South Sudan: The OCHA Report of February 2018 shows that the state systematically does crimes against humanity!

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report on South Sudan on the 23rd February 2018 to the Human Rights Council. It has some striking finds that the OCHA has been able to collect from the recent events in the Republic of South Sudan. These should not go unnoticed as the misuse of force and power, should be questioned. That the government and war-lords are continuing to salvage whatever left and spending their time on their power, instead of building a nation.

This report is spelling out devious attempts to control power and also vicious malicious acts against humanity. That should not be left in the blind. Maybe the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army – In Government (SPLM/A-IG) doesn’t want this out, neither does the President Salva Kiir Mayardiit. The OCHA reports shows this and therefore, the continuation of the civil war are reasons for all of this.

Civilians Attacked:

Evidence shows that the SPLA has launched attacks directed against the civilian population where no opposition armed forces have been present to justify a military attack, and has intentionally killed unarmed and fleeing civilians in the incidents investigated by the Commission. The consistent narrative that emerges from these attacks against civilians and intentional killings is that they have been undertaken in retaliation for battlefield losses or killings of SPLA soldiers by opposition forces, or because civilians have been perceived to be sympathetic to the opposition due to their ethnicity or their place of residence in an opposition controlled area” (OCHA, P: 5, 2018).

Sexual and Gender Based Violence:

The Commission paid special attention to sexual and gender-based violence which remains a central feature of the conflict. The Commission documented many accounts of rape, gang rape, forced stripping or nudity, forced sexual acts, castration and mutilation of genitalia, which were perpetrated by the SPLA, the Mathiang Anyoor, National Security Services personnel and Military Intelligence, as well as SPLA-IO, during military attacks in Greater Upper Nile, the Equatorias and Greater Bahr el Ghazal” (OCHA, P: 6, 2018).

Recruiting Child Soldiers:

Confidential documents received by the Commission showed extensive presence of children among the SPLA and SPLA-IO (TD) forces in Upper Nile. The Commission also observed children associated with armed forces and armed groups in Eastern and Central Equatorias, on the West Bank of the Nile, and in Western Bahr el Ghazal, some as young as twelve years old. Children told the Commission of being abducted from outside their homes and schools, and of voluntarily joining armed forces and groups to protect themselves and their families. Some children were forced to kill civilians or loot, and were subjected to corporal punishment if they did not obey orders. A recent report by the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) (2018/2) suggests that “the recruitment and employment of ‘child soldiers’ goes on throughout the country.” (OHCA, P: 6, 2018).

Extra-Judicial Killings in Yei:

The Commission received numerous reports of extra-judicial killing of civilians, particularly of young men suspected of supporting the SPLA-IO. SPLA soldiers also repeatedly abducted civilians who were later found dead. UNMISS Human Rights Division documented the killing of 114 civilians by pro-Government forces around Yei between mid-July 2016 and mid-January 2017, pointing out that the actual number of fatalities and injuries is likely to be much higher” (OHCA, P: 7, 2018).

Crimes in the Pajok:

The Commission finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the SPLA intentionally directed attacks against the civilian population and deliberately killed civilians in Pajok on 3 April 2017. Furthermore, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the SPLA engaged in systematic looting and theft of private property either for personal or organisational use in the aftermath of the attack. The SPLA attack on civilians in Pajok in 2017 directly led to the displacement of nearly the entire population of the town” (OHCA, P: 10, 2018).

Crimes in the Wau:

The Commission finds reasonable grounds to believe that SPLA soldiers engaged in killings of civilians, and looting and destruction of private property in Wau town on 24-25 June 2016 and killings of civilians in Wau town on 10 April 2017. These amount to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity” (OHCA, P: 11, 2018).

Crimes in the West Bank:

Based on the evidence collected, the Commission finds reasonable grounds to believe that SPLA soldiers deliberately killed civilians and extensively looted and destroyed civilian property during their ground offensive along the West bank of the Nile in 2017. The evidence provides reasonable grounds to believe that the SPLA directed attacks against the civilian population. These amount to serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity” (OHCA, P: 12, 2018).

Crimes in Pagak:

The Commission finds reasonable grounds to believe that SPLA soldiers engaged in killings of civilians, rape and other forms of conflict-related sexual violence, theft or pillage, and destruction of civilian and humanitarian objects in Mathiang, Maiwut, and Pagak and the surrounding villages and areas during its offensive in south-eastern Upper Nile in 2017. The evidence provides reasonable grounds to believe that the SPLA directed attacks against the civilian population” (OHCA, P: 14, 2018).

This is just the collection of the evidence that the OCHR has, and surely there are more stories not told, because of fear or because the people who flee from the battleground couldn’t speak of the violence. The assessment of the matter, is that this report is only preliminary, as the state are muffling the voices of discontent and tried to silence the local media. So we know that the UN OHCA has collected a good dose of evidence and documentation, that can verify the violations against human rights and humanitarian laws. That the state and army together in the violations, also the militias who are doing their part too.

That the SPLA has been a common denominator many parts of the Republic, should also worry as the state sanctioned violence is the reason for lots of the crimes against humanity. That they have attacked directly the ones they are supposed to defend and secure the citizens. They should not be known for terrorizing and destroying the society for the gains of the President. That is just wrong. Peace.

Reference:

Office for Coordination Human Rights (OCHR) Commission – ‘Report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan’ (23.02.2018)

South Sudan Civil Society Forum surprised by Minister’s Comment on Economy boom (25.02.2018)

South Sudan: “Re- Suspected Case of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Against Some Members of the Ghana FPU Contigent with UNMISS – South Sudan” (25.02.2018)

South Sudan: Equatorian Leaders in the Diaspora applauds the stand of the Oppostion Groups at the recent Peace Talks in Addis Ababa (22.02.2018)

South Sudan Civil Society Forum: High-Level Revitalization Forum could have achieved more than it did (20.02.2018)

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – “The Status of the Ongoing IGAD led – High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF)” (19.02.2018)

South Sudan – SPLM/A-IO: “SPLM/A (IO) leaders in the US Condemn the mockery of Justice in the case of James Gatdet Dak, Call on IGAD and the international community to immediatly intervene” (19.02.2018)

South Sudan: The Opposition Groups – HLRF of ARCSS – “Postion of the Opposition Group” (16.02.2018)

South Sudan: Civil Society Delegates – “Citizen’s Appeal for Peace at the High-Level Revitalization Forum” (15.02.2018)

Sudan – South Sudan: Great Equatoria Conference – “Resolution of the First-Ordinary Equatoria Conference” (09.02.2018)