YouSaid · the spoken record

Shearer

lines on the record: 106
first: 2017-04-25
most recent: 2020-03-04
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“Their desire for justice and to end impunity is inspiring. In another case, four young men accused of gang raping a 15-year-old swaggered into the court, where they encountered their victim and witnesses. Their faces fell as they realized that the survivor of their brutality had the courage to testify against them and had the faith that justice would prevail. They were all convicted, and they were all sentenced to between three and twelve years. Those are small steps, but they are important ones. This month, a United Nations-supported special court will open in Juba with jurisdiction over crimes of sexual and gender-based violence. In conclusion, there are just over two months left of the pre-transitional period, and progress has been slow. There is still much to be done.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“It is the mandated role of UNMISS to actively deter and prevent as many of these horrific crimes as possible, as well as to monitor and report publicly on violations of human rights, particularly where sexual violence is concerned, as we did two and a halfweeks ago in Bentiu. It is worth stating that we are also working with the Governments to build the capacity of the justice system to deal with these crimes. That includes operating a mobile court system whereby prosecutors and judges are being flown to hotspots like Bentiu and Malakal to hear the cases. It has led to several dozen perpetrators being tried and jailed. At one session in Bentiu, for example, our legal team reported back to me that 49 women queued up in the sun to give evidence in a pre-trial meeting against offenders who were about to be tried.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“The next three months will be critical. After that time, the rainy season will make land transport impossible in South Sudan, and the window for planting crops will be lost, resulting in another year's delay. People tell us that a key reason why they are reluctant to return home is, of course, security. Sexual violence continues to cause immense harm to women and girls across the country, most recently in northern Unity, where the concentration of forces from all sides of the conflict has led to horrific incidents. The violence must end and the perpetrators must be held to account. Ending impunity is a core function of the Government and a vital part of the reconciliation and peace process.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“While some were transported by helicopter, most have been transported by barge. Humanitarian agencies are currently programming agricultural, education and health support in areas expected to be of high return. UNMISS peacekeepers are refocusing priorities from more static operations around protection of Civilians site sites to patrolling areas of anticipated return to increase confidence. UNMISS is very mindful of its protection mandate. Let me be absolutely clear - we will not push people out of protection of civilians site sites against their will. However, we will support those who want to leave because not doing so means condemning them to a life in a camp. Our actions will continue to be consistent with international principles and humanitarian non-governmental organization guidelines that returns must be voluntary and dignified.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“A greater chance of success is likely for them if the differences between them and Dinka cattle keepers in the area can be reconciled and if the agreement reached is anchored with support to housing, health services and benefits for all communities. With the peace deal, some displaced families are choosing to return home and rebuild their lives. The number of people living in protection of civilians sites has dropped from about 205,000 to 193,000 in just three months. In Wau, it has gone down to about 13,000. UNMISS supports the returns process. We have undertaken frequent look-and-see trips where we helicopter people to locations to assess for themselves whether it is safe to go home. As a result, many decided to leave. Hundreds have now left the Bor protection of civilians site.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“We have felt strongly the need to switch approaches in the country, and so in the past few months United Nations agencies and UNMISS, backed by donors, have begun to focus more on resilience, which fosters greater self-reliance within communities in more stable areas where we can work. There is a potential in those areas to move away from purely humanitarian support. Secondly, a trust fund has been established to intervene in areas of ongoing conflict. It aims not only to reconcile differences between warring communities but also to bolster agreements with economic support and services. In the Wau protection of civilians site, for example, the Fertit community has wanted to move back to their land, which they were forced to abandon.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“That enabled humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance to 5 million people, or approximately 83 per cent of those whom they had targeted. This year's target is $1.5 billion to reach 5.7 million people. Humanitarian agencies have largely been able to move freely across South Sudan. However, in specific areas, in places such as Yei, particularly where there is conflict and where, as a result, civilians have been most vulnerable, denials have occurred. Governmental delays, including the processing of shipments and the imposition of taxes, have also wasted time and incurred costs in the past three months. Peace saves lives. It also saves money. South Sudan is a country of abundance where nobody should be hungry. I would argue that the humanitarian bill is ultimately unsustainable.