A lawmaker at the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has demanded that the Government of South Sudan liaise with Sudan officials to find out how many South Sudanese citizens have been killed since the crisis in Sudan erupted in April.

Stephen Lual Ngor, a member of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) representing Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, raised the concern on Monday during a parliamentary session at Freedom Hall.

According to Ngor, since the conflict broke out in Khartoum in April, many South Sudanese have been caught in the crossfire and their number needs to be known.

“The war that broke out in Khartoum caught some South Sudanese and f you observe well, no one cares about their problem. The information that I want to raise to the parliament is that there were South Sudanese who fell in the hands of the people who are fighting in Sudan,” he said. “They are suffering and some died from random bombardment. So, as members of parliament, what role do we play?”

“We want to know the number of women, children, and even men who have died, we just want to know the number,” Ngor stressed.  

Responding to the lawmaker, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba defended and justified the government’s efforts to mediate an end to the war in Sudan. She said measures have been taken by the Government of South Sudan to end the Sudan crisis as well as help the people fleeing from Sudan.

“I think to say that the government is not doing anything is wrong because the government is doing something. The government is putting efforts to support the displaced people who are coming back and those who are fleeing the conflict,” she said.

“This parliament has also sent committees to the areas in the northern part of the country to go and assess the situation through the committee of humanitarian affairs.”

“So, as parliament, we are standing with President Salva Kiir in his efforts to mediate the Sudanese conflict,” Speaker Kumba added.

She further directed the parliamentary committees on humanitarian and foreign affairs to follow up on Ngor’s concerns.

Since the conflict broke out nearly five months ago, thousands have died, and millions displaced according to the United Nations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said 259,451 individuals have crossed into South Sudan since the conflict erupted in Sudan.