UN official demands AU report on S. Sudan crimes

January 14, 2015 (JUBA) – A top United Nations official has demanded that the African Union releases the findings of its inquiry into crimes committed in South Sudan.

Ivan Simonovic, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, described as “a very disturbing development” the AU decision to delay the release of the report.

“We think it’s essential to have that report submitted during the African Union summit, but also to make that report public afterwards,” he told reporters in New York Tuesday.

His remarks came ahead of an AU head of states summit, which is due to take place from 29 to 31 January in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to Simonovic, the world body is “very concerned about that possibility”, implying the findings of the five-member team may not be publicly released.

The AU commission of inquiry headed by former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo was tasked to investigate alleged human rights violations and crimes committed during the violence in South Sudan.

Meanwhile, Simonovic is due to travel to South Sudan on fact-finding missions early next month, and will reportedly visit the capital, Juba, Upper Nile and Unity state towns.

Last week, a report released by the UN rights division implicated South Sudan’s warring parties for killing hundreds of people in attacks in Unity and Jonglei states in April 2014.

IGAD TALKS DELAYED

In related development, mediators from Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said a summit on South Sudan’s conflict, earlier scheduled for 18 January 2015, will be held end of this month on the sidelines of AU heads of state meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

(ST)