PRST/25/2 Situation of human rights in South Sudan

GE.14-13813

*1413813*

Human Rights Council Twenty-fifth session Agenda item 1 Organizational and procedural matters

Statement by the President

PRST 25/2. Situation of human rights in South Sudan

At the 56th meeting, held on 28 March 2014, the President of the Human Rights Council read out the following statement:

“The Human Rights Council:

1. Expresses deep concern at and deplores the situation of human rights resulting from the crisis and violence that broke out in mid-December 2013 in South Sudan;

2. Acknowledges the relevant communiqués and resolutions issued by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the United Nations, and the statements made by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in which they urged the parties to the conflict to protect the civilian population from violence and to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

3. Calls upon the parties to the conflict to put an end to all violations and abuses of human rights, and violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks against and killings of civilians, the displacement of populations and sexual and gender-based violence, and to implement the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and its Implementation Modalities, as well as to show their political will and commitment to end the conflict through inclusive dialogue, reconciliation and peacebuilding;

4. Expresses support for the democratically elected Government of South Sudan, encourages it to investigate the root causes of the crisis and the violence that broke out in mid-December 2013, and reiterates that all perpetrators of atrocities must be held accountable;

5. Commends the leading role played by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in mediating between the parties to the conflict in

United Nations A/HRC/PRST/25/2

General Assembly

Distr.: General 16 April 2014

signing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the formation of a monitoring and verification mechanism;

6. Calls upon the international community, United Nations mechanisms and the Office of the High Commissioner to support the efforts of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development;

7. Urges the parties to the conflict to allow immediate and full access to humanitarian assistance to all populations in need of assistance, in accordance with humanitarian principles, to facilitate the efforts of humanitarian agencies to address the critical humanitarian crisis, and to explore durable solutions for the refugees and internally displaced persons, in collaboration and coordination with local and international humanitarian organizations;

8. Welcomes the establishment by the African Union of a commission of inquiry for South Sudan as an important step towards ensuring accountability and preventing the recurrence of such abuses;

9. Calls upon the Government of South Sudan to cooperate fully with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement signed in August 2011;

10. Encourages the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to carry out regular public reporting on the human rights situation in the country, calls upon the Mission to enhance consultation with the Government of South Sudan on such reporting, welcomes the release of the Mission’s interim report and looks forward to the public release of its more comprehensive report;

11. Stresses the importance of the continued attention of the Human Rights Council to this human rights situation, including through the interim report of the High Commissioner, to be submitted to the Council at its twenty-sixth session, in accordance with Council resolution 23/24 of 14 June 2013;

12. Encourages the Government of South Sudan to continue to engage with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner on this matter.”