JUBA – The police have warned the public against any planned demonstration by the so-called People’s Coalition for Civil Action saying no request for demonstration has been approved by the police.

Earlier this month, the coalition that comprised civil society organizations launched a public awareness calling for protest for regime changed.

National police spokesperson Maj. Gen Daniel Justin said the leaders of the coalition wrote to the Ministry of Interior requesting permission and but the request had been rejected.

He said the group did not give an assurance that the demonstration will not turn violent.

“… the way the request was written was very risky. When we analyzed it the level of risk is very high because they are calling for demonstration countrywide,” Maj. Gen Justin said.

“We advise them [demonstrators] not to do so. If at all they want to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, they have to coordinate with us as organized forces so that we secure their demonstration,” he added.

Maj. Gen Justin said the coalition was not registered as an entity and that they would treat it as illegal.

“We need to sit down and put things right. You cannot call for an unknown number of people to demonstrate because for us we have to know the exact number of demonstrators,” he added.

Call for solution

On Tuesday, a group known as Youth Organisations’ Coalition expressed concerns over the planned demonstrations saying the issue was creating anxiety in the public and disrupting the peace, hence, the government ought to address the situation before it degenerates into a disaster.

“…for the interest of lessening tension and fear among the civil population, we hereby demand the unity government come out and address the nation on this situation especially on their position regarding the protest,’’ the group stated in a press release on Tuesday.

The stated the country’s transitional constitution under Article 24 (1) and 25 (1) accords citizens the fundamental rights of expression which the government is bound to protect, but it also cautioned against the protest saying the move would be distracting.

The group noted: “the Coalition is calling for meaningful dialogue between the unity government (R-TGoNU) and all unsatisfied groups. The dialogues would address fundamental issues being faced with clear frameworks including youth unemployment and young people’s cries and grievances to be addressed within the R-ARCSS.’’

They urge the organizers of the protest to rethink the plans due to the volatile nature of the country which could escalate into a full-blown humanitarian crisis if the protest were to take place.

“The forthcoming protest might worsen the current humanitarian crisis including worsen economic meltdown across the country given the proliferation of small arms in the hands of civilians [which] makes it difficult to guarantee the safety and security of citizen in such complex situation where the number of holdout groups is still negotiating with the government in Rome,’’ the group argued.