South Sudan: Legislators give Kiir three more years while UN imposes sanctions



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Juba legislators voted to extend the term of President Kiir and the transitional parliament by three years. Meanwhile, the UN imposed an arms embargo in South Sudan and sanctioned two military officials

The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan and sanctions against senior military officials. The decision is seen as an attempt to pressure the government and rebel factions in South Sudan to reach an agreement and end the long-standing civil war.

At the same time, South Sudanese legislators pbaded a bill President Salva Kiir, as well as the transitional parliament and the local government, for three years.

"This shows that the regime is playing at the negotiating table," said Mabior Garang de Mabior, spokesman for Riek Machar's rebel group. agency, referring to the extension of the mandate. "The international community should not recognize this movement and the regime should be declared a rogue regime," he said.

The movement extends the mandate of the current government until July 2021 and Paul Youani Bonju, chairman of the parliamentary information committee of South Sudan. In other words, it would strengthen Kiir's team in peace talks in neighboring Sudan. And while Machar's SPLM-IO is against the bill, other opposition groups in parliament have supported the move. "If we do not do it now, the international community will tell us that we are working illegally, so I really enjoyed it," said Gabriel Roricjur, the leader of the opposition.

South Sudan entered the civil war after Kiir accused Machar of trying to catch power. The two leaders and their respective factions had agreed on a short-lived power-sharing agreement in which Kiir acted as president and Machar as his deputy. The deal has failed several times and in mid-2016, Machar fled the country as a result of further clashes between the army and its bodyguards in the capital Juba. This week, Machar's group rejected plans for a new power-sharing with Machar as vice president, due to past failures of such deals.

UN cease-fire and embargo violation

Kiir and Machar rivals returned to the negotiating table for the first time in two years. In late June, the two sides agreed on a "permanent ceasefire" and the opening of a humanitarian corridor to meet the needs of the South Sudanese people who suffered the effects of civil war. Both sides have accused of breaking this ceasefire since the signing of the peace agreement.

The UN Security Council expressed "deep concern" over the failure of Sudanese leaders to end the fighting. A recent UN report indicates that government troops killed at least 232 civilians in five weeks.

After a visit in early July, Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence and Conflict, spoke about the atrocities she has committed. had heard: "The testimonies I heard were horrible: men routinely killed, elderly and sick people burned alive, bads of mutilated or severed boys, and women and girls raped in groups – often to death. 19659011] The South Sudanese people skeptically consider the latest talks between Kiir and Machar, as well as the extension of the government's mandate.

"Citizens must choose the people they really need to work for them," said a resident of Juba. "Every country has its time limit for the president and if your time is up, you can argue again."

Another resident expressed his disappointment at the inability of legislators to wait for the outcome of the peace talks. "They should have waited for the government to end the peace agreement, so parliament can sit down and come up with clear years," he said.

Since the outbreak of the civil war, tens of thousands of people have been killed. and some 4 million displaced people, many of whom fled to neighboring countries

Waakhe Simon Wudu contributed to this report.

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