RUWENG ADMINISTRATIVE AREA – The once-bustling streets of Abiemnom are now eerily quiet after violence erupted on 1 March, leaving hundreds dead or injured. Fatalities included local officials, health workers, women, and children.
“Innocent civilians—children, women, and the elderly—were deliberately targeted and killed,” said Stephano Wieu de Mialek, Chief Administrator of the Ruweng Administrative Area, his voice trembling as he described the violence as the worst crisis since South Sudan’s two civil wars.
Mr. Mialek was speaking to a visiting team of peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and humanitarian partners, who travelled to Abiemnom this week to meet affected communities.
When clashes were ongoing, UNMISS peacekeepers provided protection for more than 1,000 civilians who temporarily sought refuge within the Mission’s base in the area.
Zolbileg Ch, a Mongolian peacekeeper, recalled how they immediately mobilized when they saw the situation deteriorating. “Most of them were women and children. We provided physical protection and first aid, while some of us remained on alert for any potential attack on our base.”
Many people remain within the protective ambit of the Blue Helmets, as the fighting not only took a heavy toll on civilians but also led to the looting and destruction of homes, properties, shops, and health facilities.
According to local authorities, the violence has forced residents to flee to Wau in Western Bahr El Ghazal, Twic East in Warrap, and even to Abyei. The need for humanitarian assistance is therefore rising in Abiemnom as well as in the areas where newly displaced people have sought safety.
According to Maulid Warfar, a Senior Emergency Coordinator with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the situation on the ground is dire.
“We visited the hospital and unfortunately it has been severely vandalized. Hopefully the health and nutrition supplies we have brought today will help patients, though the facility is largely empty at this time.”
Parang Mum Fulani Alie, an assistant nurse at the hospital, said the road to recovery will be long and difficult for both the health system and the wider community.
“Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives. We need peace and we need to stay in Abiemnom. This is our home and we cannot let conflict rob us of our security, our livelihoods, or our property,” she said.
But fear remains the predominant emotion among those affected by the recent clashes which stand as a grim reminder of recurring cycles of violence in this remote location.
For his part, James Monyluak Majok, Minister of Information and Communication for the Ruweng Administrative Area, hopes that enhanced protection by the government, with support from peacekeepers and increased humanitarian assistance, will encourage displaced families to return.
In response, UNMISS is continuing to engage intensively with all stakeholders to help restore calm and stability.
“We are consistently speaking to local and state officials, emphasizing their primary responsibility to protect civilians,” said Abdulbaqi Ibishomi, Acting Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission’s Field Office in Bentiu, Unity State. “Civilians should never be caught in the midst of such attacks,” he added.
To further support stabilization efforts, 40 personnel from the UNMISS Formed Police Unit have been temporarily deployed to Abiemnom to strengthen the Mission’s protection efforts and boost community confidence.
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By Matiisetso Mosala
