S. Sudan peace monitors admit collapse of security as a “crisis”
April 26, 2017 (JUBA) – The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body tasked to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement signed in South Sudan, has admitted for the first time that the lack of respect to the permanent ceasefire is a “crisis within a crisis” exacerbating hunger in the country.
“Security is the cornerstone upon which we build economic and social confidence. This no longer exists, confidence has evaporated, commerce is seizing up, prices are escalating and as a result we now face a crisis of hunger that is undermining all our efforts to make peace,” said Mogae, in a speech at the JMEC plenary meeting which was attended by government officials and representatives of the international community who are guarantor to the peace agreement.
The peace chapter on security collapsed in July 2016 following the resumption of clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former First Vice President Riek Machar, who is also the leader of the armed Sudan People’s Liberation movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO).
Machar fled Juba and is now exiled in South Africa. Since he has since been replaced by Taban Deng Gai. But the latter has failed to control the SPLM-IO forces and war has continued in many parts of the country.
Critics pointed out that there can be no peace implementation without respecting the permanent ceasefire by all forces. The JMEC insisted that the peace agreement holds, despite the war.
The head of the regional monitoring body has further accused the leaders on both sides of not doing enough to stop the conflict.
“Violence and conflict on this level are either centrally directed or locally orchestrated. I fear it is now time to acknowledge that, across the board, among all armed forces and armed groups, central structures of command and control appear to have broken down,” he said.
The former Botswana leader decried the deteriorating economic situation by highlighting the suffering mothers who face a daily “struggle with inflation”, which he attribute to the lack of peace.
“Insecurity creates food shortages, which in turn drives inflation that in turn results in hunger. A hungry man is an angry man and angry men do not make peace,” he said.
Mogae fell short to declare the peace agreement a failure.
(ST)