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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / WESTERN EQUATORIA SCHOOLS VACATED
TRT: 04:27
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 21 NOVEMBER 2024, YAMBIO, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, reception of high-level delegation in Yambio
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Anita Kiki Gbeho, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“They were clear that there are certain areas where we could make progress, for example, some of the schools that have been occupied by uniformed personnel. We also agreed that we could work on better information collection, better information sharing. We also agreed that we could do more together on awareness raising so people understand why the investment in children is so important: that they should not be recruited, they should not be armed, they should not be used for conflict. As the UN, we will do what we need to do to support this protection of civilians’ mandate, to support in ensuring that children are priority, and ensuring that, when this difficult issue come up, we are not coming just to point the finger.”
3. Various shots, interaction of high-level delegation with local authorities in Yambio
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Alfred Futuyo Karaba, Governor, Western Equatoria State:
“There are certain things we have agreed upon, like the soldiers who are occupying schools. If they are there within the State, I have directed the Minister of Local Government to do an assessment and relocate the soldiers and leave schools empty for its purpose for children to continue with studies. And we urged the UN to continue support us to work together for total peace.”
5. Various shots, commanders’ conference in Yambio
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Lieutenant General Ashraf Kamis, Assistant Chief, Defence for Moral Orientation and Chaplaincy, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces:
“We have given directives to all our commanders that, within a short time, we want to see to it that all the army members within schools and other civilian residences should be vacated.”
7. Various shots, commanders’ conference in Yambio
8.SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Major General Edward Rizik, Acting Commander of Sector Six, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO):
“We were sensitized, and we are hopeful that, with this, we will be able to protect our civilians, especially children, in a proactive manner.”
9. Various shots, commanders’ conference in Yambio
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jane Kony, Head of Field Office, Yambio, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“I could see the passion shared across the different stakeholders and the commanders specifically on protection of civilians and they committed that, indeed, they will do their part. They also committed to provide safety and security for the United Nations in Western Equatoria State as well as the humanitarian and development partners. This supports our mandate delivery in ensuring and enabling a safe environment for humanitarian service delivery.”
11. Wide shot, end of meeting
The need to strengthen protection against grave violations of children’s rights was the focus of a high-powered visit to Yambio, Western Equatoria, led by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho.
Across South Sudan, children continue to be caught in the crossfire of conflict, losing their lives, being maimed, displaced from their homes, unable to go to school or access healthcare, and forcibly recruited into armed groups.
During discussions with State leaders and other stakeholders, concerns that children are being denied access to schools which are occupied by uniformed elements was top of the agenda.
SOUNDBITE (English) Anita Kiki Gbeho, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“They were clear that there are certain areas where we could make progress, for example, some of the schools that have been occupied by uniformed personnel. We also agreed that we could work on better information collection, better information sharing. We also agreed that we could do more together on awareness raising so people understand why the investment in children is so important: that they should not be recruited, they should not be armed, they should not be used for conflict. As the UN, we will do what we need to do to support this protection of civilians’ mandate, to support in ensuring that children are priority, and ensuring that, when this difficult issue come up, we are not coming just to point the finger.”
Following the intervention, the State Governor immediately ordered the withdrawal of military elements from local schools.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Alfred Futuyo Karaba, Governor, Western Equatoria State:
“There are certain things we have agreed upon, like the soldiers who are occupying schools. If they are there within the State, I have directed the Minister of Local Government to do an assessment and relocate the soldiers and leave schools empty for its purpose for children to continue with studies. And we urged the UN to continue support us to work together for total peace.”
To help prevent further outbreaks of violence, UNMISS seized the opportunity of the high-level visit to host a conference with key political and security stakeholders.
Representatives of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces also committed to act.
SOUNDBITE (English) Lieutenant General Ashraf Kamis, Assistant Chief, defence for Moral Orientation and Chaplaincy, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces:
“We have given directives to all our commanders that, within a short time, we want to see to it that all the army members within schools and other civilian residences should be vacated.”
Following the discussions, a school was vacated, and two children released from armed groups.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Major General Edward Rizik, Acting Commander of Sector Six, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO):
“We were sensitized, and we are hopeful that, with this, we will be able to protect our civilians, especially children, in a proactive manner.”
The UNMISS Head of Field Office in Yambio welcomed the concrete commitments to prevent conflict and build peace.
SOUNDBITE (English) Jane Kony, Head of Field Office, Yambio, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“I could see the passion shared across the different stakeholders and the commanders specifically on protection of civilians and they committed that, indeed, they will do their part. They also committed to provide safety and security for the United Nations in Western Equatoria State as well as the humanitarian and development partners. This supports our mandate delivery in ensuring and enabling a safe environment for humanitarian service delivery.”
Despite the successful intervention on this issue, the broader security situation in Western Equatoria remains fragile, with persistent intercommunal conflict impacting tens of thousands of people.
