Kiir, Machar need to prove they are willing, capable to bring peace, demands CEPO  

JUBA, MARCH 3, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has challenged President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Riek Machar Teny to prove to the citizens and the international community that they are willing and capable to bring permanent peace to Africa’s youngest country.

The civil society watchdog made the challenge in reaction to a comment by the deputy head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan Guang Cong in which he told a meeting of the Reconstitution Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) on Thursday that the expected deployment of peace forces is behind the timeline provided for in the peace roadmap signed in August 2022.

“While I acknowledge the efforts to ensure the completion of phase one of the graduation of the Necessary Unified Forces, the deployment of the graduated forces and commencement of Phase II are already behind the roadmap stated timelines,” Cong told the RJMEC meeting in Juba.

In a statement this afternoon, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization expressed the same concerns raised by the UN envoy and said that the delays after the start of the implementation of the peace roadmap is a disappointment, not only to CEPO, but also to the people of South Sudan and the international community.

“CEPO agree the concern raised by the UNMISS deputy head of mission on the delay in redeployment of the graduated unified forces around the country,” the CEPO statement a copy of which was extended to Sudans Post reads in part.

“This is disappointing and discouraging the spirit of believing that the parties to the R-ARCSS are committed and have the will for genuine transitional security arrangements,” the brief statement added.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, said Kiir and Machar will have to prove to the South Sudanese citizens and the international community that they are willing and capable of bringing to the country to be trusted again for the peace challenge.

“The presidency needs to prove to the South Sudanese and the global society that they are willing to transition the situation from violence to peace. A timely redeployment of the first graduated unified forces could have been an indicator of a political leadership commitment for protection of civilians,” he said.

“The protection of the civilians is a primary responsibility of the transitional government of national unity and CEPO strongly is urging presidency to act on the redeployment of the graduated unified forces because it is essential that that graduated unified forces be redeployment within the month of March 2023,” he added.