UN seeks justice for slain aid worker

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator and interim in South Sudan is demanding that the authorities bring to book the perpetrators who attacked the World Food Program (WFP) convoy and killed an aid worker and injured another.

Matthew Hollingworth, the Acting Coordinator for UNOCHA, strongly condemned the killing of the United Nation’s construction aid worker and called on the law enforcers to make sure that the perpetrators face the law.

In a statement seen by The City Review yesterday, Hollingworth called on the suspects to respect humanitarian staff and international law.

He also demanded that the law enforcers be in a position to protect civilians and aid workers’ properties.

The officials described the incident as unacceptable because it was against humanitarian law.

“I extend my sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of this colleague who was killed. These vehicles were marked. I must accept that this was a targeted attack and a violation of international humanitarian law. This behaviour must stop,” Hollingworth said in the statement.

The team was returning from Tindiir where they had delivered critical life-saving food assistance to flood-affected people when it was ambushed, according to the statement.

Reports indicate that on December 19, armed men attacked the convoy of five amphibious vehicles between Tindiir and Duk Padiet in Jonglei State, spraying the vehicles with bullets.

Hollingworth said the Greater Jonglei has suffered from flooding for the past three years and the suspects’ families are benefiting from the relief.

“These senseless acts of violence compromise our ability to continue assisting people in remote and difficult-to-reach flooded areas,” Hollingworth added.

According to UNOCHA, people in Duk County were severely affected by the flooding in 2020 and again in 2021, and approximately 130,000 people are said to be needing food and medical supplies.

The response teams have been supportive in providing food assistance for these people, including the 17,000 children under 5 years of age who benefit from life-saving nutrition support.

Since March 2021, there has been an increase in the number of incidents of armed attacks against civilians, especially against humanitarians and humanitarian assets across South Sudan.

This incident brings to five the number of aid workers killed while undertaking their work in 2021. Most of those killed were South Sudanese colleagues.

He said such incidents disrupt humanitarian operations and affect the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable.