The SPLA-IO command in the Yei River area has issued a report in which it accused the Government forces of brutal and continuous human rights violations in the area, demanding human rights watch dogs and the United Nations to bear witnesses.
In a press statement extended to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the SPLA-IO Equatoria sector military spokesman Wai Godwil claimed they have documented up to 130 cases of brutal murder, gang raping of civilian girls, women, boys, men and arbitrary arrest and torture by the Government SPLA in the month of November 2016.
It also accused the Government of carrying out Arial bombardments in the rural villages of Mundri, Tore and Yei River counties.
“The Government’s tribal army known as “mathiang Anyoor” soldiers raped girls, women, and boys including men after which they brutally murder the victims. This is done deliberately to dehumanise the civilians in this region. They were brutally killed using pangas, hanging, slaughtering and later dumped their bodies into rivers while others burnt into ashes. For instance the killing of 130 innocent civilians recorded in Yei, Tore, and Ondako areas of Yei River on the 20th of November 2016”, the statement added.
The report also accused the Government soldiers of looting civilians belonging to the rural civil population and blocking roads which are against the freedom of movement. It also blamed the Government for using foreign mercenaries, including SPL-N, Justice and Equality Movement-JEM fighters to fight against the Opposition forces in the areas.
The report also accused the Government of allegedly using money to hunt down prominent politicians from Equatoria opposed to the government president Salva Kiir in Juba.
It calls on the international community, the IGAD, the AU, the UN and human rights groups such as amnesty international and human rights watch to pressure the Government to stop human rights violations if peace is to be witnessed in South Sudan.
The rebel group in its press statement says they are not part of the implementation of the collapsed peace agreement in Juba calling on the international community to advocate for the removal of Taban Deng Gai and Joint Monitoring and Evaluation chairman, Festus Mogae, who they claimed are responsible for the continued renewal of the conflict in South Sudan.
“I would like to clearly underline to the IGAD, the AU and the international community that Mr. Festus Mogae supports the illegimate Government of Taban Deng Gai by telling the outside world that the implementation of the peace agreement is progressing very well. SPLA-IO is not part of current Government in Juba. For peace to return to South Sudan, Taban Deng Gai, and Festus Mogae must be removed” said spokesman Wai Godwil.
The statement focused on reports of abuses during the most deadly operation in which government forces were pursuing armed groups attempting to gain access and control of Yei town in November. It claimed to have found that government soldiers shot dead scores of people in Yei town and its neighbourhoods, apparently in retaliation for opposition attacks on four military installations, and for heavy shooting at security forces by gunmen in these neighbourhoods.
Residents and local administrative officers confirmed that widespread of human right abuses have been committed by both sides, describing them some “ of many horrors in a civil war filled with countless crimes against humanity,” including the torture and murder of women, and the targeting of civilians with barrel bombs and air attacks.
Radio Tamazuj could not reach government officials in the area to commnet on the matter.