A UN panel of experts for South Sudan says IGAD member countries should enforce travel bans and asset freezes on individuals sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

In 2016, the Security Council sanctioned six commanders from both the government and opposition forces over their roles during the conflict.

The government leaders targeted are Major-General Marial Chanuong Yol Mangok, commander of President Salva Kiir’s guard unit; sector one commander Lieutenant-General Gabriel Jok Riak; and third division commander Major-General Santino Deng Wol.

On the rebel side, the men named are Major-General Simon Gatwech Dual, chief of general staff for the opposition forces; Major-General James Koang Chuol, commander of the opposition special division; and Major-General Peter Gadet, the deputy chief of staff of operations for the oppositions forces.

The expert said that Peter Gadet was in Khartoum at the time of the submission of the present report to the Committee (mid-March 2017).

Four of the sanctioned officials, the report said, have assets within South Sudan.

The Office of the President says the content of the report are not new and will be discussed by the Council of Ministers on Friday.

In a report to the UN Security Council this month, the UN panel of experts urges the sanctions committee to write to IGAD member countries to reiterate their obligation to enforce sanctions.

These are mainly travel bans and asset freezes.

“To demonstrate its resolve in furthering compliance with the designations that it has already made, the Committee write to the States members of IGAD to reiterate their obligation to enforce the travel ban and asset freeze established under resolution 2206 (2015) and extended under resolution 2290 (2016),” the report said in a report dated 13 April 2017, referring to the first resolution on sanctions and an extension a year later.

The panelists also call for an arms embargo to reduce military confrontations.

“To demonstrate the Security Council’s resolve in supporting an inclusive and sustainable peace in South Sudan and to prevent the further destabilization of the security situation, the expansion and extension of the conflict, the continuing large-scale human rights violations … the Security Council [should] impose an embargo on the supply, sale or transfer of arms and related materiel to South Sudan,” the experts recommended.

The experts’ report talks about obstruction of reconciliation and peace processes, expansion and extension of the conflict, and violations of international humanitarian and international human rights law.

It also describes the obstruction of humanitarian and peacekeeping missions, procurement of arms. The UN Security Council cited some of these concerns as the basis for sanctions.

The Presidential Press Secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny, says the government will issue a comprehensive response to the letter on Friday.

“It does not differ from the previous reports but it did not live up to its expectations. The government is preparing a response to that. On Friday, all of you will see the government issuing a response to that.” Ateny said.

However, the UN panel of experts also recommends that the Security Council should send a letter to the President of the Human Rights Council and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The letter is to request that the commission receives the full legal and forensic support necessary to collect, preserve and analyze evidence of human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law.

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