Continuing with a disturbing trend, South Sudan is preparing to expel
another top UN official following the release of a report accusing government (SPLA) troops of atrocities against unarmed women and children.
The government of Unity state in South Sudan announced on Sunday it
would not allow the return of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Unity
State Coordinator Mary Cummins.
The reason for making her ‘persona non grata’ (PNG) is directly linked
the a UN human rights report charging government forces with human right abuses
during military offensives against rebel fighters allied to former vice president,
Riek Machar.
Unity state deputy governor, Stephen Mabek Lang, said the decision to PNG
Cummins was made by cabinet who disputed allegations that SPLA government soldiers
committed abuses, which included but are not limited to raping women and young
girls, burning children alive in their homes, and the forced castration of
young boys.
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| UNMISS internally displaced Persons camp (seen above) in Bentiu Unity State |
The acting spokesman of the United Nations in the country, Joe
Contreras, said that the mission was aware of reports that the state government
had asked Cummins to not return to her duty station.
However, South Sudan’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and
international cooperation, Peter Bashir Gbandi, said the ministry had not
received an official request from the Unity state administration with
explanation backing up the decision of the local cabinet to reject the return
of the top UN official to the state.
If implemented, the expulsion of Cummins will be the second time the
government of South Sudan has expelled a top UNMISS official over reports
linked to the conduct of government forces in the war.
In May, South Sudan expelled the head of humanitarian affairs, Toby
Lanzer.