Security operatives loyal to the faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement under the command of Salva Kiir (SPLM-Juba) have launched a campaign of arrests in part of Eastern Equatoria, specifically targeting and arresting male youths.
The exercise in the Madi-inhabited corridor in the west of Eastern Equatoria State is being carried out by the units of soldiers stationed at Pageri. Youths as young as 13 or 14 have been caught up in the sweep of arrests, which took villagers by surprise on Saturday night, driving some to take refuge in the bush.
A local source speaking on Monday said that government soldiers made house searches at night, disturbing residents.
“They came and carried out this inhumane act at night when all people have gone into their rooms to sleep. I was woken up by my wife at around 12.45 am on Saturday midnight that there were people outside asking to come inside the house.”
“They said they were searching for weapons. When we asked why is done in the night, they started beating everybody and some people dragged into pickup cars and taken to Pageri,” he added.
He said he had hid himself when government soldiers made the search.
Meanwhile, Pageri Area Administrator Emilio Igga reportedly on Sunday sought the release of the detained youths but was unsuccessful in his appeal. Reached by phone, Igga told Radio Tamazuj that he was in a meeting and was therefore not immediately available to make a comment.
Other officials including national and state members of parliament, Veronica Ikan, Florence Utua and Ambassador John Andruga have also reportedly called for release of the youths who have been arrested.
Sources so far were unable to confirm the total number of detainees. But several sources pointed to the role of a certain informant to the security services (identified by name) who has instigated and encouraged the arrests.
One source described the informant as a ‘well-known trouble maker’ who has taken advantage of the allegations of rebellion of Martin Kenyi and Nathaniel Perieno among others from the region to make money by falsely accusing people to the security services.