Senior United Nations Human Rights Official Condemns Deplorable Rights Situation in South Sudan, Calls for Perpetrators to be Held to Account (17.02.2017)

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During his visit, Gilmour also travelled to Malakal, where he received further information concerning the suffering of the civilian population in the area.

GENEVA, Switzerland, February 17, 2017 – At the end of a four-day visit to South Sudan, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for human rights, Andrew Gilmour, called for those committing  atrocity crimes in the country to be held accountable.

“This is a war that has been waged against the men, women and children of South Sudan,” he said. “And the only way of ending this onslaught will be when the perpetrators face consequences for what they are doing.”

Gilmour held meetings in Juba with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Minister of Information, the Chief of General Staff of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, the Director General of the National Security Service, representatives of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission, local authorities, religious leaders, United Nations and humanitarian partners, as well as non-governmental organizations, victims and civil society actors.

During his visit, Gilmour also travelled to Malakal, where he received further information concerning the suffering of the civilian population in the area.

“Although this is the fourth time I’ve been in South Sudan since 2011, I wasn’t prepared for the shocking devastation I witnessed in Malakal and even more by the clear pattern of systematic human rights violations and abuses suffered by the population,” Gilmour said.

He was informed of the appalling risks that women, now living under UN protection, are forced to take in order to be able to earn even the most meagre livelihood. When leaving the United Nations Mission in South Sudan protection of civilians site, they have been frequently subjected to rape by militias and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army on their route to the market in Malakal town. Rape and gang rape is present in the testimonies of numerous women in the area, though this was categorically denied by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army  Division Commander with whom Gilmour spoke.

“It is utterly abhorrent that women in this area have to choose between getting raped or getting a livelihood,” Gilmour said, “But this seems the brutal reality of what South Sudan has become.”
In March 2016, the United Nations human rights office issued a detailed report which documents the horrendous patterns of sexual violence in the country.  The report can be read here.
In his meetings with the authorities in Juba, Gilmour raised concerns about the unspeakable human rights situation throughout the territory. He urged the authorities to combat the worrying rise of hate speech and to do more to protect human rights defenders.

In his meeting with the Chief of General Staff of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, General Paul Malong, Gilmour emphasized the severe restrictions on access that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan faces when trying to protect civilians, provide humanitarian assistance and monitor the human rights situation in the country.

He stressed his concern that elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army had engaged in what could well amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. On the other hand he welcomed the recent start of United Nations human rights training for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the appointment of its focal points on conflict related sexual violence.

“Of course we know that until there’s peace in South Sudan, human rights will continue to be trampled,” the Assistant Secretary-General said. “But even during war, one can fight without routinely committing such needless acts of cruelty. And this is what we are calling on all parties – government and opposition – to do.”

Gilmour urged the Director General of the National Security Service to put an end to the practice of arbitrary and prolonged detention without charge, bring detainee before the courts, and allow them access to their lawyers and family.

He underlined to the Government authorities the absolute need to avoid reprisals and threats against human rights defenders who have cooperated with the United Nations. In this connection, he drew attention to a specific incident last September in which human rights defenders were threatened following the visit of the United Nations Security Council.

South Sudan: “SPLM-IO forces pursued the aggression and overran Nyinakok of Jur River in Western Bahr el Ghazal State” (16.02.2017)

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Just as the world is looking for another political process to end the ongoing war in South Sudan, the brutal and ruthless Juba regime has once again intensified its atrocious, ferocious and egregious abuses against the people of South Sudan. The ongoing mass killings, rapes, destruction, arbitrary arrests and displacement of people in and around Kubi in Oponi County of Eastern Equatoria State (CES) and Unity State is a stark reminder and a clear indication to the people of South Sudan, the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and indeed the international community that the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) as an executive arm of the Juba regime under Mr Salva Kiir Mayardit is more than ever committed to exterminating non-Dinka communities.

