Roundup: UN relief chief says shocked by human rights violations in south Sudan

Top UN relief official wrapped up his three-day visit to South Sudan on Wednesday by expressing shock and dismay over reports of violence against civilians and sexual violence against women and girls committed during the recent fighting in South Sudan.

"The people of this country have suffered far too much, and for far too long," Stephen O'Brien, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told journalists in Juba.

He called on all parties involved in the violence to cease hostilities immediately and punish those responsible for abusing the rights of civilians.

"I express my shock and dismay at the reports of violations committed against civilians during fighting in recent months, including Juba in particular. I condemn the heinous acts of sexual violence carried out against women and girls, including members of the organized forces," he said.

O'Brien who said he met President Salva Kiir and also toured two camps for internally displaced persons in Wau and Aweil, said reports of widespread violence against civilians throughout the country are alarming.

"I am outraged by the heinous acts of violence that have been committed against civilians, including by members of the armed forces, and call for swift and decisive action to halt these abuses and bring the perpetrators to account."

The UN relief official said he witnessed for himself "enormous and complex multifaceted" humanitarian crisis and widespread hunger all over the country.

O'Brien, who is also the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stressed that access for humanitarian workers and those on a humanitarian mission is a right that is guaranteed under international laws.

He added that conflict had severely restricted aid access, if not prohibited altogether, in some instances.

"The people of this country have suffered far too much. There is no military solution to this conflict; the fighting must stop and the atrocities must end immediately. I call on all armed actors to immediately silence the guns, end the culture of impunity and allow civilians to live in peace," O'Brien said.

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan is catastrophic. More than half of the population - some 6.1 million people - are in need of humanitarian assistance. An estimated 4.8 million people are severely food insecure across the country, with a quarter of a million children facing severe acute malnutrition.

Forced displacement remains a defining feature of the crisis, with some 1.6 million people internally displaced, and more than 900,000 having fled to neighbouring countries, including more than 60,000 who fled to Uganda in July alone.

O'Brien emphasized that humanitarian workers are driven by humanitarian needs. They operate on the basis of independence, impartiality and neutrality, and must be given free, unimpeded access to reach all people in need, wherever they may be.

The U.N mission peacekeeping mission in South reported last week that it document over 100 cases of sexual violence and rape against unarmed innocent civilians, including gang rapes and sexual abuse of minors since the outbreak of conflict on July 8.

O'Brein also condemned the killing of aid workers in the war-torn country, urging authorities to investigate the killings and bring perpetrator to book.

"Today, the number of aid workers killed since December 2013 is 57 and many more are still missing. This is absolutely unacceptable, and I urged the president to take immediate action to end the impunity that has prevailed to date," he said.

The humanitarian chief appealed to donors to meet their pledges to help fund the remaining 700, 000 million U.S dollars as part of the 1.3 billion dollars humanitarian appeal for South Sudan in 2016. Endit