The Independent Special Investigation team, announced by the Secretary-General on 23rd August to look into the violence which occurred in Juba between 8-25 July 2016, and the response of the UN Mission here, arrives today to begin their work.

The team, which is led by Major General (ret) Patrick Cammaert, will review reports of incidents of attacks on civilians and cases of sexual violence that occurred within or in the vicinity of the UN House Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites in Juba, and determine whether the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, responded appropriately to prevent and stop these incidents and to protect civilians, within its resources and capabilities at the time. It is also charged to review the Mission’s response to the attack on the Terrain Hotel of 11th July.

The violence in Juba in July 2016 led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and more than 217 documented incidents of sexual and gender based violence, including rape and gang rapes of minors and women, at various locations in Juba. The team, comprised of experts with military, human rights and sexual- and gender-based violence, policing and legal backgrounds, is expected to submit its report to Secretary-General within one month.

Major General (ret) Cammaert has a strong military and protection of civilian background.  He has had a distinguished military career in both the Netherlands with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the UN, including as Force Commander in UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), as Military Advisor to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and as General Officer Commanding the Eastern Division in the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).