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Post by bot on Nov 6, 2016 19:45:23 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement on UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) issued the following statement today after the release of a report earlier this week on the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan:
“I am deeply concerned by the findings of the investigation into the failure of UN peacekeeping forces to respond to calls for help during a horrific attack against civilians and aid workers at the Terrain Hotel in Juba. Once again, UN peacekeeping forces were simply observers while war crimes were perpetrated. We’ve seen this before in Rwanda and in Bosnia, situations I followed closely as Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, where UN peacekeeping forces failed to protect citizens from violence and bloodshed. This latest occurrence makes it clear that UN peacekeeping forces either don’t have the sufficient force to protect people, they don’t have the direction needed, or they simply choose not to. All of those are unacceptable.
“While it is an important step that the UN convened an Independent Special Investigation, and that the Secretary General has called for the commander to be relieved of duty, more must be done to ensure that UN peacekeeping forces are actually protecting civilians. The conflict in South Sudan continues to rob its people of the peace and security they deserve; UN peacekeeping forces should be contributing to that peaceful future.”
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