At the same time, the same brutal and ruthless Juba regime has now escalated its all-out and nationwide dry season offensive by burning down villages and attacking SPLA-IO positions and bases throughout South Sudan. In the afternoon of yesterday February 15, 2017, the Juba regime attacked the gallant SPLA-IO positions and bases in and around Jur River, Western Bahr el Ghazal State (WBS).

In response, the gallant SPLA-IO forces pursued the aggression and overran Nyinakok of Jur River in Western Bahr el Ghazal State (WBS). The fighting of yesterday Wednesday February 15, 2017 at 1:30PM left fifteen (15) soldiers, including three (3) officers, died. Following the intense fighting, the Luo young men and women that the Juba regime had apparently mobilised as vigilante groups and counterinsurgency units were eventually forced to join the gallant SPLA-IO forces in pursuit of the defeated and desperate Juba regime soldiers.

Indeed, Nyinakok and the entire Jur River are now under the full and complete control of the gallant SPLA-IO forces. In the same afternoon of yesterday Wednesday February 15, 2017, a squad of fifteen (15) Juba regime soldiers under the command of Capt. Simon Lam Yuol Joker and Sgt Gai Muot (MO) abandoned its Raja base and reported to the nearby SPLA-IO base in and around Raja, Western Bahr el Ghazal State (WBS). With them were two (2) PKM, one (1) RPG in addition to their individual AK47.

With the ongoing mass defection of Juba regime soldiers to the gallant SPLA-IO, the people of South Sudan have understood why South Sudan is not at all the property of the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) and why the Juba regime must go now rather than later. Therefore the SPLA-IO would like to one more time remind the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and indeed the international community that the Juba regime is the problem, a threat to peace and stability in the region and hence must be isolated for peace and stability to return in South Sudan.

By Col. William Gatjiath Deng
Spokesperson for SPLA-IO

UNMISS SRSG describes situation of displaced people in Upper Nile region as “real problem” (16.02.2017)

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South Sudan: Upper Nile Operations worrying (09.02.2017)

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On 8 February, UNMISS received reports of hostilities between the government SPLA and opposition forces in Owachi and Tonga, Panyinkang County.

JUBA, South Sudan, February 9, 2017 -Fighting in the west bank of the River Nile in the north of South Sudan has reached what the head of the UN mission in the country (UNMISS), David Shearer has described as “worrying proportions.”

What began with an exchange of fire between SPLA and Aguelek opposition forces, has expanded geographically. Military resupplies have since been observed arriving in the area.

Humanitarian workers have been evacuated and aid is not being provided

On 8 February, UNMISS received reports of hostilities between the government SPLA and opposition forces in Owachi and Tonga, Panyinkang County.

Military operations on the west bank of the Nile river are taking place in an area where people, predominantly from the Shilluk ethnic group live, forcing people out of their homes.

The town of Wau Shilluk town is now reported to be deserted.

Humanitarian workers have been evacuated and aid is not being provided.

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on the situation in South Sudan (07.02.2017)

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[New York, 7 February 2017] The Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed grave concern at the continued level of violence in several areas of South Sudan. “President Salva Kiir has made a commitment to end the violence and bring about peace, yet we still see ongoing clashes, and the risk that mass atrocities will be committed remains ever-present,” said the Special Adviser. The peace process has yet to be accompanied by a complete cessation of hostilities, undermining the likelihood that the National Dialogue proposed by the Government will be seen as credible.

More than 52,000 South Sudanese fled to Uganda in January alone, coming primarily from areas in and around Yei, Morobo, Lainya and Kajo-Keji. Some 24,000 arrived between 25 and 31 January, of which 4,500 arrived in a single day, on 28 January. Many have given accounts of the killing of civilians, destruction of homes, sexual violence, and looting of livestock and property, and cite fear of arrest and torture.

The Special Adviser is particularly alarmed at the situation in Kajo-Keji, Central Equatoria, (south of Juba), where civilians have fled in fear of violence en masse. The access of the United Nations peacekeeping mission to and around Kajo-Keji has reportedly been restricted despite the serious security situation, as peacekeepers were initially blocked from accessing the area.

