Family confirms Pagan Amum held in Juba security headquarters

The former Secretary General of the SPLM, Pagan Amum Okiech, was arrested in his house at Tong Ping (Juba Nabari) on Tuesday morning togeter with his bodyguard.The Okiech family has confirmed that security officers have taken him to the security headquarters at Jebel near Jebel Kujur area. There he was allowed to call his wife, his brother Nyibil Amum Okiech confirmed in a press statement.By Tuesday afternoon, the authorities refused to acknowledge his arrest, suggesting he was still at large, like the former Vice-President Riek Machar.Pagan Amum has been under house arrest since 23rd of July 2013, after he openly critisized President  Salva Kiir, for dissolving his entire cabinet.  He publicly stated that “the government had failed to deliver service to the public”.Pagan Amum’s borther says that “the family, public, and international community remained silent and patient during last four and a half months hoping that these matters will be resolved amicably; that the SPLMs would blend into a coherent unit, their ability to absorb differences being their strength”.The family says that they will hold president Salva responsible for their safety. “I call upon free people of the Republic of South Sudan who unanimously voted for their freedom from the oppressor, IGAD, the African Union, the international community, and peace-loving people, to urge the leaders of South Sudan to solve their matters peacefully and to strongly condemn what happening in the country”, Nyibil Amum states.File photo: Pagan Amum