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“Five months of a more stable environment cannot redress the levels of food insecurity or the absence ofhealth or education services overnight. Humanitarian assistance is still needed to bridge the gap to self-reliance and to support those who want to move home. But we should remember that tens of thousands of South Sudanese citizens, young and old, are alive today because of the generosity of donor nations and the heroic work of humanitarian agencies. The fact that their country is supported by taxpayers around the world is a reality that South Sudan's leaders often forget or take for granted. Last year, donor nations gave lifesaving support of more than $1 billion - more than twice South Sudan's State budget.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“But the months ahead will be as challenging as those before it have been. I would welcome the urgent appointment by IGAD of the new Chair of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission to help steer the process forward and overcome some of those challenges. The United Nations has been working in partnership with IGAD and the people of South Sudan throughout. Through my good offices we have provided, and will continue to provide, specific expertise, ideas and opportunities to the process in order to maintain confidence and trust and substantively move the peace implementation forward. It is an area where we would welcome a more explicit reference in our mandate to our ability to play that role. However, we must also acknowledge that the suffering goes on.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“The agreement has a broader buy-in from parties than the 2015 agreement. It is widely embraced by the population. We, too, have our concerns about the peace process but there is yet to be a perfect process. For our part, the United Nations has focused attention and resources on making it work and will continue to do so. I want to stress that there is no alternative plan. There is only this agreement and this path forward. For it to have a chance to work, it needs to be supported. A year ago, most of us, including myself, did not believe that we would be at this point today. It has confounded the critics. But we have arrived at this point through the leadership and drive largely of IGAD. A fully engaged IGAD, supported by the efforts of the African Union, is absolutely critical.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“These include the resolution of the boundaries and states issue and the formation of a unified armed force to be deployed in Juba and all major towns. The constitution-making process has also faced challenges in this period. The current phase of the peace process, the pre-transitional government period, ends on 12 May. From that point, the revitalized transitional government is scheduled to take over and the Vice-Presidents, including the First Vice-President, Riek Machar, should have taken up their roles. What does this mean? A peace process that falters will generate frustration, anger and a possible return to violence that could equal what occurred in 2013 and 2016. We cannot allow that to happen. There are some who believe that a return to violence is inevitable. We do not concur.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“So far, the actual numbers are relatively small compared to the approximately 2.3 million people who live as refugees and 1.9 million displaced inside South Sudan - a figure that comprises nearly one third of the population. But it reflects a trend of people seeking to travel in the dry season, which is now, to be home in time to plant crops in July. That is the positive side. The significant challenge now is to maintain the momentum of the peace process. The timetable set out in the agreement is well behind where it should be and many of the bodies set up under it are still dealing with procedural rather than substantive issues. There are fundamental issues still to be resolved, many of which were deferred to enable the peace agreement to be signed.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“In blunt terms, many people are alive today who might not have been without the agreement having been signed. The exception is in Central Equatoria, where the fighting close to Yei between the forces of Thomas Cirillo and the South Sudan People's Defence Forces has led to clashes. Once again, the civilians in that area have borne the brunt, with reports of killings, looting and sexual assaults. Cirillo shows no sign of wanting to join the existing peace process. Fourth, for the first time in three years, people are expressing a willingness to return home. An estimated 135,000 refugees have returned, in addition to many internally displaced who have signalled that they want to go home.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“First, the opposition politicians from the different parties are moving freely around Juba without hindrance and are taking part in the various meetings as part of the peace process. I would like to recognize the Government for creating the space and the security conditions for that to happen and to thank the opposition leaders for having the courage to return and participate in the peace process. Secondly, there have been more than 71 meetings and rapprochements held across the country where Government and Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition forces and politicians have met. Many have been facilitated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The enthusiasm for peace among the people is palpable. Thirdly, overall levels of political violence have diminished significantly.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“Mr. Shearer: It is my pleasure to be present at the Security Council today. There have been considerable developments in South Sudan in the past months. I would like to touch on those and to make a number of observations about the opportunities and challenges moving forward. The peace agreement signed on 12 September was brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and in particular through the commendable efforts of South Sudan, and it continues to hold. It is also a testament to the efforts of the parties that have built sufficient trust and confidence among themselves and have committed to working together towards durable peace. Four positive changes are notable.”