The freedom of movement of residents has also reportedly been limited. Some have reportedly been instructed to leave Kajo-Keji. Others who fled their homes and moved towards the border area between South Sudan and Uganda were reportedly intercepted by government forces. Those seeking refuge report using a number of informal border crossing points to enter Uganda, as armed groups are preventing the use of major roads, forcing them to travel through the bush often without access to food and water.

Various areas in the Equatorias, among other regions, have been similarly targeted, and some 20,000 people were displaced from Wau Shilluk in Upper Nile in the last week, following violence that left many without emergency health care, safe drinking water, food and shelter.

In November 2016, the Special Adviser drew attention to the dire situation in Yei River State, following his visit to Yei River town, where credible information suggested that a scorched earth campaign was underway, targeting suspected opposition members and civilian communities believed by authorities to be their supporters. He reported the expulsion of farmers from their land, looting of property and burning of villages, as well as brutal violence against civilians.

Despite extensive discussions in the United Nations Security Council in November and December 2016 on a proposal to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan and increase targeted sanctions, agreement was not reached on either proposal.  In the meantime, weapons have continued to flow into the country.

In the margins of the January 2017 African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations in a joint statement expressed their deep concerns over the continuing spread of fighting and risk of inter-communal violence escalating into mass atrocities. “If South Sudan is to achieve peace,” the Special Adviser affirmed, “all belligerents must urgently cease hostilities and invest in the peace process to settle their differences, before the territorial fragmentation and destruction of the social fabric of this young country become irreversible.”

South Sudan: Gok State Minister John Marik Makur resigns from government as his efforts are thwarted!

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The Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) has yet again lost a state minister, as John Marik Makur has left his office in the Gok State. The reasons are underneath and the turmoil and uncertainty must be a reason for why State Ministers are leaving their offices in South Sudan. Here is his statement.

Gok State minsiter of Education, Gender and Social Welfare have resign. John Marik Makur said: “After having reviewed and evaluated over the past ten months as a minister; numerous aspects of our morale and constitutional responsibilities towards service delivery and development to our communities, which apparently not realized and mainly attributed to manners and ways of your leadership. Therefore, I concluded that my contributions and many vital projects developed by the institution (ministry of physical infrastructure) I led; were consistently not awarded or deliberately ignored and quite often were passed over or misdirected. Therefore, I felt to have sufficient grounds to honorably submit this resignation for no other reasons than personal convictions. It is also a great opportunity for your leadership to move on with new and energetic team so as to give our state a new light of hope for development and progress” (Manyang Mayom, 06.02.2017).

If he is the first of many, the ones already left the building, which is well-known where Dr. Lam Akol, he created his own rebellion and party under National Democratic Movement (NDM), as he has now turned from both Dr. Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir. Certainly, John Marik Makur must have other reasons for leaving the cabinet. There must be some internal inaccuracies and malfunctions from a man of his stature to leave.

So when a man like him feels like his efforts and work doesn’t matter, that should be a worry for the young nation as the loyalist to President Salva Kiir is the ones that staying behind, while the able ones are leaving their offices. This is a sign and should not be misunderstood; it should be interpreted in the ways of maladministration and mismanagement of funds. There is viable evidence and issues within, as the Enough Project report this year even suggest corrupt malpractice within the government. If so than the State Ministries who didn’t comply with the methods in the report would not get needed funds or even clear allocations. That is mere speculation, still we have to suggest that are reasons for why a State Minister resigns and give clear statement of feeling that his efforts didn’t matter. Peace.

Joint Troika Statement Welcoming AU, IGAD and UN Declaration on South Sudan (31.01.2017)

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South Sudan: Press statement on Malakal (30.01.2017)

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The Mission reiterates its call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and fully implement the peace agreement. 

JUBA, South Sudan, January 30, 2017 –

Statement Attributable to the Office of the Spokesperson, UNMISS:

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) remains deeply concerned about the outbreak of fighting between the SPLA and SPLA in Opposition in and around Malakal town, including intermittent shelling that has been reported over the last few days. UNMISS reports that on Sunday, the situation in the town remained tense.

