Breaking News
Login
Pan African Visions

Aid worker killed in South Sudan’s Jonglei State

December 22, 2021

By Deng Machol Juba - At least one humanitarian worker has been killed and one other injured in a road ambush while delivering humanitarian assistance to the food-affected people in South Sudan's Duk County, Jonglei State, UN says. The humanitarian workers were from the World Food Program or WFP. On December b19th, the convoy of five amphibious vehicles were reported returning from Tindiir Boma of Pagaak Payam of Duk county in Jonglei State, where they had delivered critical live-saving food assistance for flood-affected people when it was ambushed, spraying the vehicles with bullets. The attackers' identities are yet to be established The Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim (a.i.) in South Sudan, Mr. Matthew Hollingworth, strongly condemns the targeted attack on a UN World Food Programme convoy, and the murder of a UN-contracted aid worker and injury of another. He calls on the perpetrators to respect international law and humanitarian staff and assets, and demands that authorities make every effort to bring the perpetrators to justice and to protect communities, humanitarian personnel and assets across the country. “In a week when many families prepare for celebrations and festivities, teams of aid workers across this country do everything in their power to support vulnerable people in need. An incident of this nature against clearly defined civilians, against humanitarians and humanitarian assets is unacceptable," said Hollingworth. I must accept that this was a targeted attack and a violation of International Humanitarian law. This behaviour must stop," he added. According to Hollingworth, these specialized vehicles were clearly marked as humanitarian vehicles and are the only means that enable deliveries to flooded zones. “Given that all of greater Jonglei has suffered from flooding these past three years, it is entirely irrational that perpetrators that come from this region, whose families would have benefited from their deliveries in the recent past, attacked these brave aid workers delivering humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities. These senseless acts of violence compromise our ability to continue assisting people in remote and difficult to reach flooded areas,” said Hollingworth. People in Duk County were significantly impacted by flooding in 2020 and again in 2021. There are approximately 130,000 people estimated to be in need Duk County. The response teams are leveraging every support to provide food assistance for these people, including 17,000 children under 5 years who benefit from life-saving nutrition support. The country is facing the worst flooding in decades, with more than 800,000 people impacted, according to the U. N. Since March 2021, there has been an increase in the number of incidents of armed attacks against civilians and especially against humanitarians and humanitarian assets across South Sudan. This incident brings to five (5) the number of aid workers killed while undertaking their work in 2021. Most of those killed were South Sudanese colleagues. Such incidents are reportedly disrupting humanitarian operations and affect delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable. “Every humanitarian aid worker in this country has the right to carry out their work in a safety and secure environment. Perpetrators of such heinous acts must be brought to justice,” the Humanitarian Coordinator concluded. This year has been characterized by harassment, assaults, and killings of aid workers while on the line of duty in Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Unity, and Lakes States, including Pibor and Ruweng Administrative Areas.  

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pan African Visions
Cameroon:CAF President Motsepe Confirms AFCON 2021 will go ahead on January 9
December 22, 2021 Prev
Pan African Visions
Senegalese President Initiates Historic Dialogue with Civil Society and Other Political Actors on the Management of Revenues from the Oil and Gas Industry
December 22, 2021 Next