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| South Sudan peacekeeping commander sacked over 'serious shortcomings' | South Sudan peacekeeping commander sacked over 'serious shortcomings' |
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| The commander of the UN peacekeeping force in South Sudan has been dismissed by Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, after a damning report showed that the mission failed to protect civilians during summer violence in Juba. | The commander of the UN peacekeeping force in South Sudan has been dismissed by Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, after a damning report showed that the mission failed to protect civilians during summer violence in Juba. |
| A UN special investigation found that a lack of leadership by the the UN mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), spearheaded by Lt Gen Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki, culminated in a “chaotic and ineffective response” during heavy fighting in the capital between 8 and 11 July. | A UN special investigation found that a lack of leadership by the the UN mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), spearheaded by Lt Gen Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki, culminated in a “chaotic and ineffective response” during heavy fighting in the capital between 8 and 11 July. |
| Peacekeepers abandoned their posts and failed to respond to pleas for help from aid workers under attack in a nearby hotel compound, according to a summary of the report. | Peacekeepers abandoned their posts and failed to respond to pleas for help from aid workers under attack in a nearby hotel compound, according to a summary of the report. |
| Unmiss has 16,000 troops deployed in South Sudan, where there has been fighting between troops loyal to the president, Salva Kiir, and his former deputy, Riek Machar, since December 2013. | Unmiss has 16,000 troops deployed in South Sudan, where there has been fighting between troops loyal to the president, Salva Kiir, and his former deputy, Riek Machar, since December 2013. |
| “The special investigation found that Unmiss did not respond effectively to the violence due to an overall lack of leadership, preparedness and integration among the various components of the mission,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. | “The special investigation found that Unmiss did not respond effectively to the violence due to an overall lack of leadership, preparedness and integration among the various components of the mission,” said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. |
| Chinese peacekeepers abandoned their positions at least twice and Nepalese peacekeepers failed to stop looting inside the UN compound, the inquiry found. | Chinese peacekeepers abandoned their positions at least twice and Nepalese peacekeepers failed to stop looting inside the UN compound, the inquiry found. |
| Ban said he was “deeply distressed by these findings” and “alarmed by the serious shortcomings” of the UN mission. | Ban said he was “deeply distressed by these findings” and “alarmed by the serious shortcomings” of the UN mission. |
| Dujarric said the UN chief had “asked for the immediate replacement of the force commander”, Ondieki. Other measures would follow, added Dujarric. | Dujarric said the UN chief had “asked for the immediate replacement of the force commander”, Ondieki. Other measures would follow, added Dujarric. |
| Ondieki, from Kenya, had been the force commander since May. UN mission chief Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark steps down at the end of November after more than two years in the job. | Ondieki, from Kenya, had been the force commander since May. UN mission chief Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark steps down at the end of November after more than two years in the job. |
| About a dozen aid workers and UN staff housed at the Terrain hotel compound were attacked by South Sudanese soldiers on 11 July. Peacekeepers just over 1km away failed to come to their aid despite multiple requests from China, Ethiopia, India and Nepal for forces to be dispatched. | |
| The report noted that “each Unmiss contingent turned down the request, indicating their troops were fully committed”. During the attack, “civilians were subjected to and witnessed gross human rights violations, including murder, intimidation, sexual violence and acts amounting to torture perpetrated by armed government soldiers,” said the report. | The report noted that “each Unmiss contingent turned down the request, indicating their troops were fully committed”. During the attack, “civilians were subjected to and witnessed gross human rights violations, including murder, intimidation, sexual violence and acts amounting to torture perpetrated by armed government soldiers,” said the report. |
| The investigation, led by retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, was unable to verify allegations that peacekeepers did nothing to help women who were raped during the heavy fighting. | The investigation, led by retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, was unable to verify allegations that peacekeepers did nothing to help women who were raped during the heavy fighting. |
| But in a later incident on 2 September, a woman was assaulted near the entrance to a UN compound “in plain sight” of the peacekeepers, the report said. | But in a later incident on 2 September, a woman was assaulted near the entrance to a UN compound “in plain sight” of the peacekeepers, the report said. |
| “Despite the woman’s screams, they did not react” and other UN staff intervened, the report added. | “Despite the woman’s screams, they did not react” and other UN staff intervened, the report added. |
| After the crisis, peacekeepers “continued to display a risk-averse posture unsuited to protecting civilians from sexual violence” and other attacks. | After the crisis, peacekeepers “continued to display a risk-averse posture unsuited to protecting civilians from sexual violence” and other attacks. |
| Unmiss soldiers refused to conduct foot patrols near UN bases and instead would “peer out from the tiny windows of armoured personnel carriers, an approach ill-suited to detecting perpetrators of sexual violence and engaging with communities to provide a sense of security”. | Unmiss soldiers refused to conduct foot patrols near UN bases and instead would “peer out from the tiny windows of armoured personnel carriers, an approach ill-suited to detecting perpetrators of sexual violence and engaging with communities to provide a sense of security”. |
| British ambassador Matthew Rycroft described the report as a “damning indictment” and said the security council as well as the UN system must draw lessons from the failures. | British ambassador Matthew Rycroft described the report as a “damning indictment” and said the security council as well as the UN system must draw lessons from the failures. |
| The council is set to discuss the crisis in South Sudan on 17 November. | The council is set to discuss the crisis in South Sudan on 17 November. |
| In July, community leaders also reported that more than 120 women were raped over the course of a few days, a figure that tallied with the number of cases documented by the UN. Several rape survivors said soldiers camped along the road leading past the UN camp attacked women. Most of the women were members of the Nuer community, the ethnic group of opposition leader Machar. | In July, community leaders also reported that more than 120 women were raped over the course of a few days, a figure that tallied with the number of cases documented by the UN. Several rape survivors said soldiers camped along the road leading past the UN camp attacked women. Most of the women were members of the Nuer community, the ethnic group of opposition leader Machar. |