2019-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8480 (2019) · source
“I count on the continued support of those present. Finally, I want to thank the members of the Council for backing UNMISS over the past week as it has been truly gratifying.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“We will bolster collaboration among the region, the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations to prevent forum-shopping by the parties. In all of that, South Sudan needs the unified efforts and attention of the Security Council, building on the AU Peace and Security Council collaboration and its communique of a few days ago. We are all aware that the country risks remaining a source of continued regional instability and a drain on international resources. The wider region has a critical role to play in convincing the parties of the need to compromise and find peaceful solutions. Collectively, we will need to deliver a clear and unified message to the parties on the way forward. The consultations of the past few days here in New York have been encouraging, but we are backing a process to which we urgently need to add substance.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“It is critical now that the international community show unity of purpose in supporting an implementable peace process would that lead to credible elections in due course, but only after a period of transition marked by inclusivity and stability. I am committed to continue that engagement. Together with the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, we maintain our good offices to engage all parties to meaningfully participate in the political process. We will continue to work with AU High Representative Alpha Oumar Konare and support IGAD and its Special Envoy Ismael Wais, together with President Mogae and the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, to hasten preparations and convene the high-level revitalization forum to bring the parties together.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“I acknowledge that the process might appear partisan to an increasingly disillusioned and fractured opposition, but in past months it has provided a useful platform for open and highly critical discussion. By engaging with it, we hope to encourage a process that is aligned with best practices, while still nationally driven. There is both a humanitarian and a political urgency to our meeting here today. In the past week, there has been renewed enthusiasm for and solidarity with the revitalization process. There are only a few months remaining in the transitional period stipulated by the peace agreement. External momentum to support peace is needed.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“The bolstering of UNMISS forces with the RPF, as it gradually arrives, will enable UNMISS to further project into those areas, in line with its protection of civilians mandate. Allow me to make a few observations about the current political situation. I believe that the space for compromise over the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan is narrow. The parties have shown little interest in engaging in serious negotiations on the way forward, despite the various initiatives aimed at finding a political solution to the conflict. The central conflict-resolution strategy must be political mediation via the IGAD high-level revitalization forum. For its part, the United Nations will continue to support the national dialogue with caution and conditional on its remaining transparent and inclusive.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Together with my Force Commander, I am engaging with the Government in discussions over unresolved issues and will reach out to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU) to meet with the Chiefs of Defence Staff from IGAD RPF troop contributors and the Government in Juba, as soon as possible. We must also remember that the situation on the ground has changed significantly from a year ago, when two separate armies were positioned inside Juba. Today, security threats in Juba, we believe, are more likely to come from civil unrest that is sparked by potential economic collapse. However, the intensity of fighting in the Equatorias was not present a year ago. As a consequence, those areas are where the more than 1 million people who have fled to Uganda have come from.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Where there is discipline, the results have been encouraging, but where those forces continue to prey on civilians, the protection of civilians site will remain a necessary refuge. Meanwhile, increased efforts are being made to identify malign and criminal elements inside our sites. Identified perpetrators and combatants will be ejected to reinforce the civilian character of the sites. I wish to briefly address the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF). While the Government has officially repeated its acceptance of the RPF and UNMISS has closely adhered to the Government's clearances and protocols, the positioning of the RPF in relation to Juba airport - including at the Mission's adjacent Tomping base ~ remains a vexed issue. The RPF mandate is clearly and unambiguously set out in resolutions adopted by the Council.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“We are working closely with our humanitarian partners to align our efforts so that people have a real choice to return home. The quality of services inside the protection of civilians sites and outside communities needs to be looked at to provide more balance. Having a first-class medical facility inside a protection of civilians site and no medical support outside clearly deters people from returning to their homes. Those efforts will also coincide with UNMISS efforts to increasingly project our peacekeeping forces from static duties out into communities where they are most needed. However, ultimately, that movement will critically depend on how the Government and opposition forces behave.