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SOUTH SUDAN / MEMORIAL
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / MEMORIAL
TRT: 2.48
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 10 APRIL 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
10 APRIL 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN,
1. Wide shot, coffins draped in UN flag being carried from truck and placed on table
Military personnel saluting
2. Wide shot, civilian staff members placing flowers on coffins
3. Wide shot, soldier placing flowers
4. Med shot, Staff member weeping as she places flowers on coffins
5. Med shot, UNMISS Force Commander Major General Delali Sakyi placing wreath on coffin
6. Wide shot, UNMISS Special Representative of the Secretary General for South Sudan, Hilde F Johnson laying wreath on coffin
7. Med shot, soldiers trumpeting ‘last post’
8. Med shot, UNMISS Force Commander Major General Delali Sakyi saluting
9. Med shot, soldiers trumpeting
10. SOUNDBITE (English) UNMISS Force Commander Major General Delali Sakyi:
“These brave men and gallant men who lie before us today, have dedicated their lives to the service of peace in this troubled part of the world. As we see now – they have made the ultimate sacrifice. Instead of celebrating their achievements, we rather gather here to mourn their demise. It is a great loss of countrymen, a loss of husbands, a loss of fathers, brothers and friends, and indeed to some of us, a loss of beloved sons.”
11. Pan right, UNMISS personnel gathered at farewell event
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F Johnson, Special Representative of the Secretary General for South Sudan, UNMISS:
“This mandate and this Mission does not end with such an attack. This horrendous act which we hope is an isolated incident will not stop us from carrying out our work. We will carry on and persist in our collective resolve, to work with and for the people of South Sudan in building their country. We will not be deterred.”
13. Pan right, UNMISS personnel gathered at farewell event
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Elias Nyamlel Wako, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation:
“The government of South Sudan reaffirms its commitment and dedication to maintain the strong partnership with UNMISS and South Sudan to ensure peace and security in this country. “
15. Med shot, military personnel
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Parmod Bajaj, Indian Ambassador to South Sudan:
“We strongly condemn the senseless attack and convey our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family members, friends and colleagues of Indian soldiers to UNMISS and to the families of South Sudanese Nationals.”
17. Wide shot, soldiers making a final salute
The UN family in South Sudan today paid tribute to the five members of the UNMISS Indian Battalion who died in an ambush in Jonglei state on Tuesday.
Speaking at a memorial ceremony held in the UNMISS compound adjacent to Juba International Airport, Ms. Johnson praised the courage and professionalism of the Indian peacekeepers who “fought until their last breath” to protect colleagues in the line of duty.
Heavily armed assailants attacked an UNMISS convoy traveling on the road between the Jonglei state capital of Bor and Gumuruk on the morning of 9 April. A total of 12 people died in the ambush, including two national staff members of UNMISS and five contract employees of a well drilling company.
Five Indian peacekeepers and four civilians were also injured in the ambush, and six were evacuated to the Ugandan city of Entebbe by air on Tuesday afternoon for medical treatment.
The SRSG also underscored the peacekeeping mission’s determination to continue its efforts to improve security conditions in South Sudan and protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence.
SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F Johnson, Special Representative of the Secretary General for South Sudan, UNMISS
“This mandate and this Mission does not end with such an attack. This horrendous act which we hope is an isolated incident will not stop us from carrying out our work. We will carry on and persist in our collective resolve, to work with and for the people of South Sudan in building their country. We will not be deterred.”
South Sudan’s deputy minister for international cooperation Elias Nyamlel Wako condemned what he called the “callous, savage and senseless ambush” and thanked UNMISS for its work in promoting peace and security in the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, UNMISS Force Commander Major General Delali Sakyi described the fallen troops and civilians as ‘brave’.
SOUNDBITE (English) Delali Sakyi, Force Commander Major General, UNMISS:
“These brave men and gallant men who lie before us today, have dedicated their lives to the service of peace in this troubled part of the world. As we see now – they have made the ultimate sacrifice. Instead of celebrating their achievements, we rather gather here to mourn their demise. It is a great loss of countrymen, a loss of husbands, a loss of fathers, brothers and friends, and indeed to some of us, a loss of beloved sons.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Elias Nyamlel Wako, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation
“The government of South Sudan reaffirms its commitment and dedication to maintain the strong partnership with UNMISS and South Sudan to ensure peace and security in this country.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement called on South Sudanese authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 9 April ambush, and Elias Nyamlel Wako said his government has “seriously taken note” of Ban’s statement.
Noting that India contributes the largest number of troops to UN Peacekeeping missions worldwide, India’s ambassador to South Sudan Parmod Bajaj joined the SRSG and the deputy minister in expressing his deepest condolences to the families of the fallen Indian troops and prayed for the speedy recovery of the civilians and Indian soldiers who survived their wounds.
SOUNDBITE (English) Indian Ambassador to South Sudan, Parmod Bajaj
“We strongly condemn the senseless attack and convey our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family members, friends and colleagues of Indian soldiers to UNMISS and to the families of South Sudanese Nationals.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in a statement released by his spokesperson, said that he was "appalled" by the attack, and recalled that "the killing of peacekeepers is a war crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court." He asked the Government of South Sudan "to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice."
The UN has been increasingly vocal in recent weeks about the need for increased protection of civilians in Jonglei State.
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