The United States Department of Treasury sanctioned South Sudanese First Vice President Taban Deng Gai for “his involvement in serious human rights abuse, including the disappearance and deaths of civilians.”
John Prendergast, Co-Founder of The Sentry, said “Today’s action represents a significant and important ratcheting up of U.S. financial pressure designed to break the impasse in South Sudan and hold those impeding peace accountable. The longer South Sudan’s senior leaders continue to delay the implementation of meaningful peace agreements, the longer these leaders profit and the people of South Sudan suffer. Over the past two years, the United States has sustained a campaign of pressure that is now appropriately directed at senior officials like Taban Deng, who have benefited financially and politically from conflict. These measures should continue until lasting peace is realized.”
JR Mailey, Director of Investigations at The Sentry, said: “The placement of sanctions on Taban Deng show that the senior South Sudanese officials responsible for continued violence, corruption, and the obstruction of the peace process will suffer consequences. Other South Sudanese officials should consider this a sign that, unless significant progress toward a peaceful transition is made, pressure will continue to intensify.”