The United Nations Security Council said reports that South Sudan’s warring factions are stockpiling arms while they are supposed to be engaged in peace talks are “deeply alarming.”
“We hear very worrying reports of more arms being brought into this country in order to set the stage for another battle, another set of battles when the dry season commences,” said US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.
Last month it was reported that South Sudan’s government bought almost forty million dollars’ worth of weapons and ammunition from China, while a Small Arms Survey report found evidence that the rebels have received ammunition from Sudan.
Power spoke at a press conference in Juba following a meeting with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir. She is in South Sudan as part of a security council delegation that includes Rwandan UN ambassador Eugene Richards and security council president Mark Grant of the UK.
The delegation reiterated its call for an end to fighting and once again threatened sanctions against anyone spoiling peace talks or committing gross violations of human rights.
“Put a sharp point on this: there is no military solution to what ails South Sudan,” Power said.
Power said it is “deeply disappointing” that the two parties missed the August 10 deadline for a transitional government and said they must begin to take the Addis Ababa peace talks seriously.
She said the security council delegation would visit Machar in coming days and relay the same message they gave to Kiir that they will not tolerate ceasefire violations.
The delegation also visited the Malakal displaced persons camp while in South Sudan.
Photo: US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power speaks to press in Juba. Radio Tamazuj
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