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SOUTH SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY FOR ADVOCACY
SSHURSA PRESS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DATE: AUGUST 31, 2011

SUBJECT: SSHURSA SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT AND UNMISS SWIFT RESPONSE IN JONGLEI CLASHES BUT CALLS FOR MORE PRACTICAL AND HUMANE ACTIONS ON THE GROUND
SSHURSA on August 20, 2011 in reaction to the inter-tribal clashes in Jonglei state between Murle and Lou-Nuer Communities that killed hundreds of civilians most of whom women and children made a press release. The statement condemns the violations of human rights in Jonglei and other parts of South Sudan where similar occurrences are rampant. Thus the organization then submitted 14 recommendations to the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, to the United Nations Mission In South Sudan(UNMISS), to the Government of Jonglei State, to the leaders of Murle and Lou-Nuer Communities and generally to the people of South Sudan.
In this second press release, SSHURSA welcomes the swift response by the Government of the Republic and also the immediate response by the head of the UNMISS. In SSHURSA press release of August 20, recommendation number 1 specifically reminded the government of its responsibility to see that protection of civilians is not a privilege but a right of the citizens and the state can never escape from it but accepts that it has the sole responsibility to fulfill it. As SSHURSA welcomes and supports the government’s response as well as that of UNMISS, the organization in this press release further reminds the government and other stakeholders of their responsibility and therefore, makes the following recommendations:

1. That the government must ensure that the SPLA troops must be deployed immediately all over the ground to the conflict areas in Jonglei state and the army must adhere to laws and respect the local people.
2. The SPLA leadership through the provisions of SPLA Act and Rules and Regulations must ensure that its members do not practice the usual brutal and superiority tendencies over the civilians. The SPLA must stand disciplined and executes its defence duty as neutral, non-partisan and only as national army in pursuit of its noble call to protect the citizens.
3. The government must ensure that it devises non politicized mechanisms of disarming the armed civilians and it must be done in manner that is of civility so as to avoid violence that has been of frequent occurrences in Lakes State and as well as in Jonglei state since 2006 disarmament exercises(Recommendation number 5 of the August 20 press release).
4. SSHURSA again appeals to UNMISS and the entire international community to offer their continued support to the government efforts in bringing peacefully to an end rampant tribal conflicts and violence in South Sudan.

5. The government must ensure that SPLA is paid in time so that army concentrates on its national duty without distraction as these soldiers have families to care for.
6. The government must ensure that it takes towns to people in forms of schools, health services, other infrastructures and encourages agriculture which the central and state
governments have long failed to deliver in most parts of South Sudan during the interim
period(Recommendation number 7 of SSHURSA August 20, press release)
7. SSHURSA again recommends that the government encourages and supports permanent
reconciliation among the warring communities.

8. SSHURSA recommends again that the leaders of Jonglei state from national and state levels
and the local governments, chiefs, elders and youth of the warring communities, must put
aside politics and sit down to devise peaceful conflict resolution initiatives to bring the
violence to the halt and with the support of the national government. The initiative must
also be encouraged and supported by the government in other states.
9. SSHURSA appeals to the armed civilians to co-operate with the government and with the
SPLA so that they lay down their arms peacefully and therefore, embark on other
developmental and dignified projects other than killing each other contrary to Article 11 of
the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011 that states; “Every person
has inherent right to life, dignity and the integrity of his or her person which shall be protected
by law; no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her life”

10. SSHURSA appeals again to government to bring to justice any person(s) found as a
perpetuator of violence(Recommendation number 3 of SSHURSA August 20 press release)
Let every person in the new Republic respect human rights and the leaders in the government must
know that universality of human rights is non negotiable and therefore, the Republic has the sole
responsibility to protect its citizens’ rights. Therefore, South Sudan must not be of exception, it
must protect its civilians.
BACKGROUND OF SSHURSA:

South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy is an indigenous, non-political
and non-profit making Human Rights organization registered in accordance with
the laws of South Sudan by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of South Sudan. It
was founded on June 5th, 2007 at Makerere Law Development Centre (LDC)
Kampala-Uganda by a group of South Sudanese lawyers and law students. SSHURSA
came to South Sudan in 2009 and the organization since then had conducted a series
of trainings and sensitization campaigns on Human rights in South Sudan. SSHURSA
has its headquarters in Juba and co-ordination offices in the states. Top on its vision
and mission, the organization believes in an equal society where human rights are
upheld and Constitutionalism is practised with the protection of the women’s and
Children’s rights a priority. It main objectives include but not limited to protection of
human rights, promotion of the rule of law and democracy, environmental protection,
promotion of gender equity and discourages all forms of violence and discrimination
against women and peoples with disabilities. SSHURSA monitors and document human
rights violations in South Sudan.
For contact:
E-mail: sshursa2007@yahoo.com