General Cirilo’s holdout alliance welcomes extension of arms embargo on South Sudan

JUBA – South Sudan’s holdout opposition alliance led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka has issued a statement welcoming the decision by the United Nations Security Council renewing the arms embargo imposed on the world’s youngest country in 2018.

In a vote on Friday last week, 13 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council voted in favor of a draft resolution authored by the United States of America renewing the arms embargo for more than a year.

Other sanctions including but not limited to travel ban and asset freeze were also renewed and the world body renewed the mandate of the penal of experts on South Sudan for additional year.

In a statement on Sunday, South Sudan lamented the United Nations resolutions saying the “punitive measures undermine the sovereignty of the Nation, jeopardize progress of the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the Conflicts in the Republic of South Sudan.”

The SPLM-IO, a signatory to the revitalized peace agreement, said in a statement on Tuesday that “Although, the renewal of the arms embargo on South Sudan might have some impact on the implementation of the agreement, it should not be used as excuse for none implementation of the agreement.”

In a statement on Wednesday, South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka welcomed the renewal of arms embargo saying the world’s youngest country is still in crisis despite the 2018 signing of the revitalized peace agreement.

“The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) welcomes the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decision to renew arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze imposed on South Sudan for a year until 31 May 2022, through the adoption of resolution 2577 (2021) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. SSOMA commends the UN Security Council for this stand with the people of South Sudan,” the statement extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“Despite the signing of the R-ARCSS, the Republic of South Sudan is still witnessing widespread insecurity as a result of proliferation of firearms in the hands of civilians and the state sponsored violence through the use of proxy militias to fight the opposition. The decision to renew the arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze is timely and is the right measure for reducing armed violence in South Sudan,” the statement added.

It further urged the Security Council “to remain seized on matters of peace and security in South Sudan. Regional countries that are facilitating the flow of arms into South Sudan should be held accountable as these actions are aggravating and compounding the suffering of the South Sudanese people and indirectly, assisting the government in Juba to continue its brazen human rights violations across the country.”