UNMISS begins weekly patrols along Yei-Kaya road as more refugees return
An integrated team of ceasefire monitors and staff from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan travelled to the border town of Kaya in Morobo County. With more refugees returning from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and UNMISS establishing a base in Yei, the plan is to conduct frequent, robust patrols along the still rather deserted Yei-Kaya road.
The proactive visit to Kaya was the first of its kind since the town suffered an armed attack on 3 January. The integrated team, consisting of UNMISS staff from the Mission’s departments for Communication and Public Information, Civil Affairs and Human Rights, travelled together with monitors from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM). The main objective of the trip was to assess the general security situation on the ground.
Speaking during a meeting with various stakeholders in the area, the Morobo County commissioner Richard Remo emphasized the importance of UN peacekeepers coming to Kaya. Mr. Remo said that their presence will pave the way for confidence building amongst the people and also encourage more refugees to return home from neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mr. Remo condemned the early January attack on Kaya, Bazi and Morobo and called on all parties to abide by the Cessation of Hostilities agreement which came into effect on 24 December 2017.
“We are prolonging the suffering of our people because we are not looking into certain parts of the problem, and because of the interference of anti-peace elements,” the county commissioner stated.
On his part, the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission’s head of office in Morobo County, Mr. Charles Tata Bullen, confirmed that people who have fled to neighbouring countries during the conflict have started to return to their areas of origin in the Yei River area.
“We have officially registered some 122 returning individuals in the last three weeks. These returnees have gone through truly horrendous conditions as they have not been properly fed and there are no good facilities to accommodate them,” Mr. Bullen said.
The team leader for the integrated mission, Jerry Locula, described the route to the border town of Kaya from Yei as desolate, with virtually no civilians in sight. Mr. Locula said UNMISS will embark on more and nimble patrols once its permanent presence in Yei is fully established, towards the end of the month.