SSHURSA PAYS CONDOLENCES, CONDEMNS ATTACK ON TWIC EAST COUNTY AND CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO ACT RESPONSIBLY
SSHURSA Press Statement: For Immediate Release: October 20, 2013
The South Sudan Human Rights Society For Advocacy(SSHURSA), condemns in strongest terms possible the deadly attack on the people of Twic East County in Jonglei State that happened today October 20, 2013. The attack targetted one cattle camp at Ajuong Payam and two cattle camps at Paker Payam. SSHURSA sends also its most heartfelt condolences to the entire Twic East Community and particularly to all families of the victims. Sources SSHURSA spoke to on the ground stated 42 persons including children and women have been confirmed dead and 44 people wounded with 5 children abducted.
“The situation is deadly, the attackers used AK 47 and Rocket-Propelled Grenades(RPG)” the County Commissioner sadly told SSHURSA. He believed the attackers were rebels of General David Yauyau operating in Jonglei State as in response by the limited police force against the attack, one person among the attackers has been killed and identified as from the Yauyau’s rebels. Sources on the ground revealed to SSHURSA that the presence of the rebels was realized in the area and appeals were raised to the higher authorities of governments in the state and National levels to deploy the national army, the SPLA but nothing was done.
As SSHURSA strongly condemns the attack, it also gets concerned with the reckless handling of the security of the citizens by the Government of South Sudan. The attack on Twic East would have been prevented if South Sudan has a caring government. The negligence in protecting the people and their property is a fundamental failure of the government. The security of the people always remains as a first and serious responsibility of a responsible government but South Sudan’s, has shown the contrary. Article 53 and Schedule A of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011 directly task the Government with the responsibility to provide the security to the people and their property in South Sudan. The right to life is the first right which leads to the enjoyment of all other human rights and as provided under Article 11 of the Constitution and under international human rights law and isntruments which oblige the state to observe. Such a failure is unacceptable because the government cannot exist without the living citizens. SSHURSA condemns in strongest terms possible such negligence by the people’s government.
SSHURSA MAKES THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS:
(a) To the Government of South Sudan to:
(i) immediately deploy the national army in Twic East County to protect the citizens and prevent regular attacks in the area.
(ii) strengthen the presence of the SPLA forces in Jonglei State’s insecure Counties that have suffered frequent and preventable attacks by the rebels and cattle rustlers.
(iii) devise honest and peaceful mechanisms to address the rebellion in Jonglei state to bring frequent attacks permanently to an end.
(iv) continue working genuinely to reach peaceful solutions to tribal conflicts in Jonglei state and deliver tangible services that will change the lives of the warring tribes to abandon savagery.
(v) maintain continued presence of the SPLA in all insecure states in South Sudan.
(b) To United Nations Mission in South Sudan(UNMISS) to:
(i) deploy immediately UN troops in Twic East County to prevent further attacks.
(ii) maintain continued presence of UN peacekeeping troops to protect people and their property in insecure and vulnerable areas which the government of South Sudan has always failed to provide with security.
(c) To the States and National Legislative Assemblies to:
(i) raise a hot motion against the government for its inability and negligence to protect the citizens which is its first responsibility under the Constitution.
(ii) impeach any Minister or any personnel of any office whose responsibility is to protect the people and their property in South Sudan but has failed to do so.
(iii) genuinely get concerned, leaving politics aside, think about the lives of their constituents and viability of South Sudan as a state in transition, work with grassroots communities and put tough pressures on governments for peaceful solutions to stop the frequent deaths in Jonglei state and South Sudan generally.
(d) To the Twic East and other Communities in Jonglei State to:
(i) remain calm and avoid any revenge attacks despite the deadly attack on them
(ii) respect all the times the importance of human dignity and life.
(iii) work for unity and peaceful co-existence with each other for better South Sudan.
(e) To rebels of David Yauyau and others in South Sudan to:
(i) respect human rights and respect closely the right to life
(ii) respect the norms, rules and principles of the International Humanitarian Law.
(iii) end rebellion and pursue peaceful means with the government as the only best solutions to resolve conflicts among the civilized people.
SSHURSA is a non political and nonprofit making National Human Rights Organization founded in 2007 by South Sudanese Lawyers and Law Students at Makerere’s Law Development Centre (LDC), Kampala Uganda. For more information on this statement or about SSHURSA contact: 1. Biel Boutros Biel: Executive Director, Tel. +16464318960, E-mail: sshursa2007@gmail.com/bboutrosb@yahoo.com, www.sshursa.org, New York, USA. 2. Beny Gideon Mabor: Senior Project Officer: E-mail: benyg@sshursa.org/benygmabor@gmail.com, Juba, South Sudan.
ABOUT SSHURSA:
South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) is an incorporated non political and non profit making Human Rights organization founded in June 2007 by South Sudanese Lawyers and Law Students at Makerere Law Development Centre (LDC), Kampala-Uganda. In 2009, it became operational in South Sudan with its head office in capital city Juba and co-ordination offices in the states. It membership composes of individuals and organizations who believe in its human rights protection mandate. Its vision is to advocate for a democratic and human rights abiding South Sudan and with its mission to monitor, document and publish human rights status in South Sudan and also train general public on Constitution, the importance of human rights, fundamental freedoms of an individual, Rule of Law, democracy, Transitional Justice and International Humanitarian Law , all geared towards creating a more responsible, justice and good governance oriented South Sudan. SSHURSA pays special focus on the rights of children, women and other vulnerable groups.It also keeps close attention to the strict observance of the supreme law, The Constitution.
Motto:
“YOUR RIGHTS; YOUR DIGNITY”
For more information, contact us on:
Website: www:sshursa.org(currently under construction)
Juba, Republic of South Sudan
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