Press Statement - Arrest of SPLM-DC party’s Chairman in Wau

The force arrested the party's Chairman in the State, Cde George Peter, and led him to Wau prison. The force, comprising 20 men, cordoned the office.

The next day, four other members were arrested at the Secretariat of the State Government where they had gone in order to meet the Governor to inform him about the arrest of their Chairman. They were:
1.Michael Goni;
2.John Tarcisio;
3.Zakaria Bernardo Omdurman; and
4.The driver.

At two o'clock this morning, all the comrades were transferred to Mapel, some 90 km from Wau, which is an SPLA garrison. They are being held there incommunicado and being tortured. We are very much worried about their fate.

Also, this afternoon, Cde Charles Okla was arrested in front of the party office for being a member of the SPLM-DC.

We condemn in the strongest terms possible this unlawful behaviour and the misuse of the SPLA to settle political scores and demand an immediate release of the detainees. We call upon the Sudanese masses to denounce this barbaric act and we also ask the human rights organizations to speak out to the world so that the perpetrators of violence are exposed for what they are. It is repugnant to use violence against innocent citizens whose only sin is exercising their constitutional right of the freedom of association.

The Information Department,
SPLM-DC.