Abyei natives in the US demonstrated on Friday 19th April in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, demanding the exit of South Sudan People’s Defense Force from Agok, Rumamer county residents’ houses, and public institutions.
Activist Bagat Makuac Anguek one of the organizers told Abyei FM on the Phone from New York that the demonstration aimed to urge the army to pull out from Agok, resolve of Abyei cause, recognition of Abyei referendum results conducted in 2013 by the government of South Sudan.
“Abyei people of different backgrounds took part in the demonstration and carried slogans calling to stop the genocide in Abyei and to stop exciting of violence,” He added that the demonstrators called on them to stop war and restore peace in the area.
On his part, the army commander in Agok, Maj. Gen. Joseph Kuai said he is waiting for directives from the high command in Juba to identify areas of their deployment.
While Chief Defense Force, First Lt. Gen, Santino Deng Wol explained that they were in the process of redeploying the forces out of the Abyei The SSPDF is deployed in Agok according to the January 16th Presidential Decrees to stop fighting between Ngok and Twic. But the local community of Ngok sees them as partisans accusing them of looting, mistreatment, and targeting of Abyei Area government.
However, the army downplayed recorded incidents and described them as isolated. It encourages the locals to cooperate with them as they came for the protection of civilians and their properties.