Day: September 15, 2021

A veteran South Sudanese politician has accused First Vice President, Riek Machar of lacking interest in the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement after last year’s formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

Peter Adwok Nyaba, a former Higher Education minister, wondered who would still be interested in the full implementation of the peace agreement after Machar joined the coalition government.

“Who could have been more interested in the R-ARCSS [Revitalised Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan] implementation than Riek Machar?” asked Nyaba.

“But Riek has settled down comfortably into his diluted vice president’s position as to even order attacks on his recalcitrant commanders in Kit-Gwang. SSCSF [South Sudan Civil Society Forum] should now find better means of helping the people of South Sudan than hovering in the corridors of power. It is a tall order,” he added.

Nyaba, who formerly belong to the armed opposition movement led by Machar, argued that civil society actors, women and faith-based groups have been ignored in the peace implementation.

“This development came as a surprise, but I think it better they did so now than never. It was wrong, from the beginning for the political parties, civil society groups, women group and the faith-based groups, not directly involved in the war, to have unwittingly allowed the IGAD mediators to include them in a game too complicated than the peace process,” Nyaba wrote on his Facebook page.

He added, “The collapse of A-RCSS should have been enough to warn these social and political forces that it was about nothing but power, and being in a particular portfolio”.

The First Vice President’s office has not officially reacted to the ex-minister’s statement.

The former minister was reacting to the resignation by a leading civil society activist representing coalition organisations in the reconstituted joint monitoring mechanism, a body tasked to track and monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.

In a letter extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, Rajab Mahandis said he quit because resolutions of the peace monitoring body were not being honoured.

“I tendered this resignation with full respect for the content of the revitalized agreement on resolution of the conflict in the republic of South Sudan. That if the peace agreement implemented in letter and spirit and in consistently sequential and timely manner, as outlined in the implementation matrix, it would have restored lasting peace in our country, reformed institutions, set the country on the path to recovery and development, guarantee safety of the people and would have allowed those displaced and in refuge to return home”, the explained.

The September 2018 revitalized peace agreement signed by the parties involved in the conflict and other stakeholders, gives the coalition government the mandate to organize elections 60 days before the end of the transitional period.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The slow pace of implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS], including measures related to the transitional security arrangements, is an obstacle to consolidating peace, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday.

His statement is contained in a report on South Sudan presented to the UN Security Council.

Guterres, specifically cited the lack of overall progress in achieving agreed benchmarks, saying it has contributed to fractures within SPLM/A-IO and subsequent clashes between warring factions.

Last month, clashes occurred in Magenis in the Upper Nile region, between forces loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar and those backing the SPLM/A-IO former chief of general staff, First Lieutenant General Simon Gatwech Dual.

The clashes erupted just days after rival military leaders of the SPLM/A-IO announced that Machar had been ousted as head of his party and its armed forces and replaced with Dual.

“I call upon the factions involved to resolve their differences through dialogue and to avoid actions that would be detrimental to the peace process. I also request the parties to refrain from encouraging defections and supporting defectors,” said Guterres.

“South Sudan cannot risk eroding the peace gains achieved thus far,” he added.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into fighting two years later when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and to Machar clashed in the capital, Juba.

The civil war, which ended with a peace deal signed in September 2018, killed over 400,000 people and displaced more than 2 million people.

The Secretary-General commended the recent decision of the presidency to immediately unify the command of the forces and graduate the Necessary Unified Forces.

“This decision, which is now behind schedule, should be fully and promptly implemented, and I confirm the continued support of the United Nations to this effort,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Guterres expressed concern over the “dire” humanitarian situation in the East African nation, citing the displacements of people triggered by localized violence, extreme weather as well as livelihood pressures.

Approximately 7.2 million people are estimated to face high levels of food insecurity, with 108,000 people facing catastrophic levels of hunger, according to the UN.

The top UN official’s report also highlighted the persistent cases of conflict-related sexual violence and other serious human rights violations, blamed on “pervasive impunity”, “lack of accountability” and “rule of law deficits”.

“The Government should take the necessary steps to ensure a safe and secure environment in order for humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving goods and services. These acts of criminality and violence must stop,” he remarked.

Guterres, however, said the UN stands alongside the coalition government in supporting initiatives that promote durable peace and ensure perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Volker Perthes, Head of UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) called for international financial support to implement the peace agreement and provide security to civilians.

Perthes briefed the Security Council on Tuesday on the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and the ongoing democratic reforms carried by the transitional government.

He told the 15-member body that despite some progress since his last briefing in May, the country continues to be hit by severe economic situation while violence affects Darfur and eastern Sudan.

Further, he pointed to the lack of justice and accountability for the Darfur war crimes, and the bloody attacks on civilians during the protests that toppled the former regime and after the revolution.

