“Since the Signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, our area has been calm and we were able to return to our homes after some years of living away as displaced people,” said Florence Peter, a resident of Rimenze village, to visiting peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). “A big challenge for us, however, was the lack of rule of law institutions nearby; even the closest police station was more than 15 kilometers away. Therefore, we chose to settle disputes amicably through interventions by our traditional chiefs and leaders,” she continued.
This overall peace and social cohesion across Western Equatoria has been marred by a recent upsurge of armed attacks in the greater Tambura region which has led to death, displacement and untold suffering.
To ensure tensions do not escalate yet again, UNMISS peacekeepers are intensively patrolling, not just in and around Tambura, but across the state.
One such assessment team from the UN Peacekeeping mission on a routine monitoring visit to villages some 40 kilometers east of the state’s capital, Yambio, spoke to community members and listened to their concerns.
“This year’s harvest has been poor which means we will go hungry next year. Our children lack proper schools and learn under trees with the help of volunteer teachers from our community,” revealed Yunis Baba from Bazungua village.
Additionally, during their visits to numerous villages, the assessment team recorded cases of juvenile rape plus an increase in early and unwanted pregnancies among schoolchildren. According to communities, this is a direct result of school closures due to COVID-19 pandemic.
For peacekeepers, engaging with local communities while on patrol is perhaps the best way to get an accurate snapshot of general security conditions and humanitarian needs of civilians.
“We are here to detect any possibility of conflict and deter any potential threat to the lives of people living in these villages. Routine patrols also enable us to identify gaps in necessary services, advocate for these voids to be filled by our humanitarian partners and ensure all communities can live sustainably and peacefully,” explains Thomas Bazawi, a Protection, Transition and Relief Officer working with UNMISS.
“We have listened to various communities and noted the issues faced by them. By working together with our partners, we hope to be able to make a difference in their lives,” he adds.
Yurii Makarenko, a United Nations Police (UNPOL) officer echoes Mr. Bazawi: “Peace cannot be achieved alone; it requires partnerships to make a positive change in any society. We have been working with our counterparts in the South Sudan National Police Service, sharing experiences and building their skills and capability to serve and protect local communities across the state.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
