South Sudan Union of persons with disabilities have on Tuesday during a press conference at all saints cathedral asked the security forces to be considerate while performing their functions in public places.
The call made by Augustino Wudu Illario, the chairperson of the association emerged at a time when Miss Deaf Africa, Josephine Kiden Simon who represented South Sudan in the competition held in Tanzania in 2021 was wounded in her arm by a stray bullet in the busy Konyo Konyo market mid last week.
“We the persons with disabilities are part and parcel of the society and we need extra care, this act of unnecessary shooting in public places is a threat not only to us but also to the general public,” said Illario.
Mr. Wudu added that there is no special place set aside for people with disabilities in South Sudan and put a request on the government table pleading with it to strengthen its care for the PWDs especially in crowded places like markets and across the city.
He also criticized what he called “unnecessary shooting” in Juba and called upon the government not only to put an end to this kind of act but also to make sure that the committers are punished to distract other people who may also be planning to do the same.
“We are not happy, in fact we condemn it in the strongest term possible the security apparatus for the unnecessary shooting in public places and demand that the perpetrators be arrested and punished to deter others from doing the same,” he demanded.
Miss deaf Africa has since the incident been flown by the presidency to Nairobi, Kenya for further medical treatment.
