From his perches as vice chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee and as one of the co-chairs the Sudan and South Sudan Caucus, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., brought out a proposal calling on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to place an arms embargo on South Sudan.
While there had been a ceasefire in the civil war and ethnic violence which has plagued South Sudan since 2013, that agreement has collapsed prompting the Florida congressman to renew his efforts to end arms deals to that African nation. To date, almost 4 million people have been displaced due to the civil war and more than 50,000 have been killed.
In recent months, Rooney has been focusing on the Sudan and South Sudan. Back in September, Rooney introduced a bill banning arms sales to South Sudan. In December, Rooney rounded up almost 20 members of Congress to sign a letter to the UN urging it to stop arm sales to South Sudan. In March, Rooney wrote U.S. Sec. of State Rex Tillerson urging the Trump administration to “implement a strong, effective strategy that reflects American values and promotes peace and stability throughout this volatile region, where man-made conflict has resulted in famine and the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis.”
On Thursday, Rooney introduced his latest resolution on the matter.
“I traveled to South Sudan in April and witnessed the overwhelming devastation that over three years of civil war has inflicted on the county’s men, women, and children,” Rooney said. “The people of South Sudan still have hope that the United States can use its leverage in the international community to compel the government to end this brutal civil war.
“As I see it, if the government of South Sudan is going to act on the international community’s calls to stop this senseless violence, we must finally put our words into action and gain the support needed to pass an arms embargo at the Security Council,” Rooney added. “More talk and idle threats will only allow the government to continue its campaign of destruction – and frankly, we’ve exhausted all excuses for inaction.”
Rooney’s resolution was sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.
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