Sudan civil society group lobbies for truth commission

Nairobi, Dec 15, 2003 (African Church Information Service) — As the latest round of Sudan peace talks opened in the Kenyan town of Naivasha, Sudanese civil society groups hinted that they will push for a truth and reconciliation commission, whose form and structure they admitted “cannot be fathomed as of now”.

Addressing the press in Nairobi on December 5, just before the resumption of peace talks, Ms Sussane Jambo, co-ordinator for New Sudan Indigenous NGOs Network (NESiNET), said that no southern Sudanese “can just wish away the more than 3 million people who have lost their lives, let alone the 4 million refugees and the over 2 million internally displaced persons”.

She said that the Sudanese have lost so much through unimaginable violations of all rights, and have to decide which way the healing process should take. Jambo added that the sheer number of the dead, let alone the property destroyed, could not be washed away by sweeping “forgiveness” statements.

While concurring, Fr Dominic Otwari, said that efforts towards this have already started, with Dr John Garang’s support of South to South Dialogue mechanism that aims to address wider engagement within the southern populace.

Dr Garang is the leader of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), which is currently locked in peace negotiations with the government.

The civilil society leaders noted that a truth and reconciliation commission, if formed, would address and redress losses, hatred, and pain suffered by every south Sudanese.