In defence of the UN’s role in South Sudan

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/in-defence-of-the-uns-role-in-south-sudan

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As special representative of the secretary-general and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight by responding to the recent unjustified public criticism by Médecins Sans Frontières (Report, 15 December).

There is no question that the people of South Sudan, particularly women and children, have suffered grave violations of their human rights since the onset of the civil war in December 2013. Both parties continue to violate the terms of the agreement to put an end to the violence and have committed atrocious and indescribable abuses against civilians.

Under very trying circumstances, the UN mission has performed to the best of its abilities to mitigate abuses. The MSF statements in recent days have unfortunately failed to take into account the following salient issues, many of which MSF officials on the ground in South Sudan are fully aware.

Currently, the UN mission protects and accommodates over 185,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) on UN bases, referred to as protection of civilian sites. These bases also house UN staff, and members of the humanitarian community, including MSF, who benefit from the same Unmiss protection. MSF are operating from these bases and are able to reach the many civilians who are suffering as a result of the conflict. UN bases of this nature with peacekeepers, humanitarians, and NGOs working and living side by side are unprecedented in peacekeeping.

Approximately 1.6 million civilians are internally displaced in their own country with a further 646,000 having fled to neighbouring countries. Unmiss conducts daily air and ground patrols to reassure the civilian population and ensure these numbers do not increase. These duties are carried out in tandem with their tasks of protecting civilians already on the bases. We have to keep in mind, that since December 2013, a full-scale war has been raging in South Sudan and the warring parties have done everything in their power to prevent Unmiss forces to move freely around the country, despite our mandate from the security council to do so. MSF and our other humanitarian partners are fully aware of this.

I agree with MSF that Unity state has suffered from some of the gravest human rights violations in the country, but this is also where the UN has one of its largest protection of civilians sites with over 100,000 IDPs on its base, who are being protected by Unmiss forces. The protection provided to the IDPs in the base is complemented by outward patrols. These patrols to areas under control by both government forces and forces in opposition have been frequently blocked and stopped by both parties. This led to the situation that we had no access to the southern part of the state until November of this year, when we were successful in establishing a temporary operating base in Leer. Humanitarian organisations representatives, including MSF, have welcomed this because it is creating an environment that allows humanitarian actors returning to the area to deal with the alarming levels of malnutrition, disease and hunger among the local civilian population.

Let me in conclusion remark that I sincerely regret that the UN mission and MSF have to have this discussion in the press – not least because we have enjoyed good working relationships on the ground, with respect and understanding of each other’s mandates, and we wish for this to continue.

The mission does its best to protect civilians under the circumstances. Having said this, we are operating in a country the size of France, which is involved in a full-scale conflict, and with several hundreds of thousands of armed troops – organised and unorganised – roaming freely. To imagine that, in a context like this, a UN mission can be in all places at once, is both unrealistic and unreasonable. We can try our very best – and we do, every day – but the only durable solution to end the conflict and suffering is to implement the peace agreement, which was recently reached and to attempt to do what we can to make the warring parties respect the permanent ceasefire agreement, which they themselves have committed to.Ellen Margrethe LøjSpecial representative of the secretary-general and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan

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