[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12007]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                   THE GROWING CRISIS IN SOUTH SUDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 7, 2016

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on April 27 of this year, the 
subcommittee I chair held a hearing on South Sudan's prospects for 
peace. An accord that appeared to finally end the civil war that broke 
out in December 2013 was reluctantly signed by both the Government of 
South Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement--In Opposition 
in August 2015. Perhaps too much was read into the signing of that 
agreement and not enough into the continuing criticism of the accords 
by both sides.
  Peace was never fully established in South Sudan as a result of the 
August 2015 agreement. In fact, fighting spread to areas that had not 
previously seen armed conflict. An estimated 50,000 South Sudanese have 
been killed since December 2013, more than 2.5 million have been 
displaced, and 4.8 million face severe hunger. According to the UN 
Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, or UNMISS, ``gross violations 
of human rights and serious violations of humanitarian law have 
occurred on a massive scale.''
  South Sudanese women have long reported cases of sexual assault by 
armed forces throughout the country--sometimes in sight of UNMISS 
bases. This past July, between 80-100 armed soldiers broke into the 
Terrain apartment compound, which houses aid workers and international 
organization staff, and for several hours, they sexually assaulted 
women, beat residents, murdered one South Sudanese journalist and 
looted the facility.
  UNMISS did not respond to the desperate calls for help from 
residents, even though their own personnel lived in the Terrain 
compound, and UNMISS officials say the various components of UNMISS 
didn't respond to orders to mobilize from within the organization.
  UN peacekeepers were minutes away but refused to intervene despite 
being asked and having a robust legal mandate to do so. A contingent of 
the South Sudanese military ultimately rescued the victims from other 
rampaging troops. The investigation by the South Sudanese government is 
scheduled to be completed within days, and there must be consequences 
for those found guilty. The rapidly deteriorating security and the 
increasingly dire humanitarian situation led me to undertake an 
emergency mission to South Sudan two weeks ago along with Staff 
Director Greg Simpkins.
  I have known Salva Kiir since he became First Vice President in the 
Government of the Republic of Sudan in 2005--as a matter of fact I met 
him in Khartoum only weeks after he assumed that office--and I hoped my 
visit might convey to him the outrage over the murder, rape, sexual 
assault, attack on aid workers, and the precarious situation his 
government faces. South Sudan is at a tipping point. The United Nations 
will likely take up a measure to impose an international arms embargo 
on South Sudan this month. The International Monetary Fund has strongly 
recommended a mechanism for financial transparency and meets next 
month, likely expecting a response from South Sudan. Meanwhile the 
House and Senate both have measures that contain an arms embargo and 
other sanctions.
  In Juba, we met with President Kiir, his Defense Minister Kuol 
Manyang Juuk and the top members of the general staff, including Chief 
of General Staff Paul Malong, considered by many to be a major power 
behind the scenes. I emphasized to them that the widespread rape and 
sexual exploitation and abuse by soldiers must stop now, and that 
perpetrators of these despicable crimes must be prosecuted. In 
response, both President Kiir and Defense Minister Jook agreed to 
produce a `zero tolerance' presidential decree against rape and sexual 
exploitation and abuse by all armed forces. Such a decree not only 
informs perpetrators that they will be punished for their actions, but 
it places the government on the line to enforce such a decree.
  The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has previously described 
the South Sudan government's efforts to hold perpetrators of abuses 
accountable as ``few and inadequate.'' That must change.
  President Kiir also gave us a copy of a presidential order forming a 
commission to investigate the incident at the Terrain compound. The 
result of that investigation is due any day now. There are four 
military officers and one civilian in custody for looting the Terrain 
compound, but no one has been arrested for the sexual assaults, 
beatings or the public murder of the South Sudanese journalist.
  One of the victims of sexual assault at Terrain is from my 
congressional district. After relaying horrible details of the sexual 
assault by two soldiers, she gave us the name of the soldier who 
``rescued'' her and who might be able to provide information that could 
be used to find and prosecute those who attacked her at the Terrain 
compound.
  There are about 20,000 humanitarian aid workers in South Sudan--2,000 
of whom are from the United States and other foreign countries. If 
there is not greater security for these humanitarian personnel and 
supplies, vital assistance will diminish at the time it is needed most.
  The exploitation of children as child soldiers must stop as well. 
According to UNICEF, 16,000 child soldiers have been recruited by all 
sides since civil war began in December 2013. Moreover, this year's US 
State Department Trafficking in Persons Report gave South Sudan a 
failing grade--Tier 3--in part because of child soldiers.
  South Sudan faces the possibility of a UN arms embargo and other 
sanctions. A new 4,000 Regional Protection Force--designed to augment 
the over 13,000 UN uniformed peacekeepers--has already been approved by 
the UN Security Council.
  There is yet time for South Sudan to make its pivot to peace and good 
governance by faithfully implementing the comprehensive peace accord--
including and especially the establishment of a Hybrid Court--signed 
one year ago but time is running out.
  The governments of the three guarantors of South Sudan's peace--the 
United States, the United Kingdom and Norway--all have expressed their 
disgust with the South Sudan government and its armed opposition for 
not adhering to the August 2015 peace agreement and providing to the 
extent it can for the security and well-being of its own people. 
However, expressions of disdain are not enough.
  This hearing I convened on South Sudan today was not only intended to 
examine culpability for the current situation, but also to try to find 
solutions that will safeguard the future of one of the world's newest 
nations and its citizens. As a guarantor of the peace, we can and 
should do no less.




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