South Sudan Army Holds Dozens of Civilians Without Charges

David Yau Yau, a former leader in the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), who defected during the transitional phase to independence from Khartoum. His fighters have continued hostilities against Juba, the capital of the Republic of South Sudan., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

S Sudan Army nabs dozens of civilians without charges: HRW

Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:6AM GMT
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) says South Sudan’s Army has arrested dozens of civilians without charges since February.


“Soldiers rounded up dozens of young men (from Lakes state), often detaining others if they couldn't find the suspects they were seeking, and held them in harsh conditions for weeks or months,” the New York-based rights group said in a statement issued on Monday, citing witnesses in the state.

The statement also added that some of the civilians were severely beaten by the members of the (South) Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

Meanwhile, the United Nations Refugee Agency said fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei State displaced tens of thousands of people.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also said in a statement released earlier this month that “In South Sudan, we are working both in Jonglei State and at the national level to advocate for better protection of displaced people.”

Clashes between South Sudan’s Army and militants led by David Yau Yau in the eastern state erupted in March.

South Sudan seceded from the Republic of Sudan on July 9, 2011, after decades of conflict with Khartoum. The new oil-rich nation is one of the least-developed countries in the world with one in seven children dying before the age of five.

Yau Yau rebelled against the government in Juba after he was defeated in the elections of April 2010. However, he accepted amnesty in June 2011, a month before South Sudan gained independence.