Juba, South Sudan
June 6, 2022 — The United Nations’ Panel of Experts have denounced as “fabricated” a controversial document recommending that the Security Council impose targeted sanctions on a number of government officials and politicians including the country’s presidential advisor on Security Affairs.
Over the weekend, a suspicious document dated 10th of May, and addressed to the UN Security Council trended online.
The seven-page report, purported to be compiled by the UN Panel of Experts recommended that the Presidential Advisor Tut Gatluak Manime, the Former Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth and the governor of Unity State be sanctioned by the Council for their roles in an-ongoing insecurities across the country.
The report alleged that the officials were “involved in mobilization, financial funding, and providing material assistance to violently violate the 2018 peace agreement” ; however, the UN Panel of Experts have come out to dismiss the report as “fake”.
A member of the Panel, who was quoted by the Eye Radio from New York on condition of anonymity, has denied authenticity of the circulated document and termed it as fictitious which did not come from their desk.
“The UN Panel of Experts have stated that the document is fake. It is unclear where or how the document originated, but i can categorically state that it was not produced by the UN Panel of Experts. It is fictitious,” said the Panel Member this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the document titled Addendum report of the Panel of Experts on South Sudan said the officials fueled or funded the recent sub-national violence in Leer County of Unity State and Maiwut County of Upper Nile State.
However, a source familiar with the protocol in the Security Council says the Panel does not write to the UN Security Council but to the President of the Council.
“Normally, when a person or entity is recommended for sanctions, the case is not presented this way, and rather there will be what is known as the statement of case. The statement of case would not be presented as an addendum,” stated the confidential source leaked.
Nyamilepedia editorial member made several attempts to reach implicated officials for comments but all went unsuccessful.
