YouSaid · the spoken record

David Shearer

lines on the record: 62
first: 2020-06-23
most recent: 2021-03-03
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“I also thank the United Nations family in South Sudan for their unwavering support and hard work, together with the vast number of non-governmental organizations — both national and international — that, collectively, have bravely helped and saved the lives of so many and overcome many prejudices against peacekeeping operations to work collaboratively with the Mission. I am proud to have worked with some very special people in this Mission — people who live in some of the toughest conditions of any United Nations mission on the planet, far from their loved ones. Yet every morning they get up and do their best. I am grateful to them. My last words are to the people of South Sudan, who inspire me with their seemingly endless patience and hope as they fight against tremendous odds to achieve the much brighter future they deserve.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“It is inching forward frustratingly slowly, with still so much to do before its citizens can truly enjoy a peaceful and prosperous future. I want to thank the Council. I particularly remember the visit to Juba by Council members in October 2019, during a fragile moment of the peace process. They were confronted by, and listened to, the complexities of forging peace in this country. Through their actions, they mobilized to push the peace process forward with the full weight of the Security Council and, by extension, the world. It gives us — both me personally and those I represent — enormous encouragement, and I am grateful.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“They are, without a doubt, the toughest, most resilient people I have ever met. And yet, despite hardship, they can sit, discuss and not give up. Perhaps above all, I have enjoyed their wonderful sense of humour and their ability to laugh in the face of tremendous adversity. I will miss this young country, and I wish it well from the bottom of my heart. But for me, now is the right time to move on. The transformation of South Sudan from conflict to recovery is under way. The Mission is hopeful, performing strongly and poised to implement change. My replacement, Nicholas Haysom, is a friend and no stranger to South Sudan. I am delighted that he will succeed me. Because of the collective efforts of so many, particularly those in the region, South Sudan is in a better state.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“That is where I feel that we, the international community, also have a responsibility. We fail to question our role and do not acknowledge the influence of institutional pressures and ambitions on our actions. We have too eagerly stepped in and shouldered responsibilities that should fall on the South Sudanese people. This has only increased their dependency, which has undermined their dignity. On several occasions, the President has said to me: “David, you are turning us into a nation of beggars”. He has a valid point. But it is a two-way street; his Government also has to step up. State-building is a finely tuned endeavour that constantly needs to be re- evaluated and questioned. I have so much admiration for the South Sudanese, with whom I have thoroughly enjoyed working.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Increasingly, people are asking the obvious question: why would key decision- makers who benefit from their current positions hold an election that could put their access to power and resources at risk? Secondly, I am struck by the immense pride the South Sudanese people have in their country. The massive United Nations presence will inevitably bump up against their hard-won sovereignty, a word that is used so often but holds deeper significance. True sovereignty means responsibility, being responsible and really caring, in a tangible and demonstrable way, for all the nation’s 12 million citizens. It also means independence. Yet South Sudan is perhaps one of the most dependent nations in history. Its education and health systems and its roads and infrastructure are provided by outsiders.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Many citizens are wary about the lack of political will and fear progress may collapse. It is for those people that we, the international community, must remain united and committed to pushing the peace process forward. We cannot sit on the sidelines as spectators. Look back four years. That is what failure looks like, and it is in no one’s interests to return. There are two areas I want to touch on that I believe we have addressed far more poorly than we should have. First is the continuing absence of a financial system that works for the people of South Sudan. The wealth of this country — from oil and elsewhere — bypasses its people and is siphoned off in secrecy, with no public accountability for how it is spent.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Overall, political violence has reduced tenfold, as compared to the number of people who were dying or displaced due to widespread conflict in 2016. A caveat is our concern about the upsurge in armed community militias, seemingly in open defiance of State forces. The uniformed and civilian staff of UNMISS make a real difference in lowering the level of that kind of violence and bringing diverse communities together. We are a stabilizing force that extends well beyond our physical presence — and is welcomed by nearly 80 per cent of South Sudanese who we have independently surveyed. We also continue to push the peace process forward by working closely with all political parties, in coordination with our regional and international partners. However, the reality is that the peace process remains extremely fragile.