Britain sanctions notorious Koch, Mayendit county commissioners over sexual violence

LONDON – The British government on Friday announced that it has imposed targeted measures – as part of a global sanction offensive – on two more South Sudan government officials for orchestrating sexual violence during this year’s deadly violence in southern Unity State.

According to the British foreign office, Koch County Commissioner Gordon Koang Biel (better known as Koang Nyaluargo) and his Mayendit County counterpart Gatluak Nyang, have been involved in activities that violates international humanitarian law.

It accused them of “commanding government-aligned militias/groups to carry out attacks in southern Unity State between February and May 2022, mobilizing them to rape, abduct and kill civilians, loot civilian and humanitarian properties, cause forceful displacement of civilians, and use civilians as forced labour.”

The UK foreign office said that the actions of the two county commissioners are “in violation of international humanitarian law and the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).”

The two government officials earlier this year led thousands of armed youths to attack civilians in southern Unity State’s Leer, Mayendit and Koch Counties and have been involved in the violation of the revitalized peace agreement by attacking SPLA-IO bases.

The British designation of the two senior local government officials of Unity State brings the list of South Sudanese government officials being targeted by the United Kingdom for violation of international laws by targeting civilians to at least 11.

Those already on the British sanctions list are late Gen. Peter Gatdet, Gen. Paul Malong, Gen. Gatwech Dual, Gen. Jon Jok Riak, James Koang Chol, Gen. Marial Chinuong, Michael Makuei Lueth, Gen. Santino Deng Wol, and Malek Ruben.

The sanctions that coincide with the international anti-corruption and human rights day targeted individuals across at least 11 countries – are “the most that the UK has ever brought together in one package,” according to the British foreign ministry.

They include five people from Russia and Russian-held Crimea who are targeted in the wake of the ongoing internationally-condemned invasion of Ukraine, which has attracted successive waves of UK sanctions against Moscow.

Others on the list accused of violating human rights are from Iran, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Uganda, one jihadist group in Mali, Myanmar, Kosovo, and Serbia.