EU says 'there can be no impunity' for crimes and violence in South Sudan

Archive - United Nations soldiers in South Sudan (UNMISS/dpa/News 360)

The European Union said Thursday that "there can be no impunity" for crimes in South Sudan after a report revealed that more than 170 civilians were killed and 44,000 were displaced by violence between February and May this year in the country.

"We call on the authorities to conduct independent and impartial investigations into all allegations of human rights violations and abuses and violations of humanitarian law to hold perpetrators accountable and bring justice to the victims," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali said in a statement.

The report covers recent events in Upper Nile State and the ongoing killings of humanitarian workers in the country, as well as accounts of sexual violence, killings and systematic attacks against civilians.

"Peace, security and stability are prerequisites for development. The EU and its Member States contribute significantly to humanitarian aid and development cooperation in South Sudan. However, this support can only be sustainable and successful in an environment free of violence," he concluded.

South Sudan has a unity government that was launched following the materialization of the 2018 peace agreement. South Sudanese authorities signed in early August a new political 'roadmap' that extends the transition period by two years, which means that the African country will not hold elections in February 2023, as planned, since they are postponed until December 2024.

Despite the decrease in violence due to the political conflict, the country has registered an increase in inter-community clashes, mainly motivated by cattle theft and disputes between pastoralists and farmers in the most fertile areas of the country, especially due to the increase in desertification and displacement of populations.