Ronald Ruay Deng, governor of the newly created Aweil State, says he has put in place measures to ensure that there is no threat for citizens of other region living and working in the area.
Governor Ruay downplayed reports that there were youth in the area threatening to expel members of other communities living in the area, saying Aweil state is part of South Sudan and it was the right of any citizen of South Sudan to live anywhere in the state.
“Aweil state is peaceful in term of security. It is a home to every South Sudanese living and working in the area. Aweil state is part of the republic of South Sudan and so all South Sudanese should are free to work and live anywhere in the state. There is no threat to anybody from the area”, said Ruay when asked on Thursday to comment on previous reports alleging that some “angry youth” have written a letter to members of the humanitarian organisations in the area notifying them of their decision to expel natives of Equatoria region.
The top local official said Thursday he is still in Juba after being sworn in as the chairperson of the branch of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) under president Salva Kiir in the area because he wanted to brief the President and the leadership on what his administration has done, what it wants to do and the issues affecting his state. Notable issues affecting the state include security, humanitarian and infrastructure