Gituai says Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) Board is yet to submit its validated policy documents to the principals in addition to the unification of the mid-level echelon Command, still pending

By James Chatim

The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has stated that without the completion of the unification of forces, armed political parties will not be allowed to register for the elections.

Addressing the delegates at the ongoing Governors’ Forum in Juba, Maj Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, the Interim Chairperson of RJMEC said the Political Parties Act 2022, prohibits registration of political parties with armed wings.

“It is therefore essential for the parties to the agreement to expedite the completion of unification of forces to enable those currently with armed wings register and participate in elections,” he emphasized.

Speaking about the transitional security arrangements, Gituai noted that the unification of forces has not progressed as expected since Phase I graduation of the Necessary Unified Forces.

“Out of 55,000 graduates, nine battalions or approximately 7,000 of the military components were deployed in several parts of the country.”

“The rest of the organized forces have not been deployed while unification of Phase II forces and the DDR process have not yet commenced,” he lamented.

Also, Gituai said the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) Board is yet to submit its validated policy documents to the principals in addition to the unification of the mid-level echelon Command which is also still pending.

He said despite of the signficant developments in the peace implementation, the implementation of the R-ARCSS has faced many recurring challenges.

“Key among these have been the lack of political will, lack of predictable and sufficient funding to the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms, trust deficit among the Parties, capacity gaps within the various implementation mechanisms, insecurity caused by activities of some holdout groups, severe flooding and ramifications of the conflict in Sudan.”

In his recommendation, Gen. Gituai urged the leadership of the country at the national and state levels use the governors’ forum to reflect on the challenges that have faced the implementation of the agreement and resulted in repeated extensions of the R-ARCSS.

He further remarked that the critical question to be addressed relates to what should be done differently during the next 24 months to ensure completion of implementation of the critical pending tasks of the R-ARCSS, is the creation of a conducive environment for the conduct of credible, peaceful, free, and fair democratic elections in December 2026.

While commending the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2018, as the best opportunity for peace in the country, Agatha Ndonga, in her report published by the International Centre for Transitional Justice, says the biggest and most essential part of the agreement yet to be accomplished by the signatories is the consolidation of the military and the opposition and rebel forces into one army.

“A unified military that meets international human rights standards is necessary for a lasting and sustainable peace,” she says.

According to Ndonga, the process should have happened before the formation of the transitional unity government. However, funding challenges facing the government and military made it difficult at the time.

Meanwhile, delays to  actualize the process has cost the country in glaring incidences, as the rising spate of insecurity in various regions of the country blamed for the inaction.

Late September, a Kampala-bound bus was ambushed just few hours after it had left Juba in the wee hours, sprayed by bullets that killed one person and led to the injuries of eight others. Passengers would later be commandered into the bushes, robbed and anguished, in what the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces would later blame on the rebel group- the National Salvation Front (NAS), led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo.

In its third quarter report, RJMEC reports sporadic clashes between the SSPDF and the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Lt Gen. Thomas Cirillo in some parts of Central Equatoria State.

During the quarter, CTSAMVM submitted two violation reports, including one on the clash between the Unity State Governor’s Convoy Protection Team and SPLM/A-IO Forces in Jamus/Barkuor, Unity State. 

According to Ndonga, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration have been hampered by tensions related to fears that this process could be selective or otherwise biased, and failure to launch the two processes poses a serious threat to the implementation of the R-ARCSS and a successful transition to law and order and peace in South Sudan.