South Sudan: Elections Minus Safeguards Could Fuel Renewed Atrocities, Warns UN Commission
[allAfrica] Geneva -- Political, security and human rights safeguards required for a peaceful and credible vote are largely absent in South Sudan, a UN commission has warned.
Geneva — A UN commission has raised concerns about the lack of political, security, and human rights safeguards surrounding South Sudan's upcoming national elections on December 22, marking the country's first since gaining independence in 2011. The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that these safeguards are largely absent, leaving multiple risk factors for atrocity crimes converging.
The commission highlighted the resumption of armed conflict in various regions, the abandonment of inclusive politics, weakening of civic space and constitutional safeguards, absence of accountability mechanisms, and significant exclusion of certain sections of the population from political participation. South African human rights lawyer Yasmin Sooka, chair of the commission, emphasized that South Sudanese have waited 15 years to cast their ballots and deserve an election that provides them the opportunity to choose their government freely, safely, and through peaceful democratic means.
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