UN's Ladsous calls for urgent arms embargo on S.Sudan

NEW YORK, July 14 (KUNA) -- UN official urged the Security Council to urgently consider imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan, stressing that they can no longer afford to sit idle as the people of South Sudan bear the brunt of the intransigence of their leaders.
Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Herve Ladsous, told the Security Council that additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking the implementation of the Peace Agreement [Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan] must be enacted immediately. He emphasized "the never-ending cycle of devastating violence must come to an end now." Speaking before the Japanese-led Council, Ladsous affirmed that the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) had been able to conduct limited patrolling again to assess the security situation and the safety and security of personnel and assets at the organizationآ’s compounds.
However, the UN official noted that securing freedom of movement remains an "uphill battle" as security forces limit the missionآ’s movement every step of the way. He then urged the Government to allow UNMISS and humanitarian actors freedom of movement and access to provide vital assistance to the affected civilian population.
As of today, Ladsous confirmed that humanitarian partners are estimating that an estimated 36,000 civilians have been displaced by the fighting in Juba. Seven thousands of those are accounted for at the two UNMISS compounds and the remaining approximately 35,000 are sheltering between the Word Food Program (WFP) compound, NGO compound and several churches in the city.
With great concern, the UN official expressed the potential for the resumption of violence and spill over into others parts of the country. Noting that the parties had deliberately attempted to stall the implementation of the peace agreement. Further, he echoed the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moonآ’s call for the Security Council to urgently reconsider an arms embargo, as well as additional targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking the implementation of the agreement. (end) mao.gta