IGAD, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
15 May 2015(Nyamilepedia)Â —Â According to reports filed by the IGAD Monitoring and Verification Team-MVT, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations on ground, Government forces have been conducting full-scale military offensive against opposition forces in Rubkona, Mayom, Guit, Koch and Mayendit counties in Unity State since 27 April 2015.
It is also increasingly clear that the offensive is being expanded into Jonglei and Upper Nile States. At this critical moment, IGAD Mediators remind the warring Parties of their obligation to honor the COHA and Implementation Matrix that they signed on 23rd January 2014 and November 2014 respectively.
The consequences of these offensives on the humanitarian dimension are emerging. IGAD Mediators are extremely dismayed at the credible reports reaching the MVM of acts of violence targeting civilians, grave human rights abuses and destruction of villages. In addition, over 100,000 people are displaced in the fighting areas while humanitarian organizations and UN agencies are being forced to evacuate their staff due to the prevailing insecurity, depriving populations in desperate need of emergency food assistance.
The Mediators are also deeply disturbed by the denial of freedom of movement by Government forces to the IGAD-MVT based in Bentiu following the start of the military offensive in Unity State. Since that date, any MVT movement beyond the Rubkona airfield (2.7 Km from the UNMISS camp) had been blocked. Â Verbal and written requests made by JTC/MVM-HQs in Juba to the Director of Operations of SPLA in Juba, and by the MVT in Bentiu to the Commander of SPLA 4th Division and the Deputy Governor of Unity State to lift the restrictions imposed on the freedom of movement of the Monitoring Teams, indicating that it is a serious violation of the COHA and Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA), remain unanswered.
The full-scale military offensive taking place in Unity State since 27 April 2015, and the denial of freedom of movement to the MVT by Government forces constitute clear and significant violation of the COH Agreement.
The continued war rhetoric by the warring Parties also demonstrates the fact that they are still pursuing their objectives thorough military means. Once more, The Mediators would like to underline that there is no military solution to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan. They urge the warring Parties to immediately stop the violence and work towards achieving a negotiated political settlement under the new IGAD-Plus approach.
The IGAD-Mediators, are disappointed that such unwarranted and appalling actions are happening in South Sudan at this critical time when leaders of the region are working together with partners and friends of South Sudan and the international community at large to close the existing gaps between the negotiating Parties and to find lasting and sustainable solution to the crisis in the country.
We also urge the warring Parties to the conflict to immediately allow the provision of humanitarian assistance and facilitate humanitarian workers unrestricted access to the affected areas and ensure their safety.
Finally, The IGAD-Mediators strongly appeal to the IGAD Heads of State and Government, the United Nations, the African Union, partners and friends of South Sudan and to the broader international community to prevail on the warring Parties to immediately cease hostilities, abandon the war option and commit to a genuine process of peace and dialogue with the aim of forming an inclusive Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) that will lay a solid foundation for peace, democracy and sustainable development in South Sudan. ##
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Hailemicheal Gebreselassie | Communications Officer | Office of the IGAD Special Envoys for South Sudan | E-mail: haile.michael@igad.int | Tel: +251.924.909.948
Website: http://southsudan.igad.int
3 comments
What have IGAD achieved since it been tasked with the mediations? Nothing as a matter of fact their role in the mediation was not partial and at time they were dishonest and deceptive. The war is going to continue regardless of what IGAD say or do.
IGAD must set a date and call the warring parties to a round table resuming the peace talk in Ethiopia. The delay of peace talk is the cause of escalation of the war which in turn entails too much human suffering, displacement of civilians, rape of young women and girls and looting of the properties. It is important for the IGAD and the international community to take clear position by choosing a date for negotiation of peace talk as soon as possible. The more the peace talk delay the more the war is continuing and the more death and suffering of innocent civilians in South Sudan. In order to solve the problem by ending the war, the IGAD and the International community have to take concrete action on this matter; because it is not enough just condeming the warring parties without taking serious action against the government. Because this time it is the government forces who breached the agreement signed on 23 Jan 2014 by initiating attack against the opposition forces in Unity State. If the IGAD, the AU, the US including the European Union really want to end the war applying political resolution, why not they do not use that allternative as a mean to solve the 18 months war in South Sudan, instead to allow the civilians suffer first in the hand of dictator Kirr?
No government in South Sudan only collected traders name themselves regiment