APO News from Africa:
“No concerted effort” to Adhere to Ceasefire in South Sudan as Conflict Intensifies:
“No concerted effort” has been made by any of the warring parties in South Sudan to adhere to a ceasefire in the country, instead there has been an escalation in the conflict there, the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has said.
David Shearer, who is also the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, was addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday.
He told the 15-member Council that, “virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet, there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire. Instead, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict over the past month.”
Mr Shearer said that in some of the violence, government forces have responded to attacks by opposition forces, notably in Wau and the Equatorias. In others, in contrast, government-led operations such as those in Upper Nile and Jonglei appeared “more strategic in focus” and were aimed at taking opposition-held areas.
The head of UNMISS added that “significant military operations are linked to gaining tactical advantage over opposition positions before the onset of the rainy season.”
The conflict in South Sudan began in December 2013 and has led to a humanitarian crisis. Some 7.5 million people, two-thirds of the population, require humanitarian assistance. Around 1.6 million people have fled the country as refugees while a further 1.9 million are displaced internally.
Concluding his remarks to the Security Council, the Special Representative underscored that the “political process in South Sudan is not dead” however it does require “significant resuscitation.”
He added that UNMISS will work together with partners “to look for opportunities we can build upon to forge a viable solution to bring an end to the hostilities and to the suffering of the people of South Sudan.”
Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
OHCHR press briefing notes – (1) South Sudan, (2) Maldives:
(1) South Sudan
We deplore the recent outbreaks of violence in several towns in various part of South Sudan, including Pajok in Eastern Equatoria and Wau in Western Bahr el-Ghazal, which have caused significant loss of civilian lives and displaced more than 22,000 people. Visits by the Human Rights Division of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to these sites have revealed reports of serious human rights violations, including indiscriminate and targeted killings of civilians, sexual violence and the looting and destruction of civilian property – and widespread impunity for the violations.
In Pajok, following an ambush by armed individuals on the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) on 3 April, there was an outbreak of violence over two days, when the army reportedly attacked civilians on the basis of their suspected support for the opposition armed groups, the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A in Opposition). As a result of the violence, about 7,000 civilians fled into the bush and to neighbouring Uganda over a week. During their visit, human rights officers saw clear evidence of killings and looting. Multiple testimonies indicate that SPLA soldiers killed civilians who were unable to flee and targeted young boys and men on the basis of their ethnicity. The Human Rights Division also received reports of three incidents of sexual violence involving six women. Local authorities, including the SPLA, said the men suspected of involvement in one of the incidents had been arrested and were detained by the army. But the authorities have denied allegations of mass atrocities against civilians.
In Wau, following an incident on 9 April, when two high-ranking SPLA officers and 17 soldiers were reportedly killed in an ambush by suspected SPLM/A in Opposition elements, violence erupted on 10 April. Again, there were many civilian casualties – 28 civilians were killed according to Government figures. Several witnesses indicated that SPLA and armed Dinka men conducted house-to-house searches, questioning civilians about their ethnicity prior to shooting them. Some 17,000 civilians fled to the protection of civilians site adjacent to the UNMISS base in Wau while another 5,000 sought refuge in the compound of the Catholic Church in Wau.
While the Governor of Wau has established a committee to produce a comprehensive report to determine the motive for the attacks, identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable, we are concerned that to date our information indicates that nobody has been detained in connection with these attacks against civilians.
The widespread impunity in South Sudan for such horrendous attacks against civilians can only encourage further violence. We urge the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the violence in Pajok and Wau are held to account, regardless of their affiliations and rank.
The Human Rights Division missions took place in Pajok between 11 and 14 April and in Wau from 18 to 23 April.
[…]
Distributed by APO on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
New Look and New Programs for America’s Historic Library in Soweto:
On April 20, U.S. Consul General Christopher Rowan, of the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, hosted a reception to officially re-open the Consulate’s Rosa Parks Library & Innovation Studio in Soweto following a nearly four-month refurbishment project. At the reception, the Consul General reflected on the library’s more than 40 years of impact on Soweto’s community and reaffirmed the United States long-term commitment to providing enhanced educational opportunities to South Africans and free access to information through its American Spaces around South Africa, including the Rosa Parks Library & Innovation Center.
Guests included entrepreneurs, NGO partners, city government representatives, leaders in arts and entertainment, and alumni of U.S. State Department exchange programs.
In welcoming the guests and talking about the U.S. Consulate’s mission at Rosa Parks Library & Innovation Studio, Consul General Rowan noted that “one of our core goals is for everyone who comes through our door and capitalizes on our resources, to be able to walk back out the door better prepared to make a positive difference in their communities.”
Commenting on the interaction among the guests afterward, the Consul General said: “There was a tremendous amount of expertise, passion and commitment to community gathered in the room. Everyone present at the reception was a change-maker – both individually and through the networks in which they work. In bringing these people together, I hope we are helping create new networks and new partnerships. We want to amplify the good work that they and we are doing in Soweto and across the city.”
Joining the Consul General in speaking to the crowd were Ms. Sibongile Khumalo and Ms. Priscilla Ntsime. Ms. Ntsime has been a patron of Rosa Parks Library since 1989 and she shared how the library contributed to her personal and career development. Newly appointed Executive Director of the South Africa-Washington International Program, Sibongile Khumalo also shared her experiences of joining a Young African Leadership Initiative Network course at Rosa Parks Library, being selected for the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) in 2016, and later volunteering to run information sessions with aspiring MWF applicants at Rosa Parks.
The library has not only undergone an external transformation, but is introducing new educational programs that will appeal to a wide audience. This year, in partnership with the Sci-Bono Discovery Center, the Rosa Parks Library is hosting a series of monthly four-day short courses to provide unemployed youth and emerging entrepreneurs with essential cutting-edge 21st century skills. The workshops will cover upskilling computer literacy, web and app development, robotics, 3D motion graphics, animation, and game development, as well as video production and editing. Another exciting, upcoming program will focus on 3D design and printing. Joining the library is also free of charge and all courses are free to library members.
Distributed by APO on behalf of U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
