By William Madouk
Directorate of Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS) has dismissed allegations by Gen. Paul Malong Awan that some innocent people have been arrested for being his allies.
NSS Director of Public Relations, Internal Security Bureau, David John Kumuri said in an interview with No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper that the claim is a “fabricated, tactical psychological warfare’.
“Don’t rely on this propaganda as psychological warfare. This is not true; National Security did not arrest anybody in Nairobi; these are fabricated lies,” Kumuri said.
Urging the public not to believe Gen. Malong, the NSS spokesperson trashed the allegation as rubbish.
“As I mentioned to you, this is propaganda and psychological warfare from Gen. Paul Malong; just rubbish it,” he added.
He appealed to the citizen to be vigilant of such ‘lies’, adding Gen. Malong’s intention was to distort and tarnish the image of the National Security Service institution.
“I want to inform the people of South Sudan that we should always question this propaganda the opposition is making, especially General Paul Malong, in the name of spoiling the name of the [NSS] institution that we have arrested or apprehended somebody, which is not true,” he clarified.
“This [NSS] institution has a constitutional mandate that it is implementing, and the country is moving forward. So, we don’t need to consider rumours from Gen. Malong,” he noted.
Mr. Kumuri was responding to concerns by South Sudan United Front rebel movement allied to Gen. Malong, that sone innocent people were unlawfully arrested by the security apparatus for their connection with the outfit.
The Malong-led movement called on the government, peace mediators (Sante E’gidio), and Kenyan government to intervene and put a stop to such “grave violations”.
“South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) is deeply concerned about the grave violation of human rights,” Lt-Col. Akot Deng Ngongdit, SSUF/A Military Spokesperson said in a statement.
“We call on South Sudan’s peace partners, the Kenyan government, as requested recently, to mediate, Sante’gidio, and the international communities to intervene and ensure prompt and effective measures are undertaken, and to also ensure protection for those who are vulnerable to further unlawful regime arrest,” he added.
Ngongdit says SSUF/A condemned the act and appealed to the Juba administration to abstain from tormenting innocent people’s lives.
“Therefore, SSUF/A is expressing its condemnation in the strongest terms of all acts of violence, abuses, and human rights violations committed against civilians,” he echoed.
“The government of South Sudan must comply fully with their obligations in this regard, reaffirming the commitment to the yearning for lasting peace and prosperity of the new republic, South Sudan,” he noted.
According to him, however, to ensure durable peace and reconciliation, it is vital for the government to address the underlying issues of an illicit arrest.
“We need to double and sustain our collective efforts to find equitable solutions to political instability in the country by committing to moral urgency to emphasize to the government of South Sudan that common human rights standards must be upheld,” he stressed.
Nonetheless, SSUF/A reiterated its commitment to work for peace and asked the stakeholders and the people of goodwill to join hands in making South Sudan a better place.
“Peace and prosperity are vital to our people, and any contribution that will make peace a reality is welcome. We are committed to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) and the Rome Peace Initiative.”
In August 2023, Aweil civil society activist Samuel Garang Dut and three other Catholic University students were released from Military Intelligence (MI) detention after spending nine months.
They were accused of having affiliation and communication with the South Sudan United Front and Army (SSUF/A), allied to General Paul Malong Awan.
But the SSPDF Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. Santino Deng Wol, directed the director of MI combat operations to acquit the detainees after they were found blameless by an investigation committee.
As activist Dut, after being set free, appreciated President Salva Kiir and Gen. Santino Deng for hearing their voices, he cited that there was no way he could go to the bush or associate himself with any rebel groups.
Also in January 2023, General Paul Malong Awan delinked himself from the detained civil society activist, Samuel Garang Dut, citing that he doesn’t have any active members in the capital, Juba.