UN Report Highlights Violence And Rights Abuses In South Sudan

What is the Report about?

The report, presented to the UN Human Rights Council, highlights the persistent armed conflict involving sexual and gender-based crimes, the use of children in armed forces, and the curtailment of media and civil society. The commission conducted extensive investigations in 2023, involving hundreds of interviews, forensic analysis, and engagements with state authorities.

Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka expressed deep concern about the "absolutely unacceptable situation" in South Sudan, where families and communities continue to suffer from human rights violations and abuses by armed forces, militias, and state institutions acting with impunity. The report emphasizes the urgent need for political leaders to fulfill their commitments to bring peace and reverse cyclical human rights violations.

Despite being one of the poorest countries with significant oil reserves, South Sudan has spent nearly half of its existence in a state of war, compounded by natural disasters, economic meltdown, and communal conflict. The report warns of further gross violations if the root causes of the conflict are not addressed.

As the country approaches its first elections in December 2024, the commission sees severe political and logistical challenges, with the potential for electoral grievances triggering new violence or exacerbating existing conflicts. South Sudan's Justice Minister Ruben Madol Arol dismissed the report as "deplorable" and claimed it did not align with the improved security situation in the country.

The report underscores the failure to implement measures outlined in the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. This agreement aimed to end internal conflicts, pave the way for the first elections, and address structural drivers of violence. However, the findings indicate that human rights violations persist unchecked as the root causes remain unaddressed.

The report also highlights the worsening scale and severity of abductions, particularly in Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, involving horrific sexual violence and the separation of parents from children. The commission calls for urgent action to build a functioning judiciary and address the root causes of violence.

Click Here To Read /Download Report