On
S. Sudan, UN
Now Worries of
Crackdowns
After Jal's
Beatdown, ICP
Qs
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 11
-- Last week,
before
Emmanual Jal
was beaten
and robbed by
police in his
native South
Sudan, Inner
City Press
asked
the UN about
its silence
amid
crackdowns in
the country:
Inner
City Press:
the South
Sudan Human
Rights Society
for Advocacy
had
their offices
broken into by
gunmen. There
was also this,
another
South Sudan
Civil Rights
Alliance by
Deng Mawiir,
who was
recently
kidnapped and
tortured.
People there
are starting
to say that if
not
the
Government,
some in the
Government may
be behind
these attacks.
There was also
an
anti-corruption
guy, Ted
Dagne, that
had to flee
the country,
and I am just
wondering,
what is UNMISS
[United
Nations
Mission in
South Sudan]…
since there is
a UN Mission
there that is
working
closely with
the
Government,
have they had
anything to
say
about this
sort of trend
of attack on
both human
rights groups
and
anti-corruption
groups?
Spokesperson:
I’ll check
with the
Mission,
Matthew. After
all, the
Mission does
also have a
human rights
component, so
I am sure that
they would be
monitoring
developments
and it may be
that we have
something that
we
can say on
this, but I
don’t have it
right now.
Yes?
On
September 11,
the following
arrived:
Subject:
Your
question from
last week on
UNMISS
From: UN
Spokesperson -
Do
Not Reply [at]
un.org
Date: Tue, Sep
11, 2012 at
11:40 AM
To:
Matthew
Russell
Lee@innercitypress.com
Regarding
your
question from
the noon
briefing about
human rights
in South
Sudan, we can
inform you
that the UN
Mission,
UNMISS, is
actively
engaged with
recent reports
of threats
against human
rights
defenders
and
anti-corruption
activists in
South Sudan.
In
addition to
carrying out
its own
first-hand
enquiries in
to alleged
abuses, such
as that
involving the
abduction of
Mr. Deng Athui
Mawiir
Rehan, the
mission has
taken up
certain cases
with
appropriate
Government
agencies.
Government
officials
have expressed
their concerns
and have
responded
quickly to
these cases.
Moreover, the
Government has
provided
protection for
one
victim and has
announced that
it is carrying
out
investigations.
It
is noteworthy
that the Human
Rights
Committee of
the National
Legislative
Assembly spoke
with President
Salva Kiir
urging him to
address these
issues.
Finally, the
South Sudan
Human Rights
Commission has
also monitored
these cases.
UNMISS
is
investigating
and following
up with police
the recent
break in at
the offices of
the South
Sudan Human
Rights Society
for Advocacy.
But
why does it
take a public
question to
elicit such
statements,
while
in other
countries the
UN just speaks
out? Jal said
"Two days
after arriving
in my home
country I was
attacked by
members of
Juba's police
and national
security. This
is an ironic
and
sad situation
that will not
deter my path
for freedom,
equality and
justice. I am
swollen, but
recovering,
and thank all
the fans and
supporters for
their well
wishes. I
would like to
express that
abuse
of power
should not be
tolerated on
any level.
South Sudan
must move
forward with
positivity and
equality.
Tribalism,
police
brutality,
corruption and
other problems
of
de-stabilization
must be
highlighted
and stopped in
order for the
country to
progress."
Why
did it take UN
envoy Hilde
Johnson
longer? Is it
her die-hard
position on
South Sudan?
Watch this
site.
, 
