Police in South Sudan’s Unity State have arrested a youth union chairperson and a former county relief director in Leer County, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The arrests are connected to a letter that gave a United Nations agency 72 hours to leave the area, a move authorities say was made without their approval.
Those detained have been identified as Tang Gatgong, the chairperson of the Youth Union, and Paulino Kueh Mawich, the former director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).
Brigadier General Samuel Machul, the police director for Leer County, told Radio Tamazuj that the two individuals face separate cases.
He confirmed that Gatgong was detained for “using threatening words” against non-governmental organisations (NGOs), specifically for issuing an ultimatum to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to cease operations and leave the county within 72 hours.
“The arrest of the Youth Union chairperson is because he gave 72 hours to UNOPS without approval from the acting commissioner of Leer County,” Gen Samuel said. “He is in detention now, including Paulino Kueh Mawich.”
The acting commissioner of Leer County, Kueth Latjor, also confirmed the arrests. He stated that Gatgong had acted “without knowledge from us as authorities.”
He further explained that Mawich was arrested for writing a separate letter directly to the state governor.
“[The letter claimed] NGOs are under threat under the acting commissioner and RRC director, while we don’t have knowledge about what happened between the youth and UNOPS,” Latjor said.
“That’s why I directly directed security to arrest those two individuals and investigate them why they have written such statements.”
Police said that an investigation into the matter is scheduled to begin on Monday.