Last August Khartoum and Juba said that First Vice President Taban Deng Gai discussed during his meetings with the Sudanese officials the presence of rebel group in South Sudan and pledged to take tangible measures within three weeks.
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South Sudan’s government is challenging a new report by a US -based watchdog group that says the country’s leaders have amassed wealth overseas amid a conflict in which tens of thousands have been killed.
Thus, South Sudan can be now compared to Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia – over a million people were forced to flee these countries as well.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday said the number of South Sudanese refugees living in neighbouring countries “has this week passed the one million mark”.
South Sudan split away from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war fuelled by ethnic divides and disputes over oil. About 185,000 people have fled the country since early July when violence erupted in the capital Juba. Furthermore, 1.61 million people have been internally displaced.
The majority of refugees registered with the UNHCR crossed the border into Uganda (a total of 143,164 people), and others went to Kenya, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR). However, fighting broke out again in July and this prompted Machar to flee to Sudan.
Uganda alone hosts about 374,000 refugees from South Sudan.
“Many refugees arrive exhausted after days walking in the bush and going without food or water”.
The Sentry Group, founded by USA actor George Clooney and rights activist John Prendergast, alleged on Monday that President Kiir, Machar and those close to them had looted state coffers, accumulated luxury homes and cars, and enriched themselves and family members through stakes in oil and other business ventures.
Ateny Wek Ateny’s statement questions whether the report’s sources really exist, and he says the allegations will be challenged.
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The report said Kiir, former deputy Riek Machar and those close to both men have looted the country in accumulating wealth that includes mansions, luxury cars and stakes in a number of businesses overseas.
