Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
Rupert Colville
Location: Geneva
Subjects: (1)
South Sudan
(2) Yemen
(3)
Angola
(4)
Indonesia
(5)
Republic of Moldova
(1) South Sudan
We are deeply concerned about the escalation of fighting in
the strategic, oil-rich Unity State in South Sudan. Whenever fighting
intensifies between Government and opposition forces, the civilian population
bears the brunt. Since 29 April, at least 28 towns and villages have been
attacked and burned, with reports of killings, rape, abduction and looting of
cattle and other property.
Thousands of civilians have fled the attacks – with at least
2,200 new arrivals seeking refuge at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)’s
Protection of Civilians site in Bentiu as of 10 May, while others have fled or
are in bushes between villages south of Nhialdiu and Koch, and Leer. Of 2,200
new arrivals, 26 percent are children under five and 65 percent are women and
girls.
According to interviews with civilians who managed to flee,
perpetrators of these atrocities are SPLA soldiers and armed youth. Mobilized
youth are reportedly clad in civilian clothes wielding AK47s.
There are also alarming reports of attacks,, including
abductions and sexual violence, by armed elements around the Protection of
Civilians site.
Ahead of the rainy season, when people are planting crops,
we urge absolute restraint by the parties to the conflict. Attacks on civilian
lives and infrastructure amount to clear violations of international
humanitarian law and international human rights law and must be investigated.
(2) Yemen
The six days from 4 to 10 May have been the deadliest since
fighting began in Yemen on 26 March, with a total of at least 182 civilians
reported killed during that period – almost exactly half of them women and
children (51 children and 41 women). The total number of civilians whose deaths
have been verified by our staff in Yemen has now risen to 828 since 26 March
(182 children and 91 women), with a further 1,511 injured.
A significant proportion of the casualties over this most
recent six-day period – around half – were reportedly caused by airstrikes,
especially in Sa’ada Governorate. Other civilian deaths were caused by mortar
fire and during fighting between the two sides in at least four different
Governorates (Taiz, Abyan, Dhale and Aden), as well as by sniper fire. On one
occasion, on 6 May, dozens of people fleeing fighting in Al-Tawahi District in
Aden Governorate, took to boats aiming for Djibouti, when they were shelled by
mortars apparently fired by members of the Popular Committees affiliated with
the Houthis. The boats caught fire and there were casualties. Numerous civilian
house were also struck, either by airstrikes or by ground fire. In addition,
since the conflict began, at least 66 public buildings and civilian
infrastructure are reported to have been partially or completely destroyed.
Given this alarming escalation, we welcome the announcement
of a five-day humanitarian pause in Yemen, due to start today. This should
enable desperately needed aid operations to be carried out, and it is essential
that it is honoured by all sides to the conflict. It should also be used as the basis for a
more permanent cessation of hostilities. We urge the coalition led by Saudi
Arabia to enable fuel supplies to enter regularly into Yemen to facilitate
humanitarian operations.
(3) Angola
There have been alarming reports in recent weeks of an
alleged massacre in the central province of Huambo in Angola. We have been
working to get more information on the incident but the facts remain unclear,
with wildly differing accounts of the number of casualties.
According to the Government, nine police officers and 13
civilians were killed in a confrontation in Serra Sumé when police attempted to
arrest the leader of a religious sect called “Luz du Mundo” (Light of the
World). But other accounts of the incident claim that hundreds of followers of
the sect were killed. There are even accounts suggesting the number may exceed
1000.
Recent editorials and reports in State media condemning the
sect have been very worryingly virulent. We understand that some members of the
sect and their families may have gone into hiding out of fear of further
violence.
We understand that a Government inquiry has been launched
into the incident, and we urge the Government to ensure that a truly
meaningful, independent, thorough investigation is conducted with a view to
ensuring accountability.
(4) Indonesia
We welcome the decision last weekend by the President of
Indonesia to grant clemency to five Papuan political prisoners as well as his
announcement that foreign journalists will now be allowed to visit Papua.
The High Commissioner is very much encouraged by these
initial but significant steps. He encourages the President to pursue his
efforts toward reconciliation in Papua by reviewing the remaining cases of
political prisoners with a view to their release.
(5) Republic of Moldova
We welcome the adoption on 7 May 2015 of a law strengthening
the rights of persons with disabilities by the Moldovan Parliament.
For the first time in Moldova, the right to vote of people
who have been deprived of legal capacity on the basis of their disability is
legally recognized. The new law also allows persons under guardianship to
appeal against decisions that deprive them of or restrict their legal capacity.
It also establishes administrative sanctions for failing to make services or
premises accessible for people with disabilities.
We praise the efforts from various sides in ensuring the
adoption of this law, including in particular civil society organisations. We
also encourage the Moldovan Government to pursue its ongoing reform with the
aim of restoring the rights of people declared legally incapable on grounds of
disability.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact
please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or
Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 /
cpouilly@ohchr.org).
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