NAS calls UK Ambassador’s statement unfortunate and hurtful to the suffering people of South Sudan
The National Salvation Front (NAS) has responded to a recent statement by the British Ambassador to South Sudan calling it unfortunate and regretting his ‘loud silence’ and inaction towards the regime’s flagrant violations of the Cession of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).
Ambassador Chris Trott on Thursday 27 was reported to have made the unfortunate statement after NAS engaged – in self-defense – regime forces who were on an active and aggressive military mission against NAS positions a few kilometers south of Juba.
[FULL-TEXT]
The National Salvation Front (NAS) notes with great concern the statement, reported on Eye Radio in Juba and attributed to H.E. Chris Trott, the British Ambassador to South Sudan, of condemnation of NAS for violating the Cession of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA).
NAS and the people of South Sudan expect the Ambassador to verify all violations in a credible manner before making public statements that speak to the contrary and hurt the suffering people of South Sudan
The statement condemning NAS is unfortunate. While Ambassador Chris Trott is entitled to express his opinion, NAS and the people of South Sudan expect the Ambassador to verify all violations in a credible manner before making public statements that speak to the contrary and hurt the suffering people of South Sudan.
The regime of Salva Kiir has been flagrantly violating the CoHA in broad daylight with South Sudan Defense Force (SSPDF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) attacking the civil population and NAS bases in several locations in Equatoria starting from the 5th April 2020. This has been a deliberate military offensive strategy targeting NAS defensive positions and the civil population with looting, killing, rape and burning of houses which consequently displaced thousands of civilians while others were uprooted from their villages and brought to areas under the control of SSPDF. Many civilians were forced to flee to the neighboring countries of Uganda and Congo (DRC) for their safety. These actions by SSPDF and SPLA-IO were clearly documented by UN human rights and other local and international organizations. The suffering people of South Sudan expected at least a condemnation of the regime’s actions against civil populations and NAS position from H.E. Ambassador Chris Trott but all they got was a loud silence.
The suffering people of South Sudan expected at least a condemnation of the regime’s actions against civil populations and NAS position from H.E. Ambassador Chris Trott but all they got was a loud silence
The bodyguards of Vice President James Wani Igga involved in the recent incident were on a military mission against NAS positions and are part of the notorious Tiger Division which was responsible for all kinds of human rights violations and war crimes. The forces of NAS engaged this enemy force in self-defense resulting in the loss of lives. The condemnation of the self-defense action of NAS against the brutality and crimes committed by this Division especially the killing and rape cases of women and young girls is shocking.
The condemnation of the self-defense action of NAS against the brutality and crimes committed by this Division especially the killing and rape cases of women and young girls is shocking
NAS reiterates its commitment to the Cessions of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed on 21st December 2017 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and to the Rome Declaration signed on 12th January 2020 in Rome, Italy. NAS however, reserves the right to self-defense.
Suba Samuel Manase
NAS Spokesman
[Signed September 02, 2020]
