UN reports: Gross human rights abuses seen in South Sudan

NAIROBI (AP):

Horrific, ethnically motivated attacks of physical and sexual violence launched in South Sudan by warring parties constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, Amnesty International disclosed yesterday, while a new United Nations (UN) report said more than 300 people men from one ethnic group were slaughtered in one incident.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said during a visit to South Sudan this week that the country has seen serious human rights violations. The UN report said that gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed.

Much of the violence has been ethnic in nature and carried out by troops loyal to President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and rebels loyal to former Vice-President Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer. The two men are scheduled to meet for face-to-face talks in Ethiopia today. If the meeting happens, it would represent the biggest breakthrough since fighting broke out in December.

Thousands of people have been killed and 1.3 million have fled their homes. Ban had been pressing for a monthlong ceasefire, beginning Wednesday, so that residents could return home and plant crops, but South Sudan's military spokesman, Colonel Philip Aguer, said yesterday that he had no information on a ceasefire being ordered.