UN Peacekeeping chief concerned over situation in South Sudan

UN Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has expressed concern over the dire security and humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

The security and human rights situation in the country remain grave as fighting continued in various parts of the country, said Lacroix in a briefing to the UN Security Council, Xinhua reported.

The humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate as a result of fighting and an increasingly challenging operating environment for humanitarian aid delivery, he said.

He noted the government's security institutions as well as opposition forces continue to restrict the UN mission's freedom of movement.

"Despite a highly effective humanitarian operation that has reached millions with life-saving assistance, without a reduction in conflict and improved access, humanitarian indicators are likely to continue to deteriorate."

Over two million people have fled the country since the start of the conflict in 2013 and another 1.9 million people are displaced within the country, he said, warning that further displacement can be expected and any significant return of refugees or internally displaced people remains unlikely.

With regard to the political process, Lacroix said the conflict is a direct outcome of a prolonged disproportionate access to power and wealth.

He said that all future dispensations must, therefore, rest on the principle of inclusiveness that leads to equitable power and wealth-sharing.

Lacroix said the conflict in South Sudan is a man-made conflict for which the leaders of the country bear a direct responsibility.

--IANS

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