May 31st, 2018(Nyamilepedia) —– South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy(SSHURSA), a non-political and non-profit making national human rights organisation, welcomes the United Nations Security Council sanctions of South Sudan Minister of Defense, Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, other senior politicians and military generals.
According to SSHURSA Executive Director, Biel Butros Biel, the Human Rights group urges members of the United Nations Security Council to stand with the people of South Sudan and vote in favour of targetted individual sanctions proposed by the United States.Â
“SSHURSA thanks the United States Government in taking finally, corrective and practical measures to hold perpetrators accountable. This critical action was long overdue.” Biel Said.
The Human Rights defender, Biel Butros, reiterates that the suffering and impunity in South Sudan have reached alarming stage and whoever cares for humanity, should no longer sits back but take practical steps to end the war and hold the perpetrators accountable – adding that “impunity must end now”!
According to Mr. Biel, to bring peace to South Sudan, it is no longer a matter of having a good or a bad peace agreement signed by the parties but rather the matter of silencing the guns.
“as long as impunity and demonstrated disrespect of the peoples’ dignity by the leaders continue, there will never be any commitment to any peace agreement signed by the parties.” Biel said.
“The 2015 Agreement was a good agreement but it was willfully dismantled in the full view of world. The result was the fact that in July 2016, after the death of the Agreement, civil war resumed in full scale and people continue to die and suffer from effects of a stoppable war.” He continued.
Vested Interests in South Sudan Conflict
The human rights organization further reiterates that South Sudan conflict is not only prolonged by lack of compromises between the warring parties but also fueled and prolonged by the mediating agency from the region.
“The world must also reflect and look at the entwined conflict of interests, the instigators of the conflict which include neighbouring Intergovernmental Authority on Development(IGAD) countries, the fueling and funding agents: China, Russia and those supplying arms to South Sudan.” Biel continued.
“All must be held responsible and engaged by the world in order to ensure South Sudanese leaders’ political will and commitment to restoring stability.” He added.
SSHURSA pledges its commitment to stand with the US government for the initiative, and especially “with Ambassador Nikki for her committed humble and down-to-earth efforts in pushing her government to stand with the suffering South Sudanese”
“South Sudanese children, elderly, women and all those trapped in the swamps and bushes of South Sudan as well as those suffering in the refugee and internally displaced camps, must be enough trigger to move the conscience of the world leaders to take non-hypocritical measures to hold perpetrators responsible and end the war in South Sudan.” SSHURSA said in its statement.
“This war can end if the world puts humanity above political preferences and acts together for South Sudan.” The statement concludes.
The United States and allies have downplayed the use of sanctions for a long time, however, Juba does not believe that sanctions would be effective even if they sanction all the government and rebel officials.
Within the last one year senior officials, including the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, and his counterparts, Hon. Michael Makuei Lueth, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting along with Hon. Martin Elia Lomuro, among other senior politicians and military generals have been sanctioned by the United States of America.
The sanctions have been at a time adopted by the UK and EU, however, the East African regional bloc, IGAD, shows very little interest to adopt, implement or abide by the US directives on sanctions and other punitive actions.
