Dok-Nuer call for immediate actions on atrocities committed in Unity state
July 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Dok-Nuer community from South Sudan’s Unity state have condemned atrocities allegedly committed by forces to president Salva Kiir calling for immediate probe into their actions.
This comes hardly a week after the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report, which faulted the South Sudanese army (SPLA) for allegedly rape, abductions, burning of houses and killing of civilians in Unity state.
Majak Dieu Gatbuok, the chairman of the Dok-Nuer community in Sudan, accused pro-government forces of committing atrocities in the oil-rich state.
“We the Dok community association in Sudan condemn in the strongest term possible the serious atrocities committed, which include; gang raping young girls under 15 years of age, burning a human being alive, abduction of children, destruction of properties, looting of cattle, mass displacement of people and burning of all local villages to ashes,” said Gatbuok.
He described as “barbaric” the nature of crimes allegedly committed by the army.
The community urged the international community to fully investigate crimes allegedly committed by the Bul-Nuer and their allied militias in Unity state.
“The international community must condemn and take serious actions against the government of Salva Kiir for pitting civilians against one another,” Gatbuok said by phone from Khartoum.
The community called on the United Nations to establish temporary protection of civilian camps in Leer and Payinjiar counties for those displaced by war.
More than 2.2 million people, the world body says, have been uprooted from their homes by the conflict, including 1.6 million people who have been internally displaced and over 600,000 who have fled to Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda as refugees.
At least 7.9 million out of 11.6 million people in South Sudan are expected to face severe food insecurity this rainy season, according to recent estimates from aid agencies.
(ST)