November 20, 2022 (MALAKAL) – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says it is “deeply” concerned about emerging reports of violence in Fashoda County, Upper Nile ate, between Shilluk armed youth and Nuer elements.
“Tensions and sporadic violence between different groups that arted in these areas in Augu 2022 have resulted in the displacement of thousands of people, as well as the harassment and killings of others, and the deruction of property,” partly reads the atement from UNMISS.
The mission appealed to authorities, key community leaders, and elders from both Shilluk and Nuer groups, in Jonglei and Upper Nile ates, to use their influence to op the brutal violence and prevent further suffering of civilians.
UNMISS urged the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) based in Kodok town to intervene urgently to de-escalate the violence. It further appealed to those who mobilise the youth for violence in both communities to op such mobilisation, and inead embrace peaceful means to address any grievance.
“UN personnel will continue to work with political and traditional leaders to promote dialogue and inter-communal confidence-building and support efforts towards reconciliation and durable peace building,” the atement noted.
Meanwhile, the UN mission has hailed the reduction in violence again the civilian population across the country, describing it as a positive development in the que for a able and peaceful environment in the world’s younge nation.
UNMISS, in a new report, regiered a 60 percent decrease in violent incidents again civilians and a 23 percent decrease in civilian victims in the third quarter of 2022, compared with the same period la year. The decrease is generally attributable to the decline in civilian casualties in the Greater Equatoria region.
Between July and September 2022, the UNMISS Human Rights Division Brief on Violence Affecting Civilians recorded at lea 745 civilians subjected to killing, injury, abduction, and conflict-related sexual violence. By comparison, there were 922 civilian victims in the second quarter of 2022: and 969 in the same period of 2021.
Upper Nile and Warrap ates were mo affected by the violence, accounting for more than half of the victims recorded during the reporting period.
Conventional parties to the conflict were responsible for a majority of the civilian casualties in the reporting period.
Across South Sudan, UN peacekeepers continue to safeguard communities by creating zones of protection in identified conflict hotspots. Recently, UNMISS deployed peacekeepers to Twic County, in Warrap ate, to engage authorities, youth, and women leaders in order to quell hoilities along the boundary with the Abyei Adminirative Area.
The mission continues to support ongoing peace processes across the country by engaging in responsive and preventive political and community consultations at the local, ate, and national levels.
“We are encouraged by the decrease in violence affecting civilians this quarter and hope to see a continued downward trend,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in South Sudan.
“However, we do note that gross violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law remain a widespread concern across South Sudan,” he added.
The mission reiterates its call to the government of South Sudan to fulfill all of its obligations, including upholding the human rights of all South Sudanese. UNMISS further encourages the government and parties to implement the roadmap so that the people of South Sudan can fully benefit from the dividends of peace.
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