By James Lokong Augustine
The Civil society network in Eastern Equatoria State has accused the United Nations Mission in South Sudan Torit Field Office for lack of coordination and working relationship
The State Coordinator for Civil Society in Eastern Equatoria State Charles Onen Lokwaruk stated that UNMISS activities are causing division and conflict within the civil society network in the state
He says despite numerous attempts to settle the matter, nothing materialized
Onen blames UNMISS for working with politicians to influence decisions of civil society in the state
“our working relationship with UNMISS Torit Field Office is not smooth we as civil society since 2022 we have tryied to address this matter so that we have smooth working relationship but it has not worked.”
Charles Onen also accuses the office of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for also partly causing confusion and division in civil society leadership
He says that UNMISS together with RRC office are working parallel with the administration of Civil Society
“we want also to categorically mention that the office of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission of Eastern Equatoria State is partly playing a very critical role in causing confusion, conflicts and dividing Civil Society together with UNMISS in Eastern Equatoria State and for this matter, we have been participating in attending meetings with Special Representative of the Secretary General Mr. Haysom and there was no problem but from the fourth coming to the fifth meeting with special representative of the UN Secretary in this country we have seen things change, the UNMISS together with Relief and Rehabilitation Commission have hijack the leadership role of civil society and continue to work parallel with rightful administration of the civil Society network of Eastern Equatoria”
The state coordinator for civil society says they are not going to participate in any activities of UNMISS until the issue is addressed
we in civil society we are not going to participate in any activities of UNMISS until the matter is addressed, we are not going to participate in the coming meeting with Special Representative which is slated on 6th of March 2024 because UNMISS has decided to work with sections of civil society out of leadership of civil society network of Eastern Equatoria.”
“Stated around August last year they do not come to our office they now decided to work with the chairman of State Relief and rehabilitation, he is the cause of the problem, they have isolated themselves and working with former chairperson of civil society who is already out of office and I have evidence of a number of time they have interacted in term of written document”
The speaker made the remarks to the press on Friday