Benue State University, Makurdi

Humanitarian Intervention and Protection of Civilians in South Sudan

Celestine Okechukwu Nwosu

Abstract

The protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas is the primary objective of contemporary humanitarian intervention and peacekeeping operations. South Sudan achieved independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of armed conflicts and Civil wars. In 2013, the first Civil War in South Sudan broke out, resulting in an unprecedented number of refugees seeking protection in neighbouring countries and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) seeking protection in United Nations Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites. Utilizing secondary data and anchored on the humanitariandevelopment approach of humanitarian intervention, this paper assessed the role of UNMISS in the protection of the civilian population and established that while the intervention was justified in the first place given that the South Sudanese State itself is involved as warring party, the study underscored that UNMISS was more effective in protecting the civilians populations within the protection of civilian sites than those outside the camps. The recommendations are that to ensure the full protection for South Sudanese, the disputing parties must work towards peace and the end of the conflict to guarantee safe environment for human rights; ensure the full implementation of the peace process and the restoration of legitimate and good governance will enhance the better protection of the civilian population in South Sudan; and while the conflict is ongoing, put in place more coordinated measures to protect civilian populations living in remote areas affected by conflict.

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