South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
Participants in a two-day constitution-making symposium in Eastern Equatoria State have recommended that the new constitution establish a federal system, granting more authority to states and local governments.
The training was designed to equip participants with knowledge of the constitution-making process, their roles in public consultations, and how to engage communities in shaping the country’s permanent constitution.
Advocate Morris John Peter, the Programme Officer for the Support Peace Initiative Development Organization (SPIDO), stated that participants have articulated key demands to be included in the forthcoming permanent constitution.
“Participants agreed that the system of government for the Republic of South Sudan shall be a federal system, with the devolution of powers to state and local government levels,” said Peter while reading out recommendations during the closing of the two-day symposium on constitution-making held in Torit.
“The management of subterranean resources shall fall under the jurisdiction of the state government, with 10% allocated to the communities for developmental projects. Revenue collection shall be the responsibility of state governments, with 40% of the generated income remitted to the national government,” he added.
Peter noted that participants expressed the view that the office of the president should be maintained for at least four years, with eligible candidates allowed to serve only two terms if successful in elections.
“Youths should be granted 40% representation in government positions, as they constitute 70% of the total population in the country. It should be expressly stated in the permanent constitution that every individual has the right to free and compulsory basic education in South Sudan, aimed at reducing the high illiteracy rate among the youth,” he said.
“To address the current land disputes in South Sudan, the permanent constitution should clearly state that land belongs to the indigenous community, with its usage regulated by the state government,” he explained.
Peter also mentioned that persons with disabilities should have the right to participate equally in decision-making processes and be allocated a 10% share of government positions.
The participants further recommended that a separate section of the law be included in the permanent constitution to address defilement, which should be reflected in the Penal Code Act of the country.
“There is a need to enact family law to fill the gaps arising from the absence of regulations governing families in South Sudan. Compensation for the murder of girl children within communities should be abolished and clearly outlined in the permanent constitution,” he added.
“The permanent constitution should facilitate the promotion of loan facilities for the most vulnerable groups by the government to empower them economically,” he concluded.
The two-day training, held in Torit, Eastern Equatoria State, was organised by the Support Peace Initiative Development Organization (SPIDO) with funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Access to Justice, Security, and Human Rights Strengthening Programme.
