Latest news with #WarrapState

Zawya
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Talks in Gogrial West reveal need for awareness-raising on right to protection
Many residents of Gogrial West County are unaware of their fundamental right to be protected, often silently enduring violence, theft, or domestic abuse. Despite being a relatively peaceful part of Warrap State, people living here are sometimes subject to conflicts and their consequences, crime, risks related to climate change and, last but not least, the frequent incidents of domestic violence mostly suffered by women and girls. "They, like everyone else, have the right to live safely and with dignity," stated Bakhita Burke, Gender-Based Violence Coordinator at Women for Change, a women-led non-governmental organization, adding that a lack of tangible conflict is no guarantee of peace on the home front. 'Behind closed doors, many women continue to suffer,' she said, remarking that recent months have seen a concerning increase of suicides related to physical abuse. Ms. Burke and some other 50 invited guests, including political and community leaders, survivors of violence and other stakeholders, discussed a variety of topics, all related to advocacy for human rights, at a workshop in Kuajok facilitated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Another such issue is cattle raiding and the profound distress this harmful and unlawful practice causes. Alongside gender-based violence, cattle theft emerged as another significant issue during discussions. Daniel Mangar, Executive Director for Gogrial West County, elaborated on the profound economic and emotional distress caused by these incidents. "These thefts may seem minor to outsiders, but they create fear, tensions and financial losses for anyone affected,' commented Mariang Martin Agoth, Executive Director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, highlighting the importance of partnerships. "Humanitarians step in precisely where government resources fall short, trying to make sure that displaced families and other vulnerable community members are not forgotten." Lucy Okello, a Protection, Transition&Reintegration Officer serving with UNMISS, reflected on the bigger picture and the people of South Sudan the peacekeeping mission is here to serve. 'Each statistic we discuss represents real families, facing real and severe hardship. Our talk today must be translated into actions tomorrow.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).


Arab News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Civilian killings in South Sudan hit highest level since 2020: UN
NAIROBI: The number of civilians killed in South Sudan has soared to the highest in almost five years, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The unstable east African nation has seen a drastic uptick in violence since simmering rivalry between President Salva Kiir and his vice president Riek Machar boiled over into open hostilities. The detention in March of Machar in the capital Juba further escalated tensions, with international NGOs working in the country reporting attacks on medical facilities and the targeting of civilians. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said that between January and March of this year, 739 civilians were killed, 679 injured, 149 abducted and 40 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. In a statement, it said that compared to the previous quarter this toll marked a '110 percent increase in civilians killed (352 to 739).' The overall figure of victims was 'the highest number in any three-month period since 2020.' The majority of the victims were recorded in Warrap State, where President Kiir declared a state of emergency in June. Most of the killings were linked to community-based militias or civil defense groups. However, UNMISS said 'conventional parties and other armed groups' accounted for 15 percent of victims, 'marking a concerning increase of 27 percent (from 152 to 193).' The UN has repeatedly warned of the deteriorating situation in the impoverished country, which is still recovering from a five-year civil war between forces allied to Kiir and Machar that was only ended by a fragile 2018 peace agreement. That agreement has looked increasingly irrelevant, with UN rights chief Volker Turk calling on all parties in May to 'urgently pull back from the brink' and uphold the deal. The escalation of violence risks further worsening the already terrible humanitarian situation and widespread violations of human rights in the world's youngest country, he said at the time.

Al Arabiya
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Civilian killings in South Sudan hit highest level since 2020: UN
The number of civilians killed in South Sudan has soared to the highest in almost five years, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The unstable east African nation has seen a drastic uptick in violence since simmering rivalry between President Salva Kiir and his vice-president Riek Machar boiled over into open hostilities. The detention in March of Machar in the capital Juba further escalated tensions, with international NGOs working in the country reporting attacks on medical facilities and the targeting of civilians. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said that between January and March of this year, 739 civilians were killed, 679 injured, 149 abducted and 40 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence. In a statement, it said that compared to the previous quarter this toll marked a '110 percent increase in civilians killed (352 to 739).' The overall figure of victims was 'the highest number in any three-month period since 2020'. The majority of the victims were recorded in Warrap State, where President Kiir declared a state of emergency in June. Most of the killings were linked to community-based militias or civil defense groups. However, UNMISS said 'conventional parties and other armed groups' accounted for 15 percent of victims, 'marking a concerning increase of 27 percent (from 152 to 193).' The UN has repeatedly warned of the deteriorating situation in the impoverished country, which is still recovering from a five-year civil war between forces allied to Kiir and Machar that was only ended by a fragile 2018 peace agreement. That agreement has looked increasingly irrelevant, with UN rights chief Volker Turk calling on all parties in May to 'urgently pull back from the brink' and uphold the deal. The escalation of violence risks further worsening the already terrible humanitarian situation and widespread violations of human rights in the world's youngest country, he said at the time.

