The Dutch government says violation of human rights in South Sudan is worrying.

The Netherlands’ Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilliane Ploumen, said both parties to the conflict are violating human rights.

She said freedom of expression is one of the rights that are being violated.

Ms Lilliane spoke after a visit to Malakal yesterday.

“I come from the Netherlands. We have a free press; they are very critical. I don’t always like it, but that is the way it is. There is no reason why all voice in the country cannot be heard,” she told the media. “It’s very important to hear all those voices.”

Ms Lilliane said she met and spoke to the internally displaced people in the UN camp in Malakal.

She said her government will continue to support the people displaced by the conflict, and called on the government and the opposition to reach a peace agreement.

“We call again on the government and the opposition to invests in a process that will bring peace again to South Sudan.”

The Netherlands is one of the European countries helping South Sudan develop.

South Sudan is one of the Netherlands’ 15 development partners. Through bilateral and multilateral channels and via non-governmental organizations, the Dutch contribute €75 million to the country each year, according to the country’s ministry of foreign affairs.

In October 2011, a month after the Dutch embassy was opened in the new capital of Juba, a large trade mission took place, with the participation of Dutch businesses in the agriculture, financial services and transport sectors.