IDPs in Juba PoC call for government action amid Rising Insecurity

The youth representative of the community watch group (CWG) at the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, Tot Both Dayiem has called on the government to respond to escalating insecurity in the camp.
Youth representative of the community watch group in Juba PoC, Tot Both Dayiem, speaks during an interview (Photo by Jenifer James)

By Jenifer James

The youth representative of the community watch group (CWG) at the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, Tot Both Dayiem has called on the government to respond to escalating insecurity in the camp.

“The situation is worsening every day, and we live in constant fear. At night, we hear gunshots, and we sometimes see armed individuals or men in uniform whose affiliation is unclear. We don’t know who they are or where they come from, it’s terrifying,” said Dayiem in an interview last week.

The Juba PoC has been experiencing violent incidents since December 2024.

The PoC site had been relatively safe under the protection of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) prior to it’s withdrawal, according to Dayiem.

However, since its handover to government control in 2020, security conditions have dramatically worsened.

Dayiem expressed the community’s growing anxiety, noting that despite the government’s claims of control over the PoC, the violence persists without any clear response.

“We can no longer sleep peacefully. The gunfire is constant, and there’s no one in charge of the situation,” he disclosed.

Dayiem noted many youths in the PoC feel abandoned by the government, believing that it has failed to provide adequate protection.

“We are South Sudanese citizens, but it feels as though the government has forgotten us.The government says we should feel safe, but the on-going violence, looting, and robberies tell a very different story,” he revealed.

Paulino Lukudu Obede, Deputy Governor of Central Equatoria State, while commenting on the situation in the PoC, warned those responsible for the violence would face severe penalties, including imprisonment in remote states like Eastern Equatoria and Warrap.

Lukudu acknowledged the rising insecurity and promised that it would be a primary focus at the upcoming security meeting, where solutions will be sought to address the escalating challenges.

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