South sudan says renewing arms embargo is anti peace

South Sudan has indeed expressed strong opposition to the renewal of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2018. The country's government has argued that the embargo is "anti-peace" and would hinder its efforts to maintain peace and stability.

In July 2020, the UNSC voted to extend the arms embargo on South Sudan for another year, citing concerns over the continued violence and human rights abuses in the country. The embargo prohibits the sale or transfer of arms and related materiel to South Sudan, with some exceptions for humanitarian purposes.

South Sudan's government has argued that the embargo is unfair and would undermine its ability to defend itself against rebel groups and other external threats. The country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Alor Kuol, has stated that the embargo is "a form of collective punishment" that would only exacerbate the suffering of the South Sudanese people.

The government has also accused the international community of double standards, pointing out that other countries in the region, such as Sudan and Uganda, are not subject to similar embargoes despite their own human rights concerns.

In response to the renewed embargo, South Sudan's government has announced plans to explore alternative sources of arms and military equipment, including from countries that are not subject to the embargo. This has raised concerns among some international observers, who fear that the country may become more isolated and vulnerable to external interference.

The opposition to the arms embargo has also been met with criticism from some human rights groups, who argue that the country's government has not done enough to address the root causes of the conflict and to protect civilians from violence. They have called for the government to take concrete steps to address these concerns before seeking to lift the embargo.

Overall, the debate over the arms embargo on South Sudan highlights the complex and contentious issues surrounding the country's conflict and the role of the international community in addressing it.