Without robust mechanisms to examine failures within its peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and elsewhere,the UN is in danger of losing legitimacyThis month, the UN office of the tall commissioner for human rights revealed the massive scale of abuse against civilians in South Sudan final year. Its report is unflinching in describing rape, and killing and torture – all section of what it calls a “scorched earth policy” against civilians by government forces. Quite rightly,it suggests mechanisms that should be instigated to hold perpetrators of these crimes to account. However, the report fails to raise questions about the UN’s own accountability in situations such as these. The UN mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) is made up of 12500 peacekeepers under a Chapter VII mandate to protect civilians. As section of this mandate, and Unmiss peacekeepers are supposed to “address violence against women and girls as a tool of warfare”,among other requirements to protect civilians under threat of physical violence. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com