The call of the members of United Nations Human Rights Commission in South Sudann after a visit to Ethiopia, where they called on African countries and other stakeholders to extend their support for the agreement’s implementation.
They say the conflict in South Sudan has become increasingly complex, but the level of suffering for millions of civilians remains unbearable.
Lost time and life
The Commission was present in Addis Ababa from 12 to 18 October meeting with the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Agency for Development (IGAD), as well as diplomatic, UN and social delegations. civil society and other organizations.
“Every new extension of the deadline for the implementation of the peace treaty, and indeed Every day that goes by inaction, not only means lost time, but also lost livesCommissioner Barney Afako warned during the visit.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar signed a revived Peace Agreement in September 2018 to end the bitter fighting that has plagued the fledgling nation.
However, the Commission’s statement noted “extremely slow progress” on the implementation of the agreement.
Term and Dispute
The agreement provides for the Joint Court, the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (CTRH) and a redress process that would have been established more than two years ago.
Furthermore, core aspects of the agreement, including the unification of security forces, have been hampered by persistent disputes over the allocation of representation ratios and resources.
The parties have also repeatedly failed to meet the deadlines set for key reforms and the establishment of transitional judicial bodies without any credible justification.
“South Sudan’s peace process cannot be done on its own; The people of South Sudan, whose lives depend on it, would like to see more energy devoted to breathing life into this document,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chairman of the Commission.
Call to action
She stressed that the African Union must take the necessary next steps to establish the Joint Court and support the Truth Commission and other processes.
“Currently, South Sudan is refuge for the most brutal abusers‘ said Mrs. Sooka.
“As a result, nearly nine million South Sudanese still need humanitarian assistance to survive. That’s a staggering three-quarters of the population. People are being killed, ghosted, raped and made homeless and we from other countries know that a reliable truth and due process of justice is the only way to stop this. ”
During their meetings, the UN Commissioners emphasized that the people of South Sudan were deeply disappointed by the “fragmented and fragmented progress” on key provisions of the agreement.
Results are needed
Important areas to be completed include national consultation towards the establishment of a truth commission and the path to a permanent Constitution.
“Everyone we have met understands that the Government of South Sudan should clearly articulate what it can realistically achieve during the extension of the peace agreement,” said Commissioner Andrew Clapham.
“We must avoid a situation where we are back on the drawing board for two years with no meaningful outcome for the people of South Sudan.”
About the Committee
UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan appointed by the UN Dong Nhan Quyen Association in Geneva.
The independent agency was first established in March 2016 and its mission has been renewed each year.
Members are not employees of the UN and they are not paid for their work.
