US, UN warn of intensified violence in South Sudan

[Elisabeth Janaina]

US, UN warn of intensified violence in South Sudan

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November 30, 2016 (JUBA) – Representatives of the United States and
United Nations warned on Wednesday of possibilities of tension
escalating in war-torn South Sudan as well as potentials of violence.

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Arms and light weapons have been used by both warring parties in South
Sudan to commit abuses (Photo courtesy of SSANSA)

“We have credible information that the South Sudanese government is
currently targeting civilians in Central Equatoria and preparing for
large-scale attacks in the coming days or weeks,” Keith Harper, the
U.S representative at the UN Human Rights Council, said.

A similar warning, Voice of America (VOA) reported, was also made by
the U.S ambassador to the world body, Samantha Power.

“We are raising the alarm. We are calling on the government of South
Sudan not to move forward with the offensive they have planned,” Power
told VOA.

But, in a separate interview with the Associated Press, South Sudan’s
envoy to the UN, Kuol Alor Kuol Arop denied there was a build-up of
forces or plans for offensives.

South Sudan is on the brink of catastrophe, a three-member UN
Commission on Human Rights warned at the end of a ten-day visit.

“The stage is being set for a repeat of what happened in Rwanda and
the international community is under an obligation to prevent it,” the
chairperson of the Commission, Yasmin Sooka announced.

The official, in a statement, cited disturbing indicators such as an
increase in hate speech, a crackdown on the media and civil society,
deepening divisions between the country’s 64 tribes, renewed
recruitment in a country already awash with guns and the proliferation
of armed groups aligned to both sides in armed conflict.

“There is already a steady process of ethnic cleansing underway in
several areas of South Sudan using starvation, gang rape and the
burning of villages; everywhere we went across this country we heard
villagers saying they are ready to shed blood to get their land back,”
said Sooka.

“Many told us it’s already reached a point of no return”, she stressed.

The UN team of experts, also outlined a number of steps that the
international community should take immediately to avert mass
bloodshed, including the expedition of the immediate arrival of the
4,000 strong Regional Protection Force in South Sudan, ensure that the
force is not restricted only to the capital, freeze assets, enact
targeted sanctions and implement arms embargo on South Sudan.

“It is also urgent to set up the hybrid court promised for South
Sudan,” said Ken Scott, a member of the UN Commission.

“Large parts of the country literally have no functioning courts and
even the traditional reconciliation methods are now breaking down with
the result that it’s a free for all”, he added.

The Commission, which is due to report to the Human Rights Council in
March, visited Bentiu in oil-rich Unity State where more than a
hundred thousand people are sheltering in a UN protected camp.

(ST)

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1 December 06:57, by Akuma

Who told you there is a build -up offensive going on in South
Sudan. US and UN are making projects to destabilize South Sudan. What
those fake world organ especially UN need to know that South Sudan is
not one of their directorates in their organizations. South Sudan is
sovereign and independence nation and it can decide to cut
relationship with the two organizations anytime.

repondre message
2 December 04:37, by Dinka-Defender-General

I agree with you Akuma, where is the buildup? Where do the UN
Gets the information about intensified violence in South Sudan?
Remember, UN representatives are bunch of liars or self-serving
individuals so we don’t have to pay attend to their warnings. Also,
SPLA soldiers have a duty to protect citizens or prepare for an
expected bandits or Machar’s militias attacks. Repositioning soldiers
operatio

repondre message
2 December 04:44, by Dinka-Defender-General

continue. Repositioning the soldiers doesn’t mean
"intensified violence." It is a normal soldiers route and UN needs to
stay away from South Sudan internal affairs. The SPLA soldiers
protected the citizens since 1983 to 2005 and they will continue to
carry out that duty and drive out bandits or criminals like Machar out
the country. Therefore, discard UN warning.

repondre message
1 December 07:06, by Naath

Akuma,

Your greedy tribal gang leader Kiir is building up militia aiming
on massacring Equatorian civilians as Dinka leaders did to Nuer in
2013. Kiir has reduced himself from being president of South Sudan to
Dinka’s chief. There is no need to honour him with the title president
anymore.

repondre message
1 December 07:45, by Paul Ongee

I think the Representatives of US & UN are talking about the
IO forces trained in Sudan preparing to launch attacks on government
forces along the border. They apologized for the interception of
weapons in Rumbek last time when UN convoy was heavily loaded with
weapons. They are supposed to support African leaders to solve their
own problem such that there is no war as seen in developed countries.

repondre message
1 December 07:53, by Paul Ongee

The problem with the West/developed countries is that they
manufacture weapons for testing them in underdeveloped or developing
countries/third world as they call it. That’s why there are wars going
on in the Middle East and African countries. Third world is considered
the best market place for newly made weapons.

