South Sudan: More than 30 organizations call for immediate arms embargo

MEDIA ADVISORY

Embargoed: 00.01 BST - 4 September, 2014



More than 30 South Sudanese and international organizations have signed a petition that will be delivered to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today, calling for an immediate, comprehensive arms embargo on South Sudan.

The petition argues that an arms embargo is urgently needed to halt the supply of weapons to individuals and groups on all sides who have committed gross violations of human rights, war crimes and crimes against humanity and to protect civilians at grave risk.

Since the conflict erupted on 15 December, parties involved 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 and the recruitment of child soldiers.

As well as imposing its own arms embargo, the organizations are calling on IGAD to request that the United Nations Security Council imposes a comprehensive international arms embargo on South Sudan.

The urgency of the arms embargo is underlined by events of the past month: a UN helicopter has been shot down, killings continue, including of humanitarian workers, and attempts to ensure both sides stop killing civilians have failed

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Stefan Simanowitz on +44 (0)207 413 5729 mailto:[email protected]@amnesty.org or +44 (0)20 7413 5566 email: mailto:[email protected]@amnesty.org

See our QandA on the need for an arms embargo. South Sudan: Awash with arms http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/qa-south-sudan-nation-awash-arms-2014-08-21http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/qa-south-sudan-nation-awash-arms-2014-08-21

Organizations that have signed the petition include:
African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
Amnesty International
Assistance Missions for Africa
Association of Media Women in South Sudan
Charity Aid Foundation
Citizens for Peace and Justice
Clip-Poverty
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization
East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
End Impunity Organization
Equatoria Rehabilitation and Development Association
Global Witness
Human Rights Development Organization-South Sudan
Human Rights Watch
Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
International Centre for Policy and Conflict
Juba Civic Engagement Centre
Justice Africa
Organization for Nonviolence and Development
PAX
Rally for Peace and Democracy
Save the Children
South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms
South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy
South Sudan Law Society
Soweto Community Based Organization
Seed for Democracy for South Sudan
Standard Action Liason Focus
Support Peace Initiative Development Organization-South Sudan
The ROOTS Project
Voice for Nyala
Voice for Change – South Sudan