NAS Dismisses Kiir Amnesty As Cheap Politics

National Salvation Front (NAS) has dismissed Salva Kiir’s decree granting amnesty to members of South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) as ‘political mockery and a cheap public relations display’.

The regime in Juba and its ethnically biased advisory body, the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) should focus on writing the wrongs in its policies and actions, its arrogation of constitutional powers to achieve selfish individual group interests above the safety, security, justice and prosperity of all South Sudanese. NAS finds it insulting that the regime of Salva Kiir is instead deliberately compounding its crimes by attempting to win public favour through dishonest, ill-advised and a ‘business as usual’ cavalier approach to matters of national interest.

“We offer Kiir free advice on what to do with amnesty provisions as provided in our constitution. It would be sensible if Kiir and his stooges were to extend unconditional release with a presidential apology to all those who have been illegally and unlawfully detained, and continue to endure torture in the hands of Kiir’s security operative Akol Koor,” explained NAS Spokesperson Mr Samuel Suba.

“Before the Juba regime can discuss ‘amnesty’, it must address the issue of ‘ghost-houses’ where innocent citizens are tortured, dehumanized, humiliated, insulted and denied access to legal representation, medical attention all for the simplest crime of expressing their political views and for speaking truth to power; all without any meaningful hopes of appearing before a free and fair justice system. Meaningful amnesty must start by adherence to our constitution, with which, there would be no need for amnesty in the first place,” emphasized Suba.

NAS spokesperson Mr Samual Suba made among others, these to the media (Sudan Tribune, Eye Radio and others) when asked to respond Kiir’s Tuesday [28 January 2020] decree. On Tuesday evening in a decree read on state-owned SSBC TV, all members of the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) were said to have been granted amnesty by Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan.

“There is no legal basis for the National Salvation Front liberation movement and army to accept any amnesty by the regime in Juba. NAS rejects the implicit notion that its leaders have committed any political offenses and that NAS does not recognize the authority of the regime in Juba to issue such amnesty,” stated an internal NAS memo.

“If NAS and its leadership have not recognized the authority of Kiir to issue amnesty on a false pretext of pardon for political crimes, how can it then be part of an amnesty plea for which it was not a member?” asked Suba.

This is not the first time amnesty has been granted to and rejected by Gen Thomas Cirillo, NAS Chairman and C-in-C. In September 2017, Gen Thomas Cirillo rejected the meaningless public relations and political gimmick by Kiir and his stooges, and has continued to stay steadfast and focused on achieving a noble journey to restore the unity and dignity of the people of South Sudan.

NAS and other sisterly movements in SSOMA do not consider themselves guilty of any political offence that warrants an amnesty, especially from Salva Kiir. “The regime in Juba should instead focus on writing their amnesty pleas to the people of South Sudan, who have long endured abuse of their country’s constitution and will soon rally together to kick Kiir’s regime to the shameful dustbin of our short history,” retorted Suba.

“It will be upon all the people of South Sudan to decide whether to grant any amnesty to Kiir and his corrupt, devious inner circle who continue to be responsible for the suffering of citizens”.