Civil society decries dire humanitarian situation in Leer County

A group of civil society organizations has expressed concerns about what it called a “dire humanitarian situation” in Leer County of Unity State.

This comes amid a spiralling conflict characterized by deaths, displacements, and the destruction of properties.

Eight civil society groups including Action for conflict Resolution, African Indigenous Women Empowerment, Relief Agency, Assistance Mission for Africa, Dialogue and Research Institute and issued a joint statement condemning the ongoing violence.

Gordon Lam, the Executive Director for Dialogue and Research Institute said the conflict has left over 75000 people displaced and taking refuge in Leer town and Muom military training centre.

“As a result of the brutality, a total of over 75000 have been displaced and took refuge in Leer town and Muom military training centre respectively and are in a dire humanitarian situation,” he said during the transitional justice symposium.

“This grave violence is in contradiction to the spirit of the 2018 revitalized agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan. This conflict is characterized by killing, looting, and rapping of women and girls and destruction of properties,” he said.

Lam said the atrocities and brutal attacks against innocent civilians resulted in the killing of children and burning of entire villages and forced displacement, adding to the widespread looting of civilians’ properties, including the hurting of civilians in their hide-outs.

“We urged all the parties to the conflict to exercise restraint and have an obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians and aid workers who are providing life-saving humanitarian assistance should never be a target,” he said.

“The government under the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit has the sole responsibility to protect the lives of people and their properties,” he added.