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UN PhotoSOUTH SUDAN / PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS
TRT: 04:18
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 12 JUNE 2025, BUOJI, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Richard Clement, Buoji resident:
"There has been a gap in communication. It has been difficult to report incidents. Because at some places, there are no police on the ground and, in case any civilian committed a crime, it is the military who arrest, and the way they handle civilians is not right. After attending this training, we know how to fill the gap in communication."
3. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Dor Bul, South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF):
“It has increased my knowledge on my role as SSPDF [South Sudan People’s Defense Forces] to build relationships with civilians and to defend their rights.”
5. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Roba, UNMISS Political Affairs Officer:
"Telling them about chapter two [of the Revitalized Peace Agreement], which is the security arrangements, helps them understand that these forces need to be made one, which we call the Necessary Unified Force, so that they become a force for South Sudan. The situation looks like they are no longer a friendly force from the ground and what we see, what we hear, from the members. So, the situation needs to be amended back so that they know that there is one friendly force as per the Agreement."
7. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Bazawi, UNMISS Protection, Transition, and Reintegration Officer:
“This taskforce will work a long way to gather early warning information to deter any likelihood of violence, to protect civilians from imminent threats, and keep the place safe. This is the information that can go out and it will encourage returns and reintegration.”
9. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khamisa James, Buoji resident:
“The challenge we face as women is that young girls are forced to marry early, and some parents force their children to be married at an age when they are supposed to be in school. We didn’t know about gender-based violence, however, after this workshop we have understood and learnt how to protect ourselves here in Buoji village.”
11. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Annmary Kathomi Miriti, Military Observer UNMISS:
“In the community we are in, they are engaged in farming, and you find most women are involved in farming activities, and sometimes they fear to go to far distant gardens for fear of being kidnapped or abducted for sexual violence or being raped along the way to their farms. We advise on either doing patrols through their existing systems of the police to ensure their safety or also involving other security forces to escort their people to conduct such activities, as they try to ensure safety and security for everyone to undertake their activities.”
13. Various shots, participants during protection of civilians’ workshop
Repeated ambushes, looting and clashes have created a strong sense of fear and heightened alert among residents in greater Mundri, Western Equatoria. To strengthen early warning systems and protection of civilians, peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan undertook a long-distance patrol to the area.
While on the ground, they took the opportunity to boost the community’s own capacity to create safe and secure conditions by conducting a workshop with more than 50 local authority representatives, community leaders, women, youth and members of the organized forces in Buoji, Mundri East.
Richard Clement, Buoji resident said, "There has been a gap in communication. It has been difficult to report incidents. Because at some places, there are no police on the ground and, in case any civilian committed a crime, it is the military who arrest, and the way they handle civilians is not right. After attending this training, we know how fill the gap in communication."
While the protection of civilians is the primary responsibility of the Government of South Sudan, it also falls to UNMISS peacekeepers as part of their mandate. Another important task is to help build trust and confidence between national security forces and the communities they serve.
Philip Dor Bul with South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) said, “It has increased my knowledge on my role as SSPDF [South Sudan People’s Defense Forces] to build relationships with civilians and to defend their rights.”
Chapter by chapter, the participants were taken through the contents of the Revitalized Peace Agreement to understand and own it.
Robert Roba, UNMISS Political Affairs Officer said, "Telling them about chapter two [of the Revitalized Peace Agreement], which is the security arrangements, helps them understand that these forces need to be made one, which we call the Necessary Unified Force, so that they become a force for South Sudan. The situation looks like they are no longer a friendly force from the ground and what we see, what we hear, from the members. So, the situation needs to be amended back so that they know that there is one friendly force as per the Agreement."
The peacekeeping team also helped the community to establish their own protection taskforce.
Thomas Bazawi, UNMISS Protection, Transition, and Reintegration Officer said, “This taskforce will work a long way to gather early warning information to deter any likelihood of violence, to protect civilians from imminent threats, and keep the place safe. This is the information that can go out and it will encourage returns and reintegration.”
In South Sudan, it is women and girls who suffer most from the conflict as well as harmful traditional practices.
Khamisa James, Buoji resident said, “The challenge we face as women is that young girls are forced to marry early, and some parents force their children to be married at an age when they are supposed to be in school. We didn’t know about gender-based violence, however, after this workshop we have understood and learnt how to protect ourselves here in Buoji village.”
UNMISS peacekeepers do their utmost to deter violence but, with limited resources, it cannot have a constant presence in every remote area. That’s why the mission also helps build the capacity of national security services and communities to protect themselves.
Annmary Kathomi Miriti, a Military Observer for UNMISS, said, “In the community we are in, they are engaged in farming, and you find most women are involved in farming activities, and sometimes they fear to go to far distant gardens for fear of being kidnapped or abducted for sexual violence or being raped along the way to their farms. We advise on either doing patrols through their existing systems of the police to ensure their safety or also involving other security forces to escort their people to conduct such activities, as they try to ensure safety and security for everyone to undertake their activities.”
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