Emboldened by sustained mass protests that ousted long serving
presidents Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria and Omar al-Bashir of Sudan,
South Sudan youth plan similar action in Juba next week with the stated
aim of unseating President Salva Kiir.
In a
mobilisation that is gathering pace on social media the youths plan to
turn out in Juba on May 15 and 16 to launch nationwide protests against
the government which they accuse of failing to restore permanent peace
and stability in the war-torn state.
They also accuse the state of killing activists, journalists and civilians deemed critical of the government.
Other
grievances include corruption, poor governance and gross human rights
violations committed by government soldiers and rebels during the war.
Responding
to the threats South Sudan Information Minister on Tuesday Mr. Michael
Makuei Lueth warned that any protests in the city will be resisted by
the government.
He said the agitation by the youth was
part of a plot by foreign instigators who he did not name to depose
President Kiir's government.
“Let the youth not copy what is happening in other countries,"
said Mr Makuei before poignantly adding: If they are ready to die we
will see,”
He said there were companies and
organizations, including embassies of foreign countries, who were giving
the youth money to protest "like what happened in Sudan."
“We
have an idea about this and we know who they are. If people return to
war, they (youth) will die. So, we don’t want them (youth) to die
again," Mr. Makuei told the press in Juba.
Messages spread on social media from Monday with activists calling for all youths in the country to stand up for their rights and those of South Sudanese people.
Messages spread on social media from Monday with activists calling for all youths in the country to stand up for their rights and those of South Sudanese people.
The mobilisation is led by a group calling itself the South Sudanese for Change.
The
calls for protests came after South Sudan arch-rivals President Kiir
and former vice president Riek Machar agreed to delay the formation of a
unity government by six months to November.
The
outrage grew after a UN Panel of Experts reported two prominent South
Sudan activists Mr. Dong Samuel Luak, a human rights lawyer and
opposition politician Aggrey Izbon Idri were killed in January 2017
after they were abducted in Nairobi, Kenya.
Intelligence
sources later told Africa Review that the activists bodies were dumped
in Achwa River. The UN team blamed the National Security Service (NSS)
for the killings.
The incident has attracted fierce
condemnation from human rights groups locally and abroad while the
international has urged President Kiir to end impunity in South Sudan.
That is not to say such groups and the international community would back the youths in their protest.
The
world appears increasingly focused on finding lasting piece in the
country by reconciling President Kiir and Dr Machar, who also condemned
the activists killings.
The Special Representative of the UN secretary general in South Sudan David Shearer said the two rivals should meet regularly to earnestly supervise the implementation of the pre-transitional issues within the extended six months.
The Special Representative of the UN secretary general in South Sudan David Shearer said the two rivals should meet regularly to earnestly supervise the implementation of the pre-transitional issues within the extended six months.
The
United Nations (UN) has suggested a regular meeting between South Sudan
arch-rivals (President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Dr Riek
Machar) to salvage and show hope of assurances to South Sudanese people
on the sustainability of peace.
The
Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in South Sudan Mr.
David Shearer said the two leaders should earnestly supervise the
implementation of the pre-transitional issues within the extended six
months period by holding regular meetings.
“There
is need to have regular meetings between President Kiir and Riek Machar
to review the progress. That will build trust and confidence and extend
a signal to South Sudanese that the agreement is on track,” he said in a
statement.
He said the unanimous
agreement on the delay was "a sign of goodwill between the parties to
end the suffering of their people.” he added.
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