Hon. Nhial Bol, member of peace parliament representing Warrap State on the SPLM-IO ticket. Hon. Bol is also the Chairperson of Livestock and Fisheries Committee - Courtesy

A lawmaker from SPLM-IO has demanded the removal of national security deployed within parliament building, saying their presence is creating an unfriendly environment for lawmakers.

Hon. Nhial Bol who is the Chairperson of the Livestock and Fisheries Committee says SPLM-IO will boycott sittings if security personnel deployed at the parliament is not removed.

He said this when he presented the issue of the deployment in the parliament, but the speaker ruled it out.

Hon. Bol, who hails from the SPLM-IO party, revealed that there are 45 personnel of national security forces deployed within the parliament compound.

According to him, the move is creating an unfriendly environment for lawmakers and intimidating.

He threatens that SPLM- IO MPs will boycott sittings if the forces are not removed from the parliament.

“The parliament has been overcrowded with security forces which are not justiciable, they now don’t allow journalists and they are not allowed the freedom of MP’s, so we are presenting this thing to the IO caucus because we see them as very hostile,” Hon. Bol told Eye Radio.

“I requested the assembly on Friday that we are not protected by these forces, especially national security and the army and she [the speaker] said she cannot manage this thing alone.

“We are demanding that if they cannot be removed then we have to be given UNMISS to protect us before we debate things, otherwise, we will not continue with the debate.

“The security is intimidating us and we don’t want their presence there, we are going for a meeting of IO and we will decide.”

However, the chairman of the Information Committee, John Agany has denied Nhial’s claims.

Hon. Agany who represents SPLM-IG says the SPLM-IO lawmaker is lying.

“Is a total liar, and you’re invited to come to the national parliament, we are ruled by the conduct of business and the constitution,” Agany told Eye Radio.

“There is nothing and this is a handful of MPs who are not inducted, they don’t even know the parliamentary proceedings.

“They [MPs] just got up from their houses and they don’t even know the conduct of business, this is a very unfortunate situation. SPLM IO will be held responsible for causing all this commotion without reason at all.”

Last week, 8 journalists and an activist were briefly detained by the National Security Service while covering a press conference in the national parliament in Juba.

The journalists went on an invite signed by about 19 legislators to speak on challenges facing the MPs in Juba.

Other issues that were on the agenda include the slow implementation of the peace agreement.

But the security personnel who were inside the premises reportedly intruded and ordered the MPs to call off the presser.