REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON - Amid warnings that ethnic violence in South Sudan risks spiraling into genocide, the United States expected to impose sanctions on individuals on both sides of the conflict in the coming days, US and other diplomatic sources said on Monday.
The sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said that the sanctions would involve a ban on travel to the United States and the freezing of any assets under US authority. People on both the rebel and government sides will be targeted, the sources added, without disclosing names.
"In the coming days," a US official said about the expected timing of the move. The other sources confirmed that the United States had already made a decision to sanction several individuals and it was now a question of timing.
The fact that Washington is preparing US sanctions against a country the United States helped create and has supported with large amounts of aid shows how frustrated President Barack Obama's administration has become with South Sudan's leaders.
News of an imminent US move came as Secretary of State John Kerry threatened sanctions against South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar if he spurned peace negotiations, while government forces battled for control of the northern oil town of Bentiu.
Thousands of people have been killed and more than 1 million have fled their homes since fighting erupted in the world's newest nation in December between troops backing President Salva Kiir and soldiers loyal to his sacked deputy, Machar.
UN peacekeepers have been protecting tens of thousands of civilians who sought refuge at UN bases for months. On Friday top UN officials said the violence could become genocide, with the country's leaders locked in a personal power struggle. Members of the UN Security Council are also considering targeted UN measures in addition to any unilateral steps Washington takes on South Sudan.
Under the terms of a deal signed in Addis Ababa, the two sides in the conflict were to consider a truce on Monday to allow civilians to move to places of safety and plant crops.
The humanitarian aid organization Oxfam welcomed the news that the United States is about to impose sanctions on people linked to the fighting in the world's youngest country.
"After much delay, this is an important first step in demonstrating US commitment to ending the violence that has killed thousands and left 5 million people - half of South Sudan's population - in need of humanitarian assistance," Said Noah Gottschalk, senior humanitarian policy advisor at Oxfam America.
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