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JUBA - 4 Sep 2019

UN: 'There are reports of recruitment in PoC for opposition'

There have been confirmed reports of the recruitment of young men within the UN PoC for opposition fighters, the United Nations said Wednesday.

According to earlier reports, all sides in South Sudan continue to recruit new fighters despite a peace deal.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in an email to Radio Tamazuj this afternoon that there have been confirmed reports of the recruitment of youth inside the PoC for opposition forces.

The UN mission stressed that it will not tolerate activities that undermine the legal and protective status of the PoC for the sake of all those who have sought sanctuary.

It pointed out that the Protection of Civilians sites were created to protect people who fled to UN bases in fear for their lives during the conflict in South Sudan.

“Their civilian nature must be maintained under international law and these sites cannot become places where criminals take sanctuary or military recruitment occurs. UNMISS has zero tolerance of any unlawful activities that might endanger civilians,” the mission said.

In the past few days, the United Nations said, two people wanted in connection with attacks and kidnappings took refuge inside the Juba PoC.

“UN police engaged with senior leaders inside the PoC and requested that one of the men be handed over. Instead, the camp management orchestrated a demonstration moving several hundred women and children in front of the building where the wanted man was located to prevent access to him. Under the cover of this demonstration, the wanted person escaped,” the mission explained.

Meanwhile, Gatkoi Yak Chuol Kok, an elder at the UN PoC3 said eight camp leaders are being detained by the UN mission. “The camp leaders were detained on Tuesday after a meeting at the UN House,” Yak said.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and a handful of other opposition groups signed the peace deal in September 2018. A new government is expected to be formed in November.

Two weeks ago, the parties to the peace deal resolved that at least 50% of the 83,000 necessary unified forces should be trained and deployed before the end of September.