The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has urged
all involved parties to demonstrate restraint following rising violence in the
Tambura region of the Western Equatoria State.
In a press release statement seen by The Radio Community,
this month alone, UNMISS stated that it has received reports of some 19
instances of intercommunal conflict in Tambura.
These incidents have resulted in the deaths of 13 people,
the abduction of two, and the burning of 62 houses. Most recently, on 18
December, two separate incidents of gunfire occurred, leading to the deaths of
two people.
"These escalations in Tambura are alarming and must
stop immediately," said Guang Cong, deputy special
representative-political, UNMISS.
"While UNMISS peacekeepers are patrolling day and
night, doing their best to shore up community confidence and support
humanitarian partners in providing urgent aid, there is widespread fear of
further attacks and counterattacks.
“This has led to an influx of people in the Internally
Displaced Persons camp adjacent to the Mission's temporary operating base and
several other similar camps."
Guang Cong mentioned that UNMISS will continue engaging with
authorities, political actors, security personnel, community, and faith-based
leaders to defuse hostilities by reinforcing its troops in Tambura.
However, Guang stated that the primary responsibility for
protecting civilians lies with the government of South Sudan.
"In this regard, we welcome the deployment of
additional government security forces to Tambura. We also call for sustained
interventions by the government to restore calm, including conducting
investigations to identify perpetrators and bring them to justice, as well as
creating conditions for communities to reconcile," he stated.
Since fighting between communities started in 2021, the
security situation in Tambura is still unstable, even though UNMISS and state
and national governments are still trying to settle community disagreements
through peace dialogues to show restraint after violence increased in the
Tambura region of Western Equatoria State.
