Non-governmental Organizations or NGOs Forum warns that the Bill should not be used to restrict civil society activities because it would have enormous implications for the ongoing humanitarian response in South Sudan.
The Forum in a statement on Wednesday adds that if the Bill is implemented in a way that creates a more regressive environment, it would have catastrophic effects for the large amounts of the South Sudanese population that rely on NGOs to provide basic services and aid.
The Forum points out that NGOs are already under mounting administrative pressure and often subject to arbitrary enforcement of rules and regulations, citing increasing incidents of harassment and violence against them.
It calls for NGOs’ involvement in the implementation of the Bill to make getting assistance to people easier to avoid tremendous suffering for South Sudanese communities.
The Forum urges the government to assure that the Bill is not used against the very public it is meant to serve.
It hopes the Bill’s implementation would serve the common objective of nurturing a strong civil society and getting assistance to those in need.