South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Executive Director of the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ), Jackline Nasiwa has urged the United Nations Security Council to push for the resumption of the stalled Tumaini peace talks between the transitional government and opposition parties.
“I strongly recommend that the Security Council call for a resumption of the Tumaini peace initiative, which would not only bring in holdout groups that did not sign the agreement, but also provide an opportunity to address the challenges of nation building,” said Nasiwa on Wednesday in a statement.
Nasiwa urged the international community to support grassroots peacebuilding and devise mechanisms for early warning and atrocity prevention to de-escalate violence.
She noted that the current political tension has eroded the already shrinking civic and political space with arbitrary arrests and detention of politicians, with civic engagement restricted and democratic processes weakened.
Nasiwa also called on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), the Troika and the European Union (EU) to de- escalate the current tensions, enhance mediation efforts for dialogue and support the full implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.
She disclosed that the people of South Sudan are tired and traumatized, and cannot heal in an environment of unending violence and political uncertainty, adding that the immediate needs on the ground are for civilian protection and unobstructed aid delivery.
Nasiwa revealed that the humanitarian workers face violence and bureaucratic impediments, adding that they should be allowed to safely reach people in need, especially women, children, and the elderly.
“All parties must ensure an environment that is conducive to safe, peaceful and democratic elections. As civil society, we urge the Security Council to pressure the parties to jointly declare an immediate cessation of hostilities and recommit themselves to the agreement,” she said.
