Gov’t: IGAD, AU and UN should not exaggerate security situation in South Sudan
The RSS Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Intl Cooperation: TGoNU calls on the IGAD, AU, UN to admit the truth of the situation in South Sudan so that the challenges are dealt with fairly and honestly.
August 2, 2016 (SSB) — The IGAD Council of Ministers reached its Resolutions during its 56th Extra-Ordinary Session on the 11th July 2016, on the basis of unconfirmed informal sources of information well before the facts related to the incident could be established. The TGoNU Council of Ministers hence calls on the IGAD Council of Ministers to review its position in the light of the facts now accumulated and available.
The TGoNU Council of Ministers is also reliably informed that the UN Secretary General, H.E. Ban Ki moon, chose to attend that meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the IGAD Plus in order to influence its outcome particularly with regards to arms embargo, targeted sanctions and the renewal of UNMISS mandate to include controversial proposals such as ‘the creation of a Protection Force, Intervention Force or Buffer Zone Force, which would undoubtedly undermine the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of South Sudan.
This time again, and to our utter disappointment, the IGAD Council of Ministers and the IGAD Heads of State and Government refused to acknowledge the truth about the cause of the recent violence. They could not even appreciate the outstanding statesmanship demonstrated by the President of the Republic in protecting the First Vice President whose forces were busy trying to force their way in to assassinate the President himself.
The government unreservedly concurs and equally condemns the targeting of diplomatic personnel, UN compound and protection of civilian sites (PoCs) that resulted in the death of peacekeepers, as well as the looting of the UN humanitarian stores by armed groups as came in Paragraph (5) of their Communiqué
The TGoNU and the people of the Republic of South Sudan unanimously REJECT the use of the notion of ‘Protections of Civilians’ as a strategy to compromise the hard-earned independence and the sovereignty of South Sudan. The protection of civilian population is a primary constitutional function of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, as it is in any country the world over.
The TGoNU informs the international community, including IGAD, AU and UN, that they have not been forthcoming in honoring their roles as stakeholders in supporting the implementation of security arrangements. The TGoNU institutions are preparing their respective budgets for the implementation of the ARCSS and appeal to the stakeholders to make tangible responses
Finally on the recommendations for the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of UNMISS with a revised mandate, the TGoNU welcomes such a review provided that the TGoNU is fully consulted and persuaded to accept any new ideas.
Would consider consultation on a revised UNMISS mission to include key aspects of development. Our experience from the CPA, 2005, indicates that ‘peace without development cannot succeed.
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