S. Sudan militia leader warns forces against ethnic killings
May 19, 2015 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese militia commander, whose forces recently formed a coalition with the armed opposition forces against government troops, has vowed to ensure civilians in Upper Nile state are not targeted by his forces based on ethnicity.
“We ask our people to not panic. If you cannot manage to leave, then comply. Our forces will not target anybody on the basis of the ethnicity. There should be no fear that some people will be targeted. Actually we are fighting on behalf of the civilians to liberate them from the tyranny”, Olony said by phone from Upper Nile on Tuesday.
The militia leader, who recently fell out with Juba, further said they contacted foreign diplomats, particularly the Chinese embassy in Juba, to advise their citizens working in oil companies in Upper Nile to halt production and vacate for safety reasons.
“We have no problem with them and this is why we are alerting them to leave. We don’t want them to ignore this message,” he said.
Last week, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemned the large-scale attack by armed opposition forces in Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital on 15 May.
“The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the repeated violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement … and underscored that there is no military solution to this conflict,” the 15-nation UN body said in a statement.
“The members of the council further expressed their condemnation of the large-scale attack initiated by the SPLM/A (in Opposition) on the town of Malakal in Upper Nile state”, it added.
Members of the council, however, called on all the parties to engage meaningfully in the peace process so as to bring about a political solution to the crisis and end the war.
The council further expressed concern about the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in the country and renewed its call for the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the “full, safe and unhindered access” of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies to all those in need and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance.
It condemned all human rights violations and abuses and demanded an immediate end to them, noting that the government bears the primary responsibility to protect the civilians from abuses and from potential crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Meanwhile, the council members acknowledged the current peace process led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), urging renewed regional and international efforts to swiftly implement a common plan and to table a reasonable and comprehensive solution to end the crisis in South Sudan, the statement stressed.
(ST)