Shoot-to-Kill Orders Against Curfew Violators in Juba

{{South Sudanese authorities have ordered security forces to shoot dead anyone found to be violating a renewed night curfew imposed by the government as tension continues to rise over federalism debate in the country.}}

Interior minister Aleu Ayieny Aleu on Monday ordered his security operatives to go on a “shoot-to-kill” mission against night-time curfew violators, which the government has resolved to impose daily from 8pm to 6am.

“Please work with me and I will work with you to implement this resolution of the council [of minister]. The shoot-to-kill order was passed by the council. It is not an individual order,” he told the security forces.

Aleu said the resolution was agreed upon by the council of ministers last month.

President Salva Kiir last year issued an order imposing dusk to dawn curfew time in Juba when fighting broke out in December. It runs from 11pm to 6am, but it appears the authorities have now moved it back to 8pm from 1pm.

Citizens are thus demanded to remain indoors after dusk.

“It is only witches who move at night. They steal and kill our people … shoot them. We have to strike hard to stop this problem, so now, even civilians cannot move about at night,” the minister further ordered.

Observers say the renewed harsh order to kill is a direct response to the growing tensions over the debate about federalism, which the government sees as a threat to dismantle power from the centre.

“They [government] see the rising debate in favour of federalism in the country as a threat to the centred power by the clique. They confiscate newspapers that publish the debate. Now they attempt to silence after-work debates in evening social gatherings in town,” an insider told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

In the Western Equatoria town of Maridi at least three people were killed last week by security forces after they were overheard in a bar discussing federalism.

{sudantribune}