Citizens in the UN Protection of Civilian’s Site (PoC) in Malakal town in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State have complained about high taxes levied by local authorities on people trying to enter the site.
Peter Deng, the deputy chairman of the security, reconciliation, and peace committee at the camp, told Radio Tamazuj that the local authorities in Malakal town collect taxes from them.
He also complained about what he termed “random taxes” imposed by the SPLA soldiers on internally displaced persons who are traveling to the UN base from the west side of the River Nile.
“A tax for one goat reaches 100 SSP, and one cow costs 200 SSP, whereas vegetables cost between 50 to 40 SSP,” said the displaced persons’ leader. He said the high taxes have caused increasing prices of commodities at the market inside the UN base.
Deng also accused the government of using violence against citizens. He claimed that the government is now deceiving the citizens with incentives of salaries so they can return to their homes as a trick to arrest some individuals who are still sheltering inside the UN camp.
He alleged that the SPLA forces arrested a citizen outside the UNMISS camp recently when on his way to the town, saying his whereabouts is unknown up to now.
Photo: IDPs at the UN protection of civilians (PoC) site in Malakal, Upper Nile State, South Sudan. © IOM 2015