South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
The Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Maj. Gen. (rtd) Charles Tai Gituai has urged political parties to discourage defection among them and promote protection of civilians across the country.
“To the Parties to the Agreement and relevant stakeholders discourage defections and promote the protection of civilians, as per articles 2.1.8, and 2.1.10 of the R-ARCSS; and continuously adhere to the minimum 35 percent women representation in appointments to the various commissions and agreement institutions and mechanisms;” Gituai is quoted to have said in a new report released in Juba on Thursday.
The report on the status of implementation of the revitalized agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the republic of South Sudan covers the period of 1st October to 31st December 2023.
Gituai urged cooperation among the parties in a collegial manner and also called on them to present a unified plan for elections, and also avoid unilateral pronouncements that are contrary to the letter and spirit of the revitalized peace agreement.
He asked the parties to dialogue among themselves and agree on the practical steps to fast-track the implementation of the Roadmap to ensure the timely conduct of elections.
South Sudan is due for general election at the end of the current transitional period in December 2024.
Gituai called on the transitional unity government to demonstrate commitment to the elections by providing the funding required to hold elections, completing the permanent constitution making process; and completing the unification of forces .
He also urged the unity government to provide the necessary resources to the transitional security mechanisms to allow them to complete the unification of the forces, that he said will provide election-related security and help stabilize the security situation in the country
Gituai also reminded the transitional national legislative assembly (TNLA ) to expedite the enactment of all amendment bills previously submitted by the Council of Ministers and outlined in Box 1 and in respect to the National Security Service Amendment Bill, 2023 and also uphold the consensus reached by the principals of the peace agreement in reforming the security sector.
He also called upon the international partners and friends of South Sudan to enhance their political engagement with the parties to the revitalized agreement and the unity government, and prevail on them to complete implementation of the critical pending tasks, especially the unification of forces and the making of the permanent constitution so that South Sudan’s democratic transition can be effected smoothly; and support the permanent constitution-making process, including by directly funding some of the critical mechanisms, civic education, and providing capacity building.
“It is important to underscore that the next few months will prove critical to demonstrating the country’s ability to deliver the promises of the R-ARCSS and effect a smooth democratic transition through the holding of free, fair and credible elections. In that regard, a renewed commitment, demonstrated by the RTGONU, to funding the key institutions charged with preparing for the polls along with efforts to complete the training and redeployment of the NUF, and embarking on the permanent constitution making process will prove pivotal,” Gituai said.
He said that Revitalized Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) continues to underscore the importance of a people led and a people owned permanent constitution as the basis to guide the conduct of a credible free, fair and peaceful election.
“As we approach the end of the transitional period it is critical that the parties to the peace agreement engage in collegial discussions to agree on the best way forward taking into account the history of the conflict, the gains achieved to date under the peace Agreement and any potential risk of 14 a return to conflict,” Gituai said.
“The RTGoNU owes it to the people of South Sudan to successfully navigate the remaining period of the transition and on its part and pursuant to its mandate as provided for in Chapter 7 of the R-ARCSS, the RJMEC will continue to monitor, evaluate, report on the status of implementation of the RARCSS, and as circumstances may demand, intervene to break any deadlock that may emerge in the course of implementation,” he added.
Gituai said that RJMEC will regularly provide reports and briefings to the RTGoNU, the reconstituted TNLA, the Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government, the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and to the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Security Council of the United Nations.
