The Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement, Monitoring, and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has filed fresh reports on ceasefire violation by parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
Amid the prevailing calm political atmosphere in the capital Juba, the permanent ceasefire the ceasefire monitoring says parties to the peace agreement were engaging in conducts which defy the content of the truce signed in 2018.
CTSAMVM say the incidences, which happened across various parts of the country included sexual and gender-based violence, child abduction and senseless killings, calling for parties’ recommitment to the peace implementation process.
“We have continued to see pockets of incidents by the parties. While we make the commitment to monitor, investigate and report those incidents, we urge the leaders of all warring parties to work together, to ensure that the continued suffering, particularly cases of SGBV, abduction of children, and the senseless killing of innocent civilians are stopped,” Maj. Gen. Dafaalla Hamid Mohamed, CTSAMVM’s Deputy Chairman said.
Speaking on the opening phase of one-day Civil Society representatives update workshop on the implementation of the peace agreement last week, Hamid called on members of the Civil Society organizations to educate South Sudanese on their rights to enable them hold leaders accountable of human rights violations
“CTSAMVM needs you, collectively and continuously to advocate for the rights of the ordinary citizens, to be a watchdog against the violation of human rights, to educate the population on their rights and specially to hold the leaders accountable and to press for peaceful resolution of conflict and dialogue,” he added.
The workshop brought together representatives from Civil Society Organizations, Women’s Bloc, Youths and National Constitution Amendment Committee to discuss status and participants’ role in the implementation of the agreement.
Mary Akech Bior, Chair of South Sudan Women’s Bloc said the agreement obligates parties to the revitalized peace accord to ensure protection of the citizens and would be held accountable should they fail to do so.
“In terms of women, children and elderly people suffering, it is within the signed agreement that the parties have to take the responsibility of civilians’ protection. So, in case of any violation or act by the signatories, they will be held accountable,” Mary said.
Some critical provisions of the agreement remain outstanding, the security arrangement and governance, increasing the suffering of citizens as uncontrolled armed men continue to destabilize security, intercommunal violence and cattle raiding surge in the country.
However, Jame David Kolok, Executive Director at Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance said lack of political will delayed fully security arrangement implementation critical to ending suffering of the citizens.
“A lot of these things are just a question of political will I know by now the security arrangement and reunification processes would have happened way before the coronavirus outbreak,” Kolok said.