South Sudan must ‘end crimes’ before arms embargo is lifted – UN told

JUBA –  The Amnesty International has on Monday warned against lifting of the arms embargo on South Sudan saying the world’s youngest country must first end its crimes against dissent, reform the National Security Service and establish the Hybrid Court provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.

The statement by the human rights watchdog comes less than two weeks before the United Nation Security Council’s slated vote on whether the arms embargo can remain in place against a government appeal for its lifting.

“The Security Council must ensure a range of human rights benchmarks are met before the embargo can be lifted. These include an end to crimes under international law, reform of the National Security Service (NSS), and the establishment of a Hybrid Court to ensure accountability,” the Amnesty International said in a statement Monday.

Sarah Jackson, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for East Africa, Horn and the Great Lakes region said state security tools have remained in repressing dissent despite the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018 and which also provides for reformation of the body.

“South Sudan’s hard-won independence 10 years ago has sadly not resulted in respect for human rights,” she said.

“State security forces repress freedom of expression including media freedoms and both state security forces and armed groups continue to violate international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes, with impunity,” Jackson added.

Sarah further said: “When the Security Council assesses keeping or lifting the arms embargo on South Sudan, it must, at a minimum, set the bar at halting these violations and ending impunity.”