Groups warn against threats to South Sudan’s peace signatories
October 20, 2021 (JUBA) –Threats against parties signatory to South Sudan’s revitalized peace agreement could undermine the implementation of the peace accord, a civil society body warned.
In September 2018, South Sudan’s warring factions signed a peace agreement mediated by the regional bloc (IGAD) to end a civil war that killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
On Tuesday, members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) members in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) and Council of States from Warrap State threatened to pull out of the state unity government, citing mistreatment and harassment by the state governor.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said disagreements within the main signatories is a violation of the peace agreement.
“Posing political threats towards peace partners in line with the implementation of Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) tantamount to a violation,” he said on Wednesday.
The activist further called for a change of attitudes among some politicians in the young nation.
“These negative developments in Warrap state undermines the spirit of the R-ARCSS implementation centred on political attitude of consultations and consensus-building,” he stressed.
Yakani urged the presidency to demonstrate political will towards the peace process, citing delays in the graduation of unified forces, reconstitution of state legislative assemblies, national independent commissions as well as reconstitution of local government legislative councils.
The unification of government and opposition forces is a crucial part of the necessary security arrangements under the peace agreement signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September 2018.
(ST)