Government official says ‘it is normal for opposition leaders to be arrested’

JUBA – A senior South Sudan government official is saying that exiled activist Peter Biar Ajak shouldn’t have betrayed the government just because he has been detained, saying it is normal for opposition leaders to be arrested and detained.

Peter Mayen Majongdit, the minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management said in a recorded statement that he has been to the Blue House where Peter Biar was detained in 2018 and it was normal for opposition leaders to be detained.

“I want to say very clearly that those who are calling for elections today such as Peter Biar, I would say that he is out of his mind and is premature and perhaps hasn’t understand the context of the agreement and the political context of his own people,” he said.

“I have been to where he had been in that prison before, that is the Blue House and it is normal for any opposition [leader] to be arrested, everyone can be arrested,” he added.

The controversial opposition leader further said Biar has turned hatred against individuals in the government to involve all those in the government saying he shouldn’t have turned against his own people just because he has been detained.

“But that shouldn’t make you to forget about the future of your own people and pick a personal hatred with individuals within the government because this government is not a government of President Kiir to think that once he leave, that would be the solution to all,” he said.

“This is a government of coalition and President Kiir within the presidency has a First Vice President who he need to work together and whatever decision he does it has to come in a collegial manner within the presidency,” he added.

“This is a government of national unity, so when you call for exit, it would make sense to call for exit of the current government which is a revitalized government of national unity.”