Human Rights Watch or HRW warned South Sudan against killing the country’s spirit of independence through the NGOs bill to be passed next week.
The rights group said in a dispatch that since independence in 2011 there was a small but crucial flowering of civil society efforts to protect media freedom and advocate for justice and human rights.
It added that South Sudan’s MPs approval of a bill on the registration and monitoring of nongovernmental organizations next week could block efforts of citizen to participate in advocacy for justice and human rights protection.
HRW observed that recent drafts of the NGOs Bill contained worrisome provisions that could be used to restrict organizations that criticize the government.
The statement pointed out that such restrictions would undermine the right to freedom of association protected by the Transitional Constitution.
The NGOs bill includes a list of acceptable objectives for nongovernmental groups, humanitarian aid, relief and rehabilitation, and capacity building.
The bill about to be tabled excludes organisations advocating for democracy, rule of law, governance and human rights activities.
HRW observed that recent versions of the bill would empower a government-appointed registrar to block groups from registering based on principles such as ‘non-interference with the national sovereignty.’