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Since I will be departing my post next month, this will be my last briefing to the Security Council as Special Representative of the Secretary-General. So, I beg the Council’s indulgence to speak for a couple more minutes to share some personal reflections. At the end of my four years in South Sudan, I look back with a certain level of comfort about how far the country has come. There is a ceasefire, a peace deal, a transitional Government, a presidency, a Council of Ministers and Governors, and local leadership is slowly being installed. The majority of people who flocked to protection-of-civilians sites have either left or now live in newly transitioned IDP camps — a result of improved political security.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Those efforts are bolstered by troops previously confined to static duties at protection-of- civilians sites. Most of these initiatives are integrated with civil affairs and human rights staff to bring communities together, deter violence and address underlying causes. Over the next two years, force numbers will gradually diminish by about 7 per cent as we shift resources to assets that will further boost our mobility. These are just a few examples of our work. Of course, we are not alone in our efforts. As always, we partner with the reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union, with whom we work as colleagues and share a written memorandum.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“That is why we are looking to redeploy staff and resources to build the capacity of important institutions, including the courts, the justice system and the National Police Service. Individual police officers will train and mentor local police. We are also looking to build on the success of the mobile courts by making them permanent so that all victims have access to justice. It means putting the South Sudanese in the hot seat to tackle the impunity that has plagued this country, particularly with regard to sexual violence, in order, ultimately, to have fewer victims. We are also prioritizing technical support for security sector reform and preparations for elections. Our forces have been more mobile in recent months, establishing new temporary bases and increasing patrols to hotspots.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Just last week, local police entered the Juba internally displaced persons (IDP) camp to quell a fight between youth gangs and arrested several suspects. The United Nations police is still right alongside the South Sudan National Police Service, providing support and even co-locating with them in some areas. This is all indicative of a changing context. The independent strategic review commissioned by the Council, as well as our mandate renewal, will guide us on a course that is more fit for purpose. The use of peacekeepers is only one means of protecting civilians. More important in the long term is to create a protective environment where all citizens benefit from the rule of law.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Work on a road linking the Sudan border to Bentiu and south to Rumbek is aimed at increasing trade and prosperity for citizens in the impoverished areas that it passes through. I cannot overstate the tangible impact of that work — it is an often- overlooked legacy of our peacekeeping. In a country with just 400 kilometres of paved roads, improving roads boosts communication, increases trade and jobs and, most critically, builds peace by linking communities. The follow-up from the redesignations of the Bor, Wau and Juba protection-of- civilians sites has continued smoothly. Camp residents, for example, initially voiced opposition to the South Sudan National Police Service entering the sites. Today they report crimes directly to nearby police posts and welcome their intervention.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Humanitarian agencies are providing critical assistance despite nine aid workers having lost their lives last year while courageously carrying out this work. It is estimated that most of the country requires food aid. More encouragingly, the latest assessment of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations shows a year-on-year increase in cereal production and a marked lift in land cultivated — back to 2016 levels. Across the country, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continues to protect and support South Sudanese in need despite many challenges. Our engineers, from seven different countries, are exploiting the dry season to build and improve 3,200 kilometres of roads, including between Bor and Pibor, which we hope will aid reconciliation among the Murle, Dinka and Nuer communities.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Thousands of troops fester in cantonment sites without adequate shelter, health care or food. This slow implementation comes at a cost. The power vacuum at the local level has opened up opportunities for spoilers and national actors who have exploited local tensions and fuelled violence. We saw the impact of that in Jonglei last year. Today, in Warrap, there is a worrisome surge in violence among various heavily armed community militias that Government forces have yet to contain. For the moment, conflict in the Equatorias has diminished. Meanwhile, reconciliation initiatives in Jonglei have also reduced violence to an occasional outbreak. There is also a humanitarian cost. Subnational conflict, combined with the devastation of flooding, has created places of critical need like Jonglei and Warrap.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“I thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council today. Last week marked the first anniversary of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity. There have been some positive steps forward. The South Sudan presidency and Council of Ministers have been formed, the full complement of state-level leaders is in place and lower-level officials have been announced. Overnight, the President delegated power to the Governors of all 10 states in a decree. These are welcome steps. But after a year, progress has been slow. The Transitional National Legislative Assembly still waits to be reconstituted, and there has been minimal progress on constitution-making, transitional justice and economic reform. Most important, the unification of forces has yet to occur despite multiple self-imposed Government deadlines.”
