Call for deployment of the Regional Protection Force in South Sudan

‘‘It’s not the activities of the rascals that destroy the society, but the inaction of the good people.’’ 

Press Release

March 27, 2022 — The Liech Community Association in Kenya (LCAK) wishes to register its clarion call to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to immediately consider deploying the Regional Protection Force in South Sudan as agreed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution UNSCR 2304. 

In 2016, this resolution was reached following the joint report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNIMISS) which stated that ‘‘While some civilians died because they were caught in the crossfire, others appeared to have been deliberately targeted by the Sudan People Liberation Movement SPLA (NOW SSPDF) and the Sudan people’s Liberation Movement- in Opposition (SPLM-IO), their affiliated armed forces and other armed men.’’  

In this resolution dubbed UNSCR 2304, the Regional Protection Forces (RPF) was mandated to use all necessary means, including ‘‘promptly and effectively engage any actor that is credibly found to be preparing attack against civilians, humanitarian actors, UN protection of civilian sites, UN personnel and premises.’’ 

This appeal follows the renewed deadly clashes between the forces of President Salva Kiir and First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar across the country.  In view of the foregoing, we urge the UN to reject the repeated demands by the South Sudan’s Government to lift the arms embargo due to these sheer violations of the Revitalized Agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS).

Finally, we would like to remind the aforementioned Principal partners to R-ARCISS, to put the country above their personal political interests by recalling and living up to their promises of implementing this agreement to the letter and Spirit.        

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DAK BUOTH RIEK-GAAK

CHAIRMAN, LIECH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION IN KENYA (LCAK)

NAIROBI, KENYA