S. Sudan: UN rights expert calls for protection of IDPs
November 15, 2013 (JUBA) – The United Nations Special Rapportuer on the rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) said more humanitarian action and peace building measures are needed to protect the displaced and returnees in South Sudan.
“Development and peace can hardly be achieved when thousands of South Sudanese remain uprooted,” said Beyani.
While Jonglei state hosts large numbers of IDPs, it is a phenomenon that affects the country as a whole and therefore must be dealt with as a matter of national responsibility, he added.
The senior UN official, however, stressed that while the world body and non-governmental organisation play significant roles in protecting the displaced, it remains the primary responsibility of government, both at national and local levels.
Beyani, during the visit, also met representatives from government, UN agencies, donors and non-governmental entities, discussing a range of issues in relation to the plight of IDPs and returnees in the country.
Early this year, the UN estimated that up to 200,000 could be displaced in 2013 as result of violence from armed hostilities, inter-communal violence and natural disasters in South Sudan.
“Many IDPs have been affected by several causes and suffered multiple displacements,” Beyani said.
Due to these complexities and the lack of regular humanitarian access to areas affected by internal displacement, its magnitude remains unclear, he added.
The Special Rapportuer further raised concerns about the increasingly violent nature of cattle raiding, citing proliferation and excessive use of arms and weaponry as key factors in this upsurge in violence.
He however called on all parties in the country to spare civilians, including IDPs, from violence and abuse.
(ST)