HealthNet TPO, as part of the South Sudan NGO Forum, condemns the killing of 2 humanitarian workers in separate attacks in South Sudan.
The South Sudan NGO Forum condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the killing of a humanitarian staff member during the latest outbreak of violence in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area and extends its sympathies to the friends, family and colleagues of the staff. On the 7th May, a South Sudanese security guard working for ZOA protecting humanitarian supplies was killed whilst travelling from Gumuruk to Verteth. The NGO Forum and its members stand in solidarity with all humanitarians affected by violence.
During early May, fighting broke out in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, intensifying around Gumuruk. The violence led to the evacuation of humanitarian staff from the area, halting life-saving programmes. During the conflict, multiple humanitarian compounds were attacked and burned with significant amounts of humanitarian food stocks and other supplies deliberately destroyed. The Pibor area remains one of the most severely crisis-affected parts of the country with thousands of adults and children in catastrophic levels of food insecurity and caught up in recurrent violence and flooding. Attacks on humanitarian staff and facilities, and destruction of supplies, may put thousands of lives further at risk at a critical time.
This comes after the death of a Cordaid worker was announced two weeks ago. Clara Amono, a reproductive health specialist in South Sudan who’s life’s work was combating infant and maternal mortality and morbidity, was fatally shot while on active humanitarian duty. The convoy she was part of, was ambushed whilst they were travelling to support a medical facility in Budi County, Eastern Equatorial State. The vehicle, clearly marked humanitarian, came under fire killing Amono and injuring the driver.
Aid workers, most of whom are South Sudanese, put their lives at risk on a daily basis to deliver life-saving services in some of the most challenging parts of the country. Attacks on humanitarian staff, assets and offices have continued to escalate in recent weeks and months, directly harming those who are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. This must stop. Aid workers must be able to operate safely and without fear in South Sudan to serve all those affected by crisis.
Read the full press release from ZOA International: ZOA staff member murdered in South Sudan.
Read the full statement and Clara’s Story from Cordaid: ‘You Climbed the Hills, Carrying the Vaccines on your Back’, in Memorium Clara Amono
WFP Statement on destruction of food supplies in Gumuruk: WFP condemns looting of food assistance in greater Jonglei
