South Sudan Caucus Co-Chairs Lee, Capuano & Rooney Release Statement Urging UN Security Council to Enact Arms Embargo
Congressmembers Condemn Violence Orchestrated By South Sudanese Senior Officials
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) and Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL) released the following statement responding to news reports indicating that senior officials in the South Sudanese government coordinated fighting in Juba this past July:
“We are deeply disturbed by the recent reports indicating that the violence in Juba was orchestrated by the highest levels of the South Sudanese government. Instead of fulfilling their responsibility to protect all citizens of South Sudan, senior officials are promoting instability and violence.
Once again, we reiterate our call for an immediate arms embargo. We must stem the flow of weapons to prevent future violence against civilians, humanitarian workers, foreign diplomats and peacekeepers. As the UN Security Council convenes tomorrow, we urge immediate action to save lives and prevent another full-scale war.”
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Democrat Whip Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity.