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

[APO]

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 5, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- 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

[APO]