Aid worker arrested for condemning Leer violence released in Koch

Koch County police released a humanitarian worker yesterday after being detained for three days in custody.

The arrest come after humanitarian worker Makuach Phal Tang condemned the violence that happened in Leer, southern Unity State.

Phal was accused of disseminating information for which has no factual evidence according to the authorities in Leer.

Koch County Police officer Brig-Gen Tut Wal Dang said Phal was arrested because of being involved in politics challenging and condemning Koch commissioner about the Leer incident.

“He was arrested because he was involved in the politics condemning commissioner in social media about Leer and Mirmir fighting and he has no evidence,” he said.

“We released Mr Makuach Phal Tang he is a humanitarian worker working for UNIDO as a child protection officer, there is no need for him to get involved in the politics,” Wal told Juba Echo in a phone interview.

The officer appealed to humanitarian workers in Unity State to stop condemning the government for what happened in southern Unity.

“This is an earlier warning, I advise humanitarian workers to stop social media disinformation, writing propaganda against police and commissioners. Humanitarian workers have their own code of conduct and they should also respect the law and order,” he said.

The relatives of Phal confirmed his release to Juba Echo.

Leer County of Unity State has been hit by spates of violence that displaced thousands and killed hundreds. The Sudan People Liberation Movement in Opposition has blamed the commissioner of Koch County for masterminding conflict.

The conflict also compelled President Salva Kiir to set up a committee to investigate the conflict.

In an interview earlier, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, called on the head of the UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan, Yasmin Sooker to send a delegation to investigate the violence.