Lawmaker warns of humanitarian catastrophe in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria

By Simon Deng

The security situation in Tambura County of Western Equatoria State is continuing to deteriorate leaving thousands of people displaced, said Anthony Lino Makana, the former speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.

“What is happening is quite appalling to say the least, lives have been lost, thousands of people displaced and properties destroyed, this has never happened before even during the entire period of the 21-year civil war,” Makana said in a statement issued on Thursday.

He warned of dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Tambura if the violence is not brought to an end.

“The scale and gravity of these attacks mark worrying escalation of violence, I should state clearly that violence is not the solution to the challenges facing Tambura County or any other part of South Sudan,” he said.

Makana noted that the violence happening in Tambura is overwhelming and dreadful, calling on both the state and national government to intervene to restore order in the restive County.

“I stand against violence and the displacement of the people from their ancestral land. I urge the security at both state and national levels to quickly intervene and ensure that innocent civilians are protected,” he added.