2021-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/219 (2021) · source
“Fourthly, as well maintaining the momentum of the peace process, preparations must begin for elections and for becoming more proactive on security-sector reform and, ultimately, disarmament and reintegration. Yes, there have been some political gains, despite the impact of COVID-19. However, we are acutely aware that the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan continues to stagnate, with many benchmarks well behind schedule. We urge the parties to take concrete steps to breathe fresh life into the process and above all to compromise in order to achieve the peace dividends that citizens deserve. As always, we will be right by their side, doing everything we can to make the hopes of the South Sudanese people for a peaceful and prosperous future a reality.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“The withdrawal of troops from passive, static duties at POC sites will enable increased outreach, through hub-and-spoke action and enhanced mobility, to areas where civilians’ lives are threatened. Retaining assets in order to be nimble and proactive is essential to our effectiveness. The change will also allow for a gradual downsizing of overall force numbers. Thirdly, the shift out of POC sites will enable a focus on strengthening the capabilities of the South Sudan police and addressing the insidious impunity that persists. That will occur together with increased support for prosecutors and courts, building on the success of the mobile courts. Only by extending the domestic rule of law can we end impunity, particularly with regard to gender-based violence.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“The changed circumstances also require the UNMISS mandate to evolve, which was the rationale behind the Council’s instructions for the review, pursuant to resolution 2514 (2020). UNMISS strategy going forward creates important opportunities, some of which are touched on in the independent strategic review. First, although UNMISS is termed a peacekeeping mission, our central task is a political one. We understand that politics must have primacy in our efforts to achieve our peacebuilding and protection goals in a country that has suffered from a persistent lack of political will among its leaders to implement change. That cannot happen on its own but requires the Mission to have a close strategic partnership with the countries of the region and continent. Secondly, our duty is to provide protection to those who need it most.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“The Government, with UNMISS technical support, has assumed ownership of the sites and is now obliged to work towards more durable solutions whereby IDPs can return home to live safely and with dignity. I also want to touch briefly on the recently completed independent strategic review of UNMISS, which was sparked by the changed situation in South Sudan. A ceasefire has been in place for three years and a peace agreement for two, and the Transitional Government is functioning. Although subnational violence has been a tragic feature this year, it is important to remember that the scale of violence and displacement is significantly less than in 2016 when the war among political actors was at its peak. That progress has enabled the redesignation of the POC sites.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“That occurred smoothly, as a result of joint planning and consultation with national and local authorities, security services, humanitarians and the displaced communities themselves. Planning is under way at Bentiu, where the Government and the opposition began joint policing, and Malakal, which is more complex and will only transition when the time is right. At the newly designated camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the transition has occurred without incident, and UNMISS remains engaged in support of the displaced communities. Our United Nations police officers provide comprehensive support for their national counterparts, have co-located with them in police posts and are providing training for community policing.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“Meanwhile, at the national level, UNMISS is working to establish underlying agreements on vital aspects of the peace process. A number of dialogue forums have been held with political parties, women, youth, media and faith-based organizations, most notably on the essential issue of drafting the Constitution. Let me touch on the transition of the protection of civilians (POC) sites to conventional displacement camps. The POC sites were established seven years ago to protect people fleeing from intense conflict. That threat no longer exists today, with most residents now moving daily among the camps and towns, while still being able to access humanitarian services. In the past three months, Bor, Wau and Juba POC sites have been successfully transitioned.