30 January 2014 - The crisis in South Sudan was a time for all UN staff to demonstrate impartiality, tolerance and respect for diversity, UNMISS Chief of Staff Paul Egunsola said in Juba today.

Mr. Egunsola was speaking during a memorial service for Juma Koda, an UNMISS national vehicle technician who was killed in his house in the Upper Nile State capital Malakal during fighting in the state on 16 January.

“We all have different backgrounds, values and ties to diverse beliefs,” he said. “In such a time, we really see that our differences should be our strengths.”

The Chief of Staff said the death of Mr. Koda, who was killed in the presence of his wife and children by unknown attackers, signified a great loss not just to UNMISS, but to his community and the country.

“Our national staff members have been displaced and faced a lot of losses,” he said. “We all hope that the cessation of hostilities agreement will be fully implemented so that there shall be no further victims among our staff and all the innocent civilians.”

According to Upper Nile UNMISS State Coordinator Deborah Schein, Mr. Koda failed to show up for work on 17 January, raising concerns among his colleagues, who felt it was out of character for him to be absent without explanation.

“Telephone networks have been off a lot in Malakal during the violence and so we failed to contact him,” she said. “On 21 January, his wife and some relatives came to our compound from the IDP (internally displaced person) camp in town and told us he had been killed five days before.”

National Staff Association President Bennet Kenyi said Mr. Koda’s death was one of countless examples of how much South Sudan had been set back in “a situation that could have been solved if we had not closed the doors to dialogue”.

“The transport section has suffered unnecessary losses, including two staff members who died during the ambush in Bor in April last year,” said Chief Transport Officer Stephen Moore. “Now we have lost Mr. Koda, who was the type of person that South Sudan needs most – neutral and dedicated to working for peace and rebuilding his country.”