
OCHA – South Sudan: Humanitarian Coordinator condemns grave consequences for Civilians of fighting in Wau (02.07.2016)





Civil servant and government representatives continue negotiations over salary payment delays for the army, police, teachers and others. Govt cites slower-than-expected growth and cash flow problems. George Mushipe of the Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union said the delays were unfair. (AFPTV)

NEW YORK, United States of America, June 27, 2016 – The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the current escalation of violence between the Sudan’s People Liberation Army (SPLA) and armed groups, in Wau town and surrounding areas, in South Sudan. He regrets the reported loss of lives.
The Secretary-General calls on all fighting forces to immediately suspend the hostilities, provide access to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and cooperate with humanitarian partners to facilitate the delivery of assistance. He urges all parties to agree to dialogue to resolve their political disputes.
The Secretary-General commends UNMISS and the Humanitarian Country Team for taking pro-active steps to protect fleeing civilians outside their base in Wau. UNMISS is in the process of deploying additional capabilities to the area to be able to address possible contingencies.

JUBA, South Sudan, June 27, 2016 – UNMISS is continuing to provide protection to approximately 10,000 civilians in Wau, following the outbreak of violence. At this time, UNMISS military forces have created a security cordon around an area adjacent to the UN base and peacekeepers are conducting active patrolling to ensure the safety of the displaced civilians within this area. This area is currently secure and humanitarian partners are providing basic assistance to the displaced people. UNMISS is currently negotiating with the SPLA for access to Wau town to conduct additional patrols to protect the civilian population in the town.
UNMISS wishes to clarify that opening its gates are not a first line of response in the protection of civilians. Opening the gates is an exceptional measure of last resort to be undertaken only when all other means of protection have been exhausted. UN bases are not designed to serve as shelters for displaced populations. At this time, UNMISS is continuing to provide a secure environment for those displaced by the violence in Wau adjacent to its base. UNMISS will consider additional measures in line with its mandate should the security situation deteriorate further.


“Zimbabwe will delay paying June salaries for its army and security services by two weeks. [TAKE VO] Additionally, some civil servants will not be paid until next month as the government struggles to raise money for wages. Zimbabwe spends more than 80 percent of its budget on salaries. The finance minister has come out to say that this amount needs to be halved” (CCTV Africa, 2016).
