![South Sudan youth ride atop a bus as they chant slogans in support of the referendum on southern independence in Juba, January 4, 2011. [Photo credit REUTERS]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/south_sudan_youth001.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
JUBA — A South Sudan rebel movement has announced that it backs calls for a popular uprising against the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit saying it has had enough over the continued arrest of civil society activists.
This comes after prominent activist and former governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state governor Kuel Aguer was arrested by the National Security Service just two days after forming a civil society organization that has an intention to mobilize the people of South Sudan against the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
In a statement extended to Sudans Post, the Equatoria People’s Alliance (EPA) said it “condemns in no uncertain terms, the continuing unlawful arrest of citizens in South Sudan for simply exercing their right to freedom of expression, association or assembly to hold the failed government to account.”
It said it has agreed with the calls by the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) for a popular uprising against the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit which it accused of continued atrocities of the people of South Sudan.
“EPA calls for the unconditional release of all detained members of the PCCA[5] immediately to resume their normal lives as free citizens in their country. Salva Kiir and his NSS operatives will be held accountable for any harm visited upon the PCCA activists for simply carrying out their civic duties as free citizens with every right to demand government accountability in the public interest,” the statement said.
“EPA adds it voice to the PCCA call for removal of the flawed R-TGONU and its leaders from power by popular uprising of the masses of our people in Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr al Ghazal to pave the way for freedom and a new political order and dispensation in the country, one which restores the proper people-driven state formation and constitution-making processes, and without undue influences of the failed authoritarian SPLM leaders in the country,” it added.
It further said “calls on the ICC for indictment of the perpetrators of atrocities against over 400,000 innocent civilian victims of SPLM armed conflict, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in South Sudan, and for justice to the victims and holding impunity to account once and for all in our country.”
