Authorities of Rumbek East County Lakes State have arrested two south Sudan people defense force officers in Mabor duang military base in Rumbek East County over harassment of catholic priest.
The commissioner of Rumbek East county, Zechariah Malual Anyuon confirmed that the priest was arrested and tortured during
He said the SSPDF soldiers who tortured by beating the parish priest Stephen Mangar Machar are now arrested and detained in Mabor-duang military barrack and they are under investigation.
He said the soldiers attempted to seized his cap but he refused resulting the scuffle.
The priest of catholic church in Rumbek East county said it was on Sunday evening at around 4:00 pm.
” I was going to Thonaduel to visit a bishop, but on my way to Thonaduel I met the soldiers and these are from Mabor-duong military barrack”, he said.
“I bypassed them in Bahr el Naam, when I reached there they caught me on the way and they started abusing me and they were calling me the criminals, and all sorts of abuse because I was wearing the face mask inform of a cloth”.
He said when they were abusing and they called me a criminal .
“Some of them were asking me what are you carrying, because I was carrying some maize than I stopped immediately and then I brought down the cap, then I asked them, why did call me criminal and abused me when I am not a criminal”, he said.
He said that he explained to them that he was not a criminal but a bishop.
The civil society activist, Daniel Laat Kon confirmed that they have learned about the incident where a parish priest of catholic church in Pacong Payam was beaten by SSPDF forces.
He said it is a very unfortunate situation that we have learned because this is a man of God that’s working in a spiritual life and that the forces went to the extent of beating him.
” We are urging the government, specially the authority in the county level to address this issue and take this matter to court so that they are held accountable because this is where the accountability should start instead of beating somebody without any issue”, he said.
” Priests are peaceful people, and in case if the priest is accused of anything then he must follow due process of law in stead of taking law into their own hands to beat him”.
He said this is something that we condemned as CEPO and we are calling for investigation and accountability for the victim as soon as possible”.
