Governor Sarah Cleto apologizes over SPLA-IO detention of Wau commissioner

JUBA – The governor of South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial has apologized following the unlawful detention, by elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), of Wau County Commissioner Jesinto matia last week saying she recognize that the acts may return the state to insecurity.

Last week, a spokesman for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition led by former opposition chief of staff Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual said they had captured the commissioner of Wau County after moving into the SPLA-IO-controlled area without informing the main armed opposition group in advance.

While addressing the Muslim Community in Wau town on Monday, Governor Cleto said he condemn the detention of the commissioner and then apologized warning that such practices may return the Western Bahr el Ghazal state to insecurity which has improved since she moved into the state.

“I am quite sure all of you have been following the accident that happened to the officials who were stopped on the way while going to Ngo-Ku in which the commissioner of Wau County was detained for more than 24 hours, but we thank God for his release safely. What happened was not right, and we don’t want anything that can cause insecurity again in Western Bahr el Ghazal,” she said, according to Radio Tamazuj.

“We, as the government, we condemn it in the strongest terms possible. I want to apologize to the ministers and Wau county commissioner for what happened to them. I am so sorry because even during the time of peace there are still some obstacles and we are not able to move freely within the state,” she added.

Sarah, a senior member of the SPLM/A-IO faction led by First Vice President Riek Machar, said parties to the peace agreement are facing obstacles because critical tasks of the peace agreement such as security arrangements have not been implemented.

“I want to tell our people of Western Bahr el Ghazal that this government is yours, it is a government of national unity, so it doesn’t belong to the parties or individuals. For those who still don’t believe in the current peace, it’s our role to have a dialogue with them to let them know that this peace is real instead of pointing fingers to ourselves,” she said.

The senior state official appealed for better coordination and cooperation between the parties to the peace agreement. “I want to warn everyone not to take the law into his or her own hand to divide us, we are people of South Sudan and we are one people of Western Bahr el Ghazal,” she concluded.