Nasir commissioner urges return of aid workers, pledges to provide security

JUBA — The commissioner of South Sudan’s Nasir County of the country’s Upper Nile state has urged aid organizations to return vowing to guarantee their security which is one of many factors turning away aid workers in several parts of the country.

In recent months, violence against aid workers has increased dramatically and many aid organizations have fled and suspended operations in most parts of the country over security concerns.

Speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview on Friday, Duol Kun Thian, the SPLM-IO-nominated commissioner of Nasir County said people have returned to Nasir as part of the signing of the peace agreement in 2018 and said it is a sign that they have built confidence in the peace implementation.

“As you know that I arrived in Nasir on April the 30th. I was welcome by the entire Nasir Community. Over 4,000 people, church elders, chores, community leaders, traditional leaders, and young people came to the airport to meet me. This is a sign that our people have trust in the leadership that the peace has returned home. All of these people are still here and they are not going anywhere,” Duol said from Nasir on phone.

He said people are licking food and medical supplies saying the small medical centers run by an NGO is now incapacitated to provide medical assistance to all the retuning citizens.

“Because of this people have nothing to eat, no place to sleep or stay during the day because the entire Nasir town has been an empty space for the last 8 years of South Sudan civil war. The community as you know deserted the town because of the fighting but now they are returning in large numbers,” he said.

“The clinic run by the UNKEA is now overrun with over 100 people seeking immediate medical attention. We are calling for the local and international NGOs to return to the town of Nasir as soon as possible to offer any necessary assistance needed by the people,” he added.

He further urged International NGOs to return and pledged to provide security which is one of many factors turning away aid workers.

“I am requesting International NGOs to come and access the town. Their security is guaranteed by the leadership of Nasir town and the entire Upper Nile State government,” he said.

“This will the first step to building trust in the community and to return home to rebuild their lives,” he added.

Speaking separately to Sudans Post, one of the returnees who fled the two in 2014 following the eruption of the conflict said he returned last week following the commissioner’s arrival, but said there are  no basic services in the town and appealed for assistance.

“I came to Nasir when I had the commissioner will return on April 30. Home is what I had longed for all these years while suffering in a refugee camp in Gambella. But now nothing I found here,” the returnee who requested not to be named said.

“Everything is empty like the way I left them 7 years ago. We need help as soon as possible. I came here with my family to rebuild our lives. We need any possible assistance to keep moving,” he added.