South Sudan: U.N. Security Council Votes for Arms Embargo, Renews Sanctions, Designates Two More Individuals

July 13, 2018 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution to renew the South Sudan sanctions regime and for an arms embargo until May 31, 2019. The Security Council also designated two individuals: Paul Malong Awan, the former Chief of Staff of South Sudan’s army, and Malek Ruben Riak, former Deputy Chief of Staff of South Sudan’s army.

Both Malong and Riak have been the subject of investigative reports by The Sentry on corruption linked to mass atrocities and violence in South Sudan.

John Prendergast, Founding Director of the Enough Project and Co-Founder of The Sentry said: "Peace processes need leverage to have any chance of success. If the parties to the process can flout the terms of any prior agreement without consequence, then no new agreement will be worth the paper it is printed on. The Security Council delivered a small dose of accountability and leverage today in support of peace. It's not sufficient, but without this as a first step, peace has no chance in South Sudan."

Brian Adeba, Deputy Director of Policy at the Enough Project said: “Today’s arms embargo vote by the Security Council is a signal of hope that the world community is now willing to make the hard choices to hold those fueling the violence in South Sudan accountable for their egregious actions. However, much more remains to be done to ensure that those who benefit from war are entirely dissuaded from their actions through concrete financial pressures.”

Joshua White, Director of Policy and Analysis at The Sentry said: “Today's measures by the Security Council are long overdue, but words are not enough.  Member countries, particularly in the region, must enforce these sanctions and arms embargo in order to deliver meaningful consequences for the warring parties and build genuine leverage for a peaceful resolution to the horrific situation in South Sudan.  The impact of today's steps will be felt only as much as countries act quickly to freeze assets, prevent travel, and stop weapons from flowing into the country.”

The Sentry and Enough Project’s experts are available for comment and analysis.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: Greg Hittelman, +1 310-717-0606, gh@enoughproject.org.

Read The Sentry’s reports on the role of corruption and conflict in South Sudan:

• Fueling Atrocities: Oil and War in South Sudan
• Making a Fortune While Making a Famine: The illustrative case of a South Sudanese general
• War Crimes Shouldn’t Pay: Stopping the Looting and Destruction in South Sudan

About THE ENOUGH PROJECT

The Enough Project supports peace and an end to mass atrocities in Africa’s deadliest conflict zones. Together with its investigative initiative The Sentry, Enough counters armed groups, violent kleptocratic regimes, and their commercial partners that are sustained and enriched by corruption, criminal activity, and the trafficking of natural resources. By helping to create consequences for the major perpetrators and facilitators of atrocities and corruption, Enough seeks to build leverage in support of peace and good governance. Enough conducts research in conflict zones, engages governments and the private sector on potential policy solutions, and mobilizes public campaigns focused on peace, human rights, and breaking the links between war and illicit profit. Learn more – and join us – at www.EnoughProject.org.

About THE SENTRY

The Sentry is composed of financial forensic investigators, policy analysts, and regional experts who follow the dirty money and build investigative cases focusing on the corrupt transnational networks most responsible for Africa’s deadliest conflicts. By creating a significant financial cost to these kleptocrats through network sanctions, anti-money laundering measures, prosecutions, and other tools, The Sentry aims to disrupt the profit incentives for mass atrocities and oppression, and creates new leverage in support of peace efforts and African frontline human rights defenders. The Sentry’s partner, the Enough Project, undertakes high-level advocacy with policy-makers around the world as well as wide-reaching education campaigns by mobilizing students, faith-based groups, celebrities, and others. Co-founded by George Clooney and John Prendergast, The Sentry is an initiative of Not On Our Watch (NOOW) and the Enough Project. The Sentry currently focuses its work in South Sudan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and the Central African Republic.

In less than two years, The Sentry has created hard-hitting reports and converted extensive research into a large volume of dossiers on individuals and entities connected to grand corruption, violence, or serious human rights abuses. The investigative team has turned those dossiers over to government regulatory and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and around the world, as well as to compliance officers at the world’s largest banks.

Learn more at www.TheSentry.org.