National reconciliation peace mobilises begin training in Juba
April 6, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan will on Monday launch the training of 200 peace mobilises in the first phase who will work to promote the national reconciliation process in the country.
The newest nation on earth has embarked on a journey of healing for the national reconciliation which aims at healing the past wounds and reconciling the diverse but rival communities in the region.
Officials say the continuous inter-communal violence, coupled with other challenges on governance and rule of law, will continue to interrupt the badly needed peace and development of the new nation unless they are wholly addressed in the form of a national reconciliation process.
The process will be launched in a conference around December this year while a consultative conference that will bring key South Sudanese to Juba from all levels of government and sectors of the society will take place in June this year.
The consultative conference, which will also be attended by regional and international experts, is expected to encourage technical and academic inputs to help structure strategic direction for a wider national process.
A council to make and refine policies on the national reconciliation, and oversee the implementation of the long term program at the national level, is expected to be formed and replicated in the state and county levels.
The government-led initiative is being organized by the office of the President while the commission for peace and reconciliation serves as the secretariat for the council.
In a preparatory meeting on Saturday chaired by the country’s vice-president, Riek Machar Teny, the organizing committee announced that the training for the 200 will commence on Monday, 8th April.
Vice President’s press secretary James Gatdet Dak, told the Sudan Tribune on Saturday that all media houses in the country were invited to the launching of the 4-week training at MTC premises in Juba.
Gatdet further explained that out of the 200 trainees, 150 were selected from the ten states with each state providing 15 young trainees while the remaining 50 were selected from the capital, Juba.
The trainees will be trained on a wide range of issues including a journey of personal transformation exploring history, conflict, identity, peace building and reconciliation in South Sudan.
The peace mobilises, who will then be dispatched back to their respective constituencies, he said, will support further consultations with other actors across the states, listen to South Sudanese while building dialogue and mobilizing other peace and community mobilizers in support of the process.
(ST)