National, News

Nasir residents alarmed by Gunships-MP

By Kei Emmanuel Duku

 

A Member of Parliament representing Nasir County, Upper Nile State in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly has expressed concern over the presence of South Sudan Peoples Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the frequent hovering of helicopter gunships in the area.

Lawmaker Gatwech Lam Pouch, while raising a point of information during a sitting yesterday, stated that the military activity is causing panic among civilians and called it a violation of the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018.

“Every morning, during time and evening there is frequent hovering of helicopters, so we don’t know exactly what is happening and the intention of SSPDF by sending troops, and gunships to Nasir County yet we are in the process and engaging our communities,” Lam said.

He added that local leaders had initiated dialogue with the SSPDF and civilians, resulting in a relative calm where both sides could move freely.

“As leaders we have engaged our communities in dialogue, the communities are also in constant negotiation with the army and yesterday they reached an agreement that there should be a free movement between SSPDF and communities. There is no army that fights its citizens, whatever happened in Pachalla we don’t want it to repeat in Nasir County,” Lam added.

In response, Speaker Rt. Jemma Nunu Kumba directed the Security Committee to follow up with the Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs on the situation.

In a separate point of information, Hon. Peter Gathkout Mayom, Uror County Member of Parliament under Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), criticized the delay in a report on the Tombura crisis.

A committee headed by Dr. Parmena Awerial Aluong to investigate the incident was tasked with submitting a report within two weeks, but it has been two months with no update.

“They were given two weeks but now we are going into the second month without the committee’s report Hon. Speaker, it is important to reactivate this committee or declare it dead so that the public knows,” said Gathkout.

 

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