Petition and Media Advisory: Over 30 Organizations call for Arms Embargo on South Sudan

3 September, 2014

September 3, 2014 (SSNA) — 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 [email protected] or +44 20 7413 5566 email: [email protected]

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

Organizations that have signed the petition include:

1. African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
2. Amnesty International
3. Assistance Missions for Africa
4. Association of Media Women in South Sudan
5. Charity Aid Foundation
6. Citizens for Peace and Justice
7. Clip-Poverty
8.Cordaid
9. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization
10. East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
11. End Impunity Organization
12. Equatoria Rehabilitation and Development Association
13. Global Witness
14. Human Rights Development Organization-South Sudan
15. Human Rights Watch
16. Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
17. International Centre for Policy and Conflict
18. Juba Civic Engagement Centre
19. Justice Africa
20. Organization for Non-violence and Development
21. PAX
22. Rally for Peace and Democracy
23. Save the Children
24. South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms
25. South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy
26. South Sudan Law Society
27. Soweto Community Based Organization
28. Seed for Democracy for South Sudan
29. Standard Action Liaison Focus
30. Support Peace Initiative Development Organization-South Sudan
31. The ROOTS Project
32. Voice for Nyala
33. Waging Peace
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