DO NOT MISSthe African Union mission, the regional bloc IGAD, the so-called Troika (United States, United Kingdom and Norway), the European Union and the body monitoring the peace agreement signed by the warring parties in South Sudan (R-JMEC) announced on Wednesday issued a statement saying they were “deeply concerned by the escalating ongoing violence, loss of life and reports of the alleged use of heavy weapons.”
News reports, quoting a local official, said that youths from the Nuer community had attacked members of the Murle ethnic group in the greater Pibor area.
According to the Greater Pibor Information Minister, the fighting began when armed youths attacked the village of Lanam. He told news outlets that members of both groups had died, with 17 members of the Murle community among the injured.
The Jonglei State Information Minister also reportedly condemned the fighting and urged young state fighters to stop the violence immediately and return home. According to news reports, both senior local officials called for central government intervention to end the violence.
The world’s youngest country is mired in violence that escalated shortly after independence from Sudan in 2011 between government forces led by President Salva Kiir and militants loyal to his rival Riek Machar.
ultimatum
The statement by the United Nations and its partners called on combatants and supporters to “immediately cease hostilities, exercise restraint and respect human rights.”
They urged South Sudan’s leaders to “intervene urgently to end the fighting and ensure the safety of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access to those affected by the fighting.”
They stressed the need to investigate and hold accountable all perpetrators of violence, “including those who incite and incite violence and those responsible for abducting women and children.”
dialogue instead of combat
The statement also strongly encouraged national politicians and traditional leaders to persuade young fighters to end the violence and adopt “a dialogue-based approach focused on restoring calm and peacefully resolving the root causes of the conflict.”
While primary responsibility for protecting civilians rests with the national government, UNMISS and international partners reaffirmed their readiness to provide all necessary assistance to protect civilians in affected areas.
Peacekeepers from UNMISS, the UN mission in South Sudan, patrol Central Equatoria.
Reinforce patrols
“UNMISS is intensifying patrols at trouble spots and closely monitoring the situation, noting that such fighting has in the past resulted in significant civilian deaths and widespread displacement.”
The statement also noted that the “unsolicited violence” posed a serious threat to the peace and stability of all South Sudanese, and called on the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism to investigate and urge parties to the conflict to facilitate access .
