Juba POC residents take to streets to demand dredging of Nam River

JUBA – Residents of the former United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Protection of Civilian sites in Juba have taken to streets to express their frustration with  decision of President  Salva Kiir Mayardit to suspend the controversial dredging initiative of Nam River.

Last month, the ministry of water resources and irrigation announced the arrival of heavy machinery from Egypt to Unity State ahead of a government initiative to dredge Nam River of weeds the residents and the government has blamed for impeding water flow causing immense flooding.

The arrival of the reportedly sophisticated machines sparked public outcry in Juba with calls for President Kiir to halt it until the ministry of environment and partners conduct a feasibility study to inform the government of the initiative’s impacts.

Kiir on the 11^th independence anniversary ordered for the suspension of the initiative and ordered a public consultation process that has since recommended to the government to suspend its plans for dredging until a study is made.

Earlier this week, Unity State residents received with negative reactions the suspension and accused the government of abandoning them. Then hundreds of Bentiu residents invaded the Nam River to launch a manual dredging using their hand tools.

Speaking to Sudans Post during the demonstration at the POC in Juba, Puot Tap Riak, an activist who helped co-organize the demonstration said they are calling for the president to reverse its decision and resume the dredging initiative.

“The people of Unity State have spoken, they want Naam River to be clear and dredge because the water that overflow from the river is affecting the people, plus the oil wastes that mix with water,” he said inside POC while holding sign that reads “Dredge Nam River Now.”

“Therefore the Youth and people of Unity State are urging the presidency of the country to take an immediate action to save lives of the people,” he added.

Gatkek Juoy Gatkek, another activist who also participated in the demonstration, said they organized the demonstration as youth from Bentiu to bring to light that the floods has inflicted suffering on the people of Unity State and that dredging of Nam River will help reduce the floods.

“Today we had organized a protest as a youth of Bentiu in Juba’s POC camp, trying to enlighten the public about the raging flood across the areas of Unity State and we wanted the government to urgently intervene and start the process of dredging Naam River so that the flooding situation is reduced,” he said.

“People are suffering on the ground and their agricultural lands were lost to waters, snakes bites and other diseases that related to water had affected them seriously,” he added.