Jonglei promises to promote human rights
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December 11, 2013 (BOR) - The government of South Sudan’s troubled
Jonglei state marked world human rights days on Wednesday by pledging
to curb abuses over the next year.
JPEG - 42 kb
Anuak dancers celebrating Human Rights Day in in Bor, Jonglei state,
South Sudan. 11 December 2013 (ST)
The speaker of the Jonglei state legislative assembly, Peter Chol Wal,
told those celebrating the event in Bor that the people of the state
had never experienced human rights 1956, referring to Sudan’s
independence from Anglo-Egyptian rule.
South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war with
various Khartoum governments. However, the rebels-turned-ruling party
and national army have struggled to usher in the freedoms fought for
during the conflict.
"We will not practice the evil things that were practised on our
people by Northerners", Chol said, .
Many cases of human right abuses have been committed on the civilians
by the South Sudanese army in Jonglei since a state-wide disarmament
campaign was launched in March 2012 following severe violence between
cattle herding groups, which displaced over 100,000 people.
In October a military court sentenced five soldiers to the death
penalty for killing civilians in Jonglei while two soldiers were given
prison sentences after being found guilty of rape.
A further 24 members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) were
charged with misconduct due to frequent drinking while deployed or on
duty.
During the height of the disarmament campaign over 10,000 soldiers and
police were deployed to Jonglei, where the army has also been fighting
rebellion in Pibor county led by David Yau Yau, which has continued -
with a interlude when he accepted a presidential amnesty - since he
failed to become a state-level MP in the 2010 elections.
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The Speaker of the Jonglei state legislative assembly, Peter Chol
Wall, addressing crowds in Bor on Human Rights Day 2013. 10 December
2013 (ST)
Wal said that "despite the political challenges" the government "shall
try our level best to promote the status of human rights in South
Sudan."
Human Rights Watch reported in September that SPLA soldiers have
targeted civilians from Yau Yau’s Murle ethnic group. According to the
report there were "24 incidents of unlawful killings of almost 100
members of the Murle ethnic group between December 2012 and July 2013,
constituting serious violations of international humanitarian and
human rights law".
GIRLS EDUCATION
Jonglei state’s minister of cabinet affairs, Gabriel Gai Riam, told
the crowd who attended the celebration that poverty and lack of
education opportunities for girls must me addressed.
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Nuer dancers celebrating Human Rights Day in in Bor, Jonglei state,
South Sudan. 11 December 2013 (ST)
"I wish, we should have involved our youth in the counties and elders
to educate them on human rights issues", he said.
According to Gai, girls often do not finish their education as they
are married or forced to work by their families. Under South Sudanese
law girls are not supposed to marry before the age of 18 but this is
often ignored due to financial pressures with bride prices providing
families with money and livestock.
"Fifty percent of our girls in South Sudan are married before reaching
the age of eighteen, preventing of them from receiving education and
having equal opportunities with men. Until we achieve equal value for
boys and girls, our societies will not reach [our] peaceful
potential", Gai explained.
(ST)
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