US blames South Sudan gov’t for renewed fighting in Unity state

May 13, 2015 (WAU) – United States’ government said it had “credible” reports that South Sudan government was responsible for the recent renewed fighting with rebels in the oil-rich Unity state.

US embassy in the Republic of South Sudan’s capital, Juba, on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the ongoing offensive by the government, saying its office was disturbed by grave human rights abuses in the country, particularly in the areas of Mayom and south of Bentiu.

“The United States is deeply concerned by new reports of heavy fighting in northern state of Unity following a government offensive against opposition forces,” it said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The accusation came after government forces loyal to president Salva Kiir allegedly launched an offensive in the home town of the rebel leader, Riek Machar in the northern part of the country.

“We call on the government to allow protection actors to inspect sites where violations are alleged to have occurred, to include Nhialdiu, Wathjak, and Nimni,” it further stated.

It said attacks on civilians was unacceptable and would likely deepen and prolong the suffering of ordinary South Sudanese, warning of consequences to those committing the crimes.

“Those who threaten the peace in South Sudan or violate international humanitarian law must be held accountable,” it said.

The statement also called on the rebel group to restrain from retaliating against the government, urging to stop the war from escalating further.

BOTTOM OF FORM

Similar reports from UN and civilians suggested that government forces and the rebels group were responsible for committing atrocities of human rights violations in Guit and Koch.

Aid workers leaving the area said the violations included burning of civilians’ homes and abduction. The embassy also expressed concern that absence of UN and other humanitarian actors on the ground will greatly reduce the delivery of life-saving aid to vulnerable populations.
Reports of eyewitnesses also decried a situation of mass rapes and killing of civilians by the warring parties in the 17-month long conflict in the young nation.

The embassy said those atrocities constitute the obstacles in the peace process in violation of the international humanitarian law and called for accountability against any side that committed crimes.

It also called on the warring parties to put down their weapons and reach a political settlement to end the war.

At least 300,000 civilians are displaced in the latest round of clashes near Bentiu, the capital of Unity state, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

Fighting between government forces resumed in the last two weeks in Unity and Upper Nile states. Both sides blamed the other for triggering the most intensive clashes in recent months.

Efforts to resume peace talks between the two factions are still in the pipeline as no date is yet fixed for the process led by the East African regional bloc (IGAD) to bring the parties back to the negotiating table.

(ST)