The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) faction, led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo, in a statement released yesterday welcomed last week’s renewal of the arms embargo on South Sudan by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The UN Security Council last week extended for one year the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan since 2018, with a clause providing for a review of its relevance in April 2022.
The resolution extending the embargo until May 31, 2022 was adopted by 13 votes in favour on the 15-member panel. India and Kenya abstained.
“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,” SSOMA’s statement read in part.
The opposition political grouping said South Sudan is still facing widespread insecurity despite the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.
“Despite the signing of the R-ARCSS, the Republic of South Sudan is still witnessing widespread insecurity as a result of the proliferation of firearms in the hands of civilians and the state-sponsored violence through the use of proxy militias to fight the opposition,” The SSOMA release said. “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 opposition alliance tasked the world body to hold neighboring countries enabling the movement of arms to South Sudan accountable.
“The SSOMA urges the UNSC 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,” the statement concluded.