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

The head of Center for Peace and Advocacy, a civil society organization, is appealing to the African Union to pressure South Sudan’s transitional government to urgently set up the Hybrid Court.

Forming the tribunal, as outlined in the 2018 peace deal, is said to be a key factor to ensuring long term stability and accountability for serious crimes in South Sudan.

In a press statement Wednesday, CPA Executive Director Ter Manyang Gatwech said holding perpetrators to account will prevent future recurrence of conflicts.

“The processes are judicial and non-judicial mechanisms on truth seeking, prosecution initiatives, reparations and various measures to prevent the recurrence of human rights violations and issues of institutional reforms in South Sudan,” reads part of the statement.

Manyang said he lobbied an African Union Transitional Justice Policy official in Addis Ababa for the continental body to help establish the court.

The Hybrid Court for South Sudan has the mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals bearing the responsibility for the serious crimes committed since 15 December 2013 in South Sudan.

These include the deliberate killing of civilians, rape and other sexual violence, forced recruitment of children, forced displacements, among other crimes.

The decision to establish the Hybrid Court was taken through the 2015 peace agreement signed by parties to the conflict, and reiterated through the revitalized peace agreement (R-ARCSS) in September 2018.

At present, there is no other justice avenue available for South Sudanese victims of the conflict, apart from the pending Hybrid Court.