CEPO’s civil-military dialogue ends with calls for conclusion of Rome peace process

GULUMBI, JUNE 21, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A civil-military relations dialogue held in Morobo County of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State has concluded with calls for speedy conclusion of the Rome peace talks between government and holdout opposition groups.

The dialogue came on the wake of a soaring relationship between the civilians and the military characterized by looting of properties and harassment of civilians.

Over 70 community leaders, women, youth, local government officials, religious leaders, and the army attended the dialogue organized by Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) under the theme “Let us work together to promote peace, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between the military and civilians in Gulumbi Payam as well as Morobo County.”

Speaking at the end of the three-day event, CEPO’s Project Officer for the Greater Yei, Malish John Scopas, said the dialogue aimed promoting sustainable security, peace, and development by creating peaceful and conducive environment for returnees and internally displaced persons to rebuild their lives.

“The civil-military dialogue aimed at creating a problem-solving mechanism to tackle civil-military issues in a peaceful, collegial and collateral manner,” he said.

Malish further cited calls for the urgent of the Rome peace talks between government and opposition groups, end to all forms violence, strengthening of education and health systems and compensation of civilians who lost properties during war as some of the resolutions that emerged at the end of the dialogue.

The Bishop of Panyana Diocese, Rt. Rev. Seme Nigo said he was optimistic of improvements in the relationship between civilians and the military in the county.

He called for an end to the Rome talks mediated by the Community of Sant’Egidio.

“Peace cannot come from outside the country, but from within. I call upon the non-signatories to the peace agreement to reach consensus with the government so that our people in neighboring countries can return to their homes,” said Nigo.

Ngor Apiet, the area commander who spoke on behalf of the military described as “cordial and peaceful” the relationship between the SSPDF and the civilians. He urged an end to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in the county.

Last year alone, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it documented 52 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence by government security forces, an unknown armed group as well as community-based militias.

The civil-military dialogue was organized by CEPO under the Reconciliation, Stabilization and Resilience in South Sudan project designed to help communities in Yei, Lainya, Morobo and Kajo-Keji reconcile and end violence, bring stability where they live and create new incentives to sustain peaceful coexistence.

The project is led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with support from UNMISS, CEPO, Support for Peace and Education Development Programme, Finn Church Aid and Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative.