Yasmin Sooka [Right], the chairperson of the UN Human Rights Commission, and Barney Afako [Left], UN Human Rights Commissioner during a press briefing in Juba - credit |Atem Jenifer/Eye Radio | February 11, 2022

The UN Human Rights Council is calling on South Sudanese leaders to end attacks on civilians and prioritize a peaceful and just transition.

In a statement extended to Eye Radio on Friday, the Council said the political leaders must also reset the country toward peace, democratic transformation, and prosperity.

Barney Afako is the head of the UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan.

He has led members of the commission on a visit to South Sudan from 14 to 18 February.

“The suffering across the country remains immense. South Sudanese women and girls continue to face unspeakable sexual violence,” Afako said.

He added that the commission has documented human rights violations in South Sudan for many years, and it is still shocked by the sexual violence and continuing attacks against civilians.

“Political leaders must reorient their priorities and work together to put an end to this needless violence and protect the human rights of South Sudanese. Without a change of approach, the transition will falter.”

In the past year, the commission documented widespread attacks against civilians in several states, including southern Unity State where Government officials led the attacks.

It says conflicts in Upper Nile State and northern parts of Jonglei State, have involved multiple armed groups, with minimal response from the government, despite widespread attacks against civilian population.

It added that extrajudicial killings also continued, implicating senior state officials, who have enjoyed impunity even where the crimes have been caught on camera.

The Human Rights Commissioners visited the capital Juba, and Upper Nile State where the UN runs a protection of civilians site that is struggling to accommodate tens of thousands of new arrivals fleeing violence.

In August 2022, parties to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement agreed to a two-year extension of its transitional governance arrangements, thereby postponing planned elections to late 2024.

Commenting on the extension, the commission says there is limited time to make the political transition work.

It added that outstanding key tasks include; the establishment of a unified national army, which started in 2022, drafting of a constitution to be completed before elections, and establishing three transitional justice mechanisms, none of which are in place despite preparatory work.

The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the UN Human Rights Council.

First established in March 2016, it has three Commissioners, who are supported by a Secretariat that is based in Juba, South Sudan.