01/08/2022
Breaking News!
News headline
1. Passengers decry increment of Bor-Minkaman boat fare
2. Rumbek Health Science Institute suspends student leaders over strike
3. Teacher detained for impregnating school girl in Mundri West County
4. Extension of coalition government set at 24 months
News in details
1. Residents of the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, have criticized the increment of boat transport fares between Bor and Lakes State’s Mingkaman town.
The 3000 SSP increment was effected two weeks ago by boat operators citing rising fuel prices.
Several regular travellers told Radio Tamazuj that they had to stop movement.
Mabor Yuol, a resident, said most locals could not afford the increased fare. “This increase is not good because some of us travel to Minkaman to bring food,” he added. “So, spending 3,000 SSP and more money coming back is a loss.”
Another Bor resident, Elizabeth Aluel, said people cross the Nile to get relief food and that it is cheaper to buy food in the market with the increased fare.
“People go to Minkaman to sign vouchers for food rations. The money on the voucher is less, and if you calculate the transport fare and go to the market to buy goods, there is a loss,” she said.
For his part, Elijah Thongbor Abraham, the secretary-general for the Jonglei Boats’ Union, said they increased the fares because fuel prices shot up.
“Last year, we were forced to drop from 3000 SSP to 2500 SSP, but now there is no way, and on 16 July, we increased the fare to 3000 SSP again,” he explained. “The reason is that a jerrycan of fuel now costs 30,000 SSP, and a boat consumes at least two jerrycans per trip.”
“We are not making profits because nowadays we get about 60 passengers, not 100 as it used to be,” he added.
2. The administration of Rumbek Health Science Institute on Tuesday suspended the leaders of the Student's Union following a strike by students demanding the removal of SSP 5,000 supplementary examinations fees for each failed paper.
Joseph pointed out that the renunciation of the supplementary examination fees was instigated by students who had failed examinations. “The aim of this strike is related to academic affairs. We give our exams every six months of teaching, so our students sit twice a year,” he said.
Makur added that the fees for handling expenses were decided in a meeting of the institute’s management and officials from the state health ministry chaired by Michael Lueth Ater, the chairperson of the institute’s board.
“As we go forward, things are well arranged, and it was announced on the board, and they know very well that students have to pay a fine of 5,000 SSP per supplementary course,” he said.
For his part, Guild President John Madol Chol said that a week ago, the timetable for supplementary exams came out with new fees which he said students could not afford.
“If you have failed five subjects, you should be able to pay 25,000 SSP. The students said this money is too much and we cannot afford it,” he said. “The institute’s administration said that you will not be allowed to sit (exams) if you do not pay this amount of money. The students realized this is a business centre where students are not given their rights.”
“A student should be allowed to sit exams, and the institute can withhold the results, and that is why you have seen a big row happening here,” he added.
When contacted, the acting Information minister in Lakes State, William Koji Kirjok, confirmed the ongoing students strike at the health institute.
“The students of Rumbek Health Science Institute indeed went on strike during the colourful graduation of their colleagues,” he said. “But the situation is normal and calm now. The strike was within the school institute premises.”
3. A 21-year-old primary school teacher, Wilson Diya, has been detained for allegedly impregnating a 16-year-old school girl in Mundri West County in Western Equatoria State.
The paramount chief in Mundri West County, Alexander Juma Baba, said the case had been presented to him but that he was waiting for a magistrate to adjudicate.
“This girl is studying at Sun Rising Primary School, and her teacher is the one who impregnated her. The case has been brought in front of us. The girl is 16 years old, and the teacher is 21 years old,” he said. “We have left the case pending and are waiting for the judge. The suspect is now in prison.”
The deputy head teacher at the school, Glover Abui, denied the allegations against the teacher and said they had not received any letter from the girl's family or the court about the matter. He, however, admitted that the girl is pregnant and has not attended school since the beginning of the month.
“We are not aware of what happened to Teacher Wilson Diya, but the issue has been under discussion at a family level and has not been raised here at the school,” he said. “We have not got any official letter from the girl's family or the chief about what happened, but we just heard that Wilson has been detained for one month.”
“The girl was fully registered here, but since the beginning of July, she has not come to school,” the head teacher added.
Article 17 of the South Sudan constitution defines a child as anyone under the age of 18.
According to the Child Act, 2008, every child has the right to be protected from sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, including but not limited to r**e, in**st, inducement or coercion of a child to witness or engage in sexual activity.
It further says whoever commits such an offence shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years on conviction.
4. South Sudan's parties to the peace agreement have agreed to set the extension of the transitional period at 24 months, multiple sources said.
Sudan's foreign affairs minister Ali al-Sadiq announced Wednesday that the parties to the peace agreement agreed to extend the transitional coalition government period.
President Salva Kiir and opposition groups signed a peace agreement in 2018 that ended five years of civil war. But the provisions of the deal remain largely unimplemented, and the parties placed February 2023 as the end of the transitional period.
The agreement encourages authorities to hold general elections before February 2023.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, sources with knowledge of the ongoing talks in Juba to extend the transitional period said the parties, which came to power in a revitalized peace agreement, agreed in principle on a 24-month period, to be counted after February 2023.
"In principle, the duration of the new transition has been set at 24 months, after February 2023. The parties agreed that there is a need to extend the transitional period,” one of the sources said.
The source further said a technical committee formed by the parties to the peace agreement is working to provide justifications to extend the transitional government’s lifespan.
"I can say that the parties have agreed in principle on a 24-months extension unless the principles want to make some changes to it. But the technical committee has agreed on 24 months,” the source said.
"The technical committee that was formed after the recent presidency meeting is working on the document. The committee is writing the document and when it is ready, it will be presented to the principles to sign it and then it will be made public,” the source added.
Another source said the parties to the peace agreement are worried about the reaction of the public to the extension of the coalition government after three years ended without major progress in the implementation of the peace agreement.
"Citizens believe that there is a lack of political will from the parties. However, we the parties will provide justifications to extend the transitional because there have been challenges that faced us in the implementation of the peace agreement, which include financial constraints and disagreements over some details,” the source said.
"Honestly, after we agreed on the 24 months extension, we are now looking for justifications to convince the public and the international community,” the source said. “During the discussions, President Kiir’s side presented three scenarios, which included;
- holding the elections on time
- drafting of the permanent constitution by foreign experts within a year,
- or discussing the appropriate timeframe for implementing the critical tasks after February 2023.”
By Majun
