US President Barack Obama has warned that South Sudan may return to the ‘dark days of its past’, in a letter to Congresss, as violence continues to grow in the world’s newest state.
Calling on the South Sudanese leaders to show “courage and leadership”, Obama stated,
“South Sudan has a choice. Its leaders can end the violence and work to resolve tensions peacefully and democratically. Fighting to settle political scores or to destabilize the government must stop immediately. Inflammatory rhetoric and targeted violence must cease. All sides must listen to the wise counsel of their neighbors, commit to dialogue and take immediate steps to urge calm and support reconciliation."
"South Sudan’s leaders must recognize that compromise with one’s political enemy is difficult; but recovering from unchecked violence and unleashed hatred will prove much harder.”
See the full letter here.
His letter comes after 3 Indian peacekeepers were killed when a UN compound was attacked and the United States undertook moves to evacuate its citizens from the country.
Approximately 34,000 civilians have taken shelter at United Nations compounds in the country.