About half of South Sudan’s population of 11 million people are threatened with starvation, inflation is at 300%, and the country is effectively bankrupt. “We condemn this outbreak of violence in the strongest terms possible and call for the immediate restoration of peace in the country”, said Deputy President Ramaphosa.
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The fighting in Juba severely threatened a peace deal signed a year ago between Kiir and Machar that brought them and their supporters into a transitional coalition government in April.
Despite calls for calm from worldwide powers, fighting in Juba continues, with heavy weaponry damaging at least one hospital by shellfire, as well as striking several United Nations refugee camps.
Both Kiir and Machar have ordered a ceasefire. But there were no details of a meeting or an accord.
Two government helicopters bombed areas near the United Nations base, while ground forces shelled the camp that houses tens of thousands of civilians, according to a source in the United Nations compound who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters. They are in the streets.
“They are going to need food, they are going to need shelter, they are going to need water”. That war exposed deep ethnic fault lines, pitting the Dinka supporters of Kiir against the Nuer followers of Machar.
“Machar is committed to implementation of the peace agreement”. “I pray to God that they don’t break my shop”. The two were bitter enemies before working together in office.
Experts say the failure to swiftly implement important elements of the deal, such as integrating and demobilising their forces, has allowed tension to fester and risked igniting a new conflict.
Eight people have been killed and 67 injured at the UN’s so-called “Protection of Civilian” sites in Juba since Sunday.
Oil production, a vital revenue source for the impoverished nation, has plummeted.
“There is clearly an ethnic element to [the fighting]”.
Ms Bishop said on Tuesday it was concerning hostilities had erupted so soon after the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity in April.
The United States has condemned the violence and said it would hold those who commit atrocities or impede efforts to stop the fighting “fully accountable”.
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“This has been an issue that’s been kicked around the Security Council for months and months and months, but to have the secretary-general speak out in favor I think is incredibly important, and hopefully the Council will listen”, Kumar said in a statement.