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“While those restrictions have eased over recent weeks, we will continue to monitor and report progress. In the medium-term, the addition of the multi-donor Reconciliation, Stabilization and Resilience Trust Fund in South Sudan will target the underlying causes of violence. It harnesses the particular skills of United Nations agencies, non- governmental agencies and UNMISS in the pursuit of a common strategy. Our seven engineering contingents have also undertaken a major road- building programme to repair 3,200 kilometres of roads. Improving roads will boost connections and communication among regions and will increase trade, which generates economic incentives, create jobs and development but, most significantly, builds peace.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“Competition for scarce resources like grazing land and water also become points of tension between farmers and cattle herders during migration. Anticipating that, we have established five new temporary bases in conflict hotspots in line with our “proactive, robust and nimble” approach to peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Our integrated military and civilian teams are in place right now to deter violence, and support reconciliation so that communities can reach an agreement to peacefully coexist. That presence has markedly de-escalated conflict, particularly where we can make contact among parties early. The South Sudan Government’s refusal to enable access to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to many areas has hampered this kind of work considerably.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“It is driven by displacement from conflict, severe flooding affecting 1 million people, with the loss of livestock and crops, and a worsening economic situation owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), on top of existing pervasive poverty. The latest Acute Food Insecurity analysis of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has found that communities in six counties are facing “famine likely” or “catastrophic” conditions. Humanitarian workers are doing their best to assist those in need although, tragically, nine have been killed this year, three times the number killed in 2019. Historically, the dry season exacerbates those problems. Farmers and pastoralists have lost crops and cattle, and often seek to recover their losses through violent raids on others.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“Nevertheless, collectively, we need to remain focused on South Sudan to guide peace implementation. So far this year, more than 2,000 civilians have lost their lives during local- level conflict, which is being weaponized and turbocharged by external actors acting in their own economic or political interests. In the past quarter, violent incidents dropped 64 per cent compared to the previous quarter, but as the dry season approaches, we are preparing ourselves for a possible resurgence of volatility. Several underlying factors have created a perfect storm for those already facing hardship. Acute food insecurity is affecting more than half the population.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“Those achievements are to be commended. Progress, however is lagging. Transitional security arrangements aimed at unifying security forces are stalled, leaving combatants in training centres often without adequate food or shelter. The dispute over the proposed governorship of Johnson Olony in Upper Nile — the only Governor yet to take up office — is being used to halt the appointment of country commissioners, an essential level of local Government. The hold-up leaves a local vacuum of power and makes it difficult to nip in the bud brewing intercommunal violence. Momentum in South Sudan’s peace process is linked to the strength of international engagement. However, attention by Member States in the Horn is understandably directed elsewhere, contributing to the sense of drift, which is frequently remarked upon.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“I thank members of the Security Council for the opportunity to brief them once again. I want to go back to this time last year. Then, the political situation was fragile. Parties had just agreed to a second extension of the pretransitional period, further delaying the peace deal for 100 days. The lack of political will among the leaders was provoking disillusionment and anger among their citizens. I am pleased to report, as we come to the end of 2020, that there has been progress. Through compromise, parties have successfully formed a transitional Government, led by President Salva Kiir with First Vice-President Riek Machar. All states and counties positions have been allocated, and nine out of 10 Governors are in place. The Council of Ministers is meeting, and most national institutions are functioning, at least at a basic level.”
