As conflict continues to flare up in the Tambura region, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called on the South Sudanese leadership and parties to the conflict to quell the fighting. The UNMISS reminded the national and state governments of their primary responsibility to protect civilians within their borders. Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, stated that ‘it is also vital that political leaders at the national and local level take urgent action to resolve tensions and bring communities together to avoid further loss of life, homes, and livelihoods.’
The UNMISS mandate was temporarily extended to allow peacekeepers to continue to offer protection to civilians and internally displaced people. UNMISS will also keep on engaging in activities supporting reconciliation and other peacebuilding activities. Peacekeepers, in line with their mandate, committed to protect civilians with day and night patrols and other protective services, including efforts to prevent attacks on displaced civilians.
Intercommunal conflicts in Tambura, a region in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State, started in June 2021. As a result, there was an increase of internal displaced persons (IDPs) and human rights violations. Since 6th September, an increase in sporadic attacks further endangered the lives of civilians, thus representing a further risk of internal displacement and humanitarian crisis. UNMISS estimated that 40,000 people have been displaced with 17,000 seeking refuge in neighbouring Ezo County. The consequences of inter-ethnic conflict for children are a particular cause for concern. Moses Bagari, a Child Protection officer, explained that ‘the situation might lead to many things: one, it may increase incidents of sexual gender-based violence, especially among girls. It may also increase domestic violence and even criminality. Many children may be recruited by armed groups because we have been seeing armed youth around and we don’t know most of them’.
Sources:
https://unmiss.unmissions.org/unmiss-concerns-protection-children-amidst-conflict-greater-tambura
Author: Lorena Bisignano; Editor: Alexander Collin
