Troika and EU condemn South Sudan army attacks on rebel stronghold
July 20, 2017 (JUBA) – Members of the Troika and the European Union have condemned the continuing violence in South Sudan, especially the current offensive by government forces against the country’s armed opposition (SPLM-IO) forces near Pagak town.
Pagak, located on South Sudan’s border with Ethiopia, has been a military stronghold for rebel forces loyal to former First-Vice President, Riek Machar.
The Pagak offensive, they said in a joint statement, is a clear violation of the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Salva Kiir on 22 May, and calls into question the Juba government’s commitment to reach peace through the national dialogue, notwithstanding the sincere efforts undertaken by the leaders of the steering committee.
“The Troika and EU repeat and endorse the June 12 call by the leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for President Kiir to ensure that his forces respect the unilateral ceasefire, for the armed opposition groups to reciprocate the ceasefire, and for all groups to allow the unfettered delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need,” reads the statement.
Both the Troika and EU members welcomed IGAD’s announcement of a High-Level Revitalization Forum for the South Sudan peace process and called upon the regional bloc to expeditiously convene the forum, and to include the current principal parties to the conflict.
“Likewise, we urge all parties to fully participate in the forum. The Troika and EU agree with IGAD that the Forum should focus on achieving a ceasefire and resuming political dialogue that focuses on updating the agreement’s timelines and other provisions that are now obsolete in light of the expansion of conflict since 2015,” adds the joint statement.
The Troika and EU members said the proliferation of violence, displacement, and food insecurity renders any discussion of elections in the foreseeable future as an unnecessary diversion from the primary goals of achieving peace and reconciliation.
“South Sudan’s leaders, neighbors, and regional and international partners must first focus on achieving peace in order to create the conditions needed to hold credible elections,” their statement noted.
“To achieve these urgent goals, we look forward to the prompt revitalization of an inclusive and credible peace process by IGAD,” it added, vowing to support institutions designed to implement the accord that temporarily ended the conflict.
CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Michael J. Sison, the U.S deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Thursday that the 15-member Security Council needed to hold the South Sudanese parties on the ground accountable for their broken promises.
“We called on the parties to stop fighting, commit to a political process, and allow for unfettered humanitarian access, but virtually none of these steps happened. So this Council must be prepared to hold the parties accountable for their inaction and for the continued suffering of South Sudan’s people,” Sison told the Security Council.
“The Council must put real pressure on the parties to change their behavior”, he added.
Last week, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer said there was “heavy fighting” and an “extremely worrying” situation in Pagak, forcing civilians and aid workers to flee.
At least 5,000 civilians, he said, have been forced out of their homes.
According to Shearer, thousands of South Sudanese civilians are fleeing to neighbouring Ethiopia as government troops and its allied forces advanced towards Pagak town, expressing grave concerns about what was already the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis.
Stressing there was no military solution to the South Sudan conflict, Shearer called upon all the warring both factions to stop the fighting.
The South Sudanese conflict started in mid-December 2013 when President Kiir accused Machar of a coup attempt. Since then, tens of thousands of people been killed and more than 2 million displaced.
(ST)