Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 18:35:39 +0100
Q&A: Sanctuary for South Sudanese
The head of the UN mission in South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, on offering bases
for people seeking protection in Juba
<http://www.aljazeera.com/profile/anna-cavell.html> Anna Cavell Last
updated: 28 Mar 2014 14:20
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Juba, South Sudan - The capital of the world's newest country was rocked by
violence in December when fighting broke out within the military. The
conflict quickly spread
<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/03/un-thousands-killed-abused-s-s
udan-2014318225336782438.html> across the country as the armed forces split
between those loyal to the government and those allied to former Vice
President Riek Machar.
>From the start of the conflict, people arrived at United Nations bases for
protection, but after several months they show no sign of leaving and
humanitarian agencies are faced with the prospect of having to
<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/03/un-struggles-rehouse-south-sud
an-refugees-201431982844274250.html> provide assistance to almost 70,000
people living on UN compounds around the country.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General is
<http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sga1299.doc.htm> Hilde Johnson, who
has been in charge of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) since
independence in 2011. She talked to Al Jazeera about her decision to open up
the gates to people seeking protection.
Al Jazeera: On that day when the fighting started, civilians flocked to the
UN for sanctuary. How did you make the decision to let them in?
Hilde Johnson: The violence started quite late on December 15, so it was in
the early hours of December 16 when [UN] security sent me messages that
people were coming to our gates in big numbers. I think the first numbers
were 500, and then suddenly it started increasing and of course I took a
decision immediately that we have to open our gates.
We have a mandate to protect civilians at UNMISS and there have been
incidents in the past where gates have remained closed when civilians have
been in need of protection, and I've made it very clear to myself that's not
going to happen on my watch. So we opened the gates. What surprised us was
the numbers, because in a very short time it was increasing to thousands and
thousands and thousands of people in both locations in Juba.
Al Jazeera: How long will you care for these people for?
Johnson: We have no choice but to continue to give people protection. There
is no way we can force people out of our bases and compounds, so we are now
at a rush against time. The rains are coming
<http://www.aljazeera.com/video/africa/2014/03/south-sudan-refugees-could-fa
ce-catastrophe-20143145292961621.html> much earlier than expected, we were
expecting to have maybe three to four weeks more to prepare for this very
tough situation and we're extremely concerned about the fate of the
displaced civilians in our camps, because this is not an environment fit for
protecting so many people over such a long time. We have humanitarian
partners working around the clock to assist.
We're trying to develop sites that can be ready and be better and give more
space, and also to move to the other site here in Juba, which has more
space, but it is a rush against time - it is really a desperate situation.
Al Jazeera: The UN has been accused of harbouring rebels or former soldiers
at these camps, as well as of assisting opposition leader Riek Machar and
his family. What do you say to that?
Johnson: These are baseless accusations. Firstly, UNMISS and the UN is
guided by international humanitarian law. It is our obligation to protect
civilians that are in need of protection but are fleeing for their lives
<http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/02/run-south-sudan-201422511
5912195160.html> whatever their circumstances are. And the minute people
come to our gates - leaving uniforms, weapons if any are ex-combatants -
they become civilians and under international humanitarian law, have the
right to protection the minute they enter our gates.
That is the situation. We have not in any way supported or given refuge to
Riek Machar or his family. In this context, these accusations and
allegations are totally baseless and I have repeatedly refuted them. We have
now a situation where in all crises and conflicts and trouble like this -
the UN usually is blamed for a lot of things. We are now facing criticism
and blame from both sides and my thinking then is: If we're facing criticism
from both sides, we're probably doing something right.
Al Jazeera: On the subject of the camps, given what happened and the fact
that people do look like they're going to stay for a long time, if you had
to take the decision again would you make the same one?
Johnson: I would not be able to face the mirror if I were not to say "open
the gates". We have no choice in situations like this than to give people
protection. The alternative would be, in the situation they were in, that
they would be killed. I think that's clear to most of the South Sudanese in
this country. So we saved thousands of people's lives and we will in any
alternative scenario, I would have done the same.
http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2014/3/24/2014324113634991580_20.jpg
'I took a decision immediately that we have to open our gates,' says the
UN's Hilde Johnson [Reuters]
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