Conflict-affected people inside the UN Protection of Civilians site. |File Photo|.
Warrap State—home state of South Sudan long-time President Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit—once the safest state of latest has been facing sporadic inter-communal violence claiming hundreds of lives, displacing thousands, and destroying property and livelihoods just like in other states.
Despite the heavy presence of government soldiers on the ground and the formation of the peace task force committees in an attempt to bring the feuding communities to the table for dialogue and reconciliation, some elements of the communities allegedly armed by some unruly individuals in the national capital, Juba continue to perpetuate the violence in the counties of the state.
The Lou Ariik Community of Tonj North County is one of the communities recently affected by sporadic armed violence. Lou Ariik Community Youth Association leader in Juba Ariik Mawien turned to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for protection, a call seen as ignoring the ability of the national army, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), to exercise its primary mandate of safeguarding lives.
“We are demanding that UNMISS heed our plight and provide security and protection as violence rises among the people,” Mawien said to the media.
Following the recent armed clashes among the communities in Tonj North County, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) airlifted wounded people for medical care as new cases of deaths and injuries continue to emerge daily as conflict surges.
“We urge the humanitarian community and all peacebuilding agencies to take the ongoing campaign of violence seriously. We call on UNMISS to assume responsibility for the security and protection of innocent lives,” he stressed.
The latest conflict claimed 40 lives and wounded nearly 100 more others, mostly women and children.
In the Abyei Administrative Area, the local authorities called on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and SSPDF to beef up security to protect civilians from the armed groups terrorizing the area.
On October 9, Dr. John Chier, the clinical officer in charge of Agok Hospital, was shot dead in Rumamer County of Abyei Administrative Area by unidentified gunmen; two women had gone missing.
Abyei Information Minister Bulis Koch believes the gunmen emerged from the SSPDF garrison in the area.
He called on the SSPDF to apprehend the culprits whom he believes are hiding inside the Athony-Ayouk army barrack. The Golden Times could not independently verify the claims.
Efforts to reach the army spokesperson for comments have been futile during the press time.
