Analyst flees crackdown in South Sudan capital

By Staff Writer

A South Sudanese analyst with the Juba-based Sudd Institute, Abraham Awolich has fled the capital Juba after the National Security Services officials stormed their office.

A crackdown by the NSS came after Awolich and other colleagues under the umbrella “The People’s Coalition for Civil Action” issued a strong statement condemning governance failure in the last ten years.

Awolich shared a message of his escape on his Facebook page on Monday, captioned “I am on the run.”

“Friends, relatives, and colleagues, the government of South Sudan is pursuing me with the intention to arrest me,” Awolich said.

“This is because we made a declaration on Friday to challenge the government’s poor performance.”

A colleague, Kuel Aguer Kuel, former caretaker governor of the country’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state was arrested by the state machinery.

“My office, the office of the Sudd Institute, was stormed this morning and my staff was arrested and taken to the Blue House. Their crime is that they work with me,” Awolich said.

“They said unless I surrender, the Sudd Institute shall remain closed,” he added.

“My colleagues and I are determined to challenge the state no matter the cost. Our people fought a dignified war to realize a country of their own. We cannot accept or tolerate the establishment of a dictatorship in our country.”

The policy analyst promised to address the nation on Wednesday regarding the crackdown.