repondre message
1 December 08:12, by Paul Ongee

If there is no war at all, they create one or two in
different developing countries only in the name of democracy, human
rights, you name it. I don’t know why there are few millionaires, only
1% of the world/West population is fine-tuning the behavior of 99%
while they behave the way they want. Religious bigotry, conflict of
interest and control of resources are the order of the day.

repondre message
1 December 08:24, by Paul Ongee

Had the very West been conversant enough with the
political history of South Sudan and political record of whoever likes
making coup d’etat in developing countries like Riek Machar since
1991, there would have never been another bloodshed in the youngest
country of the world. The implementation of CPA-2005 during the
interim period (2005-2011) did not resolved all issues besides
leadership style

repondre message
1 December 08:35, by Paul Ongee

The West stood firmly with the marginalized
people of Sudan during the struggle until 2005, 2011 and up to now but
something fishy started going on before the outstanding issues of CPA
are finally resolved such that we come to the issue of rating
leadership style in South Sudan. In the West, opinion poll or vote of
confidence is always de case to gauge de performance of a leader, not
coup plotter.

repondre message
1 December 08:48, by Paul Ongee

However the case may be, the issue of
Khartoum-backed militia groups started right after the formation of
the popular movement (SPLM/A) led by Dr. John Garang de Mabior in
1983. The issue of Darfur (2003-present) and SPLM-N has been the basis
of argument to Omer Al-Bashir whose leadership performance has never
been questioned or rated but Salva Kiir struggled to keep Junubin
united as....

repondre message
1 December 09:01, by Paul Ongee

...as Dr. John Garang did in the bush.
The West should have continued supporting the leadership of President
Salva Kiir until 2015 because general election was scheduled to take
place. And then voters would first consider rating the performance of
leadership style of President SKM before casting their ballots. The
Presidential candidates would be running their campaigns on different
platforms..

repondre message
1 December 09:09, by Paul Ongee

The remaining questions were
"Would the presidential candidates come from the same party (SPLM) or
different parties?" In South Sudan where the country has just emerged
from war, "Should one campaign for the Chairmanship of the party
(SPLM) first as Riek Machar did before revealing his intention to run
for president of the country or NLC to elect?" If NLC failed to meet,
should one make a coup?

repondre message
1 December 09:21, by Paul Ongee

Why some members of the NLC
were not patient enough to consider where the country (South Sudan)
has come from first, united nationalistically and patriotically or
not? If yes or no, election season was already approaching where
Junubin will make a choice - to elect a new leader who will first keep
Junubin united in spirit and move the country forward for the next
generation.

repondre message
1 December 09:30, by Paul Ongee

Making a coup d’etat or
staging a rebellion will only fuel disunity and create more tribalism
--- the African disease that needs to be healed.The Bible has
mentioned the 12 tribes of Israel but now they call themselves
Israelis, not tribes again. In South Sudan such tribal mentality will
disappear only when we become nationalistic and patriotic enough to
reject tribalism and disunity.

repondre message
1 December 09:41, by Paul Ongee

The claim by some IO
leaders/supporters following Riek Machar’s political ideology that the
August peace agreement of 2015 has failed is totally wrong. They claim
so because they see Riek Machar as the only South Sudanese son who
holds a PhD compared to President Salva Kiir’s education. They look at
but don’t see the political record of Riek Machar.

repondre message
1 December 09:50,
by Paul Ongee

Now the Government
has identified cantonment sites for the IO sympathizers and supporters
in Equatoria region where the senseless war of Riek Machar never took
place when Bor, Bentiu and Malakal have been changing hand before the
gallant SPLA forces finally recaptured them from the rebels. They’re
supporters because they never participated in the fight in the (3)
towns.

repondre message
1 December
09:57, by Paul Ongee

The real OI
forces who fought in the (3) towns know themselves because most them
were SPLA soldiers and the militia who were integrated into the SPLA
and stationed in the respective towns. Equatoria and Bahr El-Ghazal
regione were peaceful. So how can US or UN claim that there were IO
forces in the two regions? The "white army" of Lou-Nuer who were used
by Riek Machar since 1991 refused to come.

repondre message
1 December
10:05, by Paul Ongee

The claim
of intensification of violence in Equatoria region is false unless
those IO sympathizers and supporters continue to destabilize the
region as witnessed on Juba-Nimule Highway, Juba-Yei, Juba-Torit and
Juba-Magwi-Pajok roads robbery, using especially hit-and-run strategy
to rob, loot, kill and rape. I believe most of them will report to the
assembly sites.

