ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia said Friday it was ready to send more soldiers to strengthen the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
“We’re more than willing to take on our part of responsibility in restoring calm in South Sudan,” said government spokesman Getachew Reda.
“We hope and expect the South Sudanese to bury the hatchet,” he said, but added, “If push comes to shove, we’ll have to carry the burden through strengthening the troop numbers.”
The troops could be deployed as part of an “intervention brigade” with a more aggressive mandate mooted by regional bloc IGAD.
Ethiopia is already the largest contributor of troops to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), providing 8,300 out of 13,500 uniformed personnel, including police.
Days of intense fighting in the South Sudanese capital Juba from Friday to Monday between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, left hundreds dead, tens of thousands forced from their homes and an already shaky peace agreement in danger of collapsing altogether.
“The leaders of South Sudan have failed miserably when it comes to keeping their promises to their people,” said Reda.
The latest violence marks a fresh blow to last year’s deal for ending the conflict, which erupted when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has largely been along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir’s Dinka against Machar’s Nuer, the country’s two largest groups.
The conflict has witnessed horrific atrocities between the two groups, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and even cannibalism. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million driven from their homes.
“We’re more than willing to take on our part of responsibility in restoring calm in South Sudan,” said government spokesman Getachew Reda.
“We hope and expect the South Sudanese to bury the hatchet,” he said, but added, “If push comes to shove, we’ll have to carry the burden through strengthening the troop numbers.”
The troops could be deployed as part of an “intervention brigade” with a more aggressive mandate mooted by regional bloc IGAD.
Ethiopia is already the largest contributor of troops to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), providing 8,300 out of 13,500 uniformed personnel, including police.
Days of intense fighting in the South Sudanese capital Juba from Friday to Monday between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, left hundreds dead, tens of thousands forced from their homes and an already shaky peace agreement in danger of collapsing altogether.
“The leaders of South Sudan have failed miserably when it comes to keeping their promises to their people,” said Reda.
The latest violence marks a fresh blow to last year’s deal for ending the conflict, which erupted when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has largely been along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir’s Dinka against Machar’s Nuer, the country’s two largest groups.
The conflict has witnessed horrific atrocities between the two groups, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and even cannibalism. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million driven from their homes.
