Volden tager til, etniske stridigheder slår dybere rødder og FN-fredsstyrkens betingelser forværres. Det vurderer Norges tidl. udviklingsminister, der nu leder FN-missionen i Afrikas nyeste nation, som har fået stillet mange danske u-landspenge i udsigt.
NEW YORK, 21 March 2013 (UN News Service): South Sudan’s transition towards a stable, viable (levedygtig) State continues at an uneven pace, the top United Nations official in the country Thursday told the UN Security Council.
She cautioned that internal security challenges, in particular inter-communal (interne etniske stridigheder) violence in several areas and activities of armed groups, pose grave threats to civilians.
“The situation in Jonglei state (delstaten) remains a source of major concern and presents complex challenges for both UNMISS and the Government,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Hilde Frafjord Johnson, referring to the UN (fredsbevarende) Mission in South Sudan, which she heads.
The eastern state of Jonglei is the largest in South Sudan and has been the scene of inter-communal violence since the country became independent from Sudan in July 2011.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in heavy fighting between national authorities and David Yau Yau’s armed groups.
“Vinduet er ved at lukke”
“The Government remains committed to finding a peaceful solution,” Ms. Johnson said, but cautioned that “the window for dialogue is closing and that military operations may soon be launched.”
The former Norwegian minister for development added that while the Government has committed to protect civilians during its operations, people could be caught in the crossfire.
In case of potential fighting, UNMISS has developed contingency plans, including strengthening its troop presence, increasing civilian-military patrols to identify potential attacks and continuing to engage with vulnerable communities, Ms. Johnson said.
She also told the 15-member Council that the UN’s operational environment “has become more challenging due to a number of grave violations” to the agreement between the UN and South Sudan.
The most egregious (oprørende) of these violations, Ms. Johnson said, was the 21 December 2012 shooting of an UNMISS helicopter which resulted in the killing of four Russian crew members.
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