South Sudanese responded with mixed reactions after the European Union announced sanctions against SPLA Gen. Santino Deng Wol and rebel commander Peter Gadet Yaak yesterday.

These EU sanctions come in addition to an existing travel ban and asset freeze by the United States government targeting SPLA Presidential Guard Commander Marial Chanuong.

The spokesman of the foreign ministry, Mawien Makol, was quoted as saying the sanctions were counter-productive and unhelpful: “More sanctions on the government of South Sudan and the rebels are not helpful.”

Debating the issue on Facebook, many citizens of Juba, the diaspora and other towns of South Sudan expressed either strong support for the sanctions or strong opposition to them.

“Santino Deng Wol is really innocent of everything labeled on him. Why didn’t EU condemn the first attackers before Deng retook Bentiu?” wrote ‪Josephaduong Lual.

“EU likes to weaken the government by targeting the most effective generals with sanctions. This is a negative step and it shows that the EU is not fair and neutral, because it left most undisciplined commanders on the rebels side, and came to sanction the innocent one,” he added.

Another commentator, ‪Joseph Athian, stated, “I've come to realise today that western countries are biased against the government in favor of rebels. Who rescued the remnants of Bentiu massacre – was it Obama or David Cameron? It was Deng Wol who rescued them.”

“I can see something is wrong with their eyesights… therefore, I advise them to visit an optician,” he said.

But others expressed strong support for the EU move. One writer referring to Gen. Santino said, “He responsible for mobilization of foreign fighters, atrocities, and assets destruction in Bentiu.”

Another applauded the move saying, “Yes, the perpetrators must be brought to book – thanks EU.”

‪Gatluak Pal Kang added that the sanctions were not enough, recommending Santino be tried at the International Criminal Court: “He deserves ICC punishment,” he said.

John Bosco said the sanctions had not hit the right targets: “The right people to be sanctioned should be Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, it's these who give orders for the commanders to operate hence breaking their own agreement.”

Finally, an opponent of the sanctions expressed defiance, saying that South Sudan doesn’t need Europe or the United States: “No fear – we were already born as bushmen, we got nothing in Europe or in United States. Still we will survive here – it was already our cave since before CPA.”

For his part, the Ambassador of France to South Sudan declined to comment specifically on the sanctions, saying that France was not ‘directly’ involved in the issuance of the sanctions.

He told Radio Tamazuj yesterday, “There is no reason for this unnecessary crisis that’s bringing about unnecessary suffering to the people of South Sudan and especially to the civil society, women, and children.”

“It’s high time for South Sudanese leaders to agree among themselves; they have gone through many crises in the past and have overcome them; they will do it again by overcoming their differences,” said Ambassador Christian Bader.

Forum contributors’ comments as quoted here have been edited for spelling and punctuation. 

File photo: Marial Chanuong, the commander of Salva Kiir's 'Tigers' guard unit (Reuters)