Rights body welcomes arms restrictions on S. Sudan
February 3, 2018 (KAMPALA) –The Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ), a South Sudanese human rights body, has welcomed the United States decision to impose arms restrictions on South Sudan, calling on the United Nations Security Council to back the move.
“The Department of State today announces that it is implementing restrictions on the export of defence articles and defence services into South Sudan,” said the US State Department in a statement.
“The United States is appalled by the continuing violence in South Sudan that has created one of Africa’s worst humanitarian crises”, it added.
CPJ’s coordinator, Anthony Tito welcomed the restrictions impose by US administration on South Sudan, saying it was a popular demand.
“I call on UN Security Council members to immediately respond to US call and vote at UN Security Council for comprehensive arms embargo on South Sudan,” he said in a statement issued on Sunday.
He said world leaders should stand in solidarity with the lives of the innocent civilians and immediately support US move on arms in-flow.
“The US should consider target individuals sanctions on peace spoilers,” he stressed.
Amnesty International, on Friday, supported the “long-overdue” weapons embargo by the US administration, calling on the international community to follow the move.
“This long-overdue announcement by the Trump administration must spur the UN Security Council to take greater action to prevent further killings of civilians and other gross human rights violations in South Sudan, by imposing a comprehensive arms embargo to cut off the flow of weapons to the country,” it said in a statement.
At least 2.4 million South Sudanese have fled to neighbouring countries and 1.9 million are displaced in the country since the start of the armed conflict in December 2013, aid agencies say.
(ST)