UN says Malakal security situation restored
UN says Malakal security situation restored
Nov 30, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Following a tripartite intervention by Sudanese army, SPLA and United Nations the security situation in Upper Nile’s Malakal has been largely restored. The UN providing humanitarian aid to address population needs there.
According to the UN mission in Sudan, spokesperson, Radhia Achouri, the security situation in Malakal has been largely restored to normalcy, following joint intervention by senior level representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLM) and the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
The Secretary-General of the United Nations yesterday expressed deep concern about the fighting and considered these hostilities a serious violation of the security arrangements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
SAF and SPLA, together with UNMIS, moved swiftly to put an end to the hostilities. A delegation from the Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee (CJMC) comprising high-ranking officers from SPLA and the SAF as well UNMIS Force Commander went to Malakal yesterday 29 November in a bid to help restore calm and to assess the situation on the ground.
An emergency CJMC meeting held the same day unanimously condemned the violence as a major ceasefire violation and expressed deep shock at the heavy loss of lives and property. In addition, the CJMC demanded an immediate ceasefire by both parties, as well as the disengagement and the redeployment of troops to their respective positions prior to the clashes. The CJMC decided also that a joint investigation will conducted in order to identify those responsible for the CPA violation and bring them to account.
Furthermore, the CJMC decided to request immediate humanitarian assistance to help in addressing the needs that have arisen as a result of the clashes.
Implementation of the CJMC decisions is underway. The SAF and SPLA members of the CJMC, as well as the Force Commander, remain in Malakal and will continue to consult with the local parties.
The United Nations and other international aid organizations have acted immediately to provide the assistance requested. Other specialized teams will be deployed to Malakal in the next twenty four hours.
UN Hospital in Malakal has been treating some of the people injured during the clashes. A medical team from the hospital in Kadugli has been put on stand by for immediate deployment to Malakal. Surgical supplies provided by UNMIS are on their way to Malakal today. Furthermore, UNMIS Engineers in Malakal are supporting the efforts of the local Government to bury the bodies of those killed during the clashes.
The UN Deputy Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Southern Sudan and the Head of the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Juba, together with and interagency team, will head tomorrow morning to Malakal to assess the humanitarian needs and to supplement the assessment team that is already in place. The objective is to provide an immediate response to the needs of the civilian population. There are locally stored humanitarian supplies to address some of the needs. Additional supplies will be brought from Juba as requested following the humanitarian assessment.