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“I anticipate that, while we respect each other's mandates, that collaboration will intensify if security trends continue. We are far from the conditions for safe return in most areas, but we are continuously looking to seize opportunities to support communities in returning to their homes, where that is possible. UNMISS will soon open a permanent presence in Yei and reinforce our presence in Torit and Yambio - all of which are in the Equatorias, to the south - to deter violence and human rights abuses and build confidence for people to return to their homes. The small Melut protection site in the north will be closing in coming weeks, in line with the desire there for people to return to their homes. We are looking at downsizing protection sites in Wau and possibly even in Bor.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Government officials need to take a more positive attitude towards our humanitarian partners, whom they often blame for creating a negative international perception of the country. Removing numerous bureaucratic impediments, including additional taxes and fees on humanitarian organizations, is required to acknowledge the valuable work that they carry out on behalf of the people of South Sudan. As the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), we are working hard to support our humanitarian colleagues. Our modus operandi is to be robust, nimble and proactive. We have provided surge support to help protect key humanitarian facilities, such as in Bunj, in the northern part of the country. However, sadly, our missions have also included evacuating personnel during active fighting.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Sustained, regular access is what is required and needed. The splintering of opposition forces has had a negative consequence on humanitarian efforts. For example, the World Food Programme's regular convoys to Yambio - about two days travel from Juba - now require 13 separate permissions from armed groups along their route. Increasingly, combatants are shifting into criminality along major roadways, with civilian and aid convoys being a target. Two weeks ago, a driver for the International Committee of the Red Cross was killed when his relief convoy was attacked in Western Equatoria. His death brings the number of aid workers who have been killed in South Sudanjust this year to 18.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Of those, 2 million have fled to neighbouring countries: Uganda, the Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I wish to express my appreciation to those countries for shouldering that burden. I continue to applaud the efforts made on the ground by our humanitarian partners, who reach millions of the most vulnerable people in the country. However, in critical areas, and often at critical times, communities cannot be reached because access is denied. Those include areas of the Greater Upper Nile region, parts of the Equatorias and areas south and west of Wau, where active Government military operations against the SPLA-IO continue. For example, humanitarian partners were only in the past month able to reach the populations of Bagari, outside of Wau, after being denied access for almost one year.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Along with others here today, I remain deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation. This is a conflict in which the greatest number of casualties are civilians and not combatants. United Nations agencies assess that the total number of people in need is 7.6 million. The burden that humanitarians and donor countries shoulder to support those people with food, health care and education is enormous. The recent humanitarian response plan, which at one point was budgeted at $1.6 billion, is so far 66 per cent funded. I must underscore that without such humanitarian support, thousands of people would simply not survive. The number of people displaced in South Sudan rose to nearly 4 million during the first half of this year.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Across the country, the opposition remains deeply fractured and has suffered significant military setbacks in recent months. At the same time, the economic crisis is further fuelling public frustration and undermines the Government's capacity to deliver governance and services to its people. In many cases, civil servants have not been paid for over four months and salaries to security forces are also delayed. Localized conflicts continue to flare - their impact greatly magnified by automatic weapons and affecting areas outside the central conflict. There is now growing discussion about moving swiftly to elections. I continue to stress to my Government counterparts that elections must be inclusive, credible and fair, but they should also represent the consolidation of a genuine peace process.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“Mr. Shearer: I thank you, Mr. President, for this invitation to address the Security Council and touch on some critical issues in South Sudan. I will provide a brief update on the situation in the country, as well as United Nations efforts to protect civilians and build durable peace, as per our mandate. As we approach the end of the rainy season, South Sudan remains beset by social, economic and humanitarian challenges. The Government appears emboldened by its recent military gains, including in some key strongholds of the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) that are loyal to leader Riek Machar. Deep mistrust of military forces, exacerbated by human rights abuses, fuels flights into neighbouring countries.”
