
We condemn wild intention of Governor of Gogrial State of proposing to bring SPLA forces from former Unity State under command of Maj. General Fuljang to come and stop fighting between Aguok and Apuk communities, Governor reject security forces that were deployed and order them to leave for their units.
We are appealing to traditional chiefs and youth to advocate for peace, unity and prosperity of our state and distance themselves from current governor masterminded conflict between two sisterly communities Aguok and Apuk because there is no gain in fighting. Apuk and Aguok communities are one people which have stronger social ties between themselves than other communities in Gogrial State.
We also condemn the Governor acts of arresting and detaining former political post holders and threating them of further actions should they fail to leave Gogrial state. The Governor has arrested the former commissioner of Awan Chan County, Hon. Peter Matem Yak, together with other 18 youth from Awan Chan County; hetortured and detained them in the military prisons with allegations of being his opposition group.
He has arrested several other youth group from different parts of the state accusing them of the same act. We are appealing for the release of detained commissioner together with those youth detained with him as well as other youth detained in various police custodies. We appeal that the Governor must reverse his decision of threatening our politicians to leave Gogrial state areas within 72 hours according to his order dated 10th April 2017, They were born in Gogrial and they must remain as citizens of Gogrial without any act of deprivation of their rights to stay in the area.
We sturdily condemn such massive arrest of former constitutional post holders, chiefs and youth as unlawful across Gogrial State which is unacceptable and undesirable kind of intimidating people which we should not tolerate because it is beyond repair and it is against citizens’ rights if they are arrested anyhow.
In the same order broadcasting through 99FM Kuajok radio, he ordered Aguok community to evacuate areas along riverside such as Malual-Angui But, Malual Awien, Abieth-Anguth, Ameth and other areas warning to fight with them, should they fail to implement the order, Governor also warn Aguok community cattle keepers to move their cattle back from riverside while he knew very well that there is no graze land in the other side of river during dry season that prove to us he has taking side.
We also, on behalf of the youth of Gogrial state, we condemn the arrest of the chiefs of Aguok community who expressed their low opinions on the Governor activities and who appealed to the President to intervene to rescue the state from this mess. The chiefs are now locked in the jail being accused of handing over their letter to the President without the knowledge of the Governor. Therefore, we are calling for release of the chiefs.
We, the union also condemn stronger possible term the mistreatment done by the Governor against the employees in the state. He has dismissed all the civil servants that were employed after the creation of Gogrial state and targeting some of employees on their community line. He denied them, including the five appointed members of the State Legislative Assembly, of their salaries and diverted their salaries together with state operation costs to his own business being operated by a certain Adam Ismail. He threatened the dismissed employees of arrest should they claim their right.
We condemn the Governor act of arresting innocent civilians from Apuk Community accusing them of being part of the cattle raiding that took place two weeks ago. The cattle belonging to Awan Riau community were raided in Toch Apuk Area by unknown raiders suspected to have come from Abiorand Abuoksections of Apuk and based on such suspicion he recklessly went and arrested 12 youth from two sections of Apuk whom he found in Mangol Apuk Market and who were alleged to be his opponents claiming that they are the suspects, but to the surprise he handed those 12 youth to Awan-Riau community ordering the community not to free the youth till their cattle are brought back.
The governor first of all did not apprehend the culprits instead he targeted his opponents evidenced by handing them to the aggrieved community instead of taking them to police custody in Kuajok the state HQRs. This has shown that the Governor was not acting at his capacity as a Governor and if so, he is unfair in his actions and should be deemed responsible for anything that may happen to these 12 youth as the public doubt their safety when they are not in the police custody.
In conclusion, we would like to reject and condemn the letter written by both Gogrial State Minister of Information and State Coordinator in Juba, dated 10th April 2017 claiming that the union is not legitimate and that we are not recognized by the state Government. This letter is baseless and of no ground and we dismiss it in its whole content. The formation of the youth Union is not a responsibility of the state government nor coordination office and their recognition does not confer legitimacy on the union. The union is a separate body having its own constitution which provides that the union is formed by the youth.
Therefore, we strongly condemn their acts of interfering in the youth activities in the state and Juba as well. We warn them to stay away from youth affairs and allow the youth elections they suspended at the state level to be carried out.By the way the Gogrial State Youth in Kuajok must stand up taller for their rights and ensure their elections are immediately held without intimidation any more from the state government.
Finally, we would want to condemn the letter published on Dawn newspaper by the bribed hopeless, mouth piece of failed government whoconfusingly call themselves community leaders, dated 13thApril 2017. This letter is rubbish and contains forged signatures of unknown greedy youth bribed by the governor to speak on his behalf.
This letter is dismissed in its merit and we warn these youth who claimed to be community leaders and Steering committee at the same time, to stop writing with immediate effect and should they continue doing so, it will result to furtherlegal action against them. We advise them to eat Dimitry’s Pounds with silence and leave us to speak on behalf of Gogrial State Youth Union in Juba.
You can reach the author via his email: simon machuar <wendengdit@gmail.com>
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