Ter Manyang, the Executive Director of the Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy or CPA - COURTESY

A civil society activist is calling on the government of Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) to respect rule of law and human rights after the alleged detention and release of five chiefs without charges.

Ter Manyang – Executive Director of the Centre for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) – said he received credible reports that the arrest made on 15th November was ordered by the chief administrator.

He said the traditional leaders had been in detention for weeks and were released only on Friday under unclear circumstances.

“There were five local chiefs who were arrested on the 15th of November and they were released two days ago. The chief administrator participated in it,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“You know, in the recent governor’s forum, one of the resolutions said that we need to respect the human right in all government levels. This is our concern and if you see the time limit, it is beyond the 24 hours as our constitution demands.”

Manyang termed it a gross violation of human rights and a breach of one of the resolutions of the 8^th Governors Forum which called for abolition of arbitrary detention.

“I think officials need to understand the implications of their actions, and the chief administrator does not have any powers give orders to arrest the local chiefs in the GPAA. It is a gross human rights violation.”

Manyang made the statement as South Sudan joins the world in marking Human Rights Day on December 10.

When contacted, GPAA Minister of Information refuted the alleged arrest of many traditional leaders, adding that only one chief was arrested on accusations of colluding with criminals.

Jacob Werchom Juk told Eye Radio that the chief was being investigated for hiding the names of bandits accused of murder in the area.

“There was no mass arrest of the chiefs in the area. A chief that was arrested was only from one village and that chief was collaborating with the criminals who came to attack people from within town and killed one person.”

“So, he was asked to produce the name of the criminal person who committed that crime, but the chief seemed to be defending himself. That person is the criminal who has killed a person in the town.”

“So, he was now being investigated to tell us where those criminals had gone, because he had known that criminal in the village, so what was done to him it was part of the investigation and even he was not arrested, as now we are speaking he has been released.”