Information Minister Michael Makuei. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).
The Council of Ministers chaired by President Kiir has granted the justice minister authority to proceed with setting up the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, and the Compensation and Reparation Authority.
In a meeting held on Friday, the cabinet reviewed a report presented by Hon. Ruben Madol concerning the urgent need to establish the transitional justice institutions mandated with healing the wounds of the years of conflicts.
Justice Minister Madol sought the cabinet’s authorization to engage with relevant institutions and stakeholders including the United Nations, and the African Union to ensure international participation in the commission’s establishment.
Information Minister Michael Makuei – addressing the media in Juba as reported by state-owned SSBC – announced that Mr. Madol was given greenlight to implement the laws by setting up a panel to identify board and panel members.
“The Minister of Justice made a presentation to the cabinet in order to be given green light to continue contacting the institutions and stakeholders – the UN and the African Union because the foreigners were supposed to be parties to these bodies,” the information minister said.
“The cabinet gave him the full authority to authorize him to set up a panel to identify the members of the board and to identify the members of the panel so that the operationalization of these two laws takes effect.”
Mr. Makuei said the request was approved and the minister directed to move forward with operationalizing the laws in an important step in promoting peace and justice.
However, there was no mention of the Hybrid Court – which the 2018 peace deal stipulates to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of committing crimes since the conflict began in December 2013.
The tribunal was supposed to try cases including the deliberate killing of civilians, rape and other sexual violence, forced recruitment of children, forced displacements, among other crimes.
Since the formation of the unity government, less or little has been mentioned in regards to Chapter 5 of the peace pact that stipulates the establishment of the court.
At present, there is no other justice avenue available for South Sudanese victims of the conflict, apart from the pending Hybrid Court.
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