Troika urges end to South Sudan intercommunal violence

JUBA – The Troika on Monday called on South Sudan Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity to bring to an end the escalating inter-communal violence in the world’s youngest country.

The Troika said it is deeply concerned about the violence and called on the government to expend all efforts to de-escalate the situation in most parts of the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, the United States, United Kingdom and Norway said tribal conflict is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.

“We are deeply concerned that violence is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation, where 7.2 million people are facing severe levels of food insecurity and more people are in need of assistance than in any year since South Sudan’s independence,” said the statement.

“We call upon the Government to ensure immediate de-escalation of sub-national conflict and unhindered humanitarian access,” it added.

The Troika noted that while political violence has largely subsided in South Sudan since the signing of a revitalized peace agreement in September 2018; inter-communal clashes continue to result in the killing and injuring of civilians, cattle raiding and the looting of property.

“While the national ceasefire has generally held, the level of violence across the country, including conflict caused by defections, is unacceptable,” it said.

Between January and May last year, the UN Mission in South Sudan recorded 415 violent incidents between communities, up from 129 during the same period in 2018.

Since December 2019, there has been an escalating cycle of violence in Jonglei involving three ethnic groups of Nuer, Murle and Dinka which left more than 2,000 civilians dead.

Experts believed that the failure of the government to protect civilians from violence, investigate incidents, and hold perpetrators accountable is believed to have contributed to this cycle of attacks which have resulted in increasing numbers of casualties in Tonj, Jonglei and Abyei.