Mass graves have been discovered in South Sudan with evidence of horrific crimes against civilians including forced cannibalism, according to a report.
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“This signing by the opposition is a breakthrough… peace is now a reality”, said Peter Bashir Mandi, the government’s deputy foreign minister, after the signing in neighbouring Ethiopia.
The report found that hundreds of Nuer men had been rounded up by perpetrators who tortured their victims, including by forcing them to jump in fires or eat human flesh.
According to the report that was released late on Tuesday, it has disputed the fact that there was a coup attempt in December 2013 by former Vice President Riek Machar.
The report confirmed that the most “indiscriminate” and “unlawful” killings of civilians or soldiers in Juba were, however, allegedly committed by elements of the government security forces.
The commission tasked to investigate the human rights violations and other abuses committed during the armed conflict in South Sudan equally attributed war crimes allegedly committed to the armed opposition (SPLA/IO) and the white army forces allied to ex-vice president, Riek Machar in Bor.
‘During this operation male Nuers were targeted, identified, killed on the spot or gathered in one place and killed’.
The report describes a special shadow group of Dinka soldiers who after being mobilized in response to a 2012 crisis with Sudan had then been placed at Kiir’s private farm near Juba.
In its report, the AU said the commission of inquiry, formed past year, led by Nigeria’s ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, “found cases of sexual and gender-based violence committed by both parties against women”.
“The Commission found that most of the atrocities were carried out against civilian populations taking no active part in the hostilities”.
Spokesperson of the SPLM-IO, Colonel William Gatjiath Deng said his group signed the minutes to show its commitment to the implementation of the agreement on the understanding that its reservations will be addressed through further discussion.
The report concludes that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that both sides have committed crimes and violated human rights.
A few witnesses in the capital, Juba, told commission members that they had seen people forced to drink the blood and eat the flesh of people who had just been killed. Machar and Kiir signed a peace agreement in August to end the 20-month civil war, but fighting persists in the northeastern African nation.
The commission is urging an internationally backed, African-led court to bring to justice those responsible for the violence.
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The report was scheduled for release months ago but its publication was delayed by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.
