By Samuel Aru – Don Bosco Radio The newly appointed Executive Director of Tonj South County, Abraham Dot Deng, has...

By Ginaba Lino Amnesty International is urging the United Nations Security Council to renew and strictly enforce the arms embargo on South Sudan in a bid to protect civilians amid escalating violence in parts of the country. The call comes amid reports of unauthorized military deployments and ongoing violations of the existing embargo. Notably, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which were recently deployed to Upper Nile State in response to growing insecurity, have offered conflicting explanations about the purpose of their mission. “Now is not the time to lift the embargo and add more weapons into the fray,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “We urge the Security Council to renew the embargo, enforce it, and protect civilian lives.” Chagutah pointed out that Amnesty International has documented the continued use of attack helicopters by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), which indicates potential violations involving spare parts supply activities prohibited under the arms embargo. He further explained that the current terms of the embargo, under UN Security Council Resolution 2428 (2018) and its subsequent renewals, only allow exemptions for the supply, sale, or transfer of arms under narrowly defined circumstances, and require prior notification to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee. Amnesty reports that neither Ugandan nor South Sudanese authorities notified the Sanctions Committee or requested a formal exemption for the deployment of UPDF troops, thereby violating the resolution. In addition, Amnesty International claims that the private company Freedom Airlines Express may have facilitated embargo breaches by transporting soldiers and firearms into South Sudan. The organization stated that it reached out to the Ugandan Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, the Chief of Defence Forces, and Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the UN in a letter dated 11 April, but received no response. Chagutah concluded by urging South Sudanese leaders, along with their regional and international partners, to ensure that the arms embargo remains intact and fully respected to prevent further harm to civilians.

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