Violence against civilians in South Sudan reduced in 2021: UN
Friday February 18 2022
South Sudanese women walk towards the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported a sharp decline on violence against civilians with 3,414 documented cases in 2021 compared to 5,850 cases in 2020. PHOTO | AFP
Juba
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Thursday reported a sharp decline on violence against civilians with 3,414 documented cases in 2021 compared to 5,850 cases in 2020.
UNMISS Human Rights Division in its annual report released in South Sudan capital, Juba, says 3,414 civilian victims were subjected to killing, injury, abduction, and conflict-related sexual violence in 982 documented incidents in 2021.
It notes that conflict accounted for most victims who included men, followed by women and children respectively. "Many of the victims were killed or injured during attacks by armed community-based militias across Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPPA). In May 2021, violence surged with at least 230 killed, 120 injured, 178 abducted, and 14 women subject to conflict-related sexual violence," the report says. It reveals that the highest number of civilian victims were in Warrap state, followed by Western Equatoria, and Jonglei and GPAA respectively.
UNMISS says that it registered 194 cases of conflict-related sexual violence last year compared to 211 in 2020, noting that it remained unacceptably high despite the slight decline.
"A concerning surge of fighting was also documented in Tambura, Western Equatoria, between ethnic militias who are allegedly affiliated with conventional parties to the conflict. Such violence resulted in 440 deaths, 18 injured, 74 abductions, 64 victims of sexual violence and an estimated 80,000 people displaced," it discloses.
UNMISS urged the government of South Sudan to investigate human rights violations and abuses, and to hold all perpetrators accountable, particularly as violence continues to surge in several parts of the country.
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It says that UN peacekeepers were deployed proactively as well as pre-emptively to conflict hotspots and conflict areas.
It further says that UNMISS established 116 temporary operating bases last year which enhanced the protection of civilians through sustained long and short distance patrols. "Concurrently, the mission engaged in political and community consultations at the local, state and national level as well as adopted a Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus approach," it adds.