UN envoy expresses importance of maintaining civilian protection in Jonglei
March 30, 2013 (JUBA) – The special representative of the United Nations Secretary General to South Sudan appealed to step up civilian protection in the wake of the current military operations against David Yauyau rebel group in the troubled Pibor county of Jonglei state.
The UN envoy who heads the peace mission in South Sudan told the press that she briefed the vice president about what transpired in the Security Council following presentation of her report where there was need to bring to an end the ongoing insecurity in Jonglei.
Hilde however said it was important for the government to maintain protection of the civilians in the war zone by separating them from the combatants who are militarized in the ongoing fighting in Pibor.
She also said her report to the Security Council mentioned the importance of initiating a national reconciliation process among the communities in South Sudan, which the government has already embarked on to launch in a conference in June this year.
Meanwhile, the top commander in charge of the disarmament process in Jonglei state, Maj. Gen. Peter Gatdet Yak, told the UN-sponsored Miraya radio on Friday that his forces were containing the rebels in the area.
Gatdet who commands the 15,000 strong SPLA forces in Pibor stated that the process will continue until the rebels and the defying armed youth are brought under the control of the system in the state.
The army has announced inflicting heavy casualties on the rebels and capturing many of their hideouts including the airstrip they used to receive ammunitions and weapons from Khartoum. SPLA further added that Yauyau and his group have lost the direct battles and were on the run in the forests in small groups who only lay hit and run ambushes on roads.
The rebels since their rebellion began in 2010 have not attacked or captured a major town in the state, but have been resorting to banditry targeting civilians and looting their property.
The current military operations was triggered by the recent massacre of over 100 migrating Lou-Nuer unarmed civilians in Akobo county by the rebels, who also raided their cattle.
Gatdet in response to a rumour that he had been assassinated by Yauyau group in the state, described it as “nonsense” and perpetrated by a “frustrated liar.”
(ST)