Unifeed
SOUTH SUDAN / HILDE JOHNSON
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / HILDE PRESSER
TRT: 3:05
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NTS
DATELINE: MARCH 4, 2014, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, SRSG Hilde F. Johnson walking to conference hall
2. Wide shot, TV cameras
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“The situation here in Juba seems calm now, but it is far from normal in the world’s youngest nation: We are far from a political solution to the conflict. Although significantly improved, we have yet to see normal relations between the Government of South Sudan and the United Nations. And not least, we are also far from a sustainable solution for the people seeking protection in the UN compounds.”
4. Cutaway, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“With the rainy season now settling in, conditions are getting worse. The sites in Tomping and Malakal, in particular, are at imminent risk of turning into death traps. Most of these areas are, as you know, swamps, and flooded during the rainy season. They have to be closed before we face an outbreak of deadly water borne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid."
6. Med shot, SRSG Hilde talking
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“UNMISS, the UN is not taking sides in the conflict. While we cooperate fully with the democratically elected government of South Sudan in accordance with our mandate, the Mission has remained and will remain impartial in the current military conflict - as instructed by the Security Council. Unfortunately, relations between UNMISS and the Government have recently gone through its most difficult patch since the start of the Mission. However, there are now indications of a desire to turn the corner.”
8. Cutaway, journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“The high level investigation team from New York has confirmed that there were no landmines and no anti-aircraft missiles in the cargo. They verified that the weapons did belong to serial numbers to the Ghanaian Battalion, that was just deployed to UNMISS and that there was no evidence or indication of any intention of support by individuals of UNMISS to the opposition forces. We therefore also appreciate that the Government, as a result of their own review, yesterday and the day before released the cargo in Rumbek to UNMISS, including its arms and ammunition.”
10. Cutaway, notebook
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“Accountability is essential for any national reconciliation process to take root and succeed. It is very important for building trust between the communities.” Without bringing the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes to justice, revenge and impunity is likely to lead to a perpetual cycle of violence.”
14. Wide shot, journalists to head table
The Special Representative of the Secretary General in South Sudan, Hilde F Johnson has urged the warring parties in the ongoing conflict to stick to the negotiating table and agree on ways of bringing peace to South Sudan.
Speaking on Thursday at a press conference in South Sudan’s capital Juba, she said the current political crisis in the country can be solved not by guns but through negotiations.
Describing the current crisis, she said that devastating consequences of the conflict is still tearing South Sudan apart.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“The situation here in Juba seems calm now, but it is far from normal in the world’s youngest nation: We are far from a political solution to the conflict. Although significantly improved, we have yet to see normal relations between the Government of South Sudan and the United Nations. And not least, we are also far from a sustainable solution for the people seeking protection in the UN compounds.”
UNMISS opened its gates to the civilians fleeing conflict, under its duty to give protection to people under threat. To date locations in Juba, Bor, Bentiu and Malakal have sheltered up to 85,000 civilians, mostly women and children.
Ms Johnson said these compounds are unable to accommodate such huge numbers of people for such a length of time, and conditions have been very difficult from the outset with overcrowding and basic services not more than rudimentary.
It is feared that conditions will get worse with the coming rainy season.
SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“With the rainy season now settling in, conditions are getting worse. The sites in Tomping and Malakal, in particular, are at imminent risk of turning into death traps. Most of these areas are, as you know, swamps, and flooded during the rainy season. They have to be closed before we face an outbreak of deadly water borne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid."
The Tomping protection site is set to close in May, and it is expected that close to 21,000 civilians will have to be moved to a different protection site in the Jebel area adjacent to UN House, which is currently under construction and where drainage and sanitary conditions will be better.
For now the displaced in uninhabitable areas have to be relocated there immediately.
The SRSG appealed to community leaders, both inside the camp and outside, to help explain the urgency of this relocation to the IDPs, where people are trapped in deadly conditions, as this could result in the loss of many lives.
She said the best option was for all displaced to be able to go back to their homes in safety and dignity, adding that peace and security needs to reign in South Sudan.
She called on all the parties to stop the fighting that has resulted in so much suffering, and continue negotiations in good faith towards a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Ms Johnson said UNMISS was not taking sides in the conflict, and would remain impartial in the current military conflict.
SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“UNMISS, the UN is not taking sides in the conflict. While we cooperate fully with the democratically elected government of South Sudan in accordance with our mandate, the Mission has remained and will remain impartial in the current military conflict - as instructed by the Security Council. Unfortunately, relations between UNMISS and the Government have recently gone through its most difficult patch since the start of the Mission. However, there are now indications of a desire to turn the corner.”
She acknowledged positive remarks which have been made about the work of UNMISS publicly by the Foreign Affairs minister, and also higher levels of Government and said hostile rhetoric against UNMISS by some individuals has subsided, though the Missions operations, and those of the humanitarian agencies were still encountering serious challenges on the ground. She cited harassment and abuse by security forces at checkpoints, interference with freedom of movement and denial of access.
Ms Johnson said more than 35 incidents have affected UNMISS staff and operations in a short period of time, some of them very serious. Such actions she said, not only run counter to the agreement signed between UNMISS and South Sudan, but also endangers the lives of staff and gravely hinders. She said threats and attacks constitute violations of international law and asked that the perpetrators of such acts do not remain unpunished and be held accountable.
Showing media a fact sheet that listed 12 allegations, she that some allegations made against UNMISS were unfounded.
SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
“The high level investigation team from New York has confirmed that there were no landmines and no anti-aircraft missiles in the cargo. They verified that the weapons did belong to serial numbers to the Ghanaian Battalion, that was just deployed to UNMISS and that there was no evidence or indication of any intention of support by individuals of UNMISS to the opposition forces."
She said she hoped that signals of cooperation will imply that authorities at all levels will grant human rights teams unhindered access to investigation sites saying investigators had faced several challenges from both parties in gathering information in some of the areas that have allegedly been scenes of violations and abuses. She said this was not acceptable.
Calling on the need for accountability, Ms Johnson said the people of South Sudan had suffered far too long, and they need peace.
SOUNDBITE (English) Hilde F. Johnson Special Representative of UN Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“Accountability is essential for any national reconciliation process to take root and succeed. It is very important for building trust between the communities.” Without bringing the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes to justice, revenge and impunity is likely to lead to a perpetual cycle of violence.”
She called on leaders to put the country’s interest before their own, and said that the UN which has been supporting the youngest country in the world since its first day of independence, remains undeterred, unwavering and committed to the future of South Sudan.
ENDS.
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