French Ambassador in Juba deplores atrocities committed against civilians in Unity
The French Ambassador to South Sudan has condemned the killing of hundreds of civilians, including children and the elderly, in what the UN called “deliberate and ruthless attacks” in parts of Unity State.
Ambassador Jean-Yves Roux responding to a UN report detailing horrific human rights violations against civilians by the SPLA and allied forces, said those accused of the crimes should and must be held accountable.
“Those responsible of that barbary can be, and must be, caught, judged, and punished,” he recommended.
Accoring to the report, at least 232 civilians were killed including 35 children, 120 women and girls gang-raped and 132 women and girls abducted. Amb. Jean Yves said the parties violated the ceasefire agreement they both signed in December and targeted civilians in their hostilities.
“All parties signed an agreement of cessation of hostilities in December. Which means that they committed to use force only to combat criminals or in self-defense. Shooting women and children in the back when they flee into the swamps, is this self-defense? No, it’s murder. Raping and killing lactating mothers, is it fighting criminals? No, it is committing a crime,” Jean-Yves wrote in report.
The top diplomat further described troops involved in such acts as cowards, saying such barbaric acts should not be meted on civilians.
“They could be tough with their enemies. That was war. But war in honour, man to man. But now, burning alive elderly or disabled people, is it fighting like a man or behaving like a beast? Those who committed these atrocities, they cannot pretend to be soldiers, not even fighters, they are thugs, criminals, and I would add, cowards. Which political leader could come and say, that was done on my behalf, to serve a cause?” he asked.
Ambassador Jean-Yves was speaking over the weekend as they marked the French National Day, 14th July, when the French commemorate the beginning of the French Revolution when the people of Paris took over and destroyed the Bastille castle, a fortified prison for the opponents to the Royalty.
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) last week released a report documenting killing of hundreds of civilians including children and the elderly in deliberate attacks constituting gross violations and abuses of international human rights law by the SPLA and allied forces in Leer and Mayendit in April and May.