South Sudan’s government has banned international NGOs from operating in the rebel-held Panyijiar County in Southern Liech State, a local official said.
The decision comes after the SPLA-IO faction allied to rebel leader Riek Machar detained the government-appointed commissioner of Panyijiar County Peter Gatkoi after his chartered plane landed at Ganyliel airstrip in December 2016.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Peter Makuoth Malual, Minister of Information in Southern Liech State, confirmed that the national government asked the international NGOs to pullout from greater Panyijiar County.
“Yes, we have received the circular from the government in Juba, but we are still asking the South Sudan government to see a possible way in order to allow the NGOs to work on the ground,” said Makuoth.
“But the issue will be the return of the planes because aid workers need free movement, and the big issue is to avoid what happened when a plane was detained,” he added.
The local official noted that about six organizations including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have already evacuated their international staffs after the government decision last month.
Panyijar area is now divided into Ganyliel, Panyijiar, and Nyiel Counties.
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