UNMISS chief Ellen Margrethe Loej announced Wednesday that a fourth UN staff member has been abducted in South Sudan.
“Two of our national staffs have remained in detention since August,” she told the UN Security Council in New York.
“On 10 October, three UNMISS Individual Contractors were abducted at Malakal Airport, two of whom have since been released but the third person is yet to be found,” she continued. “On 16 October a UN agency national staff member was abducted at Malakal Airport by unknown persons.”
Previously, UNMISS had announced the two October incidents and the 22 August detainment of UN Radio Miraya journalist George Livio. The abduction of a second UN staff member in August was not previously acknowledged.
The whereabouts, circumstances, and affiliation of that staff member have yet to be made public.
In her address, Loej said she is “seriously concerned by the recent spate of unlawful arrest and detention and abduction targeting UN and humanitarian personnel.”
The two October incidents took place in government-controlled Malakal in Upper Nile state.
On 10 October, an armed group of 15 to 20 men in and out of uniform abducted three UNMISS contractors at the Malakal airfield. Two were later released but a third remains missing.
Six days later, a WFP staff member was abducted by armed men at the same airfield while trying to board a UN flight. He remains missing.
‘Track down the abductors’
UNMISS has said it is working with authorities in Juba and Upper Nile state as well as the SPLA-Juba of President Salva Kiir and militia groups in Malakal to release the two people.
“The State authorities, the Sector Commander of the SPLA, the militia commanders in Malakal, and the national and SPLA authorities in Juba have assured UNMISS and WFP that they are making all efforts to track down the abductors and secure the release of the two victims,” UNMISS claimed in a statement.
George, the radio journalist taken in August, was detained by an armed group in government-controlled Wau. He has since been transferred to Juba.
His father Livio Buhara spoke to Sudan Tribune about the continued detainment and urged the authorities to release his son.
“The whole family is worried about the life of George because since he was arrested, they have lost contact with him,” Livio said. “South Sudan’s constitution said somebody should not stay in jail for more than 24 hours without charge, now what is this?”
Since December humanitarians and UN workers have been killed, beaten, detained, harassed, and their property looted or destroyed by both sides of the conflict. No one has been held accountable for these violations, some of which may constitute war crimes.
In an update released earlier this week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted an increase in attacks on humanitarian personnel in South Sudan. OCHA blamed both sides for the uptick in violations.
Related:
Map: Interference with aid work in South Sudan
Text: UNMISS chief’s speech to the Security Council
Photo: UN Radio Miraya journalist George Livio has been held without charge since 22 August