Speaking about the current security situation in Darfur he pointed to the urgency of deploying the Joint Security Keeping Forces to quell attacks on civilian and intercommunal violence.

“Between January and August 2021, about 418,000 people were newly displaced as a result of conflicts and armed attacks across Sudan, mainly in Darfur, parts of Kordofan and Blue Nile,” he said.

“This is more than six times as many as in the same period last year,” he further stressed.

The ceasefire monitoring in Darfur is “a priority area” for UNITAMS, according to resolution 2579 (2021). Further, the Mission, chairs the ceasefire commission, a role that allows following closely the implementation of the security arrangements.

Perthes told the Council that the Sudanese parties expect international logistical and financial support for the implementation of the security arrangements.

“And indeed, if Member States want security to be stabilised in Darfur they should not shy away from making resources available for, among other things, the training and support of the planned Joint Security Keeping Forces, the Police, or the demobilization and reintegration of fighters,” he stressed.

Speaking on behalf of the African group at the Security Council Tunisia’s representative, called on signatories to the Juba Peace Agreement to continue to implement its provisions, and to establish the key transitional institutions.

He further underscored that a lack of sufficient financial and technical resources to implement the Juba Peace Agreement. Also, he welcomed the establishment of the Sudan Peace Fund and called on all the country’s partners to support that initiative.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Sudanese women are considerably affected by violence in the Darfur region and still underrepresented in the transitional government institutions, a Sudanese activist told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Hala al-Karib, Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, briefed the Council on the situation of women in Sudan after the ouster of the former repressive regime in April 2019.

Al-Karbi who is actively involved in the support of women rights in Sudan said the slow implementation of reforms by transitional government fuels violence and negatively affects the fragile economy, governance system and public institutions.

“As was the case before the April 2019 revolution, women remain disproportionately impacted, with the worst food crisis in Sudan’s history pushing families to desperation,” she said.

Women in conflict-affected areas, including Darfur, Blue Nile, the Nuba Mountains and Kordofan continue to face rape, displacement and even death, she added.

“Despite women leading the revolution, we have been shut out from equally and meaningfully participating in every step of the transition,” al-Karib stressed.

Women groups in Sudan say disappointed by the reluctance of the Hamdok government to endorse international and regional conventions on women rights.

Last April, the government approved the ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) but entered reservations to several crucial dispositions. Moreover, the text until now has not been endorsed definitively.

Women are also angered by their underrepresentation in the cabinet and public agencies. The prime minister says the blame should be directed to the political groups of the Forces for Freedom and Changes who nominate the government officials.

Mentioning violent incidents of disrespect by armed groups including in Khartoum she said such actions are making an inclusive and democratic transformation more difficult.

SIHA director urged the Council to support Sudanese women by ensuring their full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership throughout the Transitional Government’s bodies, and in the peace processes.

The Constitutional Declaration of 2019 provides that 40% of the cabinet portfolios and the would-be formed legislative body be allocated to the Sudanese government.

Also, she called on the Security Council to press the Transitional Government to ratify CEDAW, and “ensure harmonization of domestic laws with the Convention without delay”.

Source: Sudan Tribune

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir is not the problem with the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, a government official said.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, Presidential Affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin blamed the slow implementation of the peace deal on the economic situation and “reluctance” by key members of international community to support the implementation of key provisions of the peace accord.

“Let me tell you that the president is not the problem. He (Kiir) is for peace and for the full implementation of this peace agreement”, he explained.

Marial called for patience and support to enable the full implementation of the agreement.

The minister’s comments come after a civil society activist representing the Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) in the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) resigned.

Rajab Mohandas said he quit because resolutions of the peace monitoring body tasked to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement are not being implemented, were never honored.

“This letter is to inform you and the membership of SSCSF of my intention to resign from my position and responsibilities as the representative of SSCSF in RJMEC effective September 12, 2021, the occasion of the third anniversary of the signing of the R-ARCSS,” Mohandas said in his resignation letter.

“…my resignation comes after careful evaluation of the status of implementation of the R-ARCSS and drawing a conclusion that maintaining support for the stalled Juba-centric peace process is no longer in the best interest of the suffering masses in the country and in the refugee settlements,” he added.

Mohandas said Kiir and the First Vice President in the coalition government Riek Machar are not showing interest in the implementation of the peace agreement.

“Those mandated by Article 1.1.1 of the R-ARCSS to implement the peace agreement have lost confidence in the peace process. While launching the Workshop on the Constitution Making Process on July 25, 2021, the President publicly declared that the peace agreement is too complicated to be implemented, and that those who designed the agreement did not intend that it would be implemented,” he stressed.

Source: Sudan Tribune