Category: Peace

Peace

Create environment of credible political competition, US reminds Juba on elections

The U.S. Embassy in Juba has re-emphasized on the need for South Sudan leaders to create a conducive environment for general election if the Biden Administration is to support the exercise.

David Renz, the Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires says the US government wants full implementation of key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement.

These include the enactment of the Political Parties Act, the permanent constitution and the graduation of the unified forces, among others.

The revitalized peace agreement mandates the transitional government to organize elections sixty days before the end of the current Transitional Period.

This is expected to enable the establishment of a democratically elected government.

South Sudanese were supposed to go for polls this year, according to the peace deal.

In January last year, Kiir’s office said the parties agreed to extend the Transitional Period up to 2023 to allow full implementation of critical tasks.

The office of the president said the government was not prepared to organize any elections.

The State House suggested that more time and adjusting of the timetable would be required to reorganize institutions in charge of democratic reforms.

For elections to take place, the agreement says, the Political Parties Act of 2012 must be reviewed and approved by the parliament to enable free and democratic registration of political parties in South Sudan.

It also expects the permanent constitution to be enacted before a new National Elections Commission organizes the polls.

The peace partners are yet to complete parts of chapter one on governance, chapter two on permanent security arrangements, chapter three on special reconstruction programs, chapter four on economic reforms, and even on the establishment of a proper justice system.

“The US government will only support elections in this country if it believes that those elections are happening in an environment of credible political competition, so free, fair and democratic elections”, David Renz the Chargé d’Affaires, at the U.S. Embassy in South Sudan said.

Citing the recent elections in Ethiopia, Renz said “The United State government could not observe or support the election because we did not feel Ethiopia did not create a credible climate for fair political competition for election. If the conditions are met, we will absolutely support the election and that is what South Sudanese want.”

Renz went on to explain some of the conditions under which the US will support elections in the country.

“The immediate things are to address what I call practical steps outlined in the revitalized peace agreement. That is to say, setting up the legal framework for the country to plan for elections and the constitution is critical.”

“The country needs to be ready for election, the question of course is at which timeline? For the US we think there is a question at hand to be answered before that and that is how we are going to get the legal framework in place for actually to have a conversation around the election and around the timeline and the steps for the election.

Renz stressed that all of these were supposed to happen before the transition government of national unity was established back in February of 2020, but he said “we are now two years after the formation of the government and we are still trying to get this stuff done.”

South Sudan on path of achieving total peace, President Kiir

President Salva Kiir has called for more efforts from the peace parties in order to safeguard the 2018 peace deal.

He made the remarks Wednesday at the State House, J1 where he hosted the Muslims community for an IