‘Unhappy? Then go hang’

SOUTH Sudan’s Minister of Information Michael Makuei has told the country’s citizens that if they are unhappy with the way Juba is governing, there are enough trees in the country for them to hang themselves.

Makuei’s inflammatory comments came as accusations of human rights violations in South Sudan are being made before the planned formation of a transitional government in November, the East African reported.

Human rights lobbies, which recently converged at the sixth Human Rights Forum in Juba, expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights situation, particularly abuse and violations meted out by security forces,

During the forum, South Sudan government officials, civil society members and representatives from the Troika countries (Norway, the UK and the US) also expressed concern over the shrinking space for human rights defenders due to fear of reprisals from the state.

“This is evidenced by the fact that no meeting can be conducted in Juba and other locations in South Sudan without the approval of the National Security Service. This practice is in contravention of the right to freedom of assembly and association under Article 25 (1) of the Transitional Constitution,” they said in their report.

One of the participants, Brian Adeba, the deputy director of policy at the Enough Project, said nobody could hold Juba accountable without its endorsement of the process and external pressure.