The Mission continues to patrol regularly in Malakal and reports that the town is largely deserted.

The Mission reiterates its call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and fully implement the peace agreement.

UNMISS will continue to act within its capacity to protect South Sudanese civilians in imminent danger and calls on all parties to silence the guns to  enable the movement of humanitarian aid and personnel to affected areas.

Joint Press Statement by the AU, IGAD and the UN Consultations on South Sudan, January 29, 2017

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Joint Declaration by the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations on the Political Situation of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia (23.01.2017)

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ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commend the goodwill and statesmanship of His Excellency former President Jammeh, who with the greater interest of the Gambian people in mind, and in order to preserve the peace, stability and security of The Gambia and maintain its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the dignity of the Gambian people, has decided to facilitate an immediate peaceful and orderly transition process.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 23, 2017 –

1.    Following the Decision of the Summit of the ECOWAS Authority taken on 17th December 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria, Mediation efforts, including visits to Banjul, were undertaken by the Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, HE President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Mediator, HE  President Muhammadu Buhari and Co-Mediator on The Gambia, HE former President John Dramani Mahama, along with HE President Ernest Bai Koroma to mediate on the political impasse with Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh.

2.    Following further mediation efforts by HE President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and HE President Alpha Conde of the Republic of Guinea Conakry with HE Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, the former President of the Republic of The Gambia, and in consultation with the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the Chairperson of the African Union and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, this declaration is made with the purpose of reaching a peaceful resolution to  the political situation in The Gambia.

3.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commend the goodwill and statesmanship of His Excellency former President Jammeh, who with the greater interest of the Gambian people in mind, and in order to preserve the peace, stability and security of The Gambia and maintain its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the dignity of the Gambian people, has decided to facilitate an immediate peaceful and orderly transition process and transfer of power to President Adama Barrow in accordance with the Gambian constitution.

4.    In furtherance of this, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it assures and ensures the dignity, respect, security and rights of HE former President Jammeh, as a citizen, a party leader and a former Head of State as provided for and guaranteed by the 1997 Gambian Constitution and other Laws of The Gambia.

5.    Further, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it fully guarantees, assures and ensures the dignity, security, safety and rights of former President Jammeh’s immediate family, cabinet members, government officials, Security Officials and party supporters and loyalists.

6.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that no legislative measures are taken by it that would be inconsistent with the previous two paragraphs.

7.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN urge the Government of The Gambia to take all necessary measures to assure and ensure that there is no intimidation, harassment and/or witch-hunting of former regime members and supporters, in conformity with the Constitution and other laws of The Gambia.

8.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to prevent the seizure of assets and properties lawfully belonging to former President Jammeh or his family and those of his Cabinet members, government officials and Party supporters, as guaranteed under the Constitution and other Laws of The Gambia.

9.    In order to avoid any recriminations, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia on national reconciliation to cement social, cultural and national cohesion.

10.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN underscore strongly the important role of the Gambian Defence and Security Forces in the maintenance of peace and stability of The Gambia and commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it takes all appropriate measures to support the maintenance of the integrity of the [Defence and] Security Forces and guard against all measures that can create division and a breakdown of order.

11.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN will work to ensure that host countries that offer “African hospitality” to former President Jammeh and his family do not become undue targets of harassment, intimidation and all other pressures and sanctions.

12.    In order to assist a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power and the establishment of a new government, HE former President Jammeh will temporarily leave The Gambia on 21 January 2017, without any prejudice to his rights as a citizen, a former President and a Political Party Leader.

13.    ECOWAS, the AU and the UN will work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that former President Jammeh is at liberty to return to The Gambia at any time of his choosing in accordance with international human rights law and his rights as a citizen of the Gambia and a former head of state.

14.    Pursuant to this declaration, ECOWAS will halt any military operations in The Gambia and will continue to pursue peaceful and political resolution of the crisis.