Press release including soundbites and David Shearer interview before Security Council briefing: “No concerted effort” to Adhere to Ceasefire in South Sudan as Conflict Intensifies

Press release including audio: “No concerted effort” to Adhere to Ceasefire in South Sudan as Conflict Intensifies UNMISS Security Council 25 April 2017

UNMISS SRSG briefing the Security Council on the current situation in South Sudan.

25 Apr 2017

Press release including soundbites and David Shearer interview before Security Council briefing: “No concerted effort” to Adhere to Ceasefire in South Sudan as Conflict Intensifies

(Scroll down for soundbites with transcripts, plus David Shearer interview ahead of the Security Council briefing)

“No concerted effort” has been made by any of the warring parties in South Sudan to adhere to a ceasefire in the country, instead there has been an escalation in the conflict there, the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has said.

David Shearer, who is also the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, was addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday. 

He told the 15-member Council that, “virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet, there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire. Instead, we are seeing an intensification of the conflict over the past month.”

Mr Shearer said that in some of the violence, government forces have responded to attacks by opposition forces, notably in Wau and the Equatorias. In others, in contrast, government-led operations such as those in Upper Nile and Jonglei appeared “more strategic in focus” and were aimed at taking opposition-held areas.

The head of UNMISS added that “significant military operations are linked to gaining tactical advantage over opposition positions before the onset of the rainy season.”

The conflict in South Sudan began in December 2013 and has led to a humanitarian crisis. Some 7.5 million people, two-thirds of the population, require humanitarian assistance. Around 1.6 million people have fled the country as refugees while a further 1.9 million are displaced internally.

Concluding his remarks to the Security Council, the Special Representative underscored that the “political process in South Sudan is not dead” however it does require “significant resuscitation.”

He added that UNMISS will work together with partners “to look for opportunities we can build upon to forge a viable solution to bring an end to the hostilities and to the suffering of the people of South Sudan.”

 

Soundbites (transcripts below each one)

"Virtually no part of the country is immune from conflict. Yet, there has been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire. Instead, over the past months, we are seeing an actual intensification of the conflict."

"In addition, significant military operations linked to gaining tactical advantage over Opposition positions before the onset of the rainy season."

"In the face of this escalation in the past months, UNMISS has increased the robustness of its protection activities. Our integrated patrols to most conflict-affected areas have increased, they are aimed at deterring violence, to monitor and report on the human rights situation, and engaging with political parties at a local level."

"Despite what appears to be attempts by the parties to achieve victory by military means, a political solution is the only way forward for South Sudan. Military offenses are fracturing groups and intensifying ethnic divisions to a degree which will hinder reconciliation. Regrettably, no party has shown interest in reviving the Peace Agreement."

"Let me underscore that the political process in South Sudan is not dead – however, it requires significant resuscitation. UNMISS will work together with our partners on opportunities to forge viable solutions to bring an end to the hostilities and to the suffering of the people of South Sudan."

 

UN Radio interview with David Shearer, before his Security Council briefing: