The South Sudan Human Rights Commission issued the warning following a mission to the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011, but deadly fighting broke out in late 2013 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to his rival, Riek Machar.
While a peace deal ended the war and a unity government was established, tensions erupted earlier this year after the arrest of Mr. Machar, the first vice president and main opposition leader.
Peace progress has stalled
The Commission said South Sudan’s political leaders have deliberately blocked progress towards peace, despite a decade of efforts by the AU and regional actors.
Armed clashes are now occurring on a scale unprecedented since the cessation of hostilities in 2017, and civilians are bearing the brunt of human rights and displacement violations.
Furthermore, “the vacuum of justice and accountability continues to fuel political intransigence, impunity, conflict and corruption.”
A recent Commission report highlighted how corruption and misappropriation of public resources remain a key driver of conflict.
Failure of leadership
Barney Afako, who led the mission, said the current political crisis, growing fighting and “systemic and unchecked corruption” reflected a failure of leadership.
“Unless there is immediate, sustained and coordinated political engagement from the region, South Sudan risks sliding back into full-scale conflict with unimaginable consequences for the human rights of its people and the region as a whole.» he said.
“South Sudanese are looking to the African Union and the region to save them from an avoidable fate,” he added.
Search for justice
In discussions with AU officials, the Commission highlighted the urgent need to put in place the transitional justice mechanisms provided for in the peace agreement, including the hybrid court.
“More than ever, justice is essential in South Sudan,“, said Yasmin Sooka, President of the Commission. “Promises made to victims years ago have still not been kept.»
She said the hybrid court must ensure accountability for past crimes while strengthening judicial institutions.
Growing clashes
The Commission noted that South Sudanese are once again on the run due to renewed armed clashes. Around 300,000 people have fled the country this year alone, while regional countries host more than 2.5 million South Sudanese refugees.
Meanwhile, some two million people are displaced in South Sudan, which is also hosting some 560,000 refugees who fled war in neighboring Sudan.
“The increase in armed clashes, massive displacements and the breakdown of the peace agreement signed seven years ago demonstrate that South Sudan cannot rebuild itself without stability and justice,” declared Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández.
Stressing the need for “credible and independent mechanisms for justice and accountability,” he said: “The AU and its regional partners must act now – not only to prevent another war, but also to lay the foundations for a just peace, based on the rule of law.»
About the Commission
The South Sudan Human Rights Commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016.
The three commissioners are not UN staff and are not paid for their work. They are supported by a secretariat based in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Floods affect thousands of people
Meanwhile, the UN and partners continue to provide food, water and other life-saving assistance to people affected by heavy flooding in South Sudan caused by heavy rains and rising waters along the Nile.
The number of people affected has increased from 380,000 three weeks ago to nearly 890,000, and most are in Jonglei and Unity states, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported Monday.
Nearly a third of those affected have been displaced and are seeking refuge on higher ground.
“The floods have caused significant damage to homes, crops, schools, health facilities, roads and other critical infrastructure, further complicating humanitarian access,” OCHA said, noting that some flooded areas in the south are now only accessible by canoe.
Humanitarians continue to provide assistance, including shelter, food and nutrition support, cash assistance, health, water and sanitation services, and sandbags and other flood-fighting materials.
OCHA has warned that above-average rainfall is expected across most of South Sudan, increasing the risk of flooding.
The situation is evolving against a backdrop of declining support for humanitarian efforts in the country. A $1.7 billion plan to help some 5.4 million people this year is only 30 percent funded, or $504 million, a drop of more than 40 percent from the same time last year.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
