Ter Manyang, the Executive Director of the Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy or CPA - COURTESY

A human rights activist on Wednesday slammed the African Union and the unity government for the delay in establishing the Hybrid Court, saying both institutions have been reluctant.

Ter Manyang’s call comes after the UN Human rights Commission on South Sudan urged the African Union to urgently establish the court and support the truth commission.

The UN body made the call after last week’s series of meetings with African Union leadership, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development diplomatic corps, UN representatives, and civil society, among other actors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The stakeholders discussed the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan concluded at the weekend.

Although the cabinet approved the establishment of the truth commission and the Hybrid court last year, Activist Ter Manyang says the unity government had been reluctant with no progress on initiating the process.

Manyang, who is also the Executive Director of the Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy or CPA, now calls on the UN Security Council to push the stakeholders to set up the Hybrid Court.

“This is a great move because it is long overdue. The issue of the Hybrid Court is fundamental to the implementation of the peace agreement, but both the African Union and South Sudan governments are reluctant on this,” Ter told Eye Radio.

The Commission of Truth, Healing and Reconciliation is a very important provision of the peace agreement,

“If the African Union and the United Nations Security Council could set (up) the Hybrid Court, it will help in (expediting) the implementation of the peace agreement.”

Under chapter 5 of the 2018 peace agreement, a Hybrid Court, a Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and a reparations process should have been established more than two years ago.

The chapter also mandates the African Union with supporting the process of establishing the court and other transitional justice institutions.

The mechanisms are mandated to deal with past abuses committed during the years of conflict in the country.

Manyang said the establishment of the court will expedite the implementation of the peace agreement which has been hit with delays and extensions.

“It will give pressure to the parties to the peace agreement and the leaders in ensuring the implementation of the peace agreement.”

The government and AU are yet to comment on the report.