South Sudan’s opposition party calls for an end to imposed sanctions

By Simon Deng

The Secretary General for Democratic Change Party formerly known as SPLM-DC has asked the International Community to reconsider its imposed restrictions, withdraw the sanctions and armed embargo on South Sudan.

Deng Bior Deng said the sanctions were not helpful in the face of the peace accord. 

“We appeal to the international community to reconsider the decision to withdraw the sanctions and armed embargo imposed on South Sudan, imposing such sanctions and armed embargo will not help the implementation of the peace agreement,” he said.

Mr. Bior was speaking during the occasion to mark the 12^th anniversary of the founding the political party previously known as SPLM-DC.

It was founded on June 6, 2009 by Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, the current opposition leader of National Democratic Movement (NDM), a party to the peace accord under South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA). 

On May 31, the UN Security Council voted to extend sanctions on South Sudan for a year despite resistance from India and Kenya that were absent from the process. 

Russia and China supported the armed embark imposed by the UN Secuirty Council on South Sudan.  

Up to now, the unified forces have not graduated though they are expected to be graduated soon.

However, Mr. Bior claimed that for the peace process to move on systematically, there was a need for International Community to focus more on building trust among the members instead of sanctions.

“For the time being and in order to ease implementation of the peace agreement, the international community should reconsider the idea of imposing sanction because it does not help the process but instead its delays it,” said Bior.

The recent UN Security Council resolution renewed the arms embargo along with assets freeze and global travel ban on some South Sudanese politicians for their alleged role in fueling the conflict. 

The restriction will remain active until May 31, 2022.