16 November 2014 - Aiming to find peaceful solutions to recent skirmishes at the UNMISS protection site in the Upper Nile State capital Malakal, Deputy State Governor Dau Awer Agany visited the mission’s base.

Meeting with members of the internally displaced people’s (IDPs) Peace and Security Council, Mr. Agany said the inter-communal tension that begun in the protection of civilians site on 27 October was unacceptable.

“What is happening in the protection site is unfortunate and unacceptable,” he said. “I urge the IDP Peace and Security Council to live up to its responsibilities and support UNMISS in resolving their internal problems.”

In the meeting attended by UNMISS State Coordinator Deborah Schein, the Deputy Governor also reminded the members of the council that they were all under the protection of UNMISS.

The Deputy Governor acknowledged that although lives and property were lost during the fighting in South Sudan, it was vital to IDPs to stop ethnic hatred and live together in peace and harmony.

“The resolution passed by the Governors’ Forum recently emphasized the need for peaceful co-existence amongst all the communities of South Sudan and we all have to adhere to that,” he said.

Mathew Choul, chairperson of the IDP Peace and Security Council, assured Mr. Agany of their commitment to bring back peace to the site and to continue working closely with UNMISS to achieve that.

Since 27 October when inter communal violence erupted among the IDPs in the Protection site in Malakal, UNMISS and the IDP Peace and Security Council have been working hard to bring the communities together and restore peace and order in the UN base.