Zawya
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Violence against civilians surges amidst escalating conflict in South Sudan (January - March 2025)
Violence against civilians in South Sudan is escalating to record levels, according to a new report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, which documents 1,607 victims in the first quarter of this year, the highest number in any three-month period since 2020. The report reveals that 739 civilians were killed, 679 injured, 149 abducted, and 40 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) between January and March 2025. Compared to the October to December 2024 quarter, this marked an 86 percent increase in victims (866 to 1,607), a 110 percent increase in civilians killed (352 to 739) and a 94 percent increase in those injured (350 to 679). Abductions rose from 129 to 149 and CRSV cases from 35 to 40. Compared to the same quarter in 2024, this represents a 76 percent increase in victims (913 to 1,607) 58 percent increase in killings (468 to 739) and 107 percent increase in injuries (328 to 679). Warrap State recorded the highest number of civilians affected, with 428 deaths and 298 injuries, followed by Central Equatoria with a 260 percent increase in victims and the most abductions. The number of child victims increased sharply from 114 to 171. Women and girls continued to be disproportionately affected by CRSV and other acts of sexual and gender-based violence, together accounting for 98 percent of documented victims. Consistent with the previous quarter, most victims were attributed to community-based militias or civil defense groups (66 percent), while unidentified, opportunistic armed elements were responsible for 22 percent. Conventional parties to the armed conflict and other armed groups were responsible for 15 percent of victims, marking a concerning increase of 27 percent (from 152 to 193). The escalation of armed confrontations involving these parties and groups severely undermined the protection of civilians and resulted in violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law. 'It is the primary responsibility of the Government to protect civilians and prevent conflicts, which continue to cause immense harm to communities across the country,' said Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UNMISS. 'Together with regional and international partners, UNMISS calls for concerted, collective efforts at the national, state and local levels to address the underlying causes and drivers, facilitate the resolution of grievances through dialogue and hold perpetrators accountable in order to end the deadly cycle of violence.' As an impartial partner, UNMISS supports efforts to protect civilians and deter violence by conducting thousands of peacekeeping patrols by land, air, and river each year, facilitating locally led reconciliation and peacebuilding initiatives, strengthening rule of law institutions and extending their reach through mobile courts to far flung areas and helping to advance broader political and peace processes in the country, while emphasizing on the need for accountability and justice for abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Zawya
03-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) calls for Government intervention and deployment of security services to prevent persistent intercommunal conflict in Tonj East, Warrap
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan is deeply concerned about escalating intercommunal violence in Tonj East, which has caused hundreds of deaths, the destruction of homes and widespread displacement. The Mission is urging the country's leadership to intervene and deploy security services to address the situation. Since December 2024, Tonj East, in Warrap State, has been plagued by a series of violent incidents, including cattle raiding and revenge attacks involving large numbers of armed youth from neighbouring communities. In March, more than 200 people are estimated to have died during the intercommunal conflict. Over the past few days, there has been another surge of violence, driven by attempts to recover stolen cattle and revenge for the previous loss of lives. This has resulted in more than 80 casualties, although the numbers are yet to be verified. 'Urgent intervention is needed from the national Government to prevent the conflict from escalating to catastrophic levels and to bring communities together to peacefully resolve grievances,' said the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political), Guang Cong. UNMISS is intensively engaging with state and local leaders to calm the situation and has increased its peacekeeping patrols. However, peacekeepers are experiencing significant challenges reaching some of the affected areas, due to a proliferation of checkpoints manned by armed youth. 'While UNMISS is doing its utmost to deter further mobilization and conflict, the Government is primarily responsible for protecting civilians and we, therefore, encourage the Government to rapidly deploy security services to prevent further violence and create a safe environment for community dialogue and peacebuilding,' said Mr. Cong. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).