On Friday, the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) and the Nile Institute for Human Rights Studies (NIHRS), called for an independent investigation into the killings of civilians in the Bentiu Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Unity State, saying the violence could have been prevented through professional policing and dialogue.
The appeal comes after a clash at the Bentiu PoC on Thursday left nine people dead and 29 others injured following the arrest of Taban Puol, a self-proclaimed Ngundeng Bong prophet, by SSPDF forces.
In a joint statement, the groups said the killings raise serious concerns over the conduct of the security operation and called for an independent investigation to establish what happened and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
The groups also urged authorities to respect religious freedoms guaranteed under Article 23 of South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution of 2011, as amended, and called for responsible leadership in handling sensitive issues involving religious groups and civilians.
“Unity State leadership must learn from past human rights violations, abuses and ensure citizens are treated with dignity and respect,” the groups emphasized, urging authorities to use dialogue and professional policing to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Bentiu PoC hosts more than 100,000 civilians displaced by conflict in Unity State, making the latest violence particularly concerning for residents who depend on the site for protection.
The incident has renewed calls for authorities to exercise caution when conducting security operations in displacement sites and to engage community leaders before taking actions that could trigger confrontation.