The UN Chief Ban Ki-moon has grave concerns about the human rights violations perpetrated in Pibor County by SPLA-security forces over the past months. He is particularly concerned about Jonglei State, where considerable numbers of civilians have been killed and many thousands displaced. He announced that a full report will be published on 1 December.
In his report to the UN, Ban Ki Moon talks about “by ongoing fighting, violent actions perpetrated by undisciplined elements of SPLA. The latest raid in Twic East Country involving armed elements, where at least 56 people were reportedly killed, underscores the continued challenges the Government faces in the protection of civilians and extension of its authority.
“While I am encouraged by the action taken by SPLA to bring to justice some soldiers responsible for human rights violations, it is essential that the South Sudan authorities take further steps to ensure the full and transparent accountability of perpetrators for serious violations, as well as to ensure that such violations are prevented in the first instance”, he writes.
Displacement of populations continued in Pibor County, Jonglei State, owing to hostilities between security forces and non-State armed groups, as well as inter communal violence. By mid-September, an estimated 17,843 people from Jonglei had been registered as refugees in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda since January.
Investigations by UNMISS continued including the alleged killings of between 13 and 27 civilians by security forces on 4 December 2012 in the village of Lotho. It will also review the alleged incident of indiscriminate shooting and destruction of property by security forces on 27 January 2013 at Pibor, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and the wounding of one.
Amongst other incidents the UN also will look into the the alleged ambush by SPLA soldiers of 19 civilians walking from Gumuruk to Pibor on 1 April 2013. It will report of at least nine separate incidents involving the looting and destruction of civilian property in Pibor town and the reported killing of two women and wounding of one child by SPLA soldiers in Pibor town on 31 July.
The UN is going to report on the indiscriminate shooting and beatings of civilians and detention of more than 100 women in SPLA barracks by security forces on 26 May 2013 at Manyabol. UNMISS plans to issue a comprehensive public report on the findings of its investigations by 1 December 2013.
To read the report please click here.