2017-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8056 (2017) · source
“I am encouraged to see Member States in the region stepping up their engagement. It remains critical, however, that a coherent and unified regional position on South Sudan be forthcoming. As I mentioned last month (see S/PV.7930), it is now more than ever imperative to ensure that the Council unites on a common strategy to advance the political process in South Sudan. We acknowledge and thank Council members individually and collectively for their support of UNMISS and the humanitarian community, both of which are overcoming immense difficulties in order to make a real difference to people's lives. But unity of purpose will send the best signal to South Sudan's political leaders that they must focus first and foremost on the plight of their citizens.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“As many Council members have acknowledged, States of the region hold significant influence on the political process. Yesterday, I met with the Chair of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, President Festus Mogae, in Juba, who updated us on his engagements with regional actors over the past months. President Museveni, speaking at Monday's national dialogue launch, called for a review of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, but made no mention of the peace agreement. In my recent meeting with him, together with United Nations Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Nicholas Haysom, he also reiterated his outreach to opposition leaders, in particular concerning elections. At the same time, there are reports that Kenya is engaging with opposition figures based outside the country.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“There will be close scrutiny, however, of the number of prisoners who are actually released and whether the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, the organization that was established by the peace agreement to monitor ceasefire violations and which is supported by UNMISS, can move freely to perform its ceasefire monitoring tasks. The proof of the pudding is, as they say, in the eating. While the national dialogue should bring a welcome focus on reconciliation for it to be credible, it needs, as we have said before, to involve the genuine participation of opposition constituencies. Meanwhile, opposition groups, mainly outside the country, have come together around the common position and jointly denounced the dialogue.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“After briefly leaving the capital and heading west to his home town of Aweil, Malong returned to Juba, and the situation seemed to calm. The President recently announced several changes to the structure and appointments of the SPLA and also replaced the Aweil governor. Most expect further changes and a possible reshuffling of some cabinet posts. The President has also moved ahead with the national dialogue, with a formal launch on Monday this week in Juba, attended by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. He again declared a unilateral ceasefire and pledged to review the cases of political prisoners. Those announcements are very welcome.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“To date, all 60 members of the Bangladeshi construction-engineering advance team have arrived in Juba with their equipment, and the advance team of the Nepalese high-readiness company will be on the ground by the end of the month. The main bodies of those contingents are on track to arrive by July. Pending the final tax exemptions for the Rwandan advance infantry company, it should deploy in late June or July, and I understand that the equipment for the scheduled Ethiopian infantry company is being refurbished. It should deploy by August. With the arrival of the rains, the focus of the conflict tends to shift from the battlefield to the political arena. Already, we are seeing signs of some political shifts. As you know, on 9 May, President Salva Kiir dismissed SPLA Chief of General StaffPaul Malong.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“Their efforts in one of the toughest and most operationally difficult environments - and in the most remote places - have saved countless lives. I wish to particularly acknowledge the World Food Programme, which has pre-positioned over 90 per cent ofits food aid for the coming rainy season. Yes, we face problems in gaining access to some areas. These obstacles are mostly posed by local actors, particularly where fighting is ongoing. However, I condemn the unacceptable levels of violence that continue to be directed towards aid workers, which include threats, arrests, assaults and even murder. As the latest Secretary-General's 30-day report details, the deployment of the first wave of the regional protection force vanguard has begun.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“Most arrived in Aburoc in a very weak state - the perfect conditions for cholera to tear through their numbers. UNMISS helicoptered in a detachment of Rwandan peacekeepers to Aburoc in early May for a short-term deployment that then gave the confidence needed for humanitarian agencies to deploy immediately afterwards. Cholera has broken out in the town, but the improved water supplies and the presence of a strong medical response from agencies there have contained its spread and have undoubtedly saved many lives. Such a more nimble approach on the part of our peacekeepers working with others is a formula that we can replicate, along with the improved robustness I reported to the Council in my previous briefing (see S/PV.7930). I applaud the humanitarians working in South Sudan.