South Sudan community leader opposes deployment of troops to DR Congo

JUBA – A South Sudan community leader has expressed a strong opposition to deployment of the country’s army to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, saying that those troops should have been deployed to restore peace and security in the volatile Upper Nile region.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, chairman of Bentiu community in Kenya Dak Buoth Riek said that it has always been the role of any government to provide security to the civil population it represents and pointed to the ongoing violence in whole of Upper Nile region.

“The truth of the matter is that there is bloodshed in the greater Upper Nile Region of Unity State, Jonglei State and Upper Nile state. It’s the constitutional mandate of the government to restore peace and security in our states by using security forces including the national army to bring back peace and harmony in these states,” he said.

He said that the government should not proceed with the deployment of South Sudan army troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo saying those forces should be used by the government to restore peace and stability in Upper Nile region.

“We have been reading on social media that the government of South Sudan is planning to take nearly a thousand troops to go and fight against the M23 rebels in the DR. Congo,” the community leader said in the statement.

“Our stance is that, instead of taking these troops to Congo, we should use and or utilize these troops to restore peace and security in the greater upper Nile region,” he added.

He further argued that “It is not compulsory for South Sudan to take its troops to Congo. There is no written law compelling South Sudan to go and fight in Congo.”