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| Kerry Optimistic on Strengthened South Sudan Force | Kerry Optimistic on Strengthened South Sudan Force |
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| ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — With violence escalating in South Sudan, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that he expected that African troops would soon be sent to the strife-ridden country to augment the United Nations peacekeeping effort. | ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — With violence escalating in South Sudan, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that he expected that African troops would soon be sent to the strife-ridden country to augment the United Nations peacekeeping effort. |
| “It is our hope that in these next days, literally, we can move more rapidly to put people on the ground who can begin to make a difference,” Mr. Kerry said after a meeting here with his counterparts from Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. | “It is our hope that in these next days, literally, we can move more rapidly to put people on the ground who can begin to make a difference,” Mr. Kerry said after a meeting here with his counterparts from Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. |
| “I remain convinced, and each of my foreign minister counterparts today from Uganda, from Kenya and from Ethiopia agreed, that the greatest single difference will be moving rapidly with U.N. Security Council imprimatur of support to get forces on the ground,” Mr. Kerry added. “That’s imperative.” | “I remain convinced, and each of my foreign minister counterparts today from Uganda, from Kenya and from Ethiopia agreed, that the greatest single difference will be moving rapidly with U.N. Security Council imprimatur of support to get forces on the ground,” Mr. Kerry added. “That’s imperative.” |
| Mr. Kerry also said that the African foreign ministers were willing to join the United States in imposing economic sanctions on individuals in South Sudan deemed responsible for the violence and that the effort to mediate the conflict would be intensified in the coming days. | Mr. Kerry also said that the African foreign ministers were willing to join the United States in imposing economic sanctions on individuals in South Sudan deemed responsible for the violence and that the effort to mediate the conflict would be intensified in the coming days. |
| The violence in South Sudan has killed thousands of people and displaced more than half a million, and has become the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world besides Syria, United Nations relief officials say. A cease-fire was negotiated here by the government of South Sudan and rebels in January, but it has not been observed. | |
| The United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan number about 7,700 soldiers and officers. Known by the acronym Unmiss, for the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, the force has faced difficulties protecting itself, let alone the thousands of civilians who have sought protection at its compounds. | The United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan number about 7,700 soldiers and officers. Known by the acronym Unmiss, for the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, the force has faced difficulties protecting itself, let alone the thousands of civilians who have sought protection at its compounds. |
| The effort to mobilize African reinforcements to augment the force has been underway since December. But it has encountered a number of obstacles, including the reluctance of African troop-contributing nations to allow their forces to be integrated into the United Nations peacekeeping effort and put under a single chain of command and control. | The effort to mobilize African reinforcements to augment the force has been underway since December. But it has encountered a number of obstacles, including the reluctance of African troop-contributing nations to allow their forces to be integrated into the United Nations peacekeeping effort and put under a single chain of command and control. |
| While Mr. Kerry expressed confidence that African troops would be supplied, technical details still need to be worked out. | While Mr. Kerry expressed confidence that African troops would be supplied, technical details still need to be worked out. |
| During a visit on Wednesday to South Sudan, Navi Pillay, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said the need for more international troops was urgent. | During a visit on Wednesday to South Sudan, Navi Pillay, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said the need for more international troops was urgent. |
| “In December, the Security Council agreed that the number of Unmiss peacekeepers should be increased from 7,700 to 13,200,” she said. “But the contributing countries have still not supplied some two-thirds of the extra desperately needed troops.” | “In December, the Security Council agreed that the number of Unmiss peacekeepers should be increased from 7,700 to 13,200,” she said. “But the contributing countries have still not supplied some two-thirds of the extra desperately needed troops.” |
| Ms. Pillay, who met with Salva Kiir, the South Sudan president, and Riek Machar, the rebel leader, said that each was to blame for the spiraling violence. | Ms. Pillay, who met with Salva Kiir, the South Sudan president, and Riek Machar, the rebel leader, said that each was to blame for the spiraling violence. |
| “The prospect of widespread hunger and malnutrition being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of their people, because of their personal failure to resolve their differences peacefully, did not appear to concern them very much,” she said. | “The prospect of widespread hunger and malnutrition being inflicted on hundreds of thousands of their people, because of their personal failure to resolve their differences peacefully, did not appear to concern them very much,” she said. |
| In his news conference here, Mr. Kerry said that there were “very disturbing indicators” of ethnic and tribal killings that could lead to genocide if they were not addressed. | In his news conference here, Mr. Kerry said that there were “very disturbing indicators” of ethnic and tribal killings that could lead to genocide if they were not addressed. |
| “We still hope that visits with serious discussion, with clear implications to the leadership about what is at stake, and what the repercussions may be if they do not begin to move in a different direction, that that kind of effort might be able to make a difference,” Mr. Kerry said. “No promises. Might.” | “We still hope that visits with serious discussion, with clear implications to the leadership about what is at stake, and what the repercussions may be if they do not begin to move in a different direction, that that kind of effort might be able to make a difference,” Mr. Kerry said. “No promises. Might.” |
| President Obama issued an executive order last month that authorized sanctions against individuals who are responsible for fighting that has torn South Sudan apart. | President Obama issued an executive order last month that authorized sanctions against individuals who are responsible for fighting that has torn South Sudan apart. |
| The American sanctions, which would include a freeze on assets and a ban on travel to the United States, have not yet been imposed. But American officials acknowledge that they are unlikely to be effective until Uganda, Ethiopia and Angola take similar measures. | The American sanctions, which would include a freeze on assets and a ban on travel to the United States, have not yet been imposed. But American officials acknowledge that they are unlikely to be effective until Uganda, Ethiopia and Angola take similar measures. |
| “We have not decided on a list of who the individuals are yet,” a senior State Department official said on Wednesday, referring to the sanctions that are being weighed. “A lot of the South Sudanese own property and travel to Kenya and Uganda and Ethiopia. And so without them participating, we think the sanctions will be weaker.” | “We have not decided on a list of who the individuals are yet,” a senior State Department official said on Wednesday, referring to the sanctions that are being weighed. “A lot of the South Sudanese own property and travel to Kenya and Uganda and Ethiopia. And so without them participating, we think the sanctions will be weaker.” |
| Mr. Kerry said that the United States was prepared to impose sanctions unilaterally but expressed hope that African nations would take similar actions. | Mr. Kerry said that the United States was prepared to impose sanctions unilaterally but expressed hope that African nations would take similar actions. |