S. Sudan vows to step up protection of UN staff

November 18, 2013 (JUBA) – Faced by scores of accusations before members of the United Nations Security Council, South Sudan says it “deeply regrets” actions labeled against its security forces blamed for allegedly harassing and threatening UN staffs in the country.

Last week, the UN Secretary General said 67 cases of harassment, threats, physical assault, arrest and detention of UN staff and seizure of its vehicles were recorded between 7 May and 5 November.

These crimes, Ban Ki Moon said in a report, were committed mainly by SPLA [Sudan Peoples Liberation Army] and the members of the National Police Service.

“One of the most egregious incidents occurred on 19 October in Juba when, following a traffic encounter with a military pickup carrying armed uniformed men, a female international civilian staff member was severely beaten by men wearing uniforms of the South Sudan military and police security services and then detained for more than one hour at a law enforcement facility,” the report noted.

He said at least 248 cases of violations have been recorded, since the mission started operation in the country after its independence.

However, although the UN said it had undertaken a series of measures to engage government at its highest level to find says of ending all these, it’s the country’s envoy to the world body maintains all efforts were underway to resolve the impasse.

“We deeply regret both the character and the number of incidents that have occurred,” South Sudan’s UN Ambassador Francis Deng told a Security Council meeting on his country.

“The government is seriously committed to ending these violations. Orders have indeed been given toward that end and to hold those responsible accountable,” he added.

In a related development, the head if the UN mission in the country said she equally discussed with members of South Sudan cabinet, including President Salva Kiir, issues concerning threats and harassment of UN staffs in the country.

“I expressed grave concern over this worrying trend,” Hilde Johnson said, but acknowledged that government had warned members of the army and police about their unbecoming behaviours.

Meanwhile, president Kiir has instituted a committee to investigate last year’s incident in which South Sudan’s army shot down a UN mission helicopter, killing all four Russian crew on board.

(ST).