The Secretary General of the National Political Parties Alliance Martin Aligo Abe has condemned the restriction of the freedom of movement of one of its members, Dr Lam Akol, who was effectively put under house arrest since Thursday night when government security forces surrounded his house.

Speaking on Friday at a press conference called urgently at the office of Political Parties Leadership Forum in Juba, the Secretary General of the Alliance said that the move against Lam Akol was politically motivated.

“Leaders of the national alliance are not allowed to travel abroad and to other parts of the country. What democracy are we talking about? If the government has anything against anybody, it must follow the due process of the law,” he said.

“This is a violation of article 27 of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan,” Aligo said. He added the alliance managed to contact the National Security Minister by phone to know exactly what was the matter but he could not provide them with any reassurance.

The press conference came after security personnel surrounded the house of Lam Akol on Thursday night and sealed off roads leading to the house.

Aligo lamented restrictions on freedom of expression in South Sudan and called on the government to remove its forces from around Lam Akol's house. “What we need is for the government to remove its forces out from his house.”

“This is a political motivated move directed against the leadership of the National Alliance and we call upon the government to stand up to its responsibilities and order these forces to withdraw forthwith,” he said.

Aligo pointed out that no explanation was given by the security personnel for taking such an action: “We in the National Alliance see this action by the security as a gross violation of individual freedoms and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

On the other hand, Minister of Information Michel Makuei Lueth downplayed the deployment of troops around Lam Akol's house saying he was not under arrest. “If we want to arrest him, we can do that and it will take us no time to take him to prison. No forces have been deployed around his house. These are his usual claims,” he said on Friday.

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