Dinka Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

Ceasefire coming into effect in South Sudan

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 22:00:00 +0000

A ceasefire’s coming into effect in South Sudan. Armed forces from both government and several opposition groups express confidence it will end the conflict that’s killed 50 000 people and displaced a million.

The ceasefire signed in Addis Ababa enjoins all sides to freeze their positions at midnight on Christmas Eve and to cease all activities that could provoke further violence. It also commits the parties to freeing prisoners of war and releasing abducted women and children.

Previous peace deals between President Salva Kiir’s Dinka tribe and the Nuer of rebel leader Riek Machar, currently exiled in South Africa, have come apart.

If this one holds it could lead to elections in the country that became Africa’s youngest when it split from Sudan six years ago.

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South Sudan warned hate speech could lead to atrocities

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 22:00:00 +0000

Leaders in South Sudan have been warned to control rise in ethnic hate speech and incitement of violence against some ethnic groups which could result in mass atrocities.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says hateful ethnic rhetoric in South Sudan can have devastating consequences for entire communities, quickly spiralling into a cycle of revenge attacks,

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein sounds the caution after threats of violence against people from the Equatoria region and an Equatorian staff member of a humanitarian organisation was attacked in Aweil Town.
He urges President Salva Kiir and all political and community leaders to urgently and unambiguously condemn the incitement to violence and to take urgent measures to defuse the tensions.
The threats emerged in reaction to three attacks on buses this month killing an unconfirmed number of Dinka civilians travelling to Juba.

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Kiir calls for new peace talks in South Sudan

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 22:00:00 +0000

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir’s urged rebel leader Riek Machar to return to the negotiating table as civil war and famine darken the country’s third anniversary of independence.

His message to Machar is put down your guns and come home.

The conflict that has torn South Sudan started with a political spat between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the man he fired as his deputy.

It’s become an ethnic war between Kiir’s Dinka and the Nuer who include the rebel leader in their tribe.

Speaking at the independence celebrations today Kiir says he’ll call for peace even if Machar continues to attack government forces.

At least three turns at the peace table have come to nought.

Both sides are accused to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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