UN and allies call for quick action to stop “escalating bloodshed”

• news by AUN News correspondent
• Thursday, December 29, 2022
• AUN News – ISSN: 2949-8090

Summary:

• A local authority told the news that young people from the Nuer community had attacked members of the Murle minority in Greater Pibor.

• According to news sources, both top local leaders demanded that the federal government step with quick action to stop the bloodshed.

• They are doing this because they have seen that fighting like this has killed many people and forced many civilians to move.

• It was asked that the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism do an investigation, and the parties to the conflict were urged to make it easy for them to do so.

• The statement also said that the “uncalled-for violence” was a significant threat to peace and stability for everyone in South Sudan.

The so-called “Troika” (the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway), the European Union, and R-JMEC, which is in charge of monitoring the peace agreement signed by the warring parties in South Sudan, all released statements on Wednesday, expressing “grave concern” and asked for quick action about the violence that has been going on and getting worse, the deaths it has caused, and reports that heavy weapons have been used.

A local authority told the news that young people from the Nuer community had attacked members of the Murle minority in Greater Pibor.

The minister of communications for Greater Pibor says that the fighting started when armed teens broke into the village of Langham. According to him, there were fatalities among both factions, and the injured included 17 members of the Murle community.

According to reports, the state of Jonglei’s communication minister also denounced the fighting. It urged the state’s young warriors to stop using violence immediately and return to their homes. According to news sources, both top local leaders demanded that the federal government step in to stop the bloodshed.

Since shortly after it became independent from Sudan in 2011, the government forces of President Salva Kiir and the soldiers of his challenger, Riek Machar, have been at odds with each other.

Ultimatum

In a joint statement, the UN and its allies asked both sides to “immediately stop fighting, show restraint, and respect human rights.”

They said that the leaders of South Sudan should act quickly to stop the fighting and make sure that civilians are safe and that aid workers can get to people who the war has hurt.

They were very clear about the need to look into and prosecute all violent offenders, “especially those who provoke and incite violence and those responsible for taking women and children hostage.”

Talking instead of fighting

The statement also asked traditional leaders and national lawmakers to convince young fighters to stop fighting and use “a dialogue-based approach that focuses on restoring quiet and peacefully resolving the conflict’s core causes.”

Even though the national government protects civilians, UNMISS and its international partners said they are ready to do whatever is needed to keep people safe in affected areas.

UN Image by Isaac Billy

Peacekeepers from UNMISS, the UN mission in South Sudan, keep an eye on Central Equatoria.

Increasing patrols

UNMISS is stepping up patrols in conflict areas and keeping a close eye on the situation. They are doing this because they have seen that fighting like this has killed many people and forced many civilians to flee.

It was asked that the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism do an investigation, and the parties to the conflict were urged to make it easy for them to do so. The statement also said that the “uncalled-for violence” was a significant threat to peace and stability for everyone in South Sudan.