National Salvation Front opposition was released on Wednesday in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State.
Commissioner Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa told Radio Easter that the seventy-three years-old Betuel Laku Pataki was a chief of Lorega Boma in Mukaya Payam before his interception in an operation by SSPDF forces, Radio Easter reported.
Cyrus adds that Betuel was arrested in Limbe and detained by the military intelligent unit in Yei.
“Betuel Laku Pataki was arrested as a member of National Salvation Front rebels in Lorega Boma in Mukaya Payam when there was a confrontation between the rebels and the SSPDF forces, the army got him with a gun, says the commissioner.
He was arrested in Limbe, they referred his case to Yei and he has been under detention of the military intelligence and after assessment and investigations based on his age and he has been also a chief, the army and the intelligence had to bring him to my office so that he is set free, he is released”, he explains.
The commissioner confirms the rebel’s release stressing it is a gestor that the conflict being fought is destructive and has no benefit to pursue and symbolizing peace.
“We have released him as a gesture to show that the conflict we are having has nothing to benefit to us as a society it is destructive and this destruction is destroying our societies. There is no need us to continue fighting and there is no need to hold somebody who has not caused a danger to the government and there is no need to continue pursuing a conflict which does not benefit South Sudan.
He is released based on the understanding that we want our people to live in peace and let him be a symbol of peace between those who are suffering because of this conflict and those who might have been victimized because of joining a movement that has actually turned to be destroying its own society”, confirms the Commissioner.
Commissioner Cyrus calls upon the chiefs and those still holding arms against the government to humble themselves seek for forgiveness and join hands in achieving peace.
“We call that those who are still in the bushes or our chiefs who are still being used to promote violence conflict in the rural areas to humble themselves, to seek for forgiveness, to reconcile with each other and we join our hands to stay together in peace”, Commissioner appeals
Meanwhile the director for Civil-military Relations and Information, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Machar reiterates that Betuel Laku Pataki is officially released, handed over to his relatives and can freely interact.
“Laku has been released and he has been handed over to his family and the family are going to take care of him, he explains.
He is free from now because honourable commissioner has declared him free and the acting commander of Special Forces plus intelligence officer that Laku is free and can do everything that he is doing. To all of us, we are here for him and he is for us”, Machar noted.
Betuel Laku Pataki was arrested and detained on the 04th November 2021 and released on 05th January 2022.
It is the second time the leadership of Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa in Yei River County releases NAS rebels intercepted and those who have surrendered to the government.
Last year on the 09th, June 2021, leadership of SSPDF handed to Yei River County Commissioner a National Salvation Front soldier who was arrested and detained since March 2020.