At least 16 youth who were arrested last week for rejecting the results of a youth election organized by the government were on Tuesday released from detention in Kapoeta, Eastern Equatoria State.
Local authorities claim there were 18 youths detained while the community insists that there were 19, including a local female journalist who covered the arrival of the legitimate youth chairperson at Kapoeta airstrip.
The local government claims the two who still remain in detention are police officers which according to the law are not supposed to engage in rioting.
The chairperson of the Toposa Community Association (TCA) had earlier demanded the unconditional release of the 19 youth who were arrested by a combined force of the National Security Service (NSS) and police last Wednesday and Thursday in Kapoeta town, Eastern Equatoria State.
TCA Chairperson Paul Napwon Yonai wrote to Governor Louis Lobong on 24 December urging him to halt the ongoing arrests and demanding the immediate release of the youth in detention.
The crackdown on and arrest of the youth followed controversial elections held on 21 December to choose the chairperson of the Toposa Youth Association (TOYA) which was blessed by Governor Lobong in Kapoeta. The youth protested and blamed the governor for trying to impose his preferred candidate as chairperson after he had just been impeached by the Toposa community’s executive body.
Among the youth arrested include the elected acting chairperson, Ngoya Yaba, and female journalist Roslyn Nakopir who was arrested for covering the arrival of the former at Kapoeta airstrip last Wednesday
Aliandro Lotok, the press secretary in the office of Eastern Equatoria State governor, said the youths were released after they apologized to the government. He said they were charged with causing insecurity in Kapoeta town and violating the Covid-19 prevention measures.
“16 out of the 18 Toposa youth who were arrested last week have been released after they apologized for their wrongdoings,” Lotok said. “Two members of the youth are found to be police officers and they have been handed to their units for disciplinary measures. According to the military law, no soldier is allowed to engage in politics when still in active service.”
He added: “The arrested youth were charged with causing insecurity in Kapoeta town, violating Covid-19 protocols, engaging in an illegal gathering, two of them are officers of the police now engaged in politics contravening the law and they will be dealt with according to the military law.”
He said some of the youth who were arrested are NGO workers who are now engaged in political activities in the state yet humanitarians are by law not allowed to engage in politics.
Lotok said that the state government wants to build a harmonious state without insecurity and that anyone destabilizing the security of the state will be dealt with by law.
“The release of the youth is really a wake-up call to young people not to engage in subversive activities that undermine the wellbeing of the state,” Lotok said. “We want to build a peaceful Eastern Equatoria free from political incitement and misunderstandings.”
Toposa community chairperson Paul Napwon Yonai appreciated Governor Lobong for accepting his plea to release the youth.
“Arrest does not mean they have to face charges or be killed, no. It means the process of discipline and gives an opportunity for people to see whether they were taking a right direction or wrong direction,” Napwon said. “At the end of the day, when people sit and resolve issues, then it brings peace. Thanks to God I communicated with the security people they accepted my plea.”