LET’S RETURN TO 32 STATES”, JAMES KOK RUEA TELLS KIIR

“LET’S RETURN TO 32 STATES”, JAMES KOK RUEA TELLS KIIR

JUBA – Former South Sudan minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management James Kok Ruea has appealed to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to return the country to 32 states, saying the current ten states are to blame for the ongoing communal violence across the country.

James Kok Ruea made the appeal during a meeting attended by elders and politicians from the Greater Fangak of Jonglei state in Juba on Friday in which several community leaders appealed for government intervention in the ongoing violence in the restive state of Jonglei.

James Kok, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit who defected to the SPLM-IO in 2020 before returning to the Kiir-led group in 2021, said the return of the country to ten state was wrong and was not for the sake of peace.

“The chaotic return of the country to ten states was not well designed, not studied and I don’t think is for the sake of peace because peace does not mean pleasing one man who always rebel against the 64 tribes of the Republic of South Sudan,” James Kok said to a cheering group of politicians and community leaders.

“In a democratic country like ours, everyone has a decision and has an opinion. The decision one man in the person of Riek Machar should not be imposed on millions of the people of South Sudan who have decided to create their states based on what they know about their history,” he added.

The senior SPLM politician further accused unnamed individuals of “working for the downfall of the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit in order to install someone who is anti-peace in the country, someone who has killed the people of South Sudan for the sack of power.”

“So, let’s return to the 32 states because it is better for us to maintain peace and live in peace than living under fears that one man, one individual, is pleased just for fear that he may rebel against the government. The daughters and sons of Fangak are for peace and are ready to die for it.”