South Sudan CTSAMVM calls to activate security bodies
November 21, 2018 (JUBA) – South Sudan ceasefire and security arrangements body said the implementation process is lagging behind the deadline in three important areas and called to prioritise the operationalisation of the security bodies.
In a report released on Wednesday, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) said there is genuine desire to implement the security arrangements but pointed out that most activities are behind schedule.
The report which was delivered to the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) Plenary meeting in Addis Ababa Wednesday further cites some ceasefire violations that occurred in Yei, Western Bahr El Ghazal (Wau) and parts of Unity State (Mir Mir and Koch).
However, the tensions were quickly addressed by the parties thanks to the several mechanisms set by the parties and their commitment for the peace pact.
Nonetheless, the 10 pages reports seen by Sudan Tribune points that disengagement process, which should be done before troops’ cantonment and training, still is not implemented.
“The key factor preventing implementation of the disengagement process is the delay in the formation of security mechanisms, namely the Joint Defence Board (JDB) and the Joint Monitoring Ceasefire Commission (JMCC) and their subordinate bodies,” reads the report.
The joint report also underlines the ongoing recruitment and training of troops in the Unity region saying that the government of President Kiir described the activity, which violates the security arrangements as an “integration of forces loyal to FVP Taban Deng into the SSPD”.
In this respect, he CTSAMVM Technical Committee (CTC) agreed the government will provide a report on the integration process, and the CTSAMVM should be allowed to monitor the operation.
The two main warring parties that are now peace partners are not complying with the security arrangements because they continue to use child soldiers.
The report says the monitoring teams observed child soldiers with the SPLM-IO in Yambio and Bentiu. Also, some 91 child soldiers were found among the troops of SVP Taban Deng and have been demobilized during the integration process to the national army SSPDF.
The report denotes a partial denial of access to CTSAMVM teams in some areas by the SSPDF and SPLM/SPLA-IO alike.
“Too often commanders on the ground claim that they have received no orders to allow verification,” says the report, adding it happens often at the Wau Triangle.
(ST)