The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanism, Monitoring and Verification (CTSAMVM) Chief of Staff, John Victor Scudder, on Wednesday visited Yambio town in Western Equatoria State to assess the security situation there. 

The CTSAMVM boss led a delegation composed of officials from the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the peace ministry, and women and civil society representatives. 

Speaking to the media in Yambio, Scudder said the purpose of the visit was to get information about the security situation in Tambura from the state government. He said the team met state officials and had a fruitful open discussion with Governor Alfred Futuyo and agreed to continue working for peace in the country.

“Today (Wednesday), we are here to talk about Tambura, to receive information on what is happening in the Tambura, Namatina area,” Scudder said. “I think it has been a very fruitful, very open discussion with the governor, very positive. We have a lot of work to do in this great country as we continue to move toward peace.” 

On behalf of the Western Equatoria State government, Governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba appreciated the visit of the delegation and pledged that his government will work with them to bring peace to Tambura County. 

“We discussed a lot of issues and they said they are going to continue with their tour up to Tambura. We welcome them and anyone else in the world to go and see what happened in Tambura,” Governor Futuyo said. ”We cannot block anyone from going to assess what happened in Tambura because the government of the state is not part of it. We appreciate their visit and we are going to work together in the future.” 

CTSAMVM is an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mechanism for monitoring compliance in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan. 

For more than two months now, there have been clashes in Tambura County which have led to the killing of hundreds of people, burning of homes, and displacement of 80,000 other people.