1
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN GENEVA
The 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council
Item 4 – Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on South Sudan <Check against delivery>
Geneva, 22 June 2016
Statement of the Republic of Korea
Thank you, Mr. President,
My delegation would like to express its appreciation to all of the speakers for their comprehensive presentations on the current human rights situation in South Sudan.
Among others, we note the recent appointment by the President of the members of the Commission on South Sudan in compliance with the resolution 31/20. We trust that the Commission will successfully discharge its mandate of establishing facts in support of transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation.
Mr. President,
We welcome the formation of a transitional government of national unity in South Sudan last April. Hopes run high for the transitional government to implement the Peace Agreement signed by warring parties in August 2015. Undoubtedly, the success of the government depends on the establishment of transitional justice mechanism that promotes reconciliation and confidence-building for the people of South Sudan. In this regard, we urge the government to create an independent hybrid court and a truth commission envisioned in the Agreement.
As the High Commissioner rightly pointed out last week in his statement for the opening of this session, past failures of accountability serve as a root cause of the appalling violence that has been perpetrated with impunity across the country. It is a long-held belief that ensuring accountability is a key to restoring public confidence and promoting efforts towards reconciliation, which is a solid foundation for national integrity and long-term stability. In this regard, we highlight the significance of
2
ensuring that all alleged crimes committed in South Sudan are thoroughly investigated and that all of the perpetrators, regardless of their affiliation, are brought to justice.
We also take this opportunity to echo the urgent international call for removing impediments on the ground to the provision of humanitarian aid to 2.5 million IDPs and more than 6 million people in need of such aid.
Finally, we sincerely hope that South Sudan will continue to cooperate with the Council and the OHCHR, especially in assisting the Commission to successfully discharge its mandate over the course of the coming year. We believe that the Commission’s unhindered activities will provide much-needed support for the government to carry out its primary responsibility to address accountability and reconciliation.
Thank you, Mr. President. /End/