2020-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1237 (2020) · source
“In fact, without tying down large numbers of peacekeepers at protection of civilian sites, we can be more effective, with less. It is about working smarter with the right mix of troops and the right logistics. The foundations for change are under way, including reconfiguring our military, police and civilian components. That is why we welcome the independent strategic review of UNMISS requested by the Security Council. It is an opportunity for us to review our mandate and implement better ways to meet the future demands of South Sudan more effectively and efficiently. No matter where they live, no matter who they are, all South Sudanese hope for peace and prosperity. Our job is to do everything we can to make that dream a reality.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“The United Nations police work closely with them to build capacity and, in some areas, are co-locating with them. Responsibility must lie with the Government to help its citizens to return home or find other land to settle. The Government also holds the primary responsibility for protecting the country’s citizens and respecting the rights of the displaced. UNMISS, of course, maintains its clear mandate to protect civilians and will intervene if necessary. With our need to respond to isolated outbreaks of fighting across the country, our forces need to be robust, nimble and proactive. To do that, we are looking at innovative ways of deploying our troops to overcome the challenging environment, such as riverine patrols, rapid air transport and all-terrain vehicles. That does not mean more resources.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“The spike in subnational violence is occurring in remote areas, not near protection of civilians sites. We therefore have to deploy our forces to provide protection where there is the greatest need. For example, freeing up troops from the protection of civilian sites in Wau and Bor has allowed us to redeploy our forces to hotspots such as Tonj and Jonglei, where people are in immediate danger. Following the gradual withdrawal of peacekeepers, the protection of civilian sites will be redesignated and sovereign control will be with the South Sudanese Government, not the United Nations. Let me be clear. No one will be pushed out or asked to leave when that transition occurs. Humanitarian services will continue. The South Sudanese police will be responsible for law and order.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“One area of change springs from last year’s report to the Council on the future of protection of civilians sites (S/2019/741). As the report noted, external threats that led to the establishment of protection of civilians sites no longer exist today. For example, the protection of civilians site in Juba has become more of an outer suburb of the town. Residents move back and forth daily to attend schools and university, to shop and go to work. Therefore, in consultation with the Government, non-governmental organizations, donors and internally displaced persons themselves, we have gradually withdrawn troops and police from static duties at the protection of civilians sites in Bor and Wau. That is also likely to occur at the remaining three sites.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“In the past three weeks, the usual mechanisms through which UNMISS coordinates its movement have seriously deteriorated. COVID-19 can be partly blamed, but the influence of hardliners in the security forces is the principal obstacle. We continue to work cooperatively with the security forces, but we are impressing on the Government that their restrictions on our ability to carry out our mandate are unacceptable. To avoid future confrontation, it is critical that this issue be resolved. The political violence of the past has largely subsided despite delays to the peace agreement. The ceasefire holds, and the unified transitional Government is up and running. UNMISS is looking at this evolving situation and examining how it can better support peace and protect civilians.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“UNMISS will provide political and logistical support for peacebuilding in Jonglei, including peacekeepers to monitor buffer zones, increasing police capacity and helping with infrastructure development. In Central Equatoria, the National Salvation Front has launched a series of politically motivated attacks. Despite claims that its actions are defensive, civilians and humanitarians are among the casualties of their ambushes. The heavy-handed response of Government security forces has also taken its toll. All parties are signatories to the ceasefire. They should respect this commitment, stop fighting and pull back. In response to local appeals for help, UNMISS deployed peacekeepers to the area, but our troops were blocked by Government forces, despite earlier agreements for the deployment.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“In Jonglei alone, 600 people were killed in six months, women and children were kidnapped and thousands fled their homes as they were looted and torched. The Nuer, Murle and Dinka communities were all victims. But all three groups are also guilty of carrying out crimes against others. While the situation has now been calmed, tensions remain high, and every effort must be made to stop a resurgence. The Government has appointed a high-level committee on Jonglei. Last week, UNMISS also organized a meeting with senior leaders to chart a way forward. We were encouraged by the leaders’ willingness to engage with all participants, showing that they understand the cost of going back to war.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“Humanitarian workers are working incredibly hard to help people living without shelter, food, water and sanitation in the middle of the rainy season. But this humanitarian work has not come without a cost. This year, seven aid workers tragically lost their lives, and another 144 have been evacuated because of subnational violence. There has been an upturn in this conflict resulting from splintering between and within groups. The difference this year is that external political actors are fuelling these local conflicts with military advice and heavy weapons. From January to July, UNMISS documented 575 incidents of subnational conflict — an increase of 300 per cent in comparison to the same period last year.