James Severino Morris, the State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement who also doubles as the Acting Governor, confirmed the assault Tuesday, calling it “deplorable and inhumane”. However, he did not divulge the scale of the assault and any injury sustained.
“The Government of Western Equatoria State strongly condemns in the strongest terms possible the deplorable and inhumane act perpetrated by two members of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), who physically assaulted a female staff member of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) yesterday. 26th May 2025, within Yambio Town,” Severino said in a statement.
“We wish to inform the public and the international community that the two SSPDF members involved in the assault have been identified, apprehended, and are currently in the SSPDF custody,” he added, stating that the soldiers could face disciplinary actions.
“An urgent and thorough investigation is underway to ensure that justice and other disciplinary measures are pursued in line with military codes of conduct and applicable national laws,” said the Acting Governor.
While Mr Severino did not reveal the identities of the suspects, he warned men in uniform against misconduct, especially the harassment of civilians.
“We also caution all members of the organised forces to refrain from all inhuman treatment of International Community member staff and all citizens in Western Equatoria State and South Sudan at large,” he said.
He reiterated the commitment of his administration to fostering peaceful and enhanced collaboration with all international partners and condemned any behaviour that undermines these efforts.
“We will not tolerate any acts of violence or intimidation, particularly those targeting women and all people serving the noble cause of peace in our state,” Severino affirmed.
He likened the act to not only a blatant violation of human rights and dignity but also an unacceptable breach of the principles of international cooperation and the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the United Nations.
The SSPDF have a troubling human rights record, marked by serious violations against civilians, including sexual and gender based violence, as documented by multiple credible sources, including the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International.
The Acting Governor implored the army leadership to improve relationship between civilians and soldiers to curb unprofessional behaviours by the organized forces.
“We call upon the SSPDF leadership at both the state and national levels to continue working closely with civilian authorities to prevent the recurrence of such shameful acts,” he said.
Following the reported assault on the UNMISS staff, the Western Equatoria State Government apologised to the victim and her organisation, acknowledging the role the UN mission plays in the country.
“UNMISS personnel serve under extremely difficult circumstances in support of peace implementation, protection of civilians, and humanitarian assistance —the values that we as a government uphold and support,” Severino said.
