South Sudan’s Presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny has slammed the UN human rights report which accused forces loyal to the goverment of enacting a “scorched earth” policy that included forced starvation, mass rape, and killing of civilians in southern Unity state in 2015.
The report, published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), accuses forces fighting for the government of killing over 7000 civilians – including by burning children alive – and using rape as a form of payment for some fighters in southern Unity state last year.
It is the latest in a string of reports published by various investigators recently presenting evidence of mass rape and murder of civilians committed in southern Unity by government forces.
Ateny Wek told Radio Tamazuj the OHCHR report is unethical and unfounded. He said the government has not used any militia alongside regular forces.
“The report says the government has enacted a policy for the army to rape women in lieu of wages is unethical,” Ateny said. “If the report was ethical it could not accuse the government of allowing the army to rape women.”
Ateny said if there anything of this kind it may be committed by militias that are fighting with the opposition forces.
The OHCHR report adds to a large body of evidence detailing atrocities committed during South Sudan’s civil war.
Related:
UNMISS: human rights research will help in later prosecutions (28 Jan.)
Generals should be investigated for war crimes: HRW (22 Jul.)