Roundup: Experts rule out genocide in South Sudan, urge end of hate speech

Experts in South Sudan remain wary of hate speech and isolated targeted killings, but argue that genocide is not yet taking place in the country.

Since the renewed violence in July last year, fighting spread to once peaceful Equatoria region's Yei, Kajo Keji areas located South West of the capital, prompting the UN Secretary General's Advisor on Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng in November last year to warn that ethnic killings amid rising hate speech risked the youngest nation descending into genocide.

The government vehemently denies any existence of genocide, arguing that the state apparatus cannot be used against civilians but only against rebels.

Experts say that genocide is yet to occur and that the warring factions should commit to cessation of hostilities and implement the peace agreement to end the more than three years of conflict that has led to famine in some parts of the country amid huge humanitarian suffering.

"Adama Dieng was here in November last year and during his visit he warned about the signs and hallmarks of possible genocide. And certainly as the UN naturally we are worried about this warning, risk of genocide," the head of the UN humanitarian Coordination Office (OCHA) in South Sudan, Eugene Owusu, said on Wednesday.

"But what is important at this time is that all sides, everybody must be proactive in condemning ethnic related injustice and also persons that incite hateful speech. This issue is high on the agenda of the UN, UNMISS is monitoring hate speech and the government is also talking against hate speech," he revealed.

The conflict, since engulfing the oil-rich and yet impoverished country of 11 million people in December, 2013, initially spread along ethnic lines, pitting soldiers from President Salva Kiir's majority Dinka tribe against SPLA-in opposition (SPLA-IO) rebels from former Vice President Riek Machar's Nuer tribe.

Assistant Professor of Politics at Juba University Jacob Chol told Xinhua on Thursday that none of the warring parties has plans for carrying out genocide in the country.

"I don't really believe that there is genocide that has been planned by government or rebels. It is exaggerated with no evidence," he said.

Chol also observed that the isolated ethnic targeted killings and ambushes along major highway roads by some ethnic chauvinist groups are bad and can lead to deep ethnic animosity and division in the country.

Assistant professor of Economics at Upper Nile University James Alic Garang told Xinhua that no single ethnic group has yet declared to wipe out another since outbreak of fighting.

"I do not believe that genocide in its true definition is taking place in South Sudan. Yes, the conflict has taken ethnic dimension but I do not see principal leaders across the political divide involved or inciting such ethnic killings," Garang disclosed.

"No ethnic group in South Sudan has fully declared to wipe out another. Hence, I do not see Rwandan style genocide taking place in South Sudan," he added.

Garang called for stabilization of the humanitarian and economic situation to clamp down on banditry or criminality that is being disguised under ethnic tension.

"The region and international community have a role to play in preventing any mass atrocities by providing support to the full implementation of peace agreement as cornerstone to stability and external financial support to achieve humanitarian and macroeconomic stability," Garang revealed. Endit