United Nations demands justice for civilians deliberately and ruthlessly targeted in attacks in South Sudan (10.07.2018)

Civilians were targeted, with the elderly, people with disabilities and very young children killed in horrific acts of violence.

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 10, 2018 –  UN Human Rights monitors have documented what appear to be deliberate, ruthless and brutally violent attacks on civilians, particularly against women and children, by Government and aligned forces, as well as armed youth in parts of Unity State in South Sudan.

A report issued Tuesday documents acts that constitute gross violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law – that may amount to war crimes. The investigation has also identified three individuals who may bear the greatest responsibility for the violations committed. One of them was reportedly removed from his functions for his alleged implication in these violations.

The violence took place after clashes between the SPLA and associated forces, and SPLA-IO (RM) in Unity State culminated in a significant military operation by Government and associated forces between April and May in multiple areas in southern Unity. The military offensive was part of a broader cycle of violence in which opposition forces also carried out armed attacks resulting in civilian casualties.

The investigation by UN Human Rights monitors found that between 16 April and 24 May, at least 232 civilians were killed and many more injured in attacks by Government and aligned forces and armed youth on villages in opposition-controlled areas in Mayendit and Leer.

Civilians were targeted, with the elderly, people with disabilities and very young children killed in horrific acts of violence – some hung from trees and others burned alive in their homes, the investigation found.

Victims and witnesses described how SPLA and aligned forces would storm into villages in the early morning or around dawn, surround the village and start shooting at fleeing civilians. The attackers would then steal cattle, loot entire households and burn down houses and food stocks.

The report documents the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, with at least 120 women and girls raped or gang-raped, including children as young as four. One 20-year-old woman was still bleeding from childbirth when she was raped. Some of those who resisted were shot dead. At least 132 other women and girls were abducted.

The brutality and ruthlessness of the attackers, as described by survivors, suggests their intent was to take a “scorched-earth” approach, killing or forcibly displacing people, burning their crops and homes, punishing and terrorizing them to ensure they never return. Many fled under attack by gunfire and shelling.

“Some corpses seen by human rights monitors in villages in Northern Mayendit on 12 May exhibited bullet wounds in their backs,” the report states. “According to information received, the elderly, sick and persons with disabilities who were unable to flee, were often burnt alive, as the attackers set ablaze their tukuls with lighters.”

As a result, more than 5,000 sought sanctuary at UN protected sites in Leer and Bentiu. Another 8,000 are estimated to be hiding in bushes and swamps while 18,000 have sought refuge in Mayendit town. Humanitarian actors were also targeted. Three local aid workers were killed and facilities destroyed, leaving vulnerable people without desperately needed food, water, medicine and shelter.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called on the Government to halt all attacks against civilians, launch investigations and hold the perpetrators accountable, including those who bear command responsibility.

“The perpetrators of these revolting acts against defenceless civilians, including those bearing command responsibility, must not be allowed to get away with it,” High Commissioner Zeid said.

“There must be consequences for the men who reportedly gang-raped a six-year-old child, who slit the throats of elderly villagers, who hanged women for resisting looting, and shot fleeing civilians in the swamps where they hid. Those who ordered and facilitated these horrific crimes must be brought to account. The Government of South Sudan and the international community have the obligation to ensure justice.”

Zeid called on the Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan and the African Union to move quickly towards establishing the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan and humanitarian actors are taking action on a number of fronts, including increasing the peacekeeping presence in the area, providing aid to those in need, continuing to monitor and report on human rights violations and carrying out political engagement with Government officials, commanders of both forces, and civil society.

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – Press Release – On the Entebbe Proposal (09.07.2018)

SSHRO: South Sudan’s peace agreement reward impunity and retains alleged international war criminals (09.07.2018)

South Sudan: SSOA Press Release on The Entebbe Proposal Governance (09.07.2018)

South Sudan: Revised SSOA Response to the Mediation Proposal on the Security Arrangements Outstanding Issues (08.07.2018)

JUL/08/2018, The following is the response of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, (SSOA).

1.Demilitarization of Civilian Centres (as per Para 1.11.4)

1.1. The parties agree principally to demilitarize all of the following:

1. The National Capital city, Juba, State Capitals and civilian populated areas.
2. Schools, Hospitals, Business Centers, Places of worship, Houses, IDP Camps, Villages, and other civilian populated areas must be free of all military presence during the pre-transitional period.

3. Livelihood areas, e.g Roads, Water passages, Farms, Grazing areas.

The demilitarization process shall be accomplished within the Pre-transitional period to create a conducive atmosphere for confidence building, repatriation of refugees and return of IDPs in order to allow humanitarian service delivery to the affected population.

2.Composition of the Joint Transitional Security Committee (as per Para 5.12)

2.1 In the spirit of inclusivity, the Joint Transitional Security committee
shall be composed as follows:

i. TGoNU-(3 members)
ii. SPLM–IO-(3)
iii.SSOA–(3)
iv. IGAD–(1)
v. UNMISS-(1)
vi. AU-(1)
vii.TROIKA-(1)

2.2 Decisions of these committees shall be taken by consensus.

3. Time frame of Forces Unification (as per Para 7.5)

3.1 The Joint Unified Army/Joint Unified National Security shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with:

—- Protection of national borders.
—- Protection of Public installations.

