Washington: On Tuesday, the US imposed sanctions on a South Sudanese governor and military officer who are suspected of being involved in the rapes of hundreds of women and girls. According to the Treasury Department, these are the first US sanctions specifically targeted at sexual violence caused by armed conflict.
James Nando, a major general in the South Sudanese army, has been designated by Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control after he is accused of commanding units that sexually assaulted hundreds of women and girls between 2018 and 2021.
According to Treasury, Nando knew about the abuses but did nothing to stop or punish the fighters who committed sexual assault while it was happening under his watch.
Also mentioned in the documents outlining the sanctions is Alfred Futuyo, the governor of Western Equatoria.
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Futuyo, a member of the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army, is charged with carrying out numerous attacks in his state that led to the kidnapping and gang rape of hundreds of civilians.
The sanctions, among other things, prevent US companies and citizens from doing business with Nando and Futuyo and deny them access to any real estate or financial assets held there.
Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury, stated in a written statement that "the United States rejects all forms of sexual violence — which women and children bear the brunt of — in armed conflict." "As long as this scourge persists, we remain committed to holding perpetrators and enablers of conflict-related sexual violence accountable."
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The UN's special representative to the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict and survivors of sexual violence in conflict settings received additional support after President Joe Biden signed a presidential memorandum in November.
