According to the new reports launched by the United Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on February 17 Thursday, they stated that the reported incidents of violence against civilians in South Sudan decreased by 42 per cent in 2021 compared to the last year.
The UNMISS Human Rights Division’s yearly brief data that violence affecting local people documented 3,414 civilian victims who were targeted to killing, injury, kidnapping and conflict-related to the sexual harassment or violence and nearly 982 cases were reported.
The report says most of the victims are males-
According to the reports, 75 per cent of men were the primary victims of violence, while 14 per cent of cases involved women, and 11 per cent were children.
The reports’ data with 5,850 civilian victims documented in 2020. Cases of sexual violence declined slightly from 211 in 2020 to 194 in 2021 but remained “unacceptably high”, said UNMISS.
The national-level conflict was reported their most victims in 2021. Warrap is the only state with the highest number of reported happenings, accounting for 24 per cent, followed by Western Equatoria (19 per cent), and Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) (17 per cent each).
Militia attacks-
Many people were killed and injured during attacks done by armed community-based militias in Jonglei and GPPA. In May 2021, violence rose, 230 people lost their lives, and 120 were wounded, 178 were seized, and nearly 14 women were targeted to conflict-related sexual brutality.
As per the reports, a focusing wave of fighting was also reported in Tambura, Western Equatoria, between racial militias who are allegedly affiliated with conventional parties to the conflict.
These kinds of violence resulted in 440 deaths, 18 injured, 74 kidnappings, and there were 64 those victims who faced sexual violence, and as per estimation, 80,000 people were displaced.
UNMISS deployed peacekeepers proactively and pre-emptively to conflict hotspots and conflict areas throughout the year.
The Mission launched 116 temporary operating headquarters in 2021 last year, which enhanced the safety of civilians through supported long and short distance patrols.
Good news from South Sudan:
Violence against civilians has declined – with reported cases falling by 42% in 2021.@unmissmedia stresses that investigations into all human rights violations have to continue & perpetrators must be held accountable.https://t.co/w7Bp9PS4NP— United Nations (@UN) February 18, 2022
At the same time, UNMISS immersed in political and community talks at the local, state and national level, assuming a Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus approach.
UNMISS is encouraging the Government of South Sudan to examine human rights violations and abuses wherever they occur and hold all perpetrators accountable, particularly as violence continues to surge in several parts of the country.
