By Yang Ater Yang
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) is calling on the Lord Mayor of Rumbek Municipality to unconditionally release the two civilians reportedly being detained. Urging they should be release without any preconditions.
In press statement to the media, CEPO Coordinator in Lakes State Mr. Daniel Laat Kon stated that the Mayor of Rumbek authorized armed men from the joint Security Forces to arbitrarily arrest and detain two civilians in Lakes State.
The two civilians are allegedly being detained in connection to the State government demolition exercise of houses that were built on the Land of Rumbek national Secondary School.
The demolition exercise started on Sunday morning in Rumbek; and the Mayor ordered the detention of Matim Mangar and Mangar Gor who were accused of physical assault.
However CEPO called for immediate and unconditional release of two civilians that have been in detention for over five days without investigation.
“This arbitrary detention is now beyond twenty four given hours by the law; I urge the state leadership to immediately secure the release of civilians or take them to court because you can’t continue to hold aggrieved civilians after government actions of demolition” Mr. Laat said.
CEPO state coordinator in Rumbek urged Lakes State government to sit down with the affected people, allocate them land to resettle in and address other grievances connected to their lost with care and in administrative manner.
The Transitional Constitution of South Sudan article 34 (3) stipulates that “No one shall be evicted from his or her lawfully acquired home or have his or her home demolished save in accordance with the laws.
Lakes State authorities are however yet to comment on the matter.