South Sudan’s government said the UN is trying to achieve regime change after a panel of experts report named Salva Kiir, Riek Machar, army chief Paul Malong, and National Security chief Akol Kur as deserving international sanctions.
“If they are talking of sanctioning, indicting the president, indicting Riek Machar, and so forth then definitely this is a very clear plan for regime change,” said spokesman Michael Makuei.
Sanctions would include an international travel ban and asset freeze. Though the panel recommended sanctions as well as an arms embargo, the decision to impose them is the responsibility of the higher level Security Council.
“It is not strange for anybody to recommend like that because their target and their main objective is the regime change,” Makuei said.
The panel of experts said officials at the highest levels of the government and opposition were responsible for actions which threaten peace, including directing violence.
Makuei said the govermnent will respond to the panel’s report, but accused the UN of not giving them enough time to read it.
Related:
UN panel names Kiir, Malong, Machar, and Akol Kur for directing violence (26 Jan.)