“There is growing public anxiety, frustration and despair” – RJMEC
June 4, 2022 (JUBA) – The Interim Chairman of the peace monitoring body (R-JMEC), Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gutuai has expressed concerns over “growing public anxiety and despair” ahead of the expiry of the transitional period without the completion of critical pending tasks of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
He was speaking during the 22nd plenary meeting of RJMEC in Juba on Thursday.
The transitional period ends in February next year.
“The R-ARCSS lays the foundation for a united, peaceful and prosperous society based on justice, equality, respect for human rights and the rule of law” with about eight months to the end of the transitional period,” said Gituai.
He added, “Continuous delays in the implementation of the Agreement have consequential effects as witnessed in the recent incidents of military defections and the associated violent confrontations.”
The Interim chairperson also expressed “serious concerns” over the continuous occupation of civilian centers by South Sudan army (SSPDF) and the armed opposition forces (SPLA-IO) as well as attacks by the SSPDF on the SPLA-IO forces in Upper Nile and Unity States.
He expressed concerns over reports of sexual and gender-based violence in Koch and Leer counties in Unity State, including deaths of unspecified numbers of people, destruction of property and displacement of civilians.
Gituai cited completion of the unification of the command structure at all levels of rank and file;
graduation and redeployment of phase I of the necessary unified forces and commencement of phase II cantonment and training;
operationalization and funding of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programmes as a critical component of unification of forces and long-term security.
He further said the delayed unification of forces, lack of sufficient funding, military defections, trust deficit among parties, insufficient political will, capacity gaps and the cumulative effects of prolonged subnational conflicts across the country were setbacks to the peace implementation.
Meanwhile Gituai stressed the importance of the permanent constitution making process and the need to carefully incorporate planning for the electoral process.
He reiterated the need for RTGoNU to urgently develop a roadmap on the way forward, in regard to the implementation of the remaining tasks, considering the limited time left before the expiry of the Transitional Period.
(ST)