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“That will add to the growing disillusionment among communities about whether the political will exists to give South Sudanese citizens the opportunity to choose their own leaders. Our experience has been that, without significant international pressure, political will does wane. Momentum is therefore urgently needed, particularly to maintain confidence among the signatories. South Sudan is also facing other pressures. Falling oil prices, a lack of financial accountability, delays in paying civil servants and a near doubling in the street exchange rate since March is adding additional pressure on the Government and on families struggling to survive. With high rainfall and the Nile River at 60-year highs, flooding has devastated the centre of the country, with 500,000 people affected, particularly in Lakes and Jonglei states.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“Despite the urging of the Heads of State of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in July, the Transitional National Legislative Assembly has yet to be reconstituted, and therefore necessary new laws are not being passed and progress on the Constitution has been delayed. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has slowed the implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement in South Sudan, including meeting key benchmarks, but the pandemic is not entirely to blame. We are seeing a reversion to business as usual, where progress on the peace agreement itself limps along. The continuing delays risk pushing elections out well beyond the timeline prescribed in the agreement.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“State ministerial positions were recently agreed, but the appointment of county commissioners — the level below governors — has been delayed by disagreements over the number of counties. Elsewhere, however, progress has been painfully slow. Cabinet meetings occur irregularly, and South Sudanese want to see the President and Vice Presidents meeting and working collectively. There has been almost no movement on the critical area of security sector reform. Force personnel brought together for training have yet to graduate, and those remaining are abandoning the camps owing to food and other shortages.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to brief the Security Council today. I will start with an update on political and security conditions and then touch upon changes to the operations of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in response to the evolving situation in the country. Most critical right now is progress on the peace process. On the positive side, the transitional Government continues to function, and activities are progressing well within the clusters of ministries headed by the five Vice Presidents. The appointment of state governors has dampened tensions in the regions, with the exception of the historically volatile Upper Nile state, where a deadlock remains with the Government’s unwillingness to appoint the opposition’s preferred candidate, General Johnson Olony.”
2020-09-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/914 (2020) · source
“The MOU ensures that both components are working off the same page and that human rights standards are adhered to. I would also like to mention the important and specific role that women protection advisers and the Child Protection Unit play in advancing the work of the Mission. But most importantly, I would like to acknowledge the Chief of our Human Rights Division, Eugene Nindorera, who will be retiring in a month and a half after 10 years with the United Nations and a very long career as a human rights activist and a Government Minister in his home country of Burundi. I want to thank him for his hard work in helping to put human rights on the map in South Sudan.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“As I mentioned, human rights is not just a thematic area of work but is a cross-cutting approach throughout the Mission. For example, our Human Rights Division has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Force, our uniformed peacekeeping component, which enables both to understand the scope of their respective work and viewpoints. To understand why an MOU is needed, Council members should remember that uniformed peacekeepers rotate every 12 months. Documenting the Human Rights Division-Force approach in an MOU ensures continuity. Our uniformed peacekeepers therefore see and respect the work of the human rights component and assist it in its workings; conversely, the Human Rights Division has a better understanding of the workings of the military component.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“Finally, the third broad stream of our approach is engagement with the Government. Indeed, we can criticize the Government, but we also need to engage with it. We currently have three action plans with the Government: first, with the military — the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces; secondly, with the police — the South Sudan National Police Service; and thirdly, with the forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition. These action plans enable us to work to create the conditions within these forces for the respect of human rights. Consequently, we are regularly invited to help train their contingents. This is a step in the right direction because we get in on the ground floor, so to speak, with the officers who are in charge of their forces. Lastly, I want to speak about how we work in UNMISS.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“The lawyer also told me that a few days later she saw a line consisting of 47 women — she counted them — outside the court room waiting to enter. When she asked why they were there, she was told that these 47 women were witnesses queuing up to give evidence against the next cases of people who were being brought before the court for sexual abuses and other crimes. Our role in this context relates not just to the mobile courts; it is also about strengthening the national police, the justice system, the prosecution, the judges — right through to the Ministry of Justice. In South Sudan, I am pleased to note, we are pushing against an open door because we have received extraordinary cooperation from the justice system in supporting us to help them improve their systems.