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“Its presence has enabled human rights violations to be investigated and engagement to occur with stakeholders in the course of the conflict and, most importantly, to reassure civilians, who are feeling very vulnerable. Follow-up missions are planned. The rains may bring a respite to large-scale military manoeuvres, but they complicate the humanitarian response and bring the inevitable spectre of cholera to South Sudan. To date, 7,700 cases have been reported. Over 60 per cent of the country will now be impossible to access by road or by dirt airstrips, and humanitarian efforts will have to rely on air and barge transport. A focus of the humanitarian responders during this past month has been to support more than 20,000 civilians who fled the minute village of Aburoc in Upper Nile, after being displaced by SPLA and opposition fighting.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“Violence in Yei has been unrelenting, as the joint report released by ourselves and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights documented with respect to the events that happened between July 2016 and January 2017. The report, which was released last week, documents 114 killings by pro-Government forces. The extent of the abuses by opposition groups remains unclear, because our access to those areas has been impeded. But satellite imagery also corroborated field observations of the widespread burning of homes and villages. Since January, UNMISS has deployed almost continuous long-duration patrols to Yei. The latest reached the area this week - despite warning shots being fired at them.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“In Greater Bahr el-Ghazal, in the west, clashes between the SPLA and opposition forces have continued, with 22,000 people arriving in the town of Wau from surrounding areas to seek refuge with the United Nations and with churches. The Government has consistently prevented access to areas outside of Wau, but recently an UNMISS Bangladeshi infantry patrol was able to reach the south-west areas of Wau, which had previously been off-limits, only to find the area completely abandoned and evidence of armed activity all around. In the south, in the Equatorias, clashes between the SPLA and allied militias persist, with Yei town once again in the focus.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“They are brave people, but they should never be a target. If for no other reason, I condemn in the strongest terms that callous attack. Intercommunal conflicts persist across the country. A long-standing tension between the Dinka Bor and the Murle communities in Jonglei in the east escalated dangerously, threatening hundreds of lives over the past few weeks. UNMISS has persisted with mediation efforts, and over the past two weeks, has supported the visits of a delegation led by First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai shuttling between the various communities. Yesterday, those efforts culminated in the signing of a joint cessation ofhostilities agreement. It is only a start, but I am encouraged by the willingness of both sides to progress with further talks on substance, which, of course, we will continue to support.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“In both areas, the Government's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has captured former SPLA in Opposition strongholds and reinforced their positions. In the former Unity State, in the centre of the country, the SPLA continues low-intensity battles. Declared a famine zone in February, the area remains highly volatile, with many displaced people. On 3 May, a base of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), located just 500 metres from Leer town, came under direct fire. Ghanaian peacekeepers responded robustly, returning fire, and repelled the attack. An internal investigation is under way to determine who carried out the attack and why. Sadly, it prompted some humanitarian organizations working alongside UNMISS to downsize their presence at a time when their efforts are desperately needed.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“Mr. Shearer: Mr. President, I thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the situation in South Sudan and the deployment of the Regional Protection Force. It may seem unusual to start my briefing off with a weather report, but it is important to announce that the rains have arrived in South Sudan. These seasonal rains dictate almost every aspect of life in the country, including the cycle of conflict. Across the country, we are seeing the last push to position forces before roads become impassable for the next four months. And with that, the nature of conflict changes. Significant military moves have been most evident in the north, on the west bank ofthe Nile River in Shilluk tribal areas, and in northern Jonglei, in the eastern part of the country, inhabited mainly by Nuer.”
