South Sudan hit with weapons embargo

from RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News)
THE arms embargo the United Nations (UN) has slapped against South Sudan has been hailed as a great step in addressing war crimes, human rights infringements and violations in the world’s newest country.

UN’s supreme body, the Security Council, imposed the sanctions, to be reviewed in December.

“We welcome the renewal of the arms embargo,” Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, said.

“The embargo is crucial to curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to commit war crimes, human rights violations and abuses. We call on the Security Council and UN members to diligently enforce it.”

The human rights group also welcomed the benchmarks the Security Council has put in place to enforce the peace agreement signed by parties to the conflict in South Sudan in 2018.

These provisions include the establishment of a Hybrid Court, reforms of the country’s security and justice sectors and protection of human rights.

Muchena lamented that the human rights situation in South Sudan remained dire as government forces, fighters of armed opposition groups as well as armed youth continued violating human rights on a daily basis.

They are contravening the country’s constitution, the 2018 revitalised peace agreement and international law.

“Many civilians continue to be killed and displaced from their homes, girls as young as eight have been gang-raped and human rights defenders and journalists continue to be harassed and intimidated,” Muchena stated.

South Sudan, with a population of 11 million people, plunged into civil war in 2013, two years after self-rule from Sudan.

– CAJ News

scroll to top