South Sudan officials deliberately starved public, UN says

GENEVA – UN human rights experts on Thursday accused South Sudan of deliberately starving millions across the country.

In a report, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said national revenues had been diverted by the country’s politicians, and that “corruption and political competition” have fueled human rights abuses and were “major drivers of ethnic conflict.”

“Officials in the Government of South Sudan are implicated in the pillaging of public funds as well as money laundering, bribery and tax evasion.

“High-ranking officials have used their official positions to influence decisions on the allocation of State resources and official procurement, diverting public funds for personal gain and advantage,” said Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka.

The commission welcomed President Salva Kiir’s recent decision to return the country to a system of 10 states rather than the current 32, raising hopes for a compromise to end internal clashes.

The number and boundaries of regional states have been a major sticking point in the long drawn out disagreement between South Sudan government and opposition forces on forming a transitional government of national unity slated for Feb. 22.

“South Sudan is at a critical juncture at which its leaders need to make firm choices to move forward the stalled political process of implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

“We urge all the parties to redouble their efforts to resolve the key outstanding issues,” said Barney Afako, a member of the commission.

South Sudan slid into crisis when Kiir sacked opposition leader Riek Machar as vice president in December 2013 on suspicion of plotting a coup, followed by a protracted civil war that claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced 4 million people to flee their homes.

Both leaders finally struck a peace deal in 2018 which remains to be implemented.