U.S. slams South Sudan’s Kiir over ‘man-made’ famine, urges truce

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir attends celebrations to mark the first anniversary of the country's independence at the John Garang memorial mausoleum in Juba, July 9, 2012. REUTERS/Adriane Ohanesian — South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir attends celebrations to mark the first anniversary of the country’s independence at the John Garang memorial mausoleum in Juba, July 9, 2012. REUTERS/Adriane Ohanesian

By Reuters

The United States slammed South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on Tuesday for the African state’s “man-made” famine and ongoing conflict, urging him to fulfill a month-old pledge of a unilateral truce by ordering his troops back to their barracks.

“We must see a sign that progress is possible,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told a United Nations Security Council briefing on South Sudan. “We must see that ceasefire implemented.”

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after Kiir fired his deputy, unleashing a conflict that has spawned armed factions often following ethnic lines.

U.N. South Sudan envoy David Shearer told the Security Council, “The political process in South Sudan is not dead, however it requires significant resuscitation.”

The United Nations has warned of a possible genocide, millions have fled their homes, the oil-producing economy is in a tail-spin, crop harvests are devastated because of the worst drought in years and millions face famine.

“The famine in South Sudan is man made. It is the result of ongoing conflict in that country. It is the result of an apparent campaign against the civilian population. It is the result of killing humanitarian workers,” Haley said.

She also blasted deadlock among Security Council members on how to deal with the civil war in the world’s youngest state.

Haley said Kiir and his government were benefiting from the council’s division. She urged the council to impose further targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on South Sudan.

“You’re allowing President Kiir to continue to do what he’s doing,” she said. “If you truly care for the people of South Sudan then we must tell the South Sudanese government that we are not going to put up with this anymore.”

The 15-member Security Council failed in December to get nine votes to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo and further sanctions on South Sudan despite warnings by U.N. officials of a possible genocide. Eight council members, including Russia and China, abstained in the vote. [nL1N1F71JO]

Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Petr Ilichev told the council that it was unfair to lay all blame on Kiir’s troops for the violence and that Moscow opposed additional sanctions.

“Sound peace in South Sudan will not be brought about by a Security Council arms embargo, but rather by targeted measures to disarm civilians, as well as demobilize and reintegrate combatants,” he said.