SOUTH SUDAN – Humanitarian groups urge action stop possible genocide
U.N. special adviser on prevention of genocide Adama Dieng warned that South Sudan violence risks spiralling into genocide. “Conversations with all actors have confirmed that what began as a political conflict has transformed into what could become an outright ethnic war,” Dieng said at the end of his visit to South Sudan.
Humaitarian groups across the world are now urging the international community to prevent “what could become the 21st century first major genocide”.
In a joint statement to mark the on the third anniversary of South Sudan’s war, seven genocide museums and memorials for genocide of Armenians and holocaust of Jews in Armenia, Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany and South Africa joined calls by UN officials to stop violence on ethnic basis in South Sudan.
The statement referred to UN reports describing atrocities and war crimes committed in South Sudan, saying “the signs are already there”.
“The government and military of South Sudan is already dominated by the Dinka ethnicity, stoking tension and grievances among other ethnic groups. Polarizing propaganda is being used to stoke the fires of hatred on social media. Killings are happening ever more frequently along ethnic lines and no one is being held accountable.”
The signatories who described themselves as “the custodians of humanity’s darkest memories” further called on South Sudanese and East Africa leaders to work with a “determined resolve” to end the conflict stressing “genocide is never inevitable”.
“And we will need leaders in the broader international community to use every means of political leverage they have – stopping the flow of weapons, holding perpetrators of violence accountable – to avert yet another genocide from happening on our watch”.
ACN Malta
