The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC says peace implementation suffers many setbacks causing public anxiety and negative impact.
The commission is worried that several challenges have hindered the progress of implementing the revitalized agreement, as only eight months remained for the transition period.
Interim Chair of RJMEC, Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, says the peace implementation has not achieved the expected progress, including the graduation of unified forces.
“Delayed unification of forces, funding of military defection, trust deficit, insufficient political will, capacity gaps, the cumulative effects of the prolonged subnational conflicts in the country, the Covid-19 pandemic, the dire humanitarian situation in the country caused by the natural calamities such as floods.
The challenges above should be urgently and collectively addressed,” Tai said
The peace body says the R_ARCSS lays the foundation for a united, peaceful, and prosperous nation based on equality, justice, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. Still, the delay in implementing the R-RCSS has sustained the continuous conflicts and military defections associated with violent confrontations.
R_JMEC is concerned over the continuous violations and the recent armed clashes in Upper Nile, which resulted in the rise of sexual gender-based violence cases and the killing of civilians.
“I want to express my serious concerns regarding the continuous occupation of civilian centers by the SSPDF and SPLA-IO, recent denial of access to CTSAMVM, attacks by the SSPDF on the SPLA-IO forces in Upper Nile and Unity states, and most disturbingly, reports of sexual gender-based violence in Koch and Leer counties in unity state, including the death of unnumbered people, destruction of properties and displacement of civilians.” Charles expressed.
A week ago, parties to the agreement criticized the sexual violence reports issued by the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement and Verification Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMVM), terming them fake and having no evidence.
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dir. Martin Elia Lomoro says the government reviews the peace implementation status to make informed decisions.
He says parties are working on a roadmap, a primary document that will guide parties to go for election or not. Still, the priority is to complete the paramount constitution.
“We have underscored that the constitution-making process is one of the determinants of the election process. The election law is supposed to be drafted according to the new permanent constitution of South Sudan.”
Last week during the national child protection conference, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, the deputy chief of defense forces, said the army is committed to evacuating public places still occupied by the military.
The peace body R-JMEC urges the parties to consolidate the peace dividends made by implementing the outstanding tasks such as the graduation of forces and the constitution-making process as the transitional period elapse in February 2023.