South Sudanese rebels welcome targeted sanctions in ending war

May 30, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Armed opposition faction led by former vice- president, Riek Machar, said they would welcome targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for perpetuating the 17-month long civil war in the country.

Mabior Garang de Mabior, chairman for information and public relations committee in the opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), in a press statement issued on Saturday also said that the opposition called for release of the report by the African Union (AU) Commission of Inquiry on atrocities committed by warring parties in South Sudan.

“The SPLM/SPLA takes this opportunity to renew its call for the release of the AU report and application of targeted sanctions,” he said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday.

United Nations has called for sanctions regime that would target individuals responsible for the continuation of the crisis including freezing of assets and imposition of travel bans on such individuals. Arms embargo would also be imposed on South Sudan.

The rebel official called on the international community to exert pressure on the government of president Salva Kiir to return to the negotiating table in good faith.

Mabior also said the rebel movement welcomed the proposed active participation of the troika countries (United States, Norway and United Kingdom) in the next round of the peace talks.

“The SPLM/SPLA remains committed to the IGAD-led peace process and respectfully urges the region and the world to use all means at their disposal to persuade our partners in peace to return to the negotiating table in good faith,” he said.

He accused the government of allegedly violating the cessation of hostilities agreement (CoHA) which the two parties signed since 23 January 2014.

Direct talks between president Kiir and opposition leader Machar collapsed on 6 March in Addis Ababa when the two principals could not agree on almost every outstanding issue.

The East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), has reportedly informed the parties in the conflict to resume the peace process on 8 June.

(ST)