The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on
Thursday trashed the latest report by the UN Commission on Human Rights in
South Sudan, describing it as “absurd”.
On March 1, 2024, the members of the commission presented
their report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The report details the persistence of armed conflict whereby
state actors have either instigated or failed to prevent or punish violence,
which frequently involves killings, sexual and gender-based crimes, and the
displacement of civilian populations.
It also shows that patterns of violations remain unchanged,
ever increasing because the root causes remain unaddressed.
Speaking to the media, Justice Ruben Madol Arol said the
report contains “unrealistic allegations” of human rights violations.
“It contains absurd, unverified and unrealistic allegations
of human rights violations and abuses, political repression, economic
predation, discrimination of women, inequality, sexual violence, sexual slavery
and displacement of millions,” Justice Ruben said.
Reuben added that the event described in the report by the
commission cannot match the current improvement of the security situation in
the country.
“In addition to the updates in the security stability and
progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the delegation informed
the Human Rights Council of the efforts of the Government to combat sexual and
gender-based violence, through trials by the Judiciary, General Court Martial
and Mobile Courts,” he stated.
The minister urged the commission to share evidence and
names of the individuals and entities accused of human rights violations to
enable the government to evaluate the evidence with a view of addressing them
through accountability.
The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an
independent body mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council to
determine and report the facts and circumstances of human rights violations and
abuses, including by clarifying responsibility for crimes under national and or
international law.