UN experts urge urgent attention to South Sudan’s peace process to prevent violence

JUBA – The United Nations-appointed human rights experts on South Sudan have called on the international community to urgently pay more attention to the escalating violence proliferating at a local level in the world’s youngest country.

“In meetings with United Nations officials here, we tried to get across the message that it is critical donors and member states continue to monitor the peace agreement, security sector reform and ensure constitutional legislation is pushed through before elections,” Yasmin Sooka, Chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, said during a visit to New York which concluded yesterday.

Sooka said millions of South Sudanese displaced by conflicts are creating havoc in neighboring countries and on aid agencies.

“Without these steps, we are likely to see millions more South Sudanese displaced or crossing borders, creating havoc for neighboring countries and aid agencies,” Sooka added.

Barney Afako, Commissioner for UN Commission on Human Rights, said the government must make available interim reparations to survivors whose lives are shattered.

“You cannot exclude large numbers of people who have suffered from having a say in the future justice system. Nor can you cherry pick between the different transitional justice bodies – they all have to work together to bring closure to the people of South Sudan,” said Afako.

“In the meantime, the Government must make available interim reparations to survivors whose lives are shattered,” he added.

While in New York, the Commissioners also spoke at a Global Survivors Forum hosted by Nobel Peace Prize winners, Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, which examined best practices for reparations for sexual violence.

“Survivors in South Sudan, particularly those of repeated incidents of sexual violence, tell us again and again that criminal accountability is the only way to guarantee their safety and peace for the country,” said Commissioner Andrew Clapham.

Clapham added that “That’s why setting up the Hybrid Court is non-negotiable”.

On 4 August 2022, parties to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement for South Sudan signed a further two-year extension of the transitional governance arrangements, postponing elections until late 2024.

As of now the shape of the electoral system remains undefined.

Additionally, elections require a conducive environment but South Sudanese who have questioned the government or exposed atrocities have received death threats, been detained or tortured, with the political space shrinking.