UN Urges Action to Mitigate Youth Violence in South Sudan
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Juba, Dec 17 (NationPress) The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday urged authorities in the Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) to enhance efforts aimed at reducing tensions between the youth from both regions.
Nicholas Haysom, the UN Secretary-General's special representative for South Sudan and head of UNMISS, emphasized that prompt and focused interventions by both authorities and communities are essential to prevent clashes.
“UNMISS condemns the ongoing criminal activities in these regions and calls on all parties to avoid further conflicts,” Haysom stated in a press release from Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
This statement came after reports of attempted cattle raids in Gumuruk County and along the west bank of the Nanaam River on December 14, alongside ongoing reports of youth mobilization.
Officials from the GPAA claimed that youth from Jonglei attacked villages and stole thousands of cattle before retreating across the Gadiang border. However, the Jonglei authorities have denied these allegations, asserting that state youth were not involved in the attack or mobilization across the border, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Haysom expressed concern regarding the alarming reports of youth mobilization in both Jonglei and GPAA, warning of the potential for widespread conflict. He noted that despite the UN mission's attempts to engage communities, the cycles of violent mobilization continue.
“We have increased our patrols and consistently encourage relevant stakeholders in both Jonglei and Greater Pibor to work towards de-escalating the situation. However, our peacekeepers cannot be everywhere,” Haysom remarked, urging authorities, security actors, political parties, faith-based organizations, traditional leaders, youth, and community members to collaboratively seek dialogue-based solutions to resolve their issues.
The UN official commended the ongoing initiatives by both factions to restore peace, mentioning that the mission has bolstered its troop presence in the area and is patrolling known conflict hotspots to enhance community confidence and deter violence.
