The chairperson of the Toposa Community Association (TCA) has demanded the unconditional release of 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
“On behalf of the Toposa Community Association and on my own behalf, I am hereby calling for the halting of the ongoing arrest of the Toposa Youth and release of those arrested by the National Security agents,” Napwon’s letter read in part. “From yesterday (22 December) until now as I am writing this letter, there is ongoing mass arrest of the Toposa youths in Kapoeta. So far 10 youths have been arrested.”
He added: “This action is undesirable and will not bring a peaceful solution to the differences among the youth in the Toposa community.”
The Toposa community chairperson called on the youth, parents, and relatives of those in detention to remain calm as the association resolves the matter.
“I also call on all the youth, parents, and relatives of those arrested to remain calm as the TCA is taking steps to engage the state government in releasing the youths,” he concluded. “Therefore, I am hereby calling for the Toposa Community General Assembly meeting on 27 December 2021 to come and resolve this matter in a peaceful way.”
TCA Chairperson Napwon separately told Radio Tamazuj over the Christmas weekend that the confusion was brought about by interference in youth matters.
“The community with its organs have the right to have its own organized way of managing their own community within the government constitution given to them,” Napwon said. “In fact, we have about 19 people who are arrested, most of these boys are from the Topsoa Youth Association which had a problem among themselves. This is a very simple thing which requires the leaders of the community to sit down to bring them together and resolve amicably.”
Mark Lojale a civil society activist described the situation as saddening and urged the local authorities to use peaceful means to resolve community issues.
“Actually it is a disgusting thing. In the development of the new Constitution of South Sudan, I think there is an article on freedoms where everybody is to have the right of expression,” Lojale said. “These people should be released and then called for a meeting with the leaders of the community to find out if there is something wrong that needs advice.”
Eastern Equatoria State information minister and government spokesperson Patrick Oting Cyprian declined to comment on the issue when contacted.