South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir on Monday stated that soldiers who rape women must be shot.
During a visit to the town of Yei he said “Those who are doing unlawful acts, raping women and girls, this is not the policy of the government”
Mr. Kiir further said that “the body of a woman cannot be taken by force,” as he makes an effort to send a strong message to soldiers abusing civilians in his country.
Yei close to the Ugandan border witnessed a lot of fighting last year and is now home to soldiers.
A lot of South Sudanese have been outraged by abuses by soldiers without any punishment.
Human rights groups and U.N. have said that crimes against humanity including the raping of women on ethnic line have been undertaken by soldiers and some rebels.
Mr. Kiir said “I want the general chief of staff General Paul Malong and the defense minister to report to me from now on if anything like this (rape) happens. In such a case, we will shoot the person who did it”.
South Sudan was plunged into a civil war in 2013 when President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, sacked his deputy, an ethnic Nuer.
The conflict in the country has led to millions of people fleeing their homes. Mr. Kiir’s visit to Yei is part of a “National Dialogue” initiative supported by government that aims to take back hostile areas of the country.
It is his first visit to the area since the South Sudan became an independent country from Sudan in 2011.
Source: Africafeeds.com
