The head of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Festus Mogae said yesterday that civilians are still being blocked from moving freely to and from Malakal in Upper Nile State and he urged the government to end this restriction.
For part of last year aid groups were unable to access the west bank of the Nile opposite to Malakal, which is part of the homeland of the Shilluk tribe.
Research group Small Arms Survey wrote, “Padang Dinka militias and their associated SPLA forces attempted to block any food aid from reaching the west bank of the White Nile, and so effectively tried to starve out the Shilluk civilian population.”
“Simultaneously, the SPLA began denying flight clearances to international NGOs that sought to reach the west bank.”
Military sources confirmed to Radio Tamazuj last August that SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong was responsible for orders closing the Nile to humanitarian traffic.
Although the blockade was later lifted, civilians and traders recently reported difficulties traveling to and from the Malakal protection site.
In closing remarks at the JMEC meeting yesterday, Festus Mogae said, “I am, however, still concerned that civilian movement across the Nile at Malakal is not being permitted, and urge the Government to take action to address this matter.”
He also referred to roadblocks manned by soldiers collecting illegal taxes on relief trucks.
“I welcome the Government’s report that the chief of the army has given explicit orders to all units to ensure that all roadblocks are removed. I would endorse the request of the United Nations that copies of these orders be freely provided to all humanitarian actors to help facilitate their work,” said Mogae.
South Sudan’s peace agreement signed in August last year says that government forces and the SPLA-IO rebels must respect the rights of refugees and displaced people according ot the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.
The peace agreement also says that the South Sudanese army and rebels must allow access for humanitarian workers and supplies immediately from the signing of the agreement.
File photo: A boat on the Nile near Fashoda, October 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)
Related:
SPLA ‘regrets inconvenience’ of aid blockade (3 Aug. 2015)