In a Juba-based radio station report seen by NCMP, Authorities in the Pibor Administrative Area have urged humanitarian organizations that have recently withdrawn to resume operations in the area.
Following attack threats from local youth, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs evacuated over 70 humanitarian workers from Pibor earlier this month.
On 4 October, a letter purportedly from a Pibor youth group demanded that at least 30 humanitarian personnel leave the area within 72 hours.
The youth group accused humanitarian workers from other parts of the country of filling positions they claimed belonged to the local community.
Local youth also demanded that 80 percent of their jobs be filled by local and international organizations.
Speaking in the Eye Radio report, chief Administrator Lokoli Ame Bullen assured all humanitarian organizations operating in Greater Pibor of full protection in a two-page document dated October 15th.
“After negotiations with the youth, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area government would like to assure you of the security stability in the area,” the statement reads in part.
“As we address the concerns raised by youth, we will provide you with security and safety.”
This latest incident of youth interference is said to have hampered response operations for over 100,000 of the most vulnerable people in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
Humanitarians have been threatened and attacked by youth in Renk, Upper Nile, and Torit, Eastern Equatoria, among other places, since the beginning of the year.
As a result of these attacks, humanitarian operations were halted and workers were relocated.
