By Yang Ater Yang
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) established a Temporary Operation Base in Maper Town, Rumbek North County, Lakes State.
The base, manned by 120 UN peacekeepers, aims to provide much-needed protection to the civil population and demonstrate the UN’s presence in the area through daily patrols.
The Force Commander of UNMISS, Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian, visited the base to interact with peacekeepers, local authorities, and community members, seeking to familiarize himself with the security dynamics in the region.
Addressing the forces at the Temporary Operation Base (TOB) in Maper, Rumbek North County, he emphasized that the establishment of the temporary base would significantly enhance security and the protection of civilians.
Maper is situated at the junction between Lakes, Unity, and Warrap States.
He acknowledged that the area had been a cause for concern in terms of wider civilian security for quite some time.
UNMISS has conducted extensive patrols in the area, but the Force Commander believed that a permanent presence in Maper would bolster civilian protection and facilitate better implementation of the mandate entrusted to UNMISS.
“We also want to be present in Maper to ensure that our humanitarian partners can work with great security to deliver humanitarian aid to people in need in the area,” he said.
Lieutenant General Subramanian expressed gratitude for the warm welcome they received from the local population, who hold high expectations for UNMISS.
He assured them of their commitment to working diligently and sincerely to meet these expectations as soon as possible.
While acknowledging the limitations of their capabilities, Lieutenant General Subramanian stated that it is important to collaborate with local government.
He called for a total collaboration between UNMISS, the county administration, and all stakeholders committed to improving the situation in the area.
The Governor of Lakes State had previously requested the presence of a UNMISS base in Maper, along with the construction of a road connecting the area.
General Subramanian said that UNMISS had fulfilled these requests, with the road to Maper partially open and expected to be fully accessible in days to come.
He emphasized that UNMISS had met both the governor’s demands and their own objectives to ensure better protection for civilians in the region.
He affirmed that UNMISS would support the election process as decided by the United Nations and would be present to protect civilians throughout the pre-election, election, and post-election phases.
Samuel Mabor Deng, the county commissioner of Rumbek North County, highlighted the discussions surrounding the improvement of connecting roads and the renovation of infrastructure from Rumbek State headquarters to Rumbek North County.
“We have discussed with the governor the issue of the road from Rumbek North to Alor Payam in order for us to make everything easy and for security forces to make patrolling easy,” he said.
He also underlined the need for the installation of boreholes in villages to address the water shortage issue.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) considers the provision of protection to civilians through daily patrols and active community engagement as a fundamental part of its mandate.