UNMISS denies facilitating SPLA operations

January 17, 2017 (JUBA) – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) warned armed opposition of inciting the public against the peacekeeping body and accusing the peacekeepers of providing support to the government army.

A statement released by the SPLM IO spokesperson Col. William Gatjiath on Monday claimed that an Indian battalion facilitated the operations of the government at the UNMISS base in Nassir, eastern Upper Nile, .

The rebel official said they allowed government security agents unlimited access to UNMISS facilities including internet, telescope and other surveillance and communication equipment.

The press statement called for an investigation into the conduct of UNMISS soldiers and condemned it alleged behaviors for allowing the enemy to use UN resources.

However UNMISS denied the accusation, describing them as “false and misleading.”

“These photos depict a CTSAMM monitoring and verification team meeting with SPLA liaison officers in the context of their mandated work under the peace agreement in investigating violations of the ceasefire,” UNMISS said in a strongly worded statement released late on Monday.

There are 12 thousand strong UN soldiers in UNMISS providing protection to civilians across the country including Nasir, a town controlled by the government soldiers. UNMISS is mandated by UN Security Council to provide logistical support to CTSAMM.

“UNMISS is bound by strict codes of impartiality in the exercise of its duties in South Sudan. These standards stipulate that UNMISS operate without favor or bias towards any one group, fairly, transparently, and impartially, with the sole aim of achieving much-needed peace for all the people of South Sudan, regardless of affiliation,” UNMISS said.

The Mission reminds all sides that the UN is not a party to the conflict, and is in South Sudan to support the achievement of peace, noting that dangerous statements of this nature, not founded in fact, have the potential to incite backlash against the UN, while also discrediting the sacrifices of peacekeepers in South Sudan.

The world body had been accused in the past by warring South Sudanese parties but they failed to prove its implication in a side or another

(ST)