The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navi Pillay, has raised serious concerns with South Sudan over the expulsion of a human rights officer working with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The official in question was declared persona non grata for highlighting human rights violations in the country and is currently in Uganda pending the UN's appeal.
Ms Pillay warned South Sudan that it risked being in breach of international law, as well as UN agreements pertaining to UNMISS, since it has failed to provided any evidence of misconduct relating to the member of staff in question. UNMISS was established following the creation of South Sudan on July 9, 2011, with the intention of promoting peace, security and development in the new country.
“The regular activities of a UN human rights officer cannot and should not be considered as serious misconduct or a criminal activity,” Ms Pillay said. “The promotion and protection of human rights is an essential element in a country’s development and the establishment of rule of law.”
This is certainly a bad move by the government in Juba and a slap in the face for the UN who has supported the nascent nation from the onset. President Salva Kiir Mayardit should be striving to make his country a beacon of peace and hope in the troubled region. If the people wanted more of the same, they may as well have remained as they were in Sudan. Its first year did not bode well and it second one is not looking any better (see post dated July 9, 2012: South Sudan is one today: Many Happier Returns). Mr Kiir is not only letting his people down: he is letting history down.
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