The Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Alain Noudéhou, has condemned yesterday’s attack on humanitarian workers in Renk, Upper Nile.

The attacks follow similar incidents barely two weeks ago in Torit, Eastern Equatoria, and Jamjang, Ruweng Administrative Area. The Humanitarian Coordinator said that a continuation of these violent incidents would make it impossible for humanitarians to carry out their work for vulnerable people.

“If these violent incidents do not stop, it may no longer be possible to provide humanitarian assistance to people in these locations,” Noudéhou said.

On 10 May, incidents at two international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) compounds were reported in Renk, Upper Nile. In both incidents, INGO staff were physically assaulted by a youth group.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement that the planned food distributions to vulnerable people in the area have been suspended following the incidents and staff movements have been restricted.

According to Noudéhou, One organization estimates that any suspension of programs will negatively impact more than 50,000 people benefitting from food assistance, livelihoods support, health services, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions.

“I call on the Government and authorities at all levels to protect civilians, including aid workers. These attacks cannot continue. The perpetrators must be brought to justice,” he concluded.

South Sudanese youth have overtime demanded that UN and NGOs working in their home states give them priority in employment over foreigners and fellow citizens from other states. 

At the end of last year, the youth in Renk, Upper Nile State, and Bentiu in Unity State protested the lack of employment and demanded that some NGOs leave their respective states. In Renk, a humanitarian aid store belonging to Medair was torched and vehicles vandalized which led to security tensions and the evacuation of some NGO staff from the areas.

About a month ago, a group of youth, the Monyiemiji Forum in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State composed of youth from Torit, Ikotos, and Lopit Counties, petitioned the state government against what they described as unjust employment policies by NGOs in the state. They later assaulted two humanitarian workers.