South Sudan Signs International Treaties
South Sudan last week acceded to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and other international protocols. 24 July 2012 The South Sudan National Legislative Assembly. [File Photo] By Francis Lagu Juba, 24 July 2012 [Gurtong] - This came after the National Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a bill to ratify the conventions. These laws form the core of international humanitarian law which sets out rules and seeks humanitarian reasons to limit the effects of armed conflict. The laws protect persons in or no longer participating in hostilities, such as civilians, health workers and aid workers, wounded or sick soldiers, prisoners of war and other persons deprived of their liberty. The law also imposes restrictions on the means and methods of warfare to which parties to conflict can resort. The Chairman of the Committee on Legislation and Justice at the National Legislative Assembly Dengtiel Ayuen Kuur described the signing of the conventions as a historic moment for South Sudan. "These laws restricting the means and methods of warfare must be adhered to if we are to forge a path towards peace and prosperity. Today, we as a nation underline our commitment”, said Ayuen. The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in South Sudan Melker Mabeck warmly welcomed the new nation’s commitment to the Geneva conventions. "We are very pleased to learn that South Sudan has acceded to the Geneva Conventions. These rules which seek to protect human life and prevent needless suffering are now universal”, said Mabeck. According to Mabeck, the Geneva Conventions must continue to be incorporated into the training and doctrine of South Sudan's army to be known and complied with. All the countries in the world have now signed the 1949 Geneva Conventions, making the treaties truly universal. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
