Metro

U.S. imposes sanctions on South Sudan officials over rape of hundreds of women

Published

1 year ago

June 22, 2023

The United States Treasury has imposed stiff sanctions on two senior South Sudanese government and army officials following accusations of “conflict-related” sexual violence against hundreds of women and girls.

While announcing the sanctions in a statement, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, Wally Adeyemo said the officials were accused of perpetuating sexual-related violence in the country’s Western Equatoria State where fighting between militant groups have continued to rage despite a series of peace agreements put in place since 2018.

In the statement which was released on Wednesday to mark the “International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict”, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the state’s Governor, Alfred Futuyo and South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) commander, James Nando serially “abused their positions of political and military authority to carry out acts of sexual violence against citizens of South Sudan.”

The statement also indicted opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) forces led by Futuyo over the alleged kidnapping of around 887 civilians and gang-raping of 43 women and girls between April and August 2018.

The statement added that Futuyo is sanctioned for “targeting of women, children, or any civilians through the commission of acts of violence including killing, maiming, torture, or rape or other sexual violence, abduction, forced displacement, or attacks on schools, hospitals, religious sites, or locations where civilians are seeking refuge.”

The statement added that the SSPDF forces commanded by Nando, a former SPLA-IO commander, were responsible for attacks against civilians in Western Equatoria State in 2021 and also “responsible for at least 64 instances of rape and sexual slavery against civilians.”

“Between April and August 2018, Nando directly or through his commanders, officers, and fighters subordinate to him, oversaw the abduction of at least 505 women and 63 girls,” the statement said.

“The United Nations Mission in South Sudan documented 43 cases of rape and gang-rape that occurred during these attacks.

“Nando was aware of these abuses and did not prevent, discourage, or punish fighters responsible for sexual violence when it happened under his watch, thereby encouraging fighters to continue these abuses.

“The United States rejects all forms of sexual violence—which women and children bear the brunt of—in armed conflict. We remain committed to holding perpetrators and enablers of conflict-related sexual violence accountable so long as this scourge exists”, it said.

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Metro

Zambia reports ‘unclear variation’ of Mpox case

Published

2 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The first case of Mpox was reported in Zambia on Thursday, although the specific strain detected was not disclosed by the Ministry of Health.

For the second time in two years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox a worldwide public health emergency in August when a new strain of the virus spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to surrounding African nations.

The new strain of clade 1 b has raised concerns worldwide due to its increased ease of spread through frequent close contact.

The first incidence of mpox in Zambia was found in a 32-year-old Tanzanian resident who entered the country in early September, travelled around southern Africa, and started exhibiting symptoms on October 2 that included sore throat, exhaustion, and muscle aches.

The health ministry stated in a statement that contact tracing was in progress and that there was a “heightened risk of local transmission and potential cross-border spread” due to the patient’s wide travel history and interactions at several places throughout Zambia.

At a rural health centre, the male patient is receiving treatment.

“We have intensified risk communication and community engagement in all the areas that the individual has passed through since he entered Zambia. Our surveillance and response teams across the country remain on high alert for any further cases of Mpox,” the health ministry statement added.

Mumps is normally mild but can be fatal, causing pus-filled lesions and flu-like symptoms.

The Mpox virus can spread from person to person via intimate contact and also from place to person through objects and surfaces that a person infected with Mpox has touched.

Metro

Hardship under Tinubu is fuelling mental health issues, suicide in Nigeria— Peter Obi

Published

5 hours ago

October 11, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has attributed the many cases of suicide and mental health issues in the country to the worsening economic situation under the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The former Governor of Anambra State, who bared his mind while commemorating this year’s World Mental Health Day on Thursday, lamented that many suicide cases in the country today were fuelled by anxiety and depression due to the hardship being experienced by many Nigerians who had lost hope.

In his message, Obi noted that mental health remained one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserved in Nigeria.

“Today, I join the Global Community in commemorating World Mental Health Day, on which we raise awareness of mental health issues while encouraging concerted efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues in our nation,” he wrote.

“Though not often well talked about, mental health remains a very critical component of our health sector, which if not given due attention, greatly impacts negatively on our productivity as a nation.

“A healthy nation, they say, is a wealthy nation. I dare say, a mentally healthy nation, is a more productive nation.

“In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.

“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.

“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment. This translates to about 1 in every 5 Nigerians, battling with mental health issues.

“Suicide cases in the country, fueled by anxiety and depression, have remained on the increase. It is reported that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of suicide and depression in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The current rate of suicide in Nigeria is 9.50% out of 100,000 people. Drug abuse is also another contributor to mental health decadence in our society.

“Nigeria is also ranked 3rd most stressful country in the world, which contributes to different mental illnesses in the nation.

“The above grim statistics reflect the lack of attention given to mental health, a critical contributor to national development in our society. A nation that truly wants to improve its productive capacity must pay attention to the health of its citizens.”

“We are also reminded as a people to always seek medical attention when faced with any mental health challenge and to show love and support to our people who are already contending with the challenge.

“We remain committed to building a New Nigeria where everyone’s well-being will be prioritized. A New Nigeria is POssible.”