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MALAKAL – Communities across Upper Nile continue to suffer immense harm from escalating conflict, severe food insecurity, and the strain of hosting most of the 1.1 million people who have fled across the border from the war in neighboring Sudan. 

Despite the best efforts of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, humanitarian partners, and local authorities, the situation continues to deteriorate. A driving factor of conflict and a source of great concern for affected communities is the lack of accountability. 

When civil war erupted in 2013, many police posts, courts, judicial residences and prisons were destroyed or left to fall into severe disrepair.

Knowing they have little hope of receiving justice because of the absence of a formal system and infrastructure, many civilians take the law into their own hands, leading to revenge killings, destruction of property and livelihoods, and displacement.

To help rebuild the formal judicial system, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (17�Թ���) has launched several initiatives, including constructing a new court and judicial residence in Malakal, five court rooms in Renk, and deploying a mobile court. 

“If people have a case, rather than taking it into their own hands, they must take it to the police to handle and the law will then take its course in court,” says 17�Թ��� Head of the Field Office in Malakal, Alfred Orono Orono. 

“Our top priority is to work with government, our partner for peace, to bring peace to this region by empowering the rule of law system to ensure everyone has access to justice.” 

Through an implementing partner, Humanitarian Organization for Empowerment, the peacekeeping mission has now built an additional prosecutor’s residence, which will support more effective and efficient execution of duties. 

Previously, office space and residences were shared by police and legal officers, posing challenges in terms of impartial and transparent preparation of prosecutions and court proceedings.

“Sharing offices made it much harder to carry out our individual responsibilities. These new spaces will also help the judges we are expecting from Juba to settle in and take on their responsibilities serving the people of Upper Nile,” explains Nyanagun Arop Mony Kuach, the Head of Legal Administration.

While these improvements seem small in the face of seemingly overwhelming challenges, every step taken towards justice and accountability helps to prevent violence and build the peace that these communities have been craving for far too long.