Rights group condemns Sudan’s aerial bombardments of civilians in Unity State, urges international community to act

To:

• H.E Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General, UN
• The Amnesty International
• The Human Right Watch
• H.E Barack Obama, President, United States of America
• H.E David Cameron, Prime minister, United Kingdom
• H.E Nicolas Sarkozy, President, France
• H.E HU Jinto, President, Republic of china
• H.E Stephen Harper, Prime minister, Canada
• H.E Dmitry Medvedev, President, Russia Federation
• H.E. Julia Gillard, Prime minister, Australia
• The African Union
• The European Union

April 30, 2012 (SSNA) — The South Sudan International Advocacy for Human Rights (SSIAHR) strongly condemned the recent Bombardments of innocent populations in Rubkona, Mayom, Biemnom and Guit counties, Unity State, South Sudan by the Sudan Army Forces. The SSIAHR learned that Sudan Army Forces are still carrying out lethal aerial bombardments targeting civilians after South Sudan Army withdrew from contested oil border town of Heglig (MALOU-RAAR/Panthou).

In the past week, our sources on the ground told SSIAHR that Sudan Army Force has bombed Unity State and killed ten innocence people and wounded twenty-three others. Among the dead were four children of three years old and one Nurse of Ugandan national who was working for UNMIS.

Because such unwelcoming aerial bombardments are continuing targeting civilians, the South Sudan International Advocacy for Human Rights joined the International Community who called for cessation of hostilities by both parties. Also, we are asking the world leaders and the International Human Rights Organizations to follow their strong condemnations and calls for cessation of hostilities with actions if one party in the conflict failed to do so.

For example, the Sudanese Government under President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir is known for endless gross Human Rights violations and therefore it is time to hold him and his government accountable if he failed to stop aerial bombardments of civil populations.

Sincerely yours,