UN urges protection of aid workers in South Sudan on World Humanitarian Day

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - Following the killings of several aid workers since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, the United Nations is now urging the transitional unity government in South Sudan to hold perpetrators accountable ahead of World Humanitarian Day.

Arafat Jamal, Acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Country Representative for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), called upon South Sudanese authorities to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers for them to deliver services to people in need.

“We have to do more to ensure the safety of humanitarians. Humanitarians bring in around billions of dollars every year in South Sudan in our work,” he said.

“We are essential throughout all the 10 states and two administrative areas. We are working to help displaced people, especially women and children, when there are floods and conflict. Still, the humanitarian community is not always treated with respect and dignity,” added Jamal.

“We all have to do more to ensure that people can go about their work without feeling insecure and ensure that when (any) attack on them (aid workers) happens, the government assumes its role to punish the perpetrators,” Jamal told Anadolu Agency in Juba.

World Humanitarian Day is annually celebrated on August 19th across the world.

The occasion always commemorates humanitarian workers killed and those injured in the line of duty.

At least four aid workers were killed in South Sudan in 2021 and 9 in 2020.

A total of 126 humanitarians, mostly South Sudanese, have lost their lives while providing critical assistance to people across the country since the conflict broke out in late 2013.

Jamal said aid workers will be honored for their unwavering commitment to provide life-saving support and protection to people most in need in South Sudan despite the challenges they still face. He disclosed that justice must be seen to be done because most of the incidents have not been investigated conclusively, leaving perpetrators to go scot-free.

Humanitarian workers have been facing many challenges in South Sudan to deliver services to people; indeed, most of them faced severe threats, and others were killed.

One of the aid workers, who identified himself as Simon, said that South Sudan is one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian workers, who risk their own lives daily, to meet South Sudan’s vast humanitarian needs to work freely without free.

He said that the armed gangs threatened them and demanded humanitarian aid intended for vulnerable people.

Deng Dau Deng, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International cooperation said that the government is taking immediate and effective measures to protect humanitarian workers from securing an atmosphere that guaranteed the safety of aid workers in the country.

He said that they are planning to strengthen law enforcement across the country to protect humanitarian workers.

“There are incidents of killing humanitarian workers that have happened and the government is putting in place measures to arrest and bring to book those criminals that have been targeting aid workers.”