3.2 The functions of the Joint National security shall be limited to data collection, analysis and reporting the product to the relevant authorities.

3.3 A nucleus of Joint Police and other Security Forces shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with the Protection of civilians and their properties.

3.4 The Transitional period shall begin with joint unified forces, which the parties shall agree on its size guided by the principles of equal representation of states/Counties and diversity of our national

4. Third proposal:

In the event that the second proposal is objected to, it is further proposed that equal numbers of the Opposition and the TGoNU forces be deployed as Joint Unified Forces to carry out the function as in the Article 4.5 above.

5. Operationalization of the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA).

The Parties shall recommit to the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (2017) and shall implement the monitoring mechanisms provided for in the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA) signed on 27th June 2018 as follows:

5.1 Re-notification of forces by parities leadership including the issuing of orders to cease military operations, and enforce the freezing of forces in their locations.

5.2 Declaration of dispositions and locations of forces not previously
declared on the 21st December 2017 (CoH).

5.3 Disengagement and separation of forces in close proximity as per priorities presented by CTSAMM.

5.4 Establishment of buffer zones and lines of control so as to delimit possible aggression, unexpected clashes and to allow access and delivery of humanitarian assistance and free movement of civilians.

5.5 Confirm and recommit to the mandate given to CTSAMM and enforce the restructuring thereof immediately. END

South Sudan: Proposal of the Entebbe Meeting (07.07.2018)

South Sudan: The Entebbe Meeting yesterday, did nothing official transpired? – No Official Communique!

I wonder what really came out of the Entebbe State House meeting between President Salva Kiir Mayardit, SPLM-IO Chairman Dr. Riek Machar, Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday.

Why I wonder? There a no communique, no report or nothing official signed by the gentlemen who had photo-ops and more possible PR stunts from the State House. Because, there has been recently one Khartoum Declaration on the 27th June 2018 between these gentlemen and also the ‘Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Responsibility Sharing’ from the 5th July 2018, also from Khartoum. Not to forget the 25th June 2018 ‘Points of Framework Agreement’, which was also signed. They we’re built on the same premise and continues the pathway of the IGAD and stakeholders to find a middle-ground for ceasing of fire between them. That as well, as the need for peace to resume the production of petroleum. Certainly, by all of this the Republic of Sudan is getting a higher stake and more control of the oil-rich fields of South Sudan. Which is weird, as the independence was supposed to get control of that from Khartoum. That is why the whole month of smiles and holding hands seems strange from the points of independence, but also how to be sovereign from Khartoum for the Juba Administration.

Maybe, that is the reason for nothing coming from the continuation of dialogue between the parties, between the rebels and the government. They have all been together, followed the High-Level Revitalized Forum (HLRF) Negotiations, which was based by the IGAD and trying to figure out how to get relief and find ways to bring life back to the ‘Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan’ agreed upon in 17th August 2015. This agreement and the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), haven’t brought stability and just made sure the War-Lords has gone back to the fields shooting at each other, instead of finding reasonable ways of governing.

That is why the new meetings and the new dialogue is healthy for these leaders, however, you should be skeptical for the timing and the reason. As Sudan is flat-broke and has had both price-hikes and bread-strikes, while South Sudan is tinkering on rising inflation, combined with empty state-coffers. They both does this to get political goodwill and hopefully get new funds to eat. That is what it seems like, also making sure the war-lords can reload before finding time to blast the heads of their enemies. The hardships and these men have usually waited for their enemies to slip, before find new ways of trying to get rid of them.

It is nice that they have all these deals between the last few weeks, but the reality is that there are some underlining concern. It is still just on paper and not in the field. There have already been violations from the armies and militias. There have already been more casualties since the cease-fire of 31st June, into the 1st July 2018.

I am just awaiting it blow, when Kiir or Machar lose face, when one of them find out how the Sudan are using them as pawns to get control of the petroleum industry. Without even taking the territory, he has already gotten the golden egg without producing gold. The Khartoum government should be joyful, they have gotten a bargain and the Juba are being outplayed by their own will to fight each other for supremacy, instead of building a Republic.

Therefore, I am hopeful, but not naive. There are usually something underlining this sort of activity, especially from men like these. These men want power and control, they are not the types willing to give way. They are doing it because they have too or if they are doing it get more donor funds. Certainly, they would not challenge their own role or space without getting a cut.

I don’t believe that, do you?

Peace.

CEPO Statement: Kampala South Sudan Face-to-Face meeting (07.07.2018)

South Sudan: Agreement On Outstanding Issues of Security Arrangements (06.07.2018)

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore on fatal shooting of aid worker in South Sudan (05.07.2018)

NEW YORK/JUBA, 5 July 2018 – “We are deeply saddened to confirm that one aid worker was killed yesterday when a UNICEF convoy came under fire by unknown assailants.

“The convoy was carrying education supplies and was travelling on the Juba-Bor road. It was clearly marked ‘UNICEF’.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family of the deceased.  His death brings to 107 the number of aid workers killed since the conflict began in 2013.

“I strongly condemn this senseless assault directed against civilians working to deliver humanitarian supplies to those in need. Aid workers must be allowed to carry out their work without fear of violence and with unhindered access to those most in need.”