S. Sudan peace monitor urges parties to expedite troop movements to cantonment sites
August 21, 2019 (JUBA) – The Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluating Commission (R-JMEC), Augostino Njoroge has urged parties to South Sudan’s peace deal to expedite the process of troop movements to verified cantonment sites and in barracks.
He made the appeal during a one-day meeting organized by the regional bloc (IGAD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s on Wednesday to find solutions to the stalemate in the implementation of the revitalized accord on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan.
“Accordingly, the parties should give direction and timelines on operationalization of several cantonment sites across the country and in respective states as a start and within the remaining Pre-Transitional Period”, said Njoroge.
“Parties must also give direction and timelines on commencement of training centers across the country and in the respective regions, including training of officers identified for VIP protection”, he added.
A unified force of at least 83,000 South Sudanese army troops has been earmarked to support implementation of the 2018 peace deal.
Meanwhile, Njoroge observed that the permanent ceasefire had continued to hold, and this has resulted in an overall improvement in the general security situation across the war-torn East African nation.
“I commend all the parties for observing the permanent ceasefire. The security situation has contributed to improved access to humanitarian activities, including decisions by some refugees and IDPs to spontaneously return to their areas”, he stressed.
The official urged the National Pre-Transition Committee (NPTC) to organize more joint confidence building measures among the Parties as well as joint dissemination of the peace accord to enhance better understanding, ownership, healing and reconciliation in the country.
“ The government must fulfill its pledge of funding the implementation of the R-ARCSS in a timely and predictable manner”, he added.
The commission further urged the parties to expedite “the reconstitution of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Commission and make it respective to the needs of those who shall not qualify for selection into the Necessary Unified Forces.”
Last week, the body monitoring South Sudan’s ceasefire (CTSAMVM) expressed strong fears over the slow progress in the implementation of the security arrangements in the September 2018 peace accord.
The CTSAMVM is mandated by IGAD to monitor and verify the implementation of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities as per the 2018 peace agreement.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of attempting a coup.
In September 2018, Kiir, Machar and a handful of other opposition groups signed a peace deal to end the country’s civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
(ST)