Calls for AU report on South Sudan crimes to be published

March 3, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Seventy-six South Sudanese and international organisations, mainly from Africa, have reiterated calls for the African Union (AU) to “immediately” publish a report on crimes committed in South Sudan by the warring parties for the last 14 months of the conflict.

In a joint letter, dated 3 March, addressed to the members of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) of the African Union (AU), the organisations expressed frustration over reluctance to publish the report and urged the AU to release it to the public.

“We, the undersigned South Sudanese and international non-governmental organisations, write to urge you to immediately consider, publish and disseminate the report of the AU Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan (AUCISS),” partly reads the petition.

They argued that publication of the report would make a positive contribution for a lasting peace in South Sudan.

The petition, also copied to the chairperson of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamina, commissioner for peace and security, Samil Chergui, and chairperson of the AU commission of inquiry, Olusegun Obasanjo, decried encouraged impunity for the crimes committed.

“Our organisations believe that impunity for grave and systemic human rights violations and crimes under international law has fuelled South Sudan’s cycle of violence,” the petition states.

At last month’s summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the AU decided to delay publication of the report, saying it would impact negatively on the peace process as it would likely condemn some of the top leaders in government and in the opposition group.

IGAD hinted that those who would be accused of gross human rights abuses would not participate in the transitional government of national unity or hold public offices.

The organisations in their Tuesday letter however said the “victims and survivors” of the 15 December 2013 violence and beyond had a right to access the report.

(ST)