SPLM-IO says permanent constitution-making process ‘stalled’ as gov’t keep boycotting preparatory workshops

JUBA – A senior South Sudan main armed opposition official has said that the permanent constitution-making process provided for in the revitalized peace agreement has stalled after the former ITGONU led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s SPLM-IG boycotted, several times, preparatory workshops that would have kicked off the beginning of the process.

According to the revitalized peace agreement signed by Kiir himself and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny , as well as a number of opposition groups, the world’s youngest country shall have a permanent constitution before the end of transitional period in 2022 after which democratic elections shall be held for the people to chose leader of their choice.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, the SPLM-IO Representative to the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), Nathaniel Pierino, accused the SPLM-IG-led ITGONU saying the Kiir-led group has refused to attend meetings meant to prepare the parties for the start of the permanent constitution-making process.

“The process of permanent constitution making stalled before takeoff [because] ITGONU refused to attend,” Nathaniel said in the statement seen by Sudans Post. “For the past two months, R-JMEC [Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission] pursuant to the Agreement, Chapter Six; (Art. 6.7-9) has been engaging Parties to the Agreement to kick-start the process of the Permanent Constitution Making for South Sudan. A series of consultative and sensitization meetings/workshops took place with Parties and Stakeholders but the ITGONU refused to take part.”

The statement said each of the five parties who are signatories to the peace agreement were requested to nominate three representatives for the workshop that was initially planned for February 2021, but the ITGONU hasn’t submitted the list of their nominees making it effective that the peace workshop will not go ahead as planned.

“Each party to the Agreement were requested to nominate 3 participants to the Permanent Constitution Making Workshop planned for first week of February, 2021; all parties nominated their representatives, except ITGONU. The Workshop contemplated under Article 6.7 of the Agreement is very critical because it shall draw political roadmap to govern the process of Constitution Making,” the statement said.

“R-JMEC, with the support of the international partners were able to hold and facilitate series of meetings and workshop, and identified a German-based Institute: Max Planck Institute for Constitutional Development and Rule of Law; whose experts traveled to Juba on invitation to facilitate the planned workshop.

“Unfortunately, the ITGONU, one of the parties to the agreement, didn’t appoint its representatives to participate in the workshop on Permanent Constitution Making despite several notifications; and refused to take part in the preparatory consultative and sensitization meetings.

“Consequently the Permanent Constitution Making Workshop stalled and could not go on as planned and has to be pushed to later date until further notice. The Permanent Constitution Making for South Sudan is one of the most critical milestones in the Agreement since.”