UN Security Council votes for third party foreign force to South Sudan
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August 12, 2016 (NEW YORK) – United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
has voted in favour of deployment of a third party foreign force to
the South Sudanese capital, Juba, to provide protection to civilians
at risk and key installations in the world’s youngest nation.
JPEG - 33.1 kb
Special representative for the UN secretary-general on sexual violence
in conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura (shown on screen), briefs the
Security Council at its meeting on South Sudan on 22 October 2014
(Photo: UN)
The mandate of the force would prioritize the protection of civilians
and act to bolster the tenuous peace process in the country, including
the protection of SPLM-In -Opposition leader and former First Vice
-President Riek Machar and other opposition groups.
The Friday resolution in New York increases the force levels of the
current United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) from its
current 12,000 up to a ceiling of 17,000 troops, including 4,000
troops for a ‘Regional Protection Force’ which would be deployed
largely in Juba.
John Prendergast, Founding Director of the Enough Project, welcomed
the vote saying "Beefing up the protection of civilians in high risk
areas is a crucial upgrade to the international community’s response
to the South Sudanese crisis’’.
However he called to increase the international pressures to ensure
the unhindered deployment of that force, the humanitarian access and
the implementation of the peace agreement.
"The best way to enhance international leverage is to impose targeted
sanctions on spoilers and move forward with an arms embargo. Threats
no longer seem to faze those prosecuting the war," he further
emphasized.
The resolution reflects the decisions in the 5 August communiqué
adopted by “IGAD Plus”—the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
(IGAD), plus several other regional actors.
In its communiqué IGAD Plus earlier called on the UN Security Council
to “urgently extend the mission of UNMISS with a revised mandate
including the deployment of the Regional Protection Force with
distinct responsibilities under the direct command of a commander who
will report to the overall UNMISS Force Commander, to be based in
Juba”.
The IGAD document, released in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa,
also noted the position of the government of South Sudan accepting,
“in principle,” the deployment of the force.
The UNSC resolution demands an immediate end to the ongoing fighting
around the capital, Juba, and beyond, and that the government of South
Sudan complies with its obligations vis-à-vis UNMISS as set out in the
status of forces agreement.
There have been reports about incidents involving severe restrictions
on the mission’s freedom of movement, including of flights and
transportation of vital supplies, as well as acts of hostility such as
intimidation, injury and detention of UNMISS staff members, among
others.
The regional force is expected to include contributing troops from
Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda as Sudan and Uganda have pulled out from
contributing troops for the mission.
During the negotiations at the United Nations, members also raised
questions about other elements of the draft resolution. Several were
concerned about the sovereignty of South Sudan and wanted to be
reassured that the government supported the plan, including Russia
which indicated that it was prepared to accept whatever measures were
acceptable to Juba.
While the IGAD Plus communiqué suggested that the government had given
its consent, there were conflicting reports coming out of Juba.
Nevertheless, some of these members may have been persuaded of the
need to strengthen UNMISS. This is to support the draft resolution
following the statement from the AU Peace and Security Council issued
on 11 August, echoing the IGAD Plus communiqué, and calling for the
Council to “extend the Mission of UNMISS with a revised mandate”
including the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.
The opposition faction led by former First Vice President, Riek
Machar, and SPLM former Secretary General Pagan Amum welcomed the
deployment of the third party force to ensure security and protection
in the capital.
(ST)
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13 August 04:49, by lino
Third party Forces approved. It is not 500 as claimed by Juba last week!!!
repondre message
13 August 04:57, by Akook
Now if the murderous criminals in Juba reject these IGAD-plus,
AUPSC and UNSC’s resolutions for speedy deployment of third party
force! The chance will fall to us South Sudanese to mobilise ourselves
en mass and launch a fierce resistant including serious battles in the
streets of Juba this time around.
With strong support from region and west, Juba thugs will be
remove by force period
repondre message
13 August 07:00, by Force 1
What do you guys think that the third party foreign forces going
to do? Kicked the government out? Well; that’s only your wishful
thinking; there is nothing of that sort as the government is going to
be kicked out.
The purpose of those forces are to protect civilians from rebels
attack since the rebels are the ones well known for killing civilians.
Your dreams are just going to be broken!
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