Ayod commissioner warns NGOs will be ‘answerable’ if they fail to return

JUBA — A local official in South Sudan’s Jonglei State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for humanitarian agencies to return to their bases or face unspecified consequences, just days after aid workers fled into the bush to escape security forces who seized their vehicle.

Ayod County Commissioner James Chuol Jiek ordered all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to report to the county headquarters by Monday, claiming the security situation had stabilized.

“I am writing to formally address your respective offices to return back to the county headquarter within 48 hours,” the commissioner said in a letter addressed to the humanitarian workers.

“The government of Ayod county officially issued this argent call to all NGOs whom their bases in the county headquarter to report within the above mentioned hours without delay because the security situation in the town has now become very safe and calm like usual,” the letter added.

He warned that any organization failing to comply would be held responsible for their absence.

“You are all ask not to hesitate for any situation and any one of you who will fail not to report his or her base to the county headquarter will be answerable for the absence of his or her NGO,” the letter added.

The directive follows a chaotic incident early Wednesday when aid workers from Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were forced to flee Ayod town.

According to relief staff, Commissioner Jiek entered their compound at 1:00 a.m., warning of an imminent attack by opposition forces and advising them to evacuate.

However, as the workers attempted to leave, security forces linked to the commissioner reportedly seized their vehicle, forcing them to scatter into the surrounding bush where they remained in hiding.

In his letter on Saturday, Jiek accused the aid groups of leaving “without information from the county government,” despite the earlier confrontation.

The standoff comes amid heightened tension between humanitarian agencies and local authorities in the remote, flood-prone region. The United States recently suspended aid to Ayod County, citing “continued abuse and obstruction” by officials.

Civil society groups have condemned the seizure of aid assets. Ter Manyang Gatwech,  a prominent civil society leader who is also a native of Ayod Couty, described the commissioner’s actions as an “abuse of authority” rather than a legitimate security measure.

Aid agencies warn that such intimidation risks cutting off life-saving support to thousands of civilians in an area already grappling with food insecurity and sporadic conflict between government troops and the opposition SPLA-IO.

Commissioner Jiek did not immediately respond to requests for clarification regarding what measures would be taken against NGOs that fail to meet the deadline.