Britain sanctions Ex-SPLA-IO general turned Kiir ally over human rights abuses

JUBA, MARCH 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The United Kingdom on Wednesday sanctioned a former main armed opposition SPLA-IO commander who had switched side in favor of President Salva Kiir Mayardit before waging devastating attacks in Western Equatoria state.

General James Nando was a senior commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition serving as the group’s division commander in Western Equatoria when he defected to joint South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in March 2020.

He has since been involved in attacks against civilians and was at one point transported to Juba by the government in an attempt to ease tensions with SPLA-IO forces and local youth in Western Equatoria state’s Tambura County.

In a financial notice made public on Wednesday afternoon, the United Kingdom accused General Nando of violating international laws for perpetuating violence against civilians. He is being accused of using civilians and children in forced labour, among others.

“General James Nando (NANDO) is an involved person under The South Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 for commanding SSPDF elements to carry out attacks in Tambura County between June and September 2021, mobilising them to use rape as a weapon of war, as well as abduct and kill civilians, loot civilian and humanitarian properties, cause forceful displacement of civilians, and use civilians, including children, as forced labour,” it said.

“This was done in violation of international humanitarian law,” it added.

The latest British sanction is the first in three months. In December, Britain imposed sanctions on the commissioners of Koch and Mayendit Counties of Unity State who had been accused of organizing attacks against civilians in southern Unity State.

Until Nando’s sanctioning, there were eleven South Sudanese government and opposition figures in the UK’s list of sanctions. The consolidated list now brings the list of South Sudanese officials under British sanctions to 12.