Following the United Nations Human Rights Council’s decision to renew the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS), Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
The decision of the Council to renew the CHRSS is an important signal from the Human Rights Council that accountability is key
Tigere Chagutah, Regional Director, East and Southern Africa
“The decision of the Council to renew the CHRSS is an important signal from the Human Rights Council that accountability is key, as South Sudan embarks on the extended phase of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement. The pervasive impunity in South Sudan perpetuates cycles of violence. In this context, the CHRSS plays an invaluable role in collecting and preserving evidence of crimes under international law, which can be used for future prosecutions.
“In South Sudan, people are still living amid armed conflict and regularly face attacks, unlawful killings, displacement and rape. Many people also suffer from limited access to water, food and basic medical health care, in part due to the high levels of insecurity. The human rights concerns that necessitated the creation of the CHRSS in 2016 continue to persist, and the government has done too little to warrant the lifting of scrutiny by the Council. We deeply regret the efforts of some states, including the Government of South Sudan, to block the renewal of this vital mechanism.
The government has done too little to warrant the lifting of scrutiny by the Council.
Tigere Chagutah
“South Sudan must urgently improve its human rights situation by holding perpetrators of war crimes and other violations of humanitarian law to account. The country should also cooperate fully with the CHRSS as it continues its important work.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
