The Risk Of Genocide In South Sudan

In this photo taken Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, women stand outside a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) site distributing soap, blankets, and other items in Yei, in southern South Sudan. The formerly peaceful town of Yei, surrounded by farms in southern South Sudan was once a beacon of coexistence, but Yei is now a centre of the country’s renewed civil war and is gripped by a wave of killings among the dozens of ethnic groups.
Women stand outside a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) site distributing soap, blankets, and other items in Yei, in southern South Sudan. The formerly peaceful town of Yei, surrounded by farms in southern South Sudan was once a beacon of coexistence, but Yei is now a centre of the country's renewed civil war and is gripped by a wave of killings among the dozens of ethnic groups. Justin Lynch / AP Photo
In this photo taken Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, women stand outside a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) site distributing soap, blankets, and other items in Yei, in southern South Sudan. The formerly peaceful town of Yei, surrounded by farms in southern South Sudan was once a beacon of coexistence, but Yei is now a centre of the country’s renewed civil war and is gripped by a wave of killings among the dozens of ethnic groups.
Women stand outside a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) site distributing soap, blankets, and other items in Yei, in southern South Sudan. The formerly peaceful town of Yei, surrounded by farms in southern South Sudan was once a beacon of coexistence, but Yei is now a centre of the country's renewed civil war and is gripped by a wave of killings among the dozens of ethnic groups. Justin Lynch / AP Photo

The Risk Of Genocide In South Sudan

In 2011, South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan after years of bloodshed and civil war. But since gaining that independence, South Sudan has seen its own civil war erupt.

Now, the UN has warned that ethnic cleansing and mass atrocities are taking place. Chicagoan Kenneth Elisapana is originally from South Sudan and was active in helping his country gain independence. Today, he runs a development organization in his home village there.

Elisapana joins us to talk about the situation in the world’s youngest country and what he hopes the international community will do to stop the bloodshed.