SSYR Condemns SSPDF Raid on UN Food Aid in Upper Nile
For Immediate Release
South Sudan Youth Reforms (SSYR) strongly condemns the reckless and shameful actions of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers who raided a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) boat in New Fangak, Upper Nile State on September 7. This act of looting represents not only a direct assault on the humanitarian lifeline for our people but also a profound betrayal of public trust by those entrusted with national security.
❌ A Pattern of Abuse and Neglect
This incident is not isolated. It is part of a worsening pattern of looting, rent-seeking, and obstruction of aid by armed groups and government officials, as also recognized by international partners. Such acts have left thousands of civilians in Upper Nile and beyond on the brink of famine.
The fact that the stolen food was later replaced does not erase the crime. It highlights a system where aid is exploited and manipulated at the expense of the most vulnerable—women, children, and the elderly who rely on food aid for survival.
🚨 Humanitarian Emergency in Upper Nile
- Communities in Upper Nile face a growing risk of famine.
- More than 30 aid workers abducted in 2025 alone, making South Sudan one of the most dangerous countries for humanitarian operations.
- Denial of humanitarian access has become a deliberate tool of control, weaponizing hunger against innocent people.
📣 SSYR’s Position
- We condemn the SSPDF and hold the Juba regime directly responsible for enabling such lawlessness.
- We demand that those responsible be prosecuted and removed from active duty.
- We call on the international community, UN, AU, and IGAD to hold South Sudanese leaders accountable for this disgraceful pattern of humanitarian obstruction.
- We demand immediate, unhindered access for humanitarian agencies to reach the people of Upper Nile and all underserved regions.
The SSPDF’s duty is to defend the nation—not to starve it. The Juba regime’s complicity in destroying the lives of its own people is intolerable. SSYR will continue to stand with the people of Upper Nile and across South Sudan in demanding justice, dignity, and access to aid.