Mediators fight to save Sudan Sudan

Soldiers from South Sudan's army patrol the streets of Malakal in the Upper Nile State of South Sudan on December 31, 2013. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • United Nations warns that perpetrators of human rights violations will be held accountable
  • The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediators held talks with former Vice-President Riek Machar in an undisclosed location in South Sudan as the United Nations Security Council renewed its call on all parties to end the violence, protect civilians and ease access for relief workers.

Regional mediators were at the weekend working round the clock to convince South Sudan rebels to agree on a ceasefire to revive stalled talks and return the country to stability.

The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediators held talks with former Vice-President Riek Machar in an undisclosed location in South Sudan as the United Nations Security Council renewed its call on all parties to end the violence, protect civilians and ease access for relief workers.

The UN also reinforced its peacekeepers and scaled up humanitarian response.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced that he would dispatch Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic, to the country to investigate rights violations believed to have been committed by both sides in the conflict which has displaced more than 230,000 people, more than a quarter of whom are in UN bases.

“I have been urging and making it quite clear that those perpetrators of serious human rights violations will be held accountable,” Mr Ban said in New York. The future course of action would be decided in consultations with the Security Council based on the evidence collected, he added.

The UN Mission in South Sudan has been gathering evidence of violations, with around 60 international investigators backed by some 30 South Sudanese counterparts, the Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights announced. The African Union has also announced an investigation.

IGAD mediators arrived in South Sudan on Saturday after peace talks in Addis Ababa stalled.

The talks between representatives of President Salva Kiir and Dr Machar were suspended after disagreements over the sensitive issue of political prisoners.

Negotiators on rebels’ side have insisted on the release of the detainees before they sign any peace agreement, dashing hopes for a speedy ceasefire pact.

Rebels have refused to sign the truce if 11 political figures detained following an alleged coup attempt in mid-December were not released. The demand has been rejected by government delegations.

South Sudan government representatives told journalists in Addis Ababa that the detainees were perpetrators of a coup and their case should be handled by domestic courts and in accordance with the law.

The mediators, led by Ethiopian former foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin was to meet and convince Dr Machar to sign a truce to end weeks of violence that has hit the world’s newest nation.

The Security Council demanded that President Kiir and Dr Machar and other political leaders should immediately agree to an end to attacks and to begin broader negotiations.

The Council urged Dr Machar to agree to end hostilities without preconditions and requested President Kiir to release the detainees.