South Sudan’s Kiir orders return of Muslim properties

June 12, 2018 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Monday directed that all properties that had earlier been confiscated from the Muslim communities be returned to them.

The president made these remarks during the annual Ramadan dinner with Muslim leaders at Freedom Hall in the capital, Juba.

The South Sudanese leader instructed the national security minister to work with the South Sudanese Islamic Council to retrieve back all the looted Muslims properties in the different parts of the country.

“The minister of national security is here with us in the hall, so I want him to go tomorrow morning [Tuesday] to visit the sites of the properties that have been grabbed. You will show him [minister] the stolen properties,” said Kiir.

He also appealed to the Muslims to support the ongoing peace process and pledged to support those intending to visit Mecca.

The South Sudanese presidential advisor on Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Juma Said appealed to the Muslim community in the country to fight against tribalism and hatred as a principle of the Islamic religion.

This principle, he said, does not differentiate between the people.

South Sudanese Muslim will continue supporting the government of President Kiir in order to achieve peace in the country, he stressed.

On his part, however, the Secretary-General of South Sudan Islamic Council, Abdallah Burj pledged that the Islamic Council would work to promote reconciliation and tolerance among South Sudanese.

A number of officials, including the country’s first vice president, Taban Deng Gai and members of diplomatic corps grace the event.

In July 2014, President Kiir directed that all properties in Juba that were grabbed would be returned to the Muslim communities.

(ST)