Hundreds of humanitarian workers have been evacuated from eastern Upper Nile in South Sudan after ethnic killings earlier in the week. This reduces the aid available to approximately 120,000 Sudanese refugees living in Maban County. 

About 240 aid workers left the county, according to a UNHCR official, while some staff of other organizations remained, in particular MSF, UNHCR, Medair and ACTED.

Most humanitarian organizations suspended their work.

Some of their compounds have also been abandoned or looted; for instance, the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) compound is reported by a local source to have been looted after the killing one of the organization’s employees on Monday.

Six aid workers were killed on Monday and Tuesday, and a seventh is presumed dead. A local militia called the Maban Defense Forces is alleged to have perpetrated these killings. 

The evacuations followed the arrival on Wednesday of dozens of UN troops, some arriving by road from their base in Melut and others by air. The troops secured the airstrip at Doro Camp to allow the evacuation of the aid workers. 

Though no new clashes were reported on Thursday, on the previous day there were still reports of clashes.

A source speaking Wednesday described the situation as out of control saying there were still sporadic clashes saying, “A few SPLA-Nuer in Batil road clashed with police in Batil refugee camp this morning and it forced them to leave their position.”

Meanwhile, an eyewitness survivor from the Norwegian People’s Aid compound told Radio Tamazuj that they were moving on Monday from the NPA compound up to the gate of Samaritan’s Purse in two vehicles when a group of Maban Defense Forces shot dead a Nuer staff member traveling with the group.

“The rest of the team ran and got help from a Maban Chief to hide themselves,” said the survivor.

International organizations comdemned the killings of the aid workers. In a statement, the United States government also announced, “The Government of South Sudan has a responsibility to protect humanitarian workers, and ensure its forces comply with repeated government commitments to facilitate humanitarian assistance.”

Franz Rauchenstein, head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in South Sudan said, “The targeting of humanitarian workers in Bunj, the county capital, must stop. There has to be an environment in which humanitarian work can take place, so that aid can be brought to around 120,000 refugees in the area.”

“If access is hindered by lack of security, humanitarian workers will not be able to provide basic services and assistance for thousands of people who have little or no drinkable water, food or basic medical services.”

Meanwhile, the new Commissioner of Maban County has arrived in the area accompanied by John Ivo Munto, a former deputy governor and state advisor who hails from Maban.

Ivo told Radio Tamazuj yesterday, “There has not been any other attack,” saying he traveled to many places  in the county and the purpose of his visit is to inspect the security situation and work to allow citizens who fled their homes to return.

He declined to comment on the death toll as a result of the recent events in the area, saying that a fact-finding committee will be sent soon to find out the truth.

“We do not know what the truth is and what is a lie. First, let us see what has happened… because even many humanitarian people are asking about this – I say, this thing is not yet. If there is a way, it will come in the official way. “

“There will be a committee – an investigation committee – we will send it to investigate that,” said the security official.  

File photo: Children at the Maban airstrip (WFP)

Related coverage:

At least 6 racial killings in Maban County (5 Aug.)

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