By Matik Kueth
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) announced that Stephen Phar Kuol, National Minister of Peace-building and Secretary General of the National Transitional Committee (NTC), who was detained by the National Security Service (NSS) on Thursday along with three staff members from his office, was released at 5:00 a.m. on Friday.
According to Puok Both Baluang, FVP Dr. Machar’s Acting Press Secretary, Kuol was released on Friday morning without explaining the reason for his arrest, along with his staff members.
“This is to inform SPLM-IO members and the public at large that Hon. Stephen Par Kuol, the National Minister of Peace-Building and Secretary General of the National Transitional Committee (NTC), who was unlawfully detained yesterday along with three staff members from his office by the National Security Service, was released this morning at 05:00 am. He was arrested together with three of staff members of his office. There was no reason given of which why they were arrested. But we believe it is systematic detention or arrest that has been taking place for the SPLM/A-I0 members here in Juba,” Baluang stated.
He called for the immediate release of other SPLM/A-IO officials detained on Wednesday as the R-TGoNU works to establish long-term peace in the country.
“I would like to reiterate the call for immediate release of all the SPLM/A-I0 officials who were arrested and detained in Juba, whether the chief of staff of the SPLA-O Gen. Duop Lam, minister of petroleum Puot Kang, together with 11 staff members who were arrested together,” he said.
Baluang reaffirmed the SPLM-IO’s commitment to implementing the 2018 revitalized peace accord, despite the opposition’s violation of the agreement.
Minister Par Kuol’s arrest is the latest in a string of detentions involving SPLM-IO leaders and senior military officials arrested on Wednesday, including Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, co-chair of the Joint Defense Board (JDB), Deputy Chief of Staff of the SSPDF, and acting Chief of Staff of the SPLA-IO, as well as Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum, and five other members of his family.