The United Nations accused the government of South Sudan for infringing upon the human rights of its citizens. The government was accused of killing its civilians. The attacks made on its citizens have been equated to war crimes.
According to a report published by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the UN human rights office (OHCHR), about 232 civilians were killed and many more were injured during the attacks.
The UN high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called for a halt to all hostilities committed against their civilians. “The perpetrators of these revolting acts against defenceless civilians, including those bearing command responsibility, must not be allowed to get away with it.”
Additionally, the OHCHR stated, “Civilians were targeted, with the elderly, people with disabilities and very young children killed in horrific acts of violence – some hung from trees and others burned alive in their homes.” Among the victims were women and girls who were raped or gang raped. Also, at least 132 women and girls were abducted.
Zeid is calling for the international community to take action ands asserts that the South Sudan government must be held accountable for its crimes against humanity. “There must be consequences for the men who reportedly gang-raped a six-year-old child, who slit the throats of elderly villagers, who hanged women for resisting looting, and shot fleeing civilians in the swamps where they hid,” he said.
South Sudan has simply rebelled against the international community’ claims. On Monday, the government rejected a peace plan which would reinstate Riek Machar as vice president, under a deal reached through discussions in Uganda. For the talks failed to dissolve the strong power foundation of the South Sudan president.
Currently, South Sudan is recovering from the lasting effects of a four and a half year long civil war, which led to tens of thousands of civilian causalities. The civil war also led to the largest African refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide and the brink of famine.
The civil war began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. This dissolved all optimism that arose after the nation’s independence from Sudan just two years earlier.
Unfortunately, all attempts at brokering peace deals have failed. The two leaders even failed to establish a permanent ceasefire agreement.
