South Sudan IDPs in Bentiu protest against UN peacekeepers’ withdrawal

BENTIU – South Sudan internally displaced persons in a UN manned camp in Bentiu have this morning took to the streets to demand that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reverse its decision with pull out troops from measure camps.

On September 4, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, David Shearer, said during a press conference that the mission will withdraw peacekeepers from various camps hosting thousands of IDPs across the country.

That decision has came into effect as UN troops have been seen withdrawing from protection of civilian sites in Juba, Wau and Bor. Next steps would be Bentiu and Malakal.

“Today, we held a peaceful protest to reject the issue of peacekeepers to be removed from the protection sites in Juba, Bor, and Bentiu because the unified army is not yet formed and the state government hasn’t been formed fully. We did not come to the PoC to eat; we ran away from the same government that the UNMISS wants to protect us,” Yuanis Gatnyang, the head of peace and reconciliation in the Bentiu camp said, according to Radio Tamazuj.

Rup Bol Kolang, the camp chairman, said the protest was to deliver the people’s demands and concerns.

“One of the main reasons as to why people protested today is the issues of security arrangements which are not implemented. The states are not complete, unified police have not graduated. If the UNMISS withdraw it means there will be no people in the PoC. If UNMISS is tired of South Sudanese people let them come and tell us so that everyone can find their way out,” Bol said.