repondre message
1
December 10:14, by S. Sudan Nationalist

Guys
let us not escalate the situation but let us consider why the UN and
US are giving out this warning. There are indicators pointing to that.
When the use of hate language is now commonly being used as we are
witnessing in this forum, then this shows that all is not well. In
fact rather doing constructive criticism, we are being destructive.
Carry out constructive debates, please.

repondre message
1
December 10:15, by Paul Ongee

Those
who report to the sites will be screened and trained combat skills
because some of them want to be in the army. But those who want to
remain highway and road robbers will be dealt with. And the good time
for dealing with them is this coming dry season which triggered
international concern of the word "intensified violence." They can run
but cannot hide as before/during rainy season.

repondre message
1
December 10:26, by Paul Ongee


The international pressure must be applied to Riek Machar who declared
war on South Sudan government in Khartoum. His recent secret trip from
South Africa to Addis Ababa and Khartoum was "embarrassing and
humiliating" because the two cities denied him entry which proved that
he’s no longer wanted there to continue with his senseless
mobilization for war. His supporters and sympathizers know this.


repondre message

1 December 10:38, by Paul Ongee


The only difference between the Government and IO-Riek is "peace and
war ideology". Riek Machar is for the continuation of war at any cost
without concern for the inflicted sufferings on the civil population,
IDPs and refugees in the neighboring countries where UN resources are
badly overstretched. If Riek Machar denounces violence, there will be
no intensified violence or its escalation.


repondre message
1 December 07:22, by real Dinka

Naath!!

Your tribal and godly leader’s days of destroying our beautiful
country has come to an end bro, try another best way of fooling your
tribe mates again to fight they mighty warriors of this great nation
who safe you people from being slaves to freedom of rebellions.

Think big before we loss our tempered

repondre message
1 December 09:01, by Eastern

So long as the UN and any other outsiders only stop at warning and
talking without taking any action, let South Sudanese be let to take
on one another with the most savage taking the day!!!

repondre message
1 December 11:09, by jur_likang_a_ likan’g

South Sudanese need to be armed to defend themselves from the
murderous regime of Salva Kiir. They begged weapons for liberation of
South Sudan from Jallaba misrule but now they have become worse than
Jallaba. They rape, loot property and mass murder citizens for
opposing the very evil acts Jallaba used to do.n With nail and tooth
they must be confronted.

repondre message
1 December 12:15, by Ater

Jur
Dinka are very much aware of your ill intention.This country
was not liberated just to act the way you want. Bashir has been used
as scapegoat by some tribe whose habit is characterized by
rebellion.Be told we are independent country and no one shall be
tolerated to exercise his freedom in wrong manner.

repondre message
1 December 12:30, by Ater

Even marginalized Dinka will not support your rebellion just
because your movement is tribal with main agenda of retaliation on the
president.You fight to death my friend,otherwise it is not going to be
easy for you.

repondre message
1 December 19:55, by jur_likang_a_ likan’g

Ater,

Who told you it is going to be easy? Remember a decision
taken to defend our divine ancestral land is the last thing a man can
take! So it will be fire with fire. So shut up and go to your luak ya
cow inta!!

repondre message
1 December 14:01, by Ayuiu Makuac Lam

South sudan, is already like Rawanda since on 2013 to date.
South sudanese leaders should bec care about their people rather than power.

repondre message
1 December 14:25, by TRUE WATCHDOG

It’s clear that the two bodies are not concerned about the people
of South Sudan’s good.Since,the beg projects or design them in the
name of South Sudan,it would not let their deal flourish if the give
chance to south Sudanese by not provoking the situation.At this
junction and as result of their irresponsible demeanour,I suggest
polling out from UN is better and repatriation of UN force-

repondre message
1 December 14:33, by TRUE WATCHDOG

and any UN body because the have become bias in reporting false
reports.There’re some countries in the world which are not UN members
and are not dismantled or deprived of their supremacy and
sovereignty.We can’t call ourselves members of UN when our rights or
dignity is undermined.If they feel like defecating then south Sudan is
not latrine for them.

repondre message
1 December 14:45, by TRUE WATCHDOG

While the civil war between Sudanese across the then whole Sudan
was going on,the Khartoum government suffered from any form of reports
by UN/UNAMID and other humanitarian Agencies among who MSF was.Sudan
tackled this through strengthening IT unit in which informations were
passed to security department of Sudan.And consequently some NGOs were
expelled out of Sudan when they were-

repondre message
1 December 14:53, by TRUE WATCHDOG

identified as source of those informations.Our government needs to
do more on identifying those who leak informations which are not
reliable out.There’s no logic of allowing outsiders to the key
institutions of the gov’t like military,security,executive and so
forth.This has been their chance for spying because they’re not here
for any other purpose.They can go to other institutions not those.