Human Rights watch urged Horn of Africa’s nations to lobby for arms embargo on South Sudan.

HRW cited a petition signed by “more than 50 South Sudanese and international human rights and humanitarian organizations”.

The statement came as regional leaders gather in Addis Ababa for a summit of the regional organ – Intergovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD).

“South Sudanese civilians are desperate and need regional leadership to help protect them. More weapons will mean these civilians will face more abusive attacks: killings, rape, burnings, pillage. Now is the time to take action”, the statement quoted an official of a South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms as saying.

Adding that, IGAD’s summit should make “a clear request to the UN Security Council to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on South Sudan”.

Last week, the International Crisis Group warned warned about a looming military offensives and urged IGAD and the international community to take a tough stance.

ICG recommended:

To stop further intensification of the war, IGAD should take the following steps:

* increase its political presence on the ground in South Sudan, with a specific focus on engagement with commanders and armed groups;

* start dialogue with all armed groups and militarised communities;

* open four separate negotiation tracks, both in Addis and South Sudan, sequenced and pursued so as to contribute to the broader national political dialogue and focused on: 1) the SPLM (supported by Tanzania’s CCM party); 2) a re-activated Political Parties Forum; 3) armed groups; and 4) communal conflict; and

* work with the African Union High-Level Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP) to secure the withdrawal of the Sudanese armed groups as called for in the January cessation of hostilities agreement and as well as previous AU-mediated agreements between Sudan and South Sudan.

As the conflict threatens to intensify once again, the United Nations Security Council should take the following actions:

* institute an arms embargo for South Sudan, which must then be carefully monitored to prevent further escalation; identify the government’s and opposition’s sources of weapons and how they are paying for them; and increase leverage over the parties;

* establish a Contact Group that includes IGAD, the AU, UN, Troika (U.S., UK, Norway), EU, China and Tanzania to facilitate coordination and discussion on the way forward; and

* maintain UNMISS’ core protection of civilians mandate, including allowing civilians to shelter within UNMISS bases until they are able to make a safe and voluntary exit.

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