NSS soldiers on a pickup somewhere in South Sudan | File photo

Some National Security Service soldiers broke up a quarrel among the visually impaired people in Juba early this week, a senior official at the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare in Central Equatoria State has confirmed.

On Tuesday, a representative of the vulnerable group accused the national security personnel of physically assaulting their members who were conducting a mobility training at Buluk Centre.

Robert Ladu said the soldiers – who were riding on a military pickup with a Landcruiser number 014 – hit the blind people with the butts of their guns.

This prompted the vice president for gender and youth cluster to investigate into the allegations – a development the state ministry has welcomed.

Omer Sharf al Deen, managing director at the state Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare in Central Equatoria State, stated that national security was sent to defuse tension among visually impaired.

“The reason is that their [the union leadership] period has expired and changed the name from Jubek to Equatoria region which caused the split among them,” a senior officials explained to Eye Radio on Thursday.

They had a disagreement over the name, with some calling it Central Equatoria, and others, Equatoria Region.

This led to chaos at the center.

“They refused the order of the national security to evacuate the place, even one of them snatched the weapon from one of national security,” Al Deen continued.

“If they were beaten by the national security, I have no idea of that. We were trying to evacuate the place and bring a neutral committee to re-register them and prepare for the elections within a month.”

The senior official added that they welcomed the formation of the committee by the Office of VP Nyandeng Garang De Mabior to investigate alleged abuses by the national security.

“We are waiting for this committee so that we can give them the facts,” he added.