S. Sudanese rights activist urges leaders to end violence
July 10, 2015 (KAMPALA) – The executive director of South Sudan Human Right Society for Advocacy, Biel Boutros Biel has expressed disappointment over failure by the ruling party leadership to end what he described as evil acts against civilians in the country.
“What happen to the principle and objectives of freedom, equality, justice and liberty all of which the current SPLM leadership led the liberation for while they continue killing the very people they stand with?” he asked.
He said the ruling SPLM party had bad a record since its estructuring in 1983, with thousands of Gajaak Nuer allegedly murdered in cold blood as South Sudanese waged war against oppressors from neighborhood Sudan.
According to Biel, South Sudan had developed a bad profile, attracting more attention from international and regional bodies due to continous human right abuses in the nation.
“Consistent violations of human rights with all features of genocidal acts, war crimes and crimes against humanity; the ethnicity cleansing, rapes, destruction of civilian properties, all of which are direct violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” he observed, while addressing the gathering on Thursday.
Biel called on the international community to pressure South Sudan’s warring parties to give peace a chance, rather than their competitive war, which was a risk to citizens’ lives.
The international communities must act quickly to investigate the crimes and form a transitional justice for those who committed atrocities against civilians, stressed Biel.
“Those who carry criminal responsibility in committing atrocities against the South Sudanese people, starting with the ethnic cleansing of the Nuer right from Juba in December 2013 and across South Sudan to recent destruction of innocent lives and civilian property in some place in the country must be brought for justice,” he said.
The activist, however, warned both leaders in their continued power struggle, to respect human rights, the dignity of every child, women and persons who are victims of the war.
He further called on churches, the common men and women to pray for sustainable peace that will restore unity and spirit of solidarity to rebuild truth among the people.
(ST)