JUBA, South Sudan.
Sept 22, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —- At least five women have reported that they were raped by ten men in Army uniform on their way to United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s Protection of civilians’ site (POCs) from the Custom market on Friday evening.
Three women said that attackers came from the bushy area in pair and took them at gunpoint to nearby bush and raped them.
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One of the victims, who revealed this report to Nyamilepedia, said that the attackers were twenty five in number.
The victim, who declined her name to be published, said three gunmen raped each victim.
The victim, who spoke while in tears, said that Friday, Sept 16, “was a bad day for all of us in POC, fighting was in POC, we were raped on the same day by the same people.”
The victim narrated that on their way, the gunmen said they would drop them off at the Checkpoint but “unfortunately they took us somewhere else which is so bushy; then every one of them took one of us”
“The soldiers raped us all, we slept there under the trees and in the following morning on Saturday, they dropped us to the Checkpoint and we all entered into the UNMISS’s POC and attackers were still in army uniform,” the Victim said.
Mary Nyamakal Chan, Gender Community representative at the UNMISS POC told Nyamilepedia investigators that rape cases are becoming rampant, many times women and girls who reside in UNMISS POC have always been reporting such incidents but no action has been taken by Government or the UN Agencies.
“In month of August this year, over ten cases of rape reported on their ways from markets or buying some food items,” Nyamakal said.
She added that none of the offenders has been brought to book as they know that rape is an offense and punishable in accordance to the South Sudanese laws.
Ater Jok Wour, a Check police Post officer; told Nyamile Press that he did not seen any report yet concerning these specific issues but as per check point they have many reports on difference cases including rape, but none of the complainant came forward to them to report to police.
“Let complainants come to us and we will take them to Munuki or Malakia police station for legal procedures and such offenders will be arrested,” Jok said.
Attempts to reach the UNMISS to speak out on these incidents were not returned.
As police and security brutality continue to increase in South Sudan capital, Juba, many aid workers and government officials decline to speak out on sensitive cases like rapes due to fear of reprisal.
A call to SPLA Headquarters was returned by the army Spokesman, Brig. Lul Ruai Koang, however, he denied any knowledge about the incident.
“sir and I’m yet to find out. I’ve no information. I’ve to find out from our authorities at Checkpoint.” Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told journalists.
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