South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) on Tuesday opened dialogue at a workshop in Juba aiming to prepare the country for free, fair and credible elections and also to speed up the constitution-making process, security sector reform and transitional justice.
Galdino Ochama Ojok, the Chairperson for South Sudan Civil Society Forum said that the three-day conference is meant to create conducive environment for the transitional justice and constitution making process.
“The conference is dedicated to chart a way forward for transitional justice process in our beloved nation, we convene not as mere representatives of diverse backgrounds but as architects of our shared destiny,” said Ojok during the opening ceremony held at Pyramid Hotel.
Ojok revealed that the constitution-making process will be the cornerstone of their discussions, adding that the participants will delve into strategies for ensuring that the values of justice, equality and rule of law are enshrined in the permanent constitution.
“We will also confront the challenges of transitional justice, we must ensure that the transition encompasses mechanisms that hold perpetrators accountable, foster reconciliation within communities and pave way for a future built on healing and forgiveness,” he said.
Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro, the Minister for Presidential Affairs said that the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement is progressing despite challenges, adding that the parties are working to end the transitional period with elections.
”The government is not going for extension, we have formed commissions, the Nation Election Commission, the Political Parties Council, National Constitution Review Commission and we are coming to cantonment and we are coming to dialogue that is our roadmap, we are going for elections,” said Bakasoro.
Agatha Ndonga, the Head of Program for the International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) said that they are working with government, faith-based institutions, civil society and the civil population to ensure that the voices, perspectives and views of those that have been displaced by many decades of conflict especially refugees and IDPs are brought to the policy making table.
Guang Cong, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary- General and the Deputy Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said that civil society groups are essential in the implementation of the peace agreement leading to the peaceful end of the transitional period.
“Elections and constitution-making are mutuality reinforcing mechanisms to give South Sudanese any dispensable voice in the way that they want their country to move forward,” said Cong.
“Similarly, transitional justice and security sector reforms are fundamental to addressing impunity, enhancing accountability and consolidating peace, it is important first to address the disconnect between the national and subnational level,” he added.
Justin Badi Arama, the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan said that the conference provides a unique opportunity to come up with harmonious decisions about the future of the country.
“I see the conference as timely and unique opportunity for all of us to reason together and come out with harmonious decisions about the future of our nation, taking into consideration the millions of our citizens who are living in very risky, harsh and deplorable conditions in various parts of this country and in foreign land,” said Arama.
“As the church we have always been speaking on some key concerns that are slowing down progress towards peaceful and successful transition in this country, one of it is lack of clarity and consensus among political parties, we need to see all parties speaking with one voice,” he added.
