S. Sudan’s warring factions re-arming, despite peace accord
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February, 10, 2016 (JUBA) – The two main factions involved in the
South Sudanese conflict have continued to acquire arms and military
equipment, even after the signing of the peace agreement in August
2015 and in the face of considerable economic stress, a United Nations
panel of experts’ report presented to the Security Council, observed.
JPEG - 74.6 kb
Arms and light weapons have been used by both warring parties in South
Sudan to commit abuses (Photo courtesy of SSANSA)
South Sudan government, it said, has three operational Mi-24
helicopters, procured in 2014 at a total cost of nearly $43 million,
and was used in military operations against the armed opposition
forces, which prolonged the conflict.
“As at mid-September 2015, the Ministry of Defence and Veterans’
Affairs was requesting final payment from the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning for four additional attack helicopters at a total
cost in excess of $35 million and was actively pressing the Ministry
for the payment of at least two, and likely three, other contracts for
other military materiel and related equipment, totaling some $50
million,” partly reads a section of the report, presented to the world
body’s Security Council last month.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million
displaced in the 21-months old conflict sparked off by disagreements
in South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM).
A report by the African Union Commission of Inquiry into the South
Sudan conflict accused both sides involved in the war for committing
war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ex-Nigerian leader, Olusegun
Obasanjo headed the five-member commission.
According to the UN panel of experts, the armed opposition faction,
through the office of its chairman, Riek Machar continuously sought to
procure and obtain arms from numerous sources, albeit with
comparatively limited success. It also confirmed that the opposition
received ammunition, arms and other items like uniforms from the
Sudan.
Both President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition leader, the panel
said, qualify for sanctions for maintaining command responsibility for
their respective forces in the war.
“..[the two] sides have consistently engaged in actions and policies
meeting all eight criteria described in the resolution as grounds for
the imposition of targeted sanctions”, said the panel, stressing that
most acts of violence committed during the war, including the
targeting of civilians and violations of international humanitarian
law and international human rights law, were directed by or undertaken
with the knowledge of senior individuals at the highest levels of
government and within the armed opposition.
WORST HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Concerns were also expressed on the humanitarian situation in South
Sudan’s Unity state, which, the panel stated, reflected the
devastating results of the “Government’s systematic attacks against
its own citizens in order to deny the opposition a support base,
resulting in egregious human rights abuses, including forced
disappearances, extrajudicial killings and conflict-related sexual
violence, massive population displacements, the destruction of
livelihoods and food crops and the raiding of cattle”.
It said the security and humanitarian situation in the greater
Equatoria region, in particular Western Equatoria State, also
deteriorated significantly following initial clashes in May and June
2015, with tens of thousands displaced owing to the violence.
According to the UN panel of experts, the National Security Service
(NSS) and the military intelligence within the South Sudanese army
(SPLA) have been involved in the arbitrary arrest and detention of
individuals suspected of supporting the opposition.
Initially, most of those arrested or detained were Nuer, observed the
panel’s report.
“In recent months, however, Equatorians have increasingly become
targets as political opposition against the Government has grown in
the greater Equatoria region”, it said.
4 MILLION FOOD INSECURE
Meanwhile, aid humanitarian agencies say nearly four million people
are facing severe food insecurity, an increase of 80% over a 12-month
period. This, it said , was due to obstruction of humanitarian access
is also widespread, with parts of Unity, Upper Nile and Western
Equatoria States, among others, entirely blocked to humanitarian
relief.
Reports also indicate UN personnel in South Sudan face regular
attacks, harassment, are detained, intimidated and threatened. Since
the adoption of resolution 2206 (2015) on 3 March, the UN panel said,
South Sudan government has committed at least 450 violations of the
status-of-forces agreement, including assaults against UN personnel
and restrictions on the movement of peacekeeping patrols and its other
operations.
At least 43 humanitarian worker have reportedly been killed since
mid-December 2013.
(ST)
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11 February 08:47, by Akuma
South Sudan government has a constitution and it is a sovereign
state to acquire its own to defend it country from foreign aggression.
What make UNSC to concern when they are buying their own MI 24 and
defensive weapons. So stop interfering in the affairs of other
nations. You have your own nations and no one can ask you of what you
have.
repondre message
11 February 09:34, by Kalo
UN panel expert reports arm opposition received ammunition ,arms
and other items like Uniform from Sudan,i need the comments from
Jalaby,Darkangle,Konan,Mohammed Ali2,Son of Upper
Nile,Eastern,Eyez,Malakal county Simon lol!!the report didn’t said
that government of S.Sudan got reinforcement/gave SPLM-N ammunition.
repondre message
11 February 12:07, by Eastern
Kalo,
You are very delusional; SPLA-Kiir will not win the war they
are waging against SPLA-Riek. It’s time the two or more SPLA camps
vouch for peace. Tell your Nuba people to engage Al Bashir in
dialogue; you can’t win militarily! South Sudan is wasting money on
useless war arsenal; its citizens are dying of hunger and sickness.
Fools!
repondre message
11 February 13:10, by Kalo
Eastern,
The thick head!! we are fighting for freedom of all
Sudanese people but you are fighting for the position of Riek Machar
who was fired before,jalaby masterminding,fool you to fight the regime
of Kiir coz they were just playing games on you, you still behave like
animals, we cannot participate the dialogue control by criminal
Albashir unless third-party involve should be outside, you idiot
repondre message
11 February 14:34, by Eastern
Kalo,
Machar my foot! Who’s he for me to fight for? I don’t
struggle for an individual to ride on others; I am far above that. As
for you the nuba people, you will spend eons to realize the dream of
liberating the ’whole Sudan’. Dr Garang (RIP) realized it was futile
to pursue that path; he signed peace after dialogue with Bashir.
Continue fighting and remaining refugees for life!!
repondre message
11 February 14:56, by Kalo
Eastern,
Such people like you has no direction, no vision,
we had dialogue with Albashir for more than 10 times but we realized
that it cannot bring the solution to all Sudanese people hence
collapsed, we cannot accept fake peace with Albashir like Naivasha CPA
which can take us back to square 1 in future, bear in your mind that
we are not refusing peace but should be fruitful deal.
repondre message
11 February 15:24, by Eastern
Kalo,
People like you who claim to have vision and
direction are really delusional. So after failing to dialogue with
Bashir for more than 10 times you think you can overcome his misrule
by the gun. By the way, the failure in leadership in South Sudan has
nothing to do with Bashir; it’s all about the madness of tribal
dominance gone bad!
repondre message
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