Government slams Troika’s position on national security service Act

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Friday slammed the Troika grouping for recently infringing on the sovereignty of South Sudan by criticizing the passing of the National Security Services (NSS) Act by lawmakers.
Wol Mayar Ariec, the Director of Media in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs speaks to journalists on Friday in Juba.

By Simon Deng

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Friday slammed the Troika grouping for recently infringing on the sovereignty of South Sudan by criticizing the passing of the National Security Services (NSS) Act by lawmakers.

The NSS Act gives sweeping powers to the intelligence operatives to arrest and search without warrant, something that the opposition are wary of as the country heads for it’s first-ever general election in December this year.

Wol Mayar Ariec, the Director for Media in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation reminded the Troika which includes the U.S, United Kingdom and Norway of interfering in the internal affairs of the Republic of South Sudan.

“This is unacceptable and a blatant attempt to influence the decisions of the lawmakers and executive in exercising their lawful mandates stipulated by the laws and regulations of the republic of South Sudan,” said Ariec during press conference hastily organized by the ministry in Juba.

“It is with great regret that the aforementioned missions opted to act contrary to these known friendly diplomatic norms, and decided to grossly interfere with issues of national concern that are even still being discussed in the national legislative assembly,” he added.

Ariec said all accredited missions and international organization are supposed to abide by the laws and regulations of the host community, as well as maintaining cordial relations without interfering in the internal affairs of the host country.

On July 10, the embassies of Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed grave concern over the Transitional National Legislative Assembly’s passage of legislation that gives the National Security Service the authority to conduct arrests and detentions without warrants. 

“This would constitute a significant step away from the opening of political and civic space, which is a prerequisite for genuine and peaceful elections to take place.  Enactment of the bill into law would be regrettable at any time, but particularly now when it would undermine the transitional government’s assertions that political and civic space exists,” they said.

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