Government warns youth against attacking, killing aid workers

JUBA – South Sudan government has warned youth against attacking and killing aid workers operating in the country amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Several Humanitarian Organizations were forced to evacuate five states as a result of insecurity.

The states include Unity State, Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, Pibor Administrative Area and Warrap which has become hot spot areas for aid workers.

As aid workers face a new dilemma while delivering humanitarian assistance, the situation for most vulnerable people who depend on aid is worsening amid looming hunger as a result of conflict and floods.

“The cabinet listened to a presentation by Rebecca Nyandeng of Mabior, Vice President for Humanitarian Cluster reported that people are sending away NGOs from some states that either they are not from their areas or they don’t want that organization,” Michael Makuei Lueth, Information Minister to reporters in Juba on Friday.

Makuei said the attack on aid workers has affected the delivering humanitarian aid to vulnerable people.

“The people of South Sudan need their services (NGOs services) especially at this time when there is almost looming famine, there is hunger and if you begin to send away the NGOs then how are you going to maintain this huge population that is affected by the drought, floods, and war as well,” Lueth stressed.

He told the youth to refrain from attacking aid workers in order to allow the humanitarian organizations to render services to the people.

“The cabinet is calling upon all the people who are doing such things to refrain from that and allow the NGOs to continue to render their services to the people of South Sudan,” he said.

“Withstanding warning, we call upon anybody who could be involved in that act to refrain it and allow the NGOs to operate,” he added.