2017-05-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7950 (2017) · source
“I end by saying that I am heartened by what I have encountered within UNMISS. It is truly making a difference on the ground. I stand proud to be associated with the Mission and all that it has achieved.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“The African Union, the Security Council and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) must be united in dealing with the parties. I work hand in hand with the United Nations Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, as well as with the African Union and its Envoy, President Konare, and IGAD Chair President Mogae to identify ways to revitalize the peace process. Let me underscore that the political process in South Sudan is not dead; however, it requires significant resuscitation. UNMISS will work together with our partners on opportunities to forge viable solutions to bring an end to the hostilities and the suffering of the people of South Sudan. To do so will require the support of the Council, speaking with a united voice against the current state of affairs.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“Despite what appears to be attempts by the parties to achieve victory by military means, a political solution is the only way forward for South Sudan. Military offensives are fracturing groups and intensifying ethnic divisions to a degree that will hinder reconciliation. Regrettably, no party has shown interest in reviving the peace agreement. President Kiir's announcement of a national dialogue has been welcomed, but skepticism remains. An independent convener is essential, as is the need to bring in all constituencies, including those outside the country. Unlike this time last year, when the conflict was construed on a bipolar basis, today the opposition has splintered. Our peacebuilding efforts, by necessity, will need to be more widely cast than in the past. To create political will, the parties need to be speaking with one voice.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“For many, three years of conflict have eroded their basic livelihoods, prevented them from planting and harvesting and caused cattle to be looted on a grand scale. I want to single out the courage and efforts of humanitarian workers, who, despite massive logistical hurdles, have operated to provide lifesaving support to the most isolated communities. In the past month, there have been three attacks on aid workers alone, killing 10 people. Non-governmental organizations in Mayendit county were forced to evacuate, and humanitarian compounds and supplies have been repeatedly looted, most recently by opposition forces, in Waat and Yuai. Agencies still struggle to gain clearances to access the most vulnerable.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“The deployment of a regional protection force will again also free up resources to project our presence beyond Juba. However, we should remain realistic in our expectations. An additional 4,000 troops will certainly boost our capacity but will largely have to function under similar rules of engagement. The humanitarian consequences of the violence have been disastrous. One third of South Sudan's population are currently either displaced or refugees. This is a man-made disaster, unlike that of the other countries in the region experiencing famine brought on by drought. People have been forced to flee their homes and, as the people I have met in places such as Leer have told me, they have exhausted their coping mechanisms.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“In Upper Nile, Mongolian peacekeepers cocked their weapons at SPLA in Opposition soldiers who were abducting young boys for recruitment and secured their release. Chinese peacekeepers braved fire to help humanitarian workers to safety in Kajo Keji, in the Equatorias, and Ethiopian soldiers reacted swiftly in order to apprehend armed men who were trying to penetrate our protection-of- civilian sites in Juba. Our formed police units are patrolling both inside and outside the protection sites, thereby freeing up our military forces to conduct further long-range patrols. I was heartened by Major General Cammaert's comments in his recent report on the progress that has been made with regard to our troop movements, and we will be pushing further on his follow-up recommendations.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source
“In the face of this escalation of the past few months, UNMISS has increased the robustness of its protection activities. Our integrated patrols to most of the conflict areas have increased. They are aimed at deterring violence, monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation and engaging with political parties at the local level. Unfortunately, roadblocks and the denial of flight- safety assurances have restricted the Mission's ability to reach key locations as quickly as we would like. However, I am proud to say that the troop-contributing countries are standing their ground. In recent days, a Rwandan patrol to Pajok in Eastern Equatoria slept at the checkpoint, refusing to back down when SPLA soldiers demanded that it return to base, and was able to get through the following day.”
2017-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7930 (2017) · source