SOUTH SUDAN / INSECURITY

A growing number of civilians, mainly women and children, are seeking refuge in the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compound following the fighting that broke out in Juba on Sunday evening and continued this morning, when number of those sheltered at the UN exceeded ten thousand. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:45
• Production Date: 16 December 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U131216b

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN/ INSECURITY
TRT: 2.45
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC/ENGLISH/SANGO/NATS

DATELINE: 16 DECEMBER 2013, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, women and children coming out of a UN bus
2. Med shot, women and children coming out of a UN bus
3. Various shots, people sitting on the grass
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic)Mary Kiden, Juba resident:
“There are many, many people who have run away. There are also people who have been killed. Now there is a woman who has a baby and the baby was shot in the back and has died.”
5. Various shots, displaced in UN compound
6. Woman tending to child
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Makuei, Juba Resident
“Our property has been destroyed by that war. We left all the things, we come with nothing here because to run from the danger.”
9. Various of UN personnel taking tally of numbers of displaced
10. SOUNDBITE (English) UN Police Officer:
“We are giving them water for the meantime and a place to seat and we are waiting for the management to put up shelter and any other thing that will follow up later on – now we need to receive them first and give them a place to seat.”
11. Zoom out, displaced
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde Johnson, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan
“It is of utmost importance now that calm is restored, that key leaders call on anyone engaged in this activities for restraint, and to refrain from any violence. South Sudan deserves to see peace and stability prevail. No one wants to return to a situation of the past and of insecurity. We also need to see a strong message come out from key leaders to make sure that the rest of the country also remains peaceful.”
13. Various of injured in hospital beds

Storyline

A growing number of civilians, mainly women and children, are seeking refuge in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) compound adjacent to the international airport and at the Jebel Kujur area, following the fighting that broke out in Juba on Sunday (16 Dec) evening and continued this morning, when number of those sheltered at the UN exceeded ten thousand.

Those that arrived at the UN camp sheltered from the hot sun under trees. They said they run to safety due to the fighting and destruction in the city.

Mary Kiden, Juba resident talked about violence she witnessed.

“There are many, many people who have run away. There are also people who have been killed. Now there is a woman who has a baby and the baby was shot in the back and has died.”

Stephen Makuei, Juba Resident, said that people had no time to gather their necessities before leaving.

“Our property has been destroyed by that war. We left all the things, we come with nothing here because to run from the danger.”

While UNMISS is not a humanitarian operator, it does have a mandate to protect civilians. Those who have sought shelter have received water and medical treatment.

Speaking on the unrest the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan, Hilde Johnson appealed for calm.

“It is of utmost importance now that calm is restored, that key leaders call on anyone engaged in this activities for restraint, and to refrain from any violence. South Sudan deserves to see peace and stability prevail. No one wants to return to a situation of the past and of insecurity. We also need to see a strong message come out from key leaders to make sure that the rest of the country also remains peaceful.”

It is hoped that the security situation in Juba will quickly normalize to enable the civilians to return very soon to their residential areas. To that end, UNMISS in a separate statement called on all parties to show continued calm and restraint.

UNMISS also denied any suggestion that the UN Mission is harboring any key political or military figures, saying UNMISS will continue to monitor events closely and provide updates as developments warrant.

At a press conference President Salva Kiir called for calm and imposed a 6am to 6pm curfew, saying that the unrest was due to an attempted coup. He said that the government is in full control of the security in Juba, following a night of fighting in the capital.