Address rape victims of South Sudan hotel rampage, US says

Government spokesman Michael Makuei has called a USA -proposed plan to send in additional peacekeepers “a new colonialism”.

China and Russian Federation abstained from an August 12 Security Council vote on the resolution that authorised deploying a protection force with a more robust mandate than that of UNMISS.

“If the force doesn’t come, we shall die”, said Samuel Gatoonyakuok, 26.

The Security Council acted to enhance the UN’s military mission in South Sudan following clashes in Juba in July that killed scores of civilians. The Council, as well as various senior UN officials, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, repeatedly spoke out over the violence, condemning it and calling for calm and the safety of civilians.

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power insisted as she arrived in Juba that 4,000 additional African peacekeepers were needed.

While the country’s conflict was sparked in December 2013 by political rivalry between Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar, Anglican Archbishop Daniel Deng warned that “people have been made to believe it’s a tribal war”. The conflict between forces loyal to Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and Machar, a Nuer, has often followed ethnic lines.

The Council also aims to engage in discussions on how the UN Mission will continue to work with the government to improve the security and humanitarian situation in South Sudan, including discussion of the Regional Protection Force, a key component of the Mission’s new mandate.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power delivered a stern message on arrival, noting recent obstructions of United Nations work.

However, she added, “we are here unfortunately not in a celebratory frame of mind because of our deep concern about the fighting that has degraded the security environment and that has exacerbated a devastating humanitarian crisis for the people of this country”.

Ambassador Power said she agreed with her Senegalese colleague, noting that “references to the force as an intervention brigade may have left a bad taste in some folks’ mouths”.

“It would be premature to assess whether the level of cooperation is sufficient, but.it is extremely important for us to convey to the government of South Sudan that time is of the essence”, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters.

“National sovereignty is paramount for our countries”, he said, emphasizing that the United Nations “cannot impose” the deployment.

The diplomats representing all 15 council members are expected to meet with President Salva Kiir on Saturday and urge both sides to adhere to a fragile 2015 peace deal meant to end the country’s civil war.

He said Taban is the right leader to implement the peace agreement brokered by the regional bloc, IGAD and to save South Sudan from sliding back into a bloodshed.

The United Nations is investigating the accusations.