South Sudan did not prosecute attackers of IGAD monitors

January 22, 2019 (JUBA) - South Sudan government did not conduct legal proceedings against soldiers who had attacked regional monitors December until now, said the head of the mentoring said on Tuesday.

Maj Gen Desta Abiche Ageno the head of Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) disclosed speech before the 3rd CTSAMVM Board Meeting in Juba on Tuesday.

On 18 December, four-member team had been detained for four hours in a facility of National Security Service (NSS) in Luri. A female colonel from the Ethiopian army was forced to remove all her clothing and remain completely naked. A Sudanese army colonel and Kenyan army major were also forced to strip their clothes.

The IGAD and Troika countries condemned the attack and urged the South Sudanese authorities to investigate the violation, bring the perpetrators and their pertinent superiors to justice, and apologize for the victims and the countries they represent.

Gen Ageno told the board that the CTSAMVM teams continue to impose limitations on their freedom of movement, adding that the incident in Luri is just an example.

" The Luri incident is a very serious and grave violation of the peace agreement and we are continuing to urge the TGoNU to take action and hold the perpetrators accountable," he said.

"Accountability measures will be essential in limiting the possibility of this type of incident happening again," he further stressed.

The Troika said they consider that any action compromising the safety, integrity, and free movement of the CTSAMVM mission is a breach of the September 12th Peace Agreement.

The CTSAMVM Board comprises members of the Parties to the peace agreement as well as members of the international community and women’s and youth groups as well as Civil Society.

Regarding the issue of over Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Bentiu, Ageno said it remains a huge concern adding that the parties continue to fail in their obligation to protect civilians.

"Our investigations revealed that women and girls in the area are most vulnerable when they are conducting essential survival activities such as the collection of food and firewood," he said.

In November 2018, there were sexual attacks on over 150 women and girls along roads near Nhialdu and Guit to Bentiu in Northern Liech State, according to MSF.

UN Security Council, IGAD, Troika and other structures tasked with the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan, condemned the attacks and called on Juba to probe it and to prosecute the perpetrators.

On 22 December, Gender, Child and Social Welfare Minister Awut Deng Achuil informed President Salva Kiir that the 157 cases of rape outside Bentiu reported on 30 November by MSF Holland are "unfounded and baseless".

The minister further said that the group which provided medical treatment to the victims refused to hand over the details they collected on the sexual abuse.

(ST)