6 August 2014 - Creating a secure environment for the return of internally displaced people (IDPs) from UNMISS bases to their homes was a police priority, the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) chief said in Juba today.

“In order to accomplish this … I have initiated (an) activity flow chart to prepare my officers to handle the tasks related to protection of civilians adequately,” said General Pieng Deng Koul. “My intention is for these activities to adhere to best practices in the protection of civilians and to perform accordingly with the realm of international human rights.”

The Inspector General of Police outlined a seven-activity strategy to a meeting attended by acting UNMISS Chief Raisedon Zenenga, UN Police (UNPOL) Commissioner Fred Yiga, and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

The presentation followed several meetings held in July between UNMISS, UNPOL and SSNPS leadership, which Gen. Kuol described as “important catalysts for future operational coordination” between the three bodies.

“Whereas protection of civilians in South Sudan is a core mandate of the SSNPS, my intention is to obtain support from the international community and supportive partners to expand upon the current abilities and inadequacies of the police institution,” said Gen. Kuol.

The activity flow chart, which will kick off in Juba as a pilot project, was drawn up in the expectation that the 2015 Security Council mandate will expire in November 2014, he noted.

The first activity would be relocating more than 300 SSNPS officers to Juba from unaffected states to participate in the SSNPS Confidence and Trust Building Policing Strategy, which was initiated in April 2014, he said.

Other activities would include conducting sensitization seminars on human rights and workshops to focus on good practices regarding police presence, patrol methods, establishment of civilian complaint mechanisms and community policing initiatives.

The SSNPS chief also said another activity was to finalize establishment of three posts identified through UNMISS Quick Impact Projects in areas where most IDPs are known to have come from and to facilitate their safe and voluntary return.

Gen. Pieng appreciated the role played by UNMISS in protecting civilians, saying that SSNPS should take it as an example to build confidence among IDPs so they could return to their localities and homes.

He said UNMISS and SSNPS would carry out joint patrols in selected areas in line with UNMISS’ new mandate. He called for coordination and cooperation among forces that will be involved in patrolling areas where IDPs would settle.

“There will be need to inspect all affected localities to physically check on whether the abandoned houses are not occupied,” he said. “Any officer who is not assigned for this duty and is found in that area will be answerable.”

The SSNPS would also support coordination of visits from community leaders from both the public and protection sites to home areas of IDPs, as well as make efforts to register all IDPs to include the area they intended to return to.

Gen. Kuol requested both technical and material support for these activities, as well as for an aggressive public information campaign to show respect for human rights and good policing methods.

“Whereas it is very clear that the SSNPS must play a key role in providing physical protection and creating a protective environment, the current humanitarian situation is very critical,” he said. “Even if we are surrounded by complex and fragile working conditions, the partnerships between us all must remain stable.”