By Kei Emmanuel Duku
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been denied access to Wonduruba Payam after a recent attack that left over 20 civilians dead, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Nicholas Haysom said.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Haysom expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to block access to the affected areas.
“We have an interest in knowing exactly what happened in Wonduruba,” Haysom said. “However, we have faced some obstacles in accessing the area. We will continue to push the government to grant us access.”
While the government has initiated its own investigation, UNMISS said it remains committed to conducting an independent inquiry.
Haysom added that UNMISS is currently engaging with the government and the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSPDF) to address the issue.
The mission assures the people of Wonduruba Payam that they will continue working to ensure a thorough investigation into the October killings.
On October 10, at least 22 civilians including an Anglican Priest, Rev. Martin Muda Aminadab were killed, and women sexually abused in Wonduruba and Kuli Papa of Juba County.
An investigation by Anglican Church indicates that the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces [SSPDF], Ground Force, stationed at Mongiling, in Wonduruba, were squarely responsible for the killings and sexual abuse and therefore hold them fully accountable.
In response to the incident, Central Equatoria State Governor Augustino Jadalla Wani Kamilo established a committee to investigate the deaths of 29 young people.
Last week, the committee briefed the governor on its partial findings.
While the full report has not yet been released, committee spokesperson Mawa A. Moses assured the public that the investigation is ongoing and that the committee is committed to achieving its objectives.