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“When the first mobile court was deployed about 18 months ago in Bentiu, where a number of people who had perpetrated sexual violence against women were put on trial, a lawyer attended the proceedings and informed us about what she witnessed there. She told us of a 15-year old girl who stood in court as four men accused of gang-raping her were brought in. These men were very cocky, very sure of themselves, very arrogant — until they saw her and her witnesses standing there, and their faces fell. At the end of the trial, all four men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 to 12 years. It and other cases had a sobering impact on the commission of sexual and human rights violations in the area. The mobile courts have done an enormous amount of good to ensure that impunity is beginning to end there.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“Gordan Kong is the kind of person who should be singled out, sanctioned and prevented from getting away with this sort of abuses when they are absolutely and categorically proven to have been carried out by him. The second issue is ending impunity and ensuring accountability. Ensuring accountability is the hallmark of all societies. Accountability means that if someone commits crimes and abuses, he or she will be tried, and if found guilty, punished. Ending impunity in South Sudan is particularly important and requires in large part that the justice system be working. This area is critical to our broad role as a Mission and involves not only our Human Rights Division, but also our police and rule of law components. We have been involved in supporting mobile courts as a first step towards establishing more permanent courts.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“The latter report was not just about victims but also about whether victims are able to gain access to follow-up services, including medical and psychological and social support, to help them get through their ordeals. We have also identified and singled out individuals who have committed particular atrocities. In this regard, I would mention an individual named Gordan Kong who, in 2018, orchestrated a horrific programme of abuse in Unity state in the centre of South Sudan. When later he spoke to our Chief of Human Rights, he defended his actions saying that he had to teach people a serious lesson or they would continue to attack or insult him. That serious lesson included hanging women from trees, burning old people in their homes, raping hundreds of women across the area, and killing and displacing thousands of other people.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“Depending on the response, we may change our report, or we may choose not to change it. But we do give the aggrieved parties an opportunity to respond. We have published a number of different reports on a broad range of issues, including on violations and abuses against civilians in Western Equatoria state, particularly documenting abuses by the opposition; on indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Unity state, particularly documenting abuses largely by the Government; on threats to the freedom of expression in South Sudan; and on access to health care for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, which speaks to the right of women to gain access to services after abuse.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“This is very important to the victims because their stories must be told, and their pain acknowledged and recognized, if we are to follow up promptly. Importantly, this approach also ensures that the perpetrators of abuse are identified. It also shows that we are witnesses to the abuses and are hopefully able to follow through to ensure that consequences for what happened are borne by the persons who perpetrated the abuses. Our reporting is conservative and careful because we want to make sure that absolutely everything we do is right, that our reports can be trusted and that we will not be targeted — or our findings dismissed — because we got something wrong. We also ensure that our reports are sent to the aggrieved parties so that they have a chance to respond, and we take their response into consideration.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“Of course, part of that role is to document abuse and call out violators and abusers. That is an important part of what we do, but documentation alone is not sufficient; too often it is a one-off action that makes an impact at the time of a report’s release but the impact dissipates if there is no follow up. In UNMISS, we try to structure our approach into three broad streams, which I will now go through one by one. First, with regard to documentation and holding abusers to account, over the last couple years, we have restructured our Human Rights Division to include a rapid response team that can respond to events, provide definitive reporting on particularly relevant and topical areas, and investigate issues quickly.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source
“The targeting and killing of innocent civilians has led to the displacement of over 2 million refugees and another 1.9 million displaced internally. People flee because they fear for their lives and/or the lives of their families. Sexual violence has also been extremely prevalent in South Sudan. This is an issue that has been discussed by the Security Council, documented and highly publicized. I will not go into the details today because Council members are already well informed on them. What I would really like to address today is how the UNMISS meets and works through those challenges. Our actions and work are tied to what we can do to make a difference, how we can change behaviour and what will bring about sustainable improvements to the observance of human rights.”
2020-07-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/674 (2020) · source