State Launches Investigations Into Looting Of NGO Stores

This article was last updated on May 25, 2022

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The Jonglei State Acting Governor, Diing Akol has said that investigations are on process to trace out those who looted from MSF and INTERSOS stores.

“We are still investigating that with the county commissioner and brigade commander in Pibor together with Division 8 commander to find out what was happening,” Diing told Gurtong on Monday.

Diing said that they have no clear information about what led to the looting of NGOs stores, whether they were looted because they deserted or they fear about security situation in the county.

“We believe it was out of fear and we are putting measures now in town, we have talked with the commander of division 8 and the forces in Pibor so that they strengthen the security around the town,” he said.

He said that if they are from organized forces their names will be in the record book of their units adding they will be brought to book once the situation normalizes.

Akol said there was a rumour circulating among the civil population in Pibor town about Yau Yau attacks and the civil population is now in fear.

“My message is that UN agencies and NGOs should collaborate and communicate with South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) in the state and the government authority in the county and the state level to give them update of the security situation on the grounds, instead of listening to what is given to them from outside,” he advised.

The humanitarian agencies reported on Sunday that their Stores have been looted by the SPLA in Pibor County.

They said uniformed men ransacked and looted a hospital and premises of French aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The men also “flattened” premises of the Italian aid agency INTERSOS and raided UN stores in Pibor town late on Saturday and Sunday.

“The SPLA (army) went to INTERSOS and looted things there and then went to the World Food Programme and looted,” Beko Konyi, coordinator for the state-run Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Pibor county, said.

An MSF source said its hospital in Pibor was also ransacked.

Other international aid workers pulled out of Pibor on Friday over concerns about a possible rebel attack and rains cutting them off.