South Sudan scale, severity of conflict declines - UN official

NEW YORK, Feb 25 (KUNA) -- The scale and severity of the conflict has recently declined, the number of displaced and refugees has continued to grow, reaching two million people, Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic told the Security Council.
During his briefing, Simonovic confirmed that there are thousands more civilians dead and further humanitarian law and human rights violations have been committed by both sides, as described in UNMISS public human rights reports issued in December 2014 and January 2015.
There are more people, he added, mainly women and children, in UN's POC sites, seeking protection, now over 110,000.
During his mission, he said that after decades of killing and other violations, there is a need for cultural change based on respect for human life and human rights.
"It takes two leaders to end a war in South Sudan, but it takes many for the peace to become sustainable," he noted.
Furthermore, the affirmed that the on-going peace process and future political arrangement must include representatives of all ethnic groups, women, elders, religious leaders, youth, and other civil society actors.
He urged the Council to remain seized of the question of accountability for past and present violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in South Sudan, and stressed on the importance to continue to encourage the Government to release the findings of its own investigations, and to encourage the African Union to release the report of its Commission of Inquiry. On his part, the Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous said that there is now an urgent need to reinforce the mediation efforts, as well as to impose consequences on the parties if they fail to show willingness to compromise, and continue engaging in a conflict that will result in further loss of innocent lives.
UNMISS, he said, continued to take every opportunity to move from protection "by location", at the Mission's protection sites, to protection "by presence", through dynamic, integrated patrols, information-gathering, timely response to threats and the establishment of temporary operating bases in key population centres, utilizing Quick Reaction Forces.
In response to the UNMISS reports, the UN Permanent Representative of South Sudan Francis Deng, said as painful as the reports of violence and gross violations of human rights in the country are, "we do not want to be defensive or in denial." Quite the contrary, he expressed appreciation and gratefulness that all this is a manifestation of the support the international community is demonstrating towards their country.
Deng said the picture the Report portrays "is very disturbing," and a challenge to their pride, dignity, and the value of their independence and sovereignty.
He also affirmed the need to bridge the discrepancy between the primary responsibility of the state and the complementary support of the international community, in this case, UNMISS.
Although South Sudan is now violently divided between the Government and the opposition, he said, yet, it is important to remember that the leadership was popularly elected and represents the legitimacy of the Government and the sovereignty of the country.(end) mao.tg