The Secretary General of the Communist Party of South Sudan Joseph Wol Modesto and other party members are reported arrested yesterday morning in Yirol, Lakes State.

The reason for their arrest was that they tried to meet citizens in the county without any permission from Lake State Governor and Commissioner.

The Leader of the Communist Party in South Sudan Ismail Suleiman Saeed told The Citizen yesterday that before the departure of the delegation from Juba to Yirol, the Secretary General Modesto had informed the Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, that the Communist party delegation was going to the Lakes state for mobilization and proceed later to rest of Bahr-el-Ghazal States, notable Warap, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Northern Bahr El Ghazal.

Saeed said the delegation arrived in Rumbek two days ago and they were supposed to meet the Governor of Lakes State in his office but failed to do so.

After this the delegation proceeded to Yirol county and also could not meet the Commissioner. When they tried to organize a meeting with the citizens as stipulated in just passed Political Parties act, they were arrested by the authorities.

Suleiman charged that this was not for the first time that his party was made to face challenges in the Lakes State. He regretted that the arrest had disrupted their party programme of mobilization in the state.

The Communist party leader said according to the political party's act, the party leaders should go to any state for mobilization and it was against the freedom of political association and assembly that the authorities have acted on the Secretary General and other executives of the party.

Efforts by The Citizen to reach the authorities in Rumbek and Yirol for confirmation of the Communist Party Leader's charge could not materialize.