The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Monday expressed concerns over “highly inflammatory” rhetoric, accompanied by troop movements, by senior military officers in South Sudan.  A statement by a military commander in Jonglei State, calling for indiscriminate violence against civilians, had reportedly led to 180,000 fleeing their homes. This was deemed to pose a dangerous escalation at a moment when the political foundations of the peace process in the country have been severely weakened.

An independent investigation by the commission comes a day after UNMISS issued a press release condemning threats of indiscriminate violence against civilians in the country. Mr Graham Maitland, the Officer in Charge of UNMISS, pointed out that ‘Inflammatory rhetoric calling for violence against civilians, including the most vulnerable, is utterly abhorrent and must stop.’

The Chairperson of the UN Commission, Ms Yasmin Sooka, added:

‘Language that calls for the killing of those who are no longer participating in hostilities, and civilians, including the elderly (with assertions that ‘no one should be spared’) is not only shocking, it is profoundly dangerous’

Ms Sooka added that such rhetoric has, in past instances, preceded mass atrocities when issued or tolerated by those in positions of command. It added that an announcement that “no quarter will be given”, so giving the command to leave no survivors and indiscriminately inflicting harm on civilians is a fundamental breach of International Humanitarian Law. The commission therefore pointed out that the rhetoric raise liability on these military officials under international humanitarian and criminal law, thereby calling for all parties to immediately cease inflammatory rhetoric and force mobilisation to de-escalate tensions.  

According to local news correspondence, the conflict stems from further political disagreements between groups supporting President Salva Kiir and those supporting Vice President Riek Machar, who has since been arrested and charged with treason. The conflict has been characterized by the removal of ministers loyal to the Vice President and their replacement by supporters of the President. This therefore shows that these utterances are not isolated events but part of a wider political breakdown.

Subject to this, communities in Jonglei and other parts of South Sudan are reported to be suffering immense harm from the escalating conflict, including direct military confrontations between forces aligned with the main parties to the peace agreement. The Revitalized Agreement for Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan R-ARCSS   which was signed on September 12, 2018 to end the 2013-2018 South Sudanese civil war, continues to face challenges with slow implementation, power-sharing disputes, and security concerns. 

South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, gained independence in July 2011 but soon slid into civil war with fighting between forces loyal to either President Salva Kiir or the main opposition leader, First Vice President Riek Machar. Earlier this month, UNMISS and rights groups reported that civilians are suffering sexual violence and mass arbitrary arrests, bearing the brunt of widespread insecurity.