UN South Sudan rights group starts east Africa visit

JUBA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Members of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Monday began their fourth field mission to South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia.

The UNMISS said two commissioners taking part in the mission, Yasmin Sooka and Andrew Clapham, will be in South Sudan for six days, where they will meet with senior government officials, members of civil society, religious leaders and diplomats.

During their stay in Juba, which lasts through Dec. 16, the two will also meet with representatives of UN agencies.

"They will conduct visits to camps for internally displaced persons across the country, including UNMISS Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites, to meet the people living there, community leaders and civil society organizations," the mission said.

It said the commissioners will then visit Uganda and Ethiopia, where they will visit refugee camps and settlements along the South Sudanese border.

The will meet with leaders of the African Union , the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), senior UN officials, as well as other members of the international community and opposition groups in Addis Ababa.

The UNMISS is an independent body mandated by the UN Human Rights Council. It will present its next report to the Human Rights Council in March 2018. Enditem