United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeepers help strengthen security for civilians caught in the crossfire of conflict in Magwi
More than 19,000 civilians were reportedly displaced, and unconfirmed people were killed and disappeared after the outbreak of violence involving cattle and revenge attacks in Magwi County, eastern South Sudan.
Despite many challenges in accessing affected areas, the Peacekeeping Patrol has reached communities in need, including in remote areas such as the villages of Agoro, Chomboro, Niyolo Twon-okun in (Nyolo) and displaced sites at Obama and Magvi Central Primary School.
Peacekeeping personnel heard directly about the effects of violence, assessed the security situation and interacted with local political and security actors to restore peace and prevent further conflict.
Regina Achayo, who fled her home in Nyolo when violence broke out, described how this situation unfolded and expressed concern about the protection provided by government security.
“The armed raiders walked, but then began to use stolen vehicles to plunder our property, including taking iron plates from the roofs of our buildings. They also burned the houses to the ground,” she explained.
“Why does the government not intervene when it hears about destruction? There are children here without parents. How do we feed them? How will we provide shelter without anything left?”
A multi-sector field assessment by humanitarian partners including the United Nations country team, international and national non-governmental organizations said that water and food were the most urgent needs of displaced communities.
Magway County Commissioner Pole Bengamin also explained the level of destruction and displacement and its impact on humanitarian services.
“We are still working to verify the number of people killed. But many houses were plundered and burned on the ground. Property was adopted, including cattle and goats, and more than 100 hectares of crops were destroyed. There were also a large number of displacements,” he said.
“In Agoro, public services are compromised, including resource centres and a youth centre provided by UNHCR and major health agencies.”
The mission also met with displaced families at a temporary Obama location, and AYII BOMA chief Otto Martin Leonardo said security must be restored in all locations and then the community will have trust and Only by faith can we return to our homeland.
While the government is primarily responsible for protecting civilians, Tahir Cevik, a civil affairs official in Wuyou, reiterated his mission commitment to help stop conflict and strengthen security so that displaced families can return to their hometown safely.
“We promise to do everything we can to help you return home and rebuild your life and maintain your family again,” he told the community. “We also notice your concerns and needs so that we can share information with our humanitarian partners in the hope of helping you. ”
Unmiss also stressed the importance of emergency and ongoing dialogue between community leaders, government officials, cattle breeders and other armed actors to reconcile, alleviate tensions and restore peace.
Distributed by Apo Group on behalf of the United Nations Mission (UNMISS) in South Sudan.
