By William Madouk
Activist urges Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism to investigate Agwelek forces over alleging of abducting an aid worker in Malakal.
Security forces allied to Gen. Johnson Olony, allegedly abducted Emmanuel Obayi, a nutrition officer working with the International Medical Corps, on Sunday.
Civil society activist, Edmond Yakani calls for an investigation into the kidnapping of the humanitarian worker, allegedly by the Agwelek forces from Malakal POC.
“I would like to take this opportunity to strongly condemn the act of targeting humanitarian workers,” Yakani said in a statement seen by this outlet.
“I also urge CTSAMVM to urgently respond by investigating the kidnapping of the humanitarian worker in PoC by Agwelek forces,” he added.
According to Yakani, this action indicates that the POC is no longer a safe location for humanitarian workers, which is very awful.
“I would like to take this opportunity with due respect and honor to appeal to General Johnson Olony that Agwelek forces should release Emmanuel Obayi and for him to perform his humanitarian assistance to our vulnerable population,” he stressed.
CEPO’s boss said Agwelek forces are now part and parcel of the government and they should shun targeting people, adding that the act is against international human rights laws.
“They should not target people, and they should not use Malakal POC for proxy wars or for any politically motivated agenda,” he cautioned.
“This is very bad and targets POC as a site of protection for civilians or a site where IDPs are residing; this action is not allowed by international law and even is against the UN guidelines for the protection and promotion of rights of internally displaced persons,” the activist continued.
However, No. 1 Citizen Newspaper’s effort to reach the Chairperson for Political Affairs of SPLM/A-1O Kit-Gwang, Agwelek faction, Dr. Paul Achot Achobek, for comment on the matter remains futile by press time as the known contact went unanswered.
On Sunday, security apparatus allied to Gen. Olony allegedly abducted Emmanuel Obayi, a nutrition officer working with the International Medical Corps (IMC).
According to the report, Olony’s allies arrested the latter for having ties with Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, the leader of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
Family members and friends said they had reported the case to the police in Upper Nile State and that their son and friend were being held at ‘Wau Shilluk’ where Agwelek forces have a base.