Rup Community Association response to the open letter from Rumbek Community
To: Government of South Sudan
South Sudanese general public
All Members of Agaar Community Worldwide & all Media outlet in South Sudan
Subject: Rup Community Response to an Open Letter made by Rumbek Community in WA
January 18, 2018 (SSB) — Pursuant to the position paper released by Rup Community Worldwide (RCW) in December 2017 regarding the fighting between Rup and Pakam and Kuei with subsequent declaration of the state of emergency in greater Lakes state, and in which we have expressed our unreserved condemnation to the spiral of revenge violence; Rup community worldwide in that document further expressed its unequivocal support to the ongoing government’s efforts in dealing with sectional feuds in Western Lakes State.
Such public position constituted our community firm support to the national government of South Sudan under the leadership of H.E the President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the recent order of disarmament of the armed Youth in the Lakes States.
And, following the release of the Open Letter (Political Manifesto) on January 10, 2018 addressed to the President of the Republic by the members of Executive Office of Rumbek Community in Perth, Western Australia and whereby they have asked the entire people of South Sudan to unite and fight the government of South Sudan; RCW, therefore, wish to voice its deepest dismay and disapproval over the uncalled political statement by individuals purporting to act on behalf of Rumbek community in diaspora.
After consulting with all our members in the diaspora and in South Sudan; RCW resolved to delineate and distance itself from such unwarranted call of fighting the legitimate government of South Sudan. RCW would like to make it crystal clear that we as a major component of Agaar community utterly reject the content of the letter and the intended call of regime change because it is not our duty as a community to change the legitimate government.
Though we recognize the complexity of the sectional conflict in Western Lakes State, enmeshed in vicious and unfettered revenge killings over the years, Rup community does, however, believe that the panacea to these sectional conflicts cannot be conflated with the new struggle aimed at unseating the regime in Juba.
Instead, we remained committed in support of our government and upheld any government actions to resolve the disputes in Western Lakes in particular and peaceful resolution to the political conflict in the whole country.
Signed on behalf of the Rup Community Worldwide
Ater Noi
Chairman of Rup Community Association in Australia.
16/01/2018
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