More than 30 local and international human rights organizations in the country have signed a petition calling for an immediate arms embargo on South Sudanto prevent further atrocities and abuses.
These Human rights organizations include South Sudan Law Society, Human Rights Society, Amnesty International, Global Witness and Human Rights Watch.
The petition was expected to be delivered to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development or IGAD mediators on Thursday, 4th September 2014 demanding an urgent arms ban to stop the supply of weapons to individuals and groups on both sides of the conflict and protection of civilians.They said that as long as weapons are imported into the country, they are likely to be used to commit further atrocities.
The organizations also called on IGAD to request the United Nations Security Council to impose a comprehensive international arms embargo on South Sudan.
“The embargo should last until effective mechanisms can be established to ensure that weapons, munitions and other military equipment and technology sent into South Sudan will not be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,” they stated.
Amnesty International said that since the conflict broke out in the country, both warring parties have used a range of conventional arms and military equipment to facilitate and commit acts such as extrajudicial killings, rape and other forms of sexual violence including the recruitment of child soldiers”.
They cited some recent incidences which included the shooting down of a UN helicopter in Unity state and the killings of humanitarian workers, as true highlights of the urgency of an immediate arms embargo.
SOURCE: CRN