The academic staff association and workers union at the University of Bahr-el-Ghazal Monday started a peaceful sit-down strike which they said would last a week. 

Over the weekend, the association met with all the teaching staff and resolved to go on strike if the government didn’t intervene and pay their nine months’ salary arrears.  

Professor Apugy Kulang Takpiny, the secretary-general of the academic staff association said that the teaching staff is on a one-week strike.

“Our sit down strike started 14th Monday and will continue for seven days. That means we will resume work on Tuesday next week. There is only one reason, we are hungry. It is not fair that someone works for nine months without pay. This is the main reason,” Kulang told Radio Tamazuj at his office on Monday.

He said theirs is a peaceful strike to put pressure on the government to pay their salary arrears. 

He urges parents to be understanding because without a response to their demands they won’t be able to do their academic duties professionally.

“My message to the parents of the students of the university is that we know they are children of and the future of South Sudan. Our strike will not affect their future.”