Jonglei protest ‘politically motivated’ – group claims

JUBA – A youth body from Akobo of Jonglei state has claimed that recent protest by civil servants that forced the government to briefly close offices in Bor was politically motivated and reasons given by the protesters were baseless.

“On behalf of Akobo youth Association (AYA) in HQ (Akobo town), and on my own behalf, I would like to noticeably clarify our position on ‘the Myriad Political Stirred Demonstration’ that has been so long used as tool by Bor community on the pretext of ‘Jonglei civil servants allowance/ Jonglei trade Union’ that comprises of only sons and daughters of Bor community to blindfolded the other Jonglei state communities for their organized move,” AYA said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

Earlier this week, protest broke out in Jonglei state’s capital Bor among the civil servants. They overran government officers forcing security forces to evacuate governor Denay Chagor to a safer area.

The civil servants demanded return of a portion of their salary that was cut to pay a newly formed security force that provides security to the area in the wake of last month’s attack on Baidit there.

“The first demonstration was carried out in December, in which, the demonstrators were demanding for the increment of their salaries, 100%, as mentioned by the president; nonetheless, their salaries were increased, 100%, and indisputably received all their dues as they wished,” the AYA said in the statement.

“However, followed the ‘Recent Baidit fatal attack’, that has claimed the lives of 32 people, and injured another 17 individuals, including the children and women, and burnt down the entire area, was therefore, led the government to take the decision of deducting some money from civil servants allowance, purposely to pay the new incorporated force, amalgamated to operate and monitor the areas within and around Bor-town, to protect the community from those vacillating outside incident.

“And to everyone’s surprise, the same Bor community who always act as if they own the state, and has been staying in depraved mood of why the governor is not appointed from their community, so that they should continue enslaved others were rehearse went on street, demanding for the return of the small amount that has been cut for their protection.

“Hence, they were controlling all the offices, including the governor’s office. After they fully controlled those areas, therefore, they then proceeded to the governor’s home, and bypassed the Deputy Governor’s compound, where they were encountered by the governor’s bodyguards to stop them from their mob higgledy-piggledy moment.

“As such, they were trying to confiscate rifles/guns from bodyguards, leading to the spraying of some bullets into the air by bodyguards to defend. In the meantime, the Deputy Governor came to them and told them to go home, and gave the government a chance to decide what to do. So, they went home with the other scheduled demonstration that they should carry-out on 14th Feb 2022, Monday; promised that they must this time come with guns.

“In fact, we have known the motive behind this “Political Inspired Demonstration’’ since then, but patiently waited to further collect the data, and eventually clarify our position and respond in the appropriate time like now.”