Final Stretch: UNSC to sanction South Sudan
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By Steve Paterno
In a last ditch effort to exert some semblance of influence over South
Sudan, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is finally bracing
to table a US proposed sanctions regime against South Sudan for up or
down vote. The efforts to impose sanctions against South Sudan have
been tried several times at the Council, and all failed. These
proposals have never been attracting enough support necessary to sail
through for adaptation. Hence, they have been hampered on very many
occasions.
Despite the uphill battle, the US administration, which is responsible
for these sanctions regime against South Sudan at UNSC, has ever been
relentless and adamant that it finally decided to risk it for a vote,
coming December 23, 2016. Thus far, it is reported that the bidding
garner only seven votes in favor, short by far of a minimum threshold
required for passage. Nevertheless, this may yet presents the ultimate
opportunity for a lame-duck American administration to exercise some
political leverage over South Sudan, if there is any.
Ever since the war broke out in South Sudan three years ago, the US
administration has been growing frustratingly against the leaders of
South Sudan—the very leaders who are being blamed for the conflict.
United States along with its allies argue that targeted sanctions that
include armed embargo, asset freeze, and travel restrictions on
responsible individuals, among other punitive measures would go a long
way in resolving the deteriorating security, economic, and
humanitarian situation currently afflicting the country.
In spite of this view, other members of the UNSC stand in stark
contrast, offering completely different perspectives. For example,
Japan is arguing that it prefers to contribute toward South Sudan in a
more ‘pragmatical and constructive’ ways. For its part, Japan already
has boots on the ground as parcel of a peacekeeping contingent and is
also very much involved in developmental projects in the country. A
Japanese foreign ministry official is quoted by news outlets as
saying, "we can’t accept America’s proposal.” The said official
further underscores that it is “extremely rare” for his country to
disagree with its closest ally, the US on pertinent issues such as
this. China, a very important voting member also publicly expresses
its reservations by opposing sanctions against South Sudan. The
African countries and some of the other voting bloc in the Council
stand firmly in solidarity with South Sudan by rejecting the notion of
sanctions as unwarranted at this point. And as for Russia, another
important permanent Security Council member, it is asserted that it
does not even maintain diplomatic channel of communications with
America, because of a long running feuds. So, these two countries
ain’t even talking to one another as the US is making rounds in trying
to pursuit other members of the Council to approve the motion. As
such, this proposed motion is doomed to failure.
Even then, the most significant point to highlight is to ask the
fundamental questions: are sanctions against South Sudan necessary and
if so, would it achieve its intended objectives? The short answer is
that the long history of sanctions often produces adverse effects.
This will be the exact scenario awaiting in the case of South Sudan.
Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain
Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at
[email protected]
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