Abraham Kelang Jiji, the GPAA capital Pibor’s Information Minister, told Sudan Post on Friday that the humanitarian worker was killed on Monday, November 6, 2023, between Nyaka and Jebel Buma area.
Kelang said that the state authorities are still investigating the killing and working to establish who was responsible.
“On Monday, one of the humanitarian staff working for the For Afrika organization, which is working in Jebel Buma County, was killed by unknown people between Nyaka and Jebel Buma,” Kelang said.
“We the government are still investigating the community there. We need to find out exactly what happened and who killed the humanitarian worker, but since he was killed, we did not know. We are still searching,” he added.
Kelang said that the For Afrika worker was killed while returning from field work to his office.
“They had an activity and went with other staff in a car. But their car got stuck, and he walked alone going back to the headquarters. On his way, between the activity place and his company, he was killed,” he said.
He said that the For Afrika organization is still running its activities in the GPAA without interruption.
Kelang condemned the incident and called on humanitarian organizations working in the GPAA to continue their activities.
“We are sorry for what happened. We did not expect any humanitarian worker to be killed. We, the state government, promise to provide security to any humanitarian organization with security,” Kelang said.
“Any humanitarian organization having activity in a far place, distant between town and rural areas, let them first call us leaders and we will know and provide them with security,” he added.
UN CONDEMNS KILLING
In a statement, the UN Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Marie-Helene Verney, condemned the killing of the humanitarian worker and called on armed actors in the world’s youngest country to cease harassment of aid workers.
“To armed actors and individuals, my message is clear: stop the violence and harassment of humanitarian actors or be prepared to see them leave. All forms of violence against civilians and humanitarians are unacceptable,” she said.