AU under pressure to release report on alleged rights violations in South Sudan

In 2014, the African Union formed a commission of inquiry led by former president of Nigeria , Olusegun Obasanjo. The Commission was tasked with investigating allegations of human rights violations committed in South Sudan since December 2013, and was expected to release its report three months later. However, the report is yet to be made public. The report has been shelved at the office of the African Union Chairperson. It is not clear when it will be released.

The Intergovernmental Authority for Development steering the South Sudan peace talks has claimed that releasing the report will jeopardize the ongoing South Sudan peace talks.

The South Sudan government has supported this idea. However, the opposition parties, civil society organizations and even the rebel faction of South Sudan want the report made public. They insist that releasing the report will promote the much needed transparency.

It is believed that the report contains names of people who have been involved in the killings and destruction of South Sudan since the conflict begun in 2013. Some analysts say releasing the contents of this report may result in an intervention by the International criminal court. Reports say over 10,000 people have been killed since the conflict broke out in 2013 and human rights have been violated