The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Damning South Sudan Report focuses on regional players, including Uganda
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Hollywood star George Clooney’s investigative project The Sentry on Thursday urged the international community to act over alleged links between global corporations, tycoons and foreign governments and rampant corruption in South Sudan.
The Sentry — co-founded by Clooney and former US official John Prendergast — accused individuals and corporations worldwide of profiting from South Sudanese politicians and military officials “ravaging the world’s newest nation”.
In a 64-page report (click to read), the organisation called on the United States to expand its sanctions regime to target those involved and asked Britain and the European Union to impose sanctions on human rights violators and their networks. It also seeks action by Ugandan authorities to stop the violators. (see full extracts on Uganda page 2)
“The South Sudanese politicians and military officials ravaging the world’s newest nation received essential support from individuals and corporations from across the world who have reaped profits from those dealings,” the authors of “The Taking of South Sudan” report concluded.
“Nearly every instance of confirmed or alleged corruption or financial crime in South Sudan examined by The Sentry has involved links to an international corporation, a multinational bank, a foreign government or high-end real estate abroad.”
The Sentry is an investigative and policy team that follows the dirty money connected to African war criminals and transnational war profiteers and seeks to shut those benefiting from violence out of the international financial system.
“At some point, there has to be justice, but when your house is on fire, first you have to put the fire out,” George Clooney said alongside members @TheSentry_Org, urging the international community to take action against corruption in South Sudan pic.twitter.com/MwKeoEppfn
— Bloomberg TicToc (@tictoc) September 19, 2019
Clooney, a longtime campaigner for human rights in the region, best known for his advocacy in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, unveiled the report at a press conference in London Thursday.
It accuses Dar Petroleum Corp, the largest multinational oil consortium in South Sudan — led by a Chinese state-owned oil company — of providing “direct support to deadly militias”, according to an advance copy seen by AFP.
AFP was seeking comment from the consortium and the government.
Meanwhile Chinese investors formed a company with South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s daughter and acquired several mining licenses in the country just weeks before the military reportedly drove thousands of people from the land where they held a permit, according to the research.
