UN human rights experts concerned about delay in S. Sudan transitional justice
August 23, 2019 (JUBA) – The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said alarmed by the lack of progress in the set up of the institutions of transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation and healing after nearly one year since the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.
Members of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan have been in a visit from 19 to 26 August 2019 their seventh field mission to South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
They were in Juba, Bentiu and Yei where they met with UN officials, international organizations, and community members comprising religious leaders and civil society, including women’s groups, recent returnees, and internally displaced persons.
In a statement issued on Friday they said “deeply concerned” that, although the overall armed conflict has waned since September 2018, there has been little progress in adhering to the peace agreement that guided the country thus far.
“Civilians with whom we spoke still raised numerous concerns that they feel are barriers to sustainable peace,” further said Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka.
The commission members said that during their visit to Bahr al-Ghazal they learnt that intercommunal violence premised on cattle-raiding has recently spiked in the region.
“The Commissioners listened to South Sudanese women, men, and children express numerous concerns including localization of conflict linked to land, resources, and cattle, continued impunity for sexual and gender-based violence, delays and inefficiencies in implementing the Revitalized Peace Agreement of September 2018,” reads the statement.
They further pointed to the deteriorating living conditions for the displaced persons, the frustration with the functioning of the judiciary, and the absence of accountability mechanisms including the establishment of the Hybrid Court, among others.
However, they said encouraged by the efforts done in the troubled Yei River State pointing to the formation of committees composed of military and civil actors to improve civil-military relations and support local justice and reconciliation.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE
The human rights commissioners said impunity for conflict-related sexual violence and sexual and gender-based crimes remains high, while survivors of sexual violence still have limited access to redress.
“The lack of progress in establishing transitional justice mechanisms, including the Hybrid Court, the commission for truth, reconciliation, and healing and the compensation and reparation authority, which are to be complemented by customary and other community-centred mechanisms, is delaying accountability and reparation for these and other crimes,” said Commission member Barney Afako.
The Commission stressed the importance of overcoming delays regarding the Revitalized Peace Agreement and encouraged the positive work being carried out by the National Constitutional Amendment Committee.
Before to leave Juba, the commissioners held a press conference in Juba to highlight the need to make progress in the set un of transitional justice mechanisms.
From 25 to 29 August, they will travel to Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya, where they will meet South Sudanese refugees.
Also, in Addis Ababa, they will hold meetings with African Union leaders, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), senior UN officials, as well as other members of the international community.
(ST)