May 28, 2021 (JUBA) – The South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) rejected a “premature” Workshop on Permanent Constitution Making in South Sudan, saying it would only reflect the view of the regime.
The government on 25 May held a workshop on the permanent constitution which should be prepared and adopted during the transition before the general elections in line with the revitalized peace agreement.
In a statement extended to the Sudan Tribune, SOMMA said deeply disturbed and concerned by the launch of the constitutional process.
The statement further described it as a premature move that is aimed at “cementing the authoritarian powers of the regime” and maintaining the status quo.
“A constitutional making process must first be preceded by a National Constitutional Conference that the Alliance proposes to be held after the root causes of the conflict in the country are addressed incredible political negotiations,” said the alliance.
“SSOMA rejects and calls on the people of South Sudan to reject the regimes attempt to manipulate the views of the people through this premature process,” added the statement, before calling on regional and the International Community to reject it
SOMMA which is not a signatory of the revitalized peace agreement of September 2018 is engaged in a peace process mediated by the Sant’Egidio community aiming to bring the non-signatory group to join the revitalized peace agreement.
The IGAD Chairperson Abdallah Hamdok, U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth, UNMISS Head Nicholas Haysom and foreign diplomats in Juba attended the opening session of the workshop.
The government said the purpose of the workshop is to reach an accord on the unresolved issues in the 2018 peace and develop a list of resolutions that shall form the basis for drafting the legislation to govern the Constitution-Making Process in South Sudan.
Source: Sudan Tribune