The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) through its UN Police component handed over a renovated Community Police Committee’s (CPC) detention center.

UNISFA Senior Police Advisor Ms Mary Gahonzire (DCGP) handed-over the completed detention center to the Paramount Chief of Ngok Dinka, Mr Bulabek Deng Kuol, on 26 July 2018. Complete with offices, separate cells for women and men and a secured verandah that can be used as an exercise arena, the building will ease overcrowding of inmates and enable proper classification and separation. 

Speaking at the handover ceremony UNISFA’s SPA emphasized the issue of respect for human rights reiterating that the detention center should be more reformatory than punishment. She further asserted, “as a community it is our responsibility to ensure that when inmates are released, the society benefits from them.” 

SPA Gahonzire highlighted during her speech that the community leadership should consider non-custodial sentences for young offenders and petty cases as incarceration will harden them if they are mixed with hardcore criminals like robbers and murderers.

Speaking at the same occasion the Paramount Chief applauded UNISFA Agencies, specifically IOM for the renovation. He thanked the officers of UNPOL for taking their plight to IOM and acknowledged the advice by the SPA.

Additionally, the Paramount Chief expressed his gratitude to UNISFA indicating that they had in so many ways fought for people’s rights. “Training programs by UNPOL to CPCs and the kind gesture presented today will go a long way in improving the lives of the people in Abyei,” the Paramount Chief emphasized.

More photos