Press release
December 15, 2018
December 15, 2018, (SSNA) — 15 December 2018 marks the 5th year when the reduced ongoing civil war started in South Sudan’s capital Juba. Between 15 to 31 of December 2013, civilians from ethnic Nuer were killed by the government forces in Juba. Similar revenge and counter-revenge killings were carried out by the warring parties in Bentiu, Akobo, Malakala and Bor. In a shortest time, South Sudan went into flames.
The South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) condemns the 15 December as one of the darkest days in the history of South Sudan, a country whose independence was brought through bullet, blood and ballot. SSHURSA sends condolences to survivors and victims’ families on this day of darkness, a day that started the destruction of the independent South Sudan.
SSHURSA earnestly calls on all South Sudanese that instead of using 15 December recall bitter memories that rekindle emotions; it should be a day when South Sudanese should unite to resolve that, a day like 15 December 2013 must never happen again in South Sudan to any community or individual. All South Sudanese nationalities should make the day a moment of national reconciliation and forgiveness. It must be a day where leaders reflect on their lives and legacies, whether a legacy of blood or that of saving lives. It must be a day where each leader and every South Sudanese reflects that he or she must never act again cause orphans, widows, widowers, displacements, destruction of lives and property.
The only way to cement national reconciliation, unity and healing, is for the political and military elites to do acts that show they have repented from the acts and hateful attitudes that caused the current violence. The leaders can show so by committing fully to the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement to Resolve Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan(R-ARCSS) which they signed on 12 September 2018. The Agreement must be implemented fully as the only viable option to cause needed institutional reforms in order to have a state whose apparatus respects dignity of every person or community that lives in South Sudan. May their souls rest in peace.
For more information about this press release, contact Biel Boutros Biel, SSHURSA Executive Director, cell: +211922355200 or +2499 E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]; www.sshursa1.org
SSHURSA is non-governmental and non-profit making human rights organisation, founded on 5 June 2007, by South Sudanese lawyers and Law Students at Law Development Centre (LDC), Makerere, Kampala, Uganda. In South Sudan, its operations started since 2008, with its headquarters in capital Juba and field offices in other states of South Sudan. Represented by its executive director, SSHURSA participated in 2017-2018 South Sudan’s peace High Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF) mediated by Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which resulted into signing of R-ARCSS.