Statements released by various bodies, organizations and governments have condemned the acts, even as the civil society activist and UNMISS urge for more accountability and stability

By Emmanuel Mandella and James Chatim

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says it is deeply worried and alarmed by reports of series of violent clashes between armed actors in areas of Central Equatoria State that resulted into the deaths of 24 people including 19 civilians.

The UNMISS stated that those interconnected incidents allegedly involved attacks and counter attacks between former members of the National Salvation Front (NAS) that occurred in two locations of Wonduruba and Ganji.

In a statement seen by The City Review, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom said he was deeply concerned by the acts and called on the Government of South Sudan to carry out immediate investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.

“I am deeply concerned by these brutal acts and urgently call on the Government of South Sudan to conduct an immediate investigation to bring perpetrators to justice swiftly,” Haysom said.

“Protection of civilians is paramount and must be respected at all times. There is no justification for the extrajudicial killing of civilians. International human rights law sets down clear rules and all parties must abide by it,” he added.

On Friday, Integrity South Sudan also weighed in on the incident, condemning the incident while calling out authorities to conduct investigations and bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to a press statement by the organization, Integrity South Sudan urged government to take measures that will prevent such incidences from happening again and to create a safe and secure environment for all citizens.

The statement noted that it is imperative that the government and all the stakeholders to prioritise peace, security and reconciliation in South Sudan, further mentioning that the country must work together to build a society where every citizen can live in peace.

Central Equatoria’s statement

In its press statement, published on October 10, the government of Central Equatoria State noted that it learnt with shock the horrific massacre of ten youth in Wonduruba Administrative Payam, and 9 others in Kulipapa (Jebel Iraq) of Ganji Payam in Juba County.

“The victims lost their lives in an absurd act of violence and cowardice targeting innocent civilians on Wednesday night. Preliminary reports indicate that the attack took place when armed individuals targeted the youth and shot at them while others were hacked by machetes and murdered in cold blood,” the press statement, written by Central Equatoria State’s Ministry of Information, read in part.

“The Government of Central Equatoria State expresses its deepest sorrow and condemnation over the horrific massacre. This heinous act which occurred is a gross violation of rights and a threat to peace and stability,” it added.

Activists’ demands

Meanwhile, civil rights activist Edmond Yakani, while commenting on the killings, has condemned the incident, calling it a “crime against humanity” and urging immediate action from government authorities.

The gruesome killings have drawn widespread criticism, casting a dark shadow over efforts to stabilize the area.

Yakani, in a statement, described the act as a gross violation of human rights and called for action to be taken against those responsible.

“Tying individuals and beheading them is an act of crime against humanity, even if the deceased are suspected to be members of any group. That’s not the way they should be handled,” Yakani declared.

“This is a crime that should not go unpunished. The perpetrators behind this act deserve to be brought to justice,” he said.

“This heinous act is a slap in the face of the governor, undermining his visit and the state’s efforts towards peace,” Yakani said. He urged the governor to form a committee to investigate the killings and make the findings public in a transparent manner. “We cannot let this act stain the progress being made in our state.”

Pattern of Violence

This beheading incident is part of a troubling pattern of violence that has plagued sections of the country in recent months.

Similar incidents have occurred in other areas, including Eastern Equatoria and Western Bahr El Ghazal, in what has been described as violation of the 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and other peace agreements.

Yakani called on the United Nations Human Rights Commission and the UNMISS Human Rights Division to step in and investigate the violence. “We cannot allow these crimes to continue unchallenged,” Yakani emphasized, urging international involvement.

He further implored the leadership of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) to take swift action.

“The SSPDF must use the Ministry of Justice’s court martial to investigate this case,” he said, adding that the incident should also serve as a litmus test for the newly established special court tasked with prosecuting human rights violations.

“This act is a test for the recently established special court in the Ministry of Interior, if we cannot hold those responsible for such blatant atrocities accountable, we risk losing the confidence of the people in our justice system,” the activist said.