‘Victims’ failure to report violations delays justice’

[Elisabeth Janaina]

‘Victims’ failure to report violations delays justice’
Viola Kiden | September 22, 2017 | 5:28 pm
A hut burns to the ground during a violence in a village in Unity State in 2015.

Failure by victims to report human rights violations is making it
difficult to hold perpetrators accountable, according to the Minister
of Justice.

Paulino Wanawilla said there are reports by various human rights and
research groups on gross violations of which the government has no
information about.

“Nobody can say there is no violation of human rights in south Sudan;
there are violations, there are those allegations,” he said.

Mr. Wanawilla said if the victims are open to the government
authorities, then justice will be served.

“Although you will find that there are those allegations but
unfortunately the victims who made these allegations about the
government don’t talk to us as the government,” he added.

“The victims especially from the gender, women, prefer to talk to
foreigners; they prefer to talk to mzungus.”

Mr. Paulino Wanawilla called on victims to cooperate with the
government to combat human rights abuses in the country.

The ceasefire and transitional security monitors have been reporting
gross human rights violation committed by several parties including
the SPLA and opposition forces.

Some of them include rape and killing of civilians. However, some
alleged perpetrators have been apprehended and arraigned in court.