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7 August 2024 (Juba) – A high-level delegation from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) visited Tambura County, Western Equatoria State on Wednesday.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Secretary-General said the visit was the latest in a series of interventions by stakeholders to ease tensions and prevent conflict following the outbreaks of violence in April 2024 and 2021, which resulted in significant loss of life, property damage and large-scale displacement.
“In its discussions with local authorities and communities, the delegation called for addressing grievances through dialogue and stressed the importance of peacebuilding initiatives that address the root causes of the conflict,” Farhan Haque said.
Pre-existing rifts between the Azande and Balanda ethnic groups in Western Equatoria have been largely politicized, exacerbated and exploited. UNMISS believes that this divide is caused by a variety of factors, including tensions between the Azande Avungara ruling family and the Balanda ethnic group over leadership of the political office in Tambura and traditional power structures, which provided fertile ground for escalating violence.
Prior to the outbreak of conflict in Tambura County in June 2021, there were intermittent reports of ethnically motivated violence against civilians between February and May 2021. This resulted in the killing and displacement of civilians, in addition to other forms of violations, particularly against individuals identified as Balanda or associated with SPLA-IO forces in the area.
The report follows reports by the UNMISS Human Rights component on violations and abuses against civilians in Tambura between April and August 2018, documenting human rights violations stemming from conflict between traditional political parties ahead of the signing of the September 2018 peace agreement.
(English stone)
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