Breaking: US sanctions five individuals responsible for killing of opposition officials

December 10, 2019 Breaking News, IGAD, Kenya, South Sudan, USA

(Right), The late Aggrey Idri, a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO), and (left) Dong Samuel Luak, a South Sudanese human rights lawyer, (Photo: Supplied)

Dec 10th, 2019 (SSNN)-Today, on International Human Rights Day, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has taken decisive action, imposing strict sanctions on five identified individuals responsible for their role in the kidnapping and killing of South Sudan’s opposition members, Aggrey Idri and Dong Samuel Luak, prominent human rights activists who were kidnapped from Nairobi, on January 23 and 24 respectively by South Sudan’s National Security Services.

“The Treasury Department is taking action against five individuals responsible for the abduction and likely murder of two human rights activists in 2017.” Aggrey Idri, a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – In Opposition (SPLM-IO), and Dong Samuel Luak, a South Sudanese human rights lawyer, disappeared from Nairobi, Kenya, on January 23 and 24, 2017, respectively, according to a UN Panel of Experts report and multiple press articles.”

The United States said in a statement that although the government denied that it was not aware about the death of the opposition officials, there is concrete evidence that the two men were killed in South Sudan by the National Security Services.

“Although the Government of South Sudan has denied knowledge of their whereabouts, multiple sources have stated that Dong and Aggrey were extraterritorially kidnapped in Kenya by members of the South Sudanese security services and brought back to Juba, South Sudan, where they were held for a short period of time in the South Sudanese National Security Service’s headquarters, known as the “Blue House.” According to reports, after that short period of internment, Dong and Aggrey were moved to a different detention center within South Sudan, where they were reportedly killed upon the orders of, and by, members of the South Sudanese government.”

The US pointed out that: “Despite two years elapsing since the death of Dong and Aggrey, the Government of South Sudan has shown no indications of holding the five individuals or any others to account, and has not taken any corrective measures since the publication in April of the UN Panel of Experts report. Additionally, South Sudanese leadership on both sides of the political spectrum continue to undermine the stability and security of the country at the expense of the lives, dignity, and prosperity of the Sudanese people. The United States will continue to work bilaterally and with the international community to hold all those responsible for human rights abuse and corruption accountable as well as to take action against all those impeding South Sudan’s peace process.”

Five people targeted by the US for their direct and indirect roles in perpetuating human rights abuses.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on an individual identified as Abdud Stephen for engaging in serious human rights abuses.

“Abud Stephen Thiongkol (Thiongkol) is a foreign person that is or has been the leader of an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse. Thiongkol has been identified as the commander of the detention facilities where Aggrey and Dong were held prior to their killings.”

The OFAC targeted Malual Dhal for participating in the killing of Dong Samuel Luak.

“Malual Dhal Muorwel (Muorwel) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. In addition to Muorwel’s participation in the killings of Dong and Aggrey he has been identified as being the commander of forces who detained and assaulted three international monitors in December of 2018.”

The Trump administration identified Michael Kuajien as an individual who is responsible for the extrajudicial disappearance of Dong and Agrey in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

“Michael Kuajien (Kuajien) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. Kuajien is one of two people publicly identified as being present in Kenya during, and in having a hand in, the kidnapping of Dong and Aggrey.”

The OFAC imposed sanctions on John Top Lam for his criminal activities and direct involvement in the disappearance of the two activists, Dong and Agrey.

“John Top Lam (Lam) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. Lam is one of two people publicly identified as being present in Kenya during, and in having a hand in, the kidnapping of Dong and Aggrey. Further, Lam is reported to have called member of Dong’s family in order to provide information on Dong’s whereabouts in return for a substantial cash payment.”

The US Angelo Kuot for his engagement in illegal activities and serious human rights violations.

“Angelo Kuot Garang (Garang) is a foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. Garang has been identified as being involved in the killing of Dong and Aggrey, as well as of other individuals.”

Sanctions implications

“As a result of today’s action,” the US said that, “all property and interests in property of the individuals named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other designated persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.”