S. Sudan army accused of destroying Duk county hospital
July 5, 2015 (BOR) – The proprietor of John Dau Foundation, who runs Duk Lost Boys hospital in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has accused the army of allegedly causing more damages to what remained at the health unit after rebels demolished it last year.
The army recently stationed at Patueno, the 2 July letter stated, were allegedly involved in removing iron sheets from the hospital’s buildings as well as schools.
“I am horrified by the news that rogue military servicemen, part of the SPLA contingent currently deployed in Patuenoi village of Duk County went to Duk Payuel and destroyed what was left of the Duk Lost Boys Hospital, in addition to the damage that had been done by the rebels in 2013. The eight hospital buildings are now a pile of destroyed walls and rubble”, partly reads the letter addressed to the South Sudanese leader.
In February, a team led by the hospital’s founder reportedly visited Duk Payuel to check level of damages done by rebels. Following their visit, the donors and members of the foundation expressed commitment, planning to rebuild, refurnish, and restock the hospital facilities to deliver critically needed medical services to our citizens.
“The JDF [John Dau Foundation] board of directors, the governing body of this organisation and donors need an explanation why the soldiers did this and what action will be taken to curtail unruliness of these soldiers”, stressed the JDF’s letter.
“Donors, who generously share their hard-earned money with the war-ravaged and impoverished people of our country, are outraged seeing wave after wave of meaningless destruction of what they have helped build. Why should they continue to help if you do not require protection of these facilities and their workers?” it added.
The second and complete destruction of the hospital, would implicate the rebuilding of the rubble from donors’ prospective, the JDF founder said in his letter to the president.
“I must now let every donor know that the government’s soldiers have punched the last blow to the hospital that donors helped build. It would have been prudent for the soldiers to move into these buildings and live in them instead of breaking them down to build their living quarters with these buildings parts”, the 2 July noted.
Operational in Jonglei for eight years, Duk Lost Boys hospital has reportedly provided health services to over 130,000 patients. The facility has delivered more than 10,000 babies.
The office of the president, Sudan Tribune understands, is yet to respond to JDF’s letter.
(ST).