UN human rights expert to address the situation of internally displaced persons in South Sudan

GENEVA (5 November 2013) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani will conduct a visit to South Sudan, beginning tomorrow and lasting until 15 November 2013 to examine the overall situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country. Mr. Beyani will go to Juba, and other areas, in particular in Jonglei state.

“During my eleven-day visit, I will gather first-hand information from displaced persons, and follow up on the visit by my predecessor in 2005, before South Sudan’s independence,” said Mr. Beyani, who visited neighbouring Sudan in 2012.

“I will also look at the challenges and opportunities for durable solutions for IDPs in South Sudan, and discuss the implementation of our earlier recommendations with the various stakeholders,” he added.
The Special Rapporteur will meet with representatives from the Government, UN partners and civil society, among others. He will also visit various sites of displacement and meet with internally displaced persons and local authorities.

Mr. Beyani will present preliminary observations at a press conference in Juba on 15 November 2013 from 9 am to 10:30 am, at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA). His full report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2014.
To see the 2005 report by the previous Special Rapporteur to the UN General Assembly, please visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/Annual.aspx

ENDS

Chaloka Beyani, professor of international law at the London School of Economics, was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons by the Human Rights Council in September 2010. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any government or organization and serves in his individual capacity. Learn more, visit:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/IDPersonsIndex.aspx

The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (in 49 languages): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/Standards.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – South Sudan: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/SSIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Juba (during the visit): Tim Irwin, (+211 92 806 7600, irwint@unhcr.org)
In Geneva (before and after the visit): Caroline Vieira (+41 22 917 9248 / cvieira@ohchr.org) or write to idp@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts: Ravina Shamdasani, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9123 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org)

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