By Baraka John
The Civil society organizations in Western Equatoria State are calling for the reinstatement of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Tambura County, citing growing fears among civilians following the withdrawal of peacekeepers from the area.
The Chairperson of the Civil Society Network in Western Equatoria State, Wanga Emmanuel, on Wednesday led a group of CSOs to meet Governor Daniel Badagbu to present their concern. Emmanuel urged the state government to urgently address the security concerns facing communities, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in camps in Tambura.
Emmanuel told the governor that many residents now feel vulnerable after the departure of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which had been providing early warning systems and protection for civilians during attacks.
“The people in Tombura are living in fear because UMISS has been providing early warning and even protection when there are attacks”. Emmanuel stated, “Because you know our SSPDF, though they are also protecting, there are some elements still among them that do not make their work highly trusted by the civil population”.
Meanwhile, Tambura County Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) Coordinator Lucy Edward said the government troops have been deployed to provide general security in the area.
However, she explained that soldiers are mainly stationed in their barracks and around IDP camps, while civilians often travel to their farms on their own without escort.
“Since UNMISS left Tombura up to now, the soldiers [SSPDF] are not protecting them [IDPs] to their farms”. Edward stated, “They are just protecting the communities in camps where they are living. Even they [SSPDF] are in their place in the barracks, they are just living there”.
The call for renewed peacekeeping efforts comes as local authorities seek new measures to stabilize the region. Recently, the Governor of Western Equatoria State, Daniel Badagbu, announced plans to establish mobile government offices in conflict-affected counties to rebuild confidence and promote peace.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan began closing its base in Tambura on January 8, relocating equipment and vehicles to Yambio.
The drawdown is part of broader efforts by the United Nations to reduce peacekeeping operations in some areas due to severe global funding constraints. The contingency plan linked to budget cuts aims to reduce overall peacekeeping spending by about 15 percent.
Despite the reductions, the United Nations Security Council in May 2025 extended the UNMISS mandate for another year, maintaining a ceiling of 17,000 troops and 2,101 police officers.
Tambura County has experienced recurring ethnic clashes since mid-2021. The violence has caused widespread destruction of homes, massive displacement of civilians, and an ongoing humanitarian crisis in parts of Western Equatoria State.