JMEC Finally Admits that SPLA is a Tribal Army!

August 01, 2018, Juba regime is a tribal army

Click here to see CTSAMM Violation Reports

JUBA – The JMEC has accused the South Sudan army of being a tribal rather than a national army in a report it released yesterday saying lack of discipline among the SPLA and armed opposition groups is uncontrollably ruining lives of civilians across the country, the ceasefire monitoring body, CTSAMM, has said 

The forces have committed severe sexual and physical violence against women, children, the disabled and the elderly, it said in its latest report.

In Yei River State, CTSAMM said over 30 cases of sexual and gender-based violence committed by the SPLA, the forces of Dr Riek Machar and Thomas Cirillo have been reported since December last year. 

“In late February 4 SPLA soldiers attacked a girl (in the 10-15 years age group)…The girl was severely beaten and her neck twisted before being gang-raped,” the report read.

“The fact that such behavior is apparently tolerated is damning indictment on the forces involved, and demonstrates lack of discipline.” 

These are among a series of violations of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access.

CTSAMM released nine other reports of gross violations and allegations including killing, rape, gang-rape and looting committed by the SPLA and opposition forces across the country since the signing of the ceasefire deal.

The monitoring body said it gathered evidence of the cases in Yei through medical reports, interviews and patrols in Yei, Mukaya and Morobo.

“During an attack on a village in the Morobo area, a middle-aged disabled woman was thrown into a burning house by SPLA soldiers. Because she was disabled she was unable to flee with the rest of the villagers,” the report added. 

However, CTSAMM said many cases of violations against civilians go unreported because victims are often too afraid to report for fear of further victimization by soldiers who live in the same community. 

Other factors are stigma and lack of access to services that provide support to victims.

“It is also impossible to estimate the number of women and children – and indeed men – whose lives have been ruined by military and security personnel,” CTSAMM stressed.

The monitoring body said it is only able to investigate and report a tiny proportion of this.

Therefore, it called on JMEC and the IGAD Council of Ministers to emphasize that the parties need to take positive action to prevent further violations against civilians.

It stressed that those responsible should be held to account, whatever their seniority.

The SPLA and opposition groups have not commented on the report.

THE END!

Click here to see CTSAMM Violation Reports
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