July 28th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The defense minister of Rwanda, James Kabarebe, has condemned the ongoing civilian slaughter in South Sudan committed mostly by government troops in some parts of the country as reported by the UN early this month.
A UN report release early this month accused the South Sudan’s army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of slaughtering civilians on ethnic basis between April 16 and May 24. The report mentioned that three government commanders were responsible for the atrocities.
The minister was addressing the Council of Ministers of Defense and Security of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) at the 24th ordinary Policy Organs meeting, yesterday in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
In South Sudan, tens of thousands of people continue to die while millions have fled the country due to the five-year old civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and armed opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon.
Kabarebe said in light of the unfolding situation in South Sudan and the entire Horn of Africa, he is seriously concerned about the situation in the region.
“In view of the unfolding conflict in South Sudan and the Horn of Africa I would like to reiterate my serious concern about the on-going situation in these regions,” Kabarebe said.
He said he deplores the senseless killing of the civilian ongoing in the world’s youngest nation.
“I deplore the senseless killing of innocent civilians and the humanitarian tragedy unfolding on the ground,” he added.
At the meeting, which brought together ministers of defense and security from Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and representatives from Sudan and Kenya, Kabarebe said it was time to review the political and cultural dynamics which lead to various forms of conflict and war in the region.
“We must also re-align our strategies to emerging conflict situations and scenarios, including enhancing the early warning systems which may help prevent conflict and identity mechanisms and interventions at various stages and elaborate our crisis response,” he said.
