Fleeing in S Sudan and asked to move again
UN temporarily stops relocating displaced people to new camps after facing
resistance from a frightened population.
<
http://www.aljazeera.com/profile/richard-nield.html> Richard Nield Last
updated:
20 Oct 2014 16:15
The UN has suspended the relocation of internally displaced persons (IDPs)
in Juba to a site outside the city after meeting resistance from those it is
encouraging to move.
IDPs are angered by the dismantling of their homes and shops, and what they
perceive as a forced move to a site that they feel will make them isolated
and more vulnerable to attack.
"We have had to suspend the relocation process because of security incidents
involving NGO staff," Joe Contreras, spokesman for the UN Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS), told Al Jazeera.
"We have encountered some resistance to the move. There have been some nasty
exchanges and threats made against the staff of our humanitarian partners."
The move involves the relocation of IDPs from the UNMISS base at Tomping
near Juba airport to a protection of civilians (POC) site known as POC3, a
few kilometres outside Juba. Almost 11,000 people have been relocated from
the Tomping site since March, with just over 3,000 remaining.
According to Contreras, people are only being moved with their consent.
"We've made them aware of the alternatives and urged them to avail
themselves of the [relocation] option," he says. "All relocations are
voluntary. We don't force anyone to move against their will."
But the perception among many in the camp is that while initial relocations
were voluntary, people are now being forced to move to the new site.
"We think we are being forced against our will," says 24-year-old Tomping
resident Gatuak Dogor. "The way they have been dismantling our houses
suggests it is an order. They dismantle your house whether you like it or
not."
"We don't need to move," says Nyayena Matik, another camp resident.
"Only the UN has made the decision. We have not been asked. It's not a
request, it's compulsory. I've seen them dismantling houses and it's only a
matter of time before they come here."
Contreras confirms that the dismantling of tented homes and shops has taken
place against the wishes of some camp residents.
"Some structures at the IDP site have been dismantled to allow our staff to
more easily access the site," he says. "In some cases shelters too close to
the perimeter of the compound have been dismantled and in other cases shacks
put up by people trading alcohol without a licence have been taken down."
'UN didn't listen'
According to Contreras, there have been consultations with camp community
leaders over the relocation, but while residents confirm that consultations
have taken place, there is scepticism that the views of the community were
taken on board.
An area of the camp known as Little Jamaica, where living conditions were
particularly difficult and violence frequent, has been totally dismantled by
UNMISS in recent months.
"It is unfortunate that the UN didn't listen to the community who said they
would handle it," says 38-year-old Buom Kobuong Gatduop, a Tomping resident
and liaison between the UN and the local community.
"Instead of involving the community leaders the UN came with guns and tanks.
There are people who have trauma, and when they see guns and tanks they go
through the experience again that they had outside."
Those living in the Tomping camp are predominantly from the Nuer tribe, and
fled to the site to escape the massacre of Nuer men by members of South
Sudanese armed forces in Juba between December 15 and 19.
Camp residents are resistant to the move to POC3 for a variety of reasons,
including the distance of the site from Juba and a perception that they will
be less safe.
Some Tomping residents leave the camp during daylight hours to secure
essential provisions from the town, and sometimes to work. "Inevitably there
are those that want to stay put rather than move to the outskirts of town,"
says Contreras.
There is also a perception in Tomping that the IDPs will be more vulnerable
to attack if they are all moved to one location.
"If we are in one place we are all in danger," says Dogor. "Why can't they
let us all stay here? It is our human right. We came here seeking a safe
place. I cannot understand why we are being moved. If I have to go [to POC3]
I will leave the country."
UNMISS insists that the POC3 camp is secure, but admits that there are
ongoing problems with security.
"We are confident that the facilities provide safe and secure accommodation
within our resources," says Contreras. "It doesn't mean that fighting
doesn't break out among IDPs or that tensions don't flare up between IDPs
and residents.
"But we constantly patrol the POCs [protection of civilians sites] and the
POC perimeter and we are deploying specially trained personnel specialised
in crowd management to curb disturbances."
Despite opposition to the move, UNMISS plans to resume the relocation as
soon as possible. "The hope is that we will relocate all of [the Tomping
IDPs] in the coming weeks," says Contreras.
Stuttering peace talks
There are also plans to re-integrate some IDPs to homes in Juba.
"A pilot programme is being set up by the South Sudan National Police
Service," says Contreras.
"It has identified three neighbourhoods where police are hoping to persuade
people to go. But it's still in the preparatory stage."
There remains an overwhelming fear among residents of both Tomping and POC3
that any move outside the protection of UNMISS will put them in mortal
danger.
"I'm not going out," says 36-year-old Gadet Yuon, who was relocated to POC3
in May after five months in Tomping. "All of the problems are still going
on. It's not safe to go back to Juba."
"If you leave the camp to go to Juba you are finished," says 26-year-old
Ruai James Manythot.
The International Authority on Development (IGAD) mediated a ceasefire
agreement in Addis Ababa on 25 August that was meant to pave the way for the
creation of a transitional government.
But last minute changes to the deal
<
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/10/south-sudan-war-talks-kir-mach
ar-famine-201410892734144547.html> sowed the seeds of its failure, and
opposition forces nominally controlled by former vice president Riek Machar
failed to sign key parts of the agreement.
Among the residents of Tomping and POC3 spoken to by Al Jazeera, none
believes that there is a realistic prospect of peace.
"The peace signed is not a peace," says Gatduop. "It's a game played by the
leaders. There is no peace that addresses the root problem. The new peace
doesn't solve anything, giving all the power to [president] Salva Kiir,
rewarding him for killing us."
"We need peace," says Matik. "But the big problem is that the leaders seem
not to see our suffering."
Received on Mon Oct 20 2014 - 17:33:34 EDT