By Yang Ater Yang
A suspended member of human right commission in Lakes State has resigned citing autocratic leadership and violation of human rights by Governor Rin Tueny Mabor.
Barnaba Magok Mabor, the former member of human right commission who is also a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party resigned following the suspension of his membership from Lakes State human right commission on 17th of April, 2022.
Mabor told No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Thursday that he resigned from the rights body due to lack of legal and democratic administration in the State leadership.
He also accused the state governor of establishing 5 detention centers for unlawful punishment, torture of local citizens, arbitrary arrest prolong detention of non-bandit members of the community in the State.
“I resigned because there is no democratic administration in the State leadership; secondly, I resigned because there are no legal procedures which are supposed to be taken by the government. Everything applied based on law is unconstitutional,” he said.
He accused governor Tueny of operating without the law.
“Governor Rin Tueny is a law himself in Lakes State because people are detained according to him and people are being released according to him, but not according to the law,” he said
Mr. Mabor said the governor has been monitoring and dictating on the work of the human rights commission of documenting human rights violations.
“We are working based on our mandate stipulated in the Constitution and we didn’t manage anything to do because he is a bummer here .but we have evidence like detaining teachers unlawfully. That one is a clear violation of using a force and not the law” he cited.
“We also have a member of human rights commission identified as Mathiang Deng who is detained in Cueibet County since October together with one of the professional teacher, Makuer Dhuol,” he said.
“These 2 people were detained since October last year in Cueibet and they are not arranged in any court of law for the law to decide on what they have done wrong”.
The former rights commission member underlined that people perceived that the peace achieved in Lakes State belongs to Governor Rin Tueny but he argued, “this is not true because it is our collective works not individual works to stabilize the security in Lakes State.”
“Our people are tired of fighting themselves in inter-communal violence which has a lot of negative impact on the people of Lakes State,” he said.
Mabor revealed that the governor applied torturing some time which is not stipulated in the Constitution.
“Our constitution says no one shall be tortured or denigrated whenever you have committed anything. It is the law that has a chance over you to judge whether you will be put in prison or acquitted and not individual, but now , the governor has established 5 detention centers for torturing and arbitrary arrest of local citizen and people opposed to his coercive rules of man in Lakes State”, he alleged.
The resigned rights defender said torturing of innocent people is a common daily routine in Lakes State citing examples such as the torture of most senior and a notable Paramount chief of Yirol East community, Andrew Madut Buoi in Maburzeet prison until he was flown to Juba while unconscious.
“I will not work with the governor Rin Tueny in Lakes State even if he lifted my suspension,” Mabor protested.
When contacted, for comment the acting minister of information and communication in Lakes State, William Koji Kirjok confirmed the former human right commission member was suspended by the governor on April 17th, 2022 and later on resigned.
“I think, he was not happy with the suspension and what led to his suspension I could not explain, that’s a decision of the governor. He is the one having observations about him specially those who (are) constitutional post holders in the government”, Koji responded.
He said now the former human rights official resignation after being suspended is another thing and it is normal “if you are not happy with that government.”
“The same thing if the system does not allow. You have to be suspended or dismissed. There are two type of politicians, there are those who appreciates the leadership and continue to work normally, and there are those when they are relieved or suspended they create issues here and there and among them, is the former member of human rights commission who resigned from his position,” Koji described the former human rights official
The state government spokesperson however defended his boss from the accusations saying “there is democracy and rule of law and that’s why Lakes State is peaceful”.
“I don’t know which rule of law he is talking about and there are special court establish in 8 counties to settle cases of rape, murder, revenge killing, and cattle theft and we are working as a government, even yesterday the government, UNMISS and members of Lakes State legislative assembly launched a customary law and public order acts, 2022,” he lamented.
The customary law which has been praised and welcomed by civil society activist will empower the work of the government and minister Koji said the state leadership launched the act because “we need rule of law in Lakes State.