Statement by Mr. Ken Maskall, Officer in Charge, Director of Operations for UNICEF Southern Sudan Area Programme on killings in Western Equatoria
JUBA, June 18 - UNICEF strongly condemns the killing on June 16 of officials from the Western Equatoria State Ministry of Education by suspected rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army near Tambura County in Western Equatoria State.
UNICEF calls upon regional governments and members of the international community to quickly bring to justice the perpetrators of this atrocious act and to put in place measures to ensure acts of this heinous nature are not repeated in Southern Sudan. Justice is cheapened for all when leaders fail to act against injustices carried out in their midst.
Among those murdered were officials from the Western Equatoria State Ministry of Education, namely; William Baabe, Director of Non-Governmental Organization Co-ordination and Alternative Education and his colleague Gabriel Makana, Director of Planning.
The two officials were instrumental in the implementation of UNICEF-supported projects focused on advancing education for children in Western Equatoria State. UNICEF looks to authorities at State and Government of Southern Sudan levels to recognize this sacrifice so as to encourage others in Southern Sudan to continue their work in helping others.
UNICEF sends its condolences to the families of Mr. Baabe and Mr. Makana and to the families of all others who were killed during this atrocity. UNICEF is also concerned with the children and women who were abducted during this attack and calls for their safe and swift release.
Ken Maskall
Officer in Charge, Director of Operations
UNICEF Southern Sudan Area Programme
For more information, please contact:
Valentina Rios, Officer-in-charge, Media & External Relations UNICEF Sudan,
Mobile+249 (0) 912174640, Email: ovrios@unicef.org.
Douglas Armour, Communications Manager UNICEF Southern Sudan Area programme, Juba
Mobile+ (256) (0) 477 256 717, + (249) (0) 913 143 481, Email: darmour@unicef.org.
Swangin Bismarck, Communication officer UNICEF Southern Sudan Area programme, Juba
Mobile: +249(0) 919 261 580, +256(0) 477 103 390: Email: bswangin@unicef.org.