By: Buba Ceesay
The secretary general’s report on cooperation with the UN details cases of intimidation and reprisals against individuals and groups in 45 countries. South Sudan counted three cases one of documented reprisals against individuals who had cooperated with the UN.
The report revealed heavy surveillance by the National South Sudan Security Services (NSS), arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial detention, which all contribute to a widespread climate of fear about cooperating with the UN mission. It highlighted that the NSS frequently uses defamation charges as a weapon to harass critics and silence dissent, adding to the climate of fear, self-censorship, and under-reporting of incidents of reprisals.
The report documented three cases of arrest, detention, and ill-treatment for cooperating with the UN. One case concerns an individual who was arbitrarily arrested and detained for speaking to a visiting UN Security Council delegation in March 2020. Even after his release, he continued to be harassed by the NSS until November 2020 and as a result, he ceased all contact with the UN in public.
The second case involved a prominent South Sudanese lawyer who had cooperated with the UNMISS Human Rights Division in providing legal assistance to defendants. He was arrested and detained by the NSS on the grounds that he supports foreign ideas and regime change. His home had been raided, and his identity documents confiscated.
The third case relates to a victim who was intimidated by the NSS for providing information to UNMISS about his arbitrary arrest and detention and warned by the NSS not to cooperate with the commission.
Additionally, the report indicates that government officials and armed opposition parties frequently intimidate civilians to dissuade them from providing information to the UN. The Southern Sudan People's Defense Forces and the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Army are reported to have frequently warned civilians not to cooperate with the UN and that those who did would be beaten or re-arrested, thereby instilling fear in people to deter them from cooperating with the UN.
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) strongly condemns these measures and urges all parties, both government and the opposition, to stop these actions and encourage victims and witnesses to cooperate with the UN. We recommend that civil society organizations be supported so that they can conduct their activities without fear of reprisal. We commend the UN for its efforts to ensure the safety of its staff and call on it to act against countries that persist in hiding the truth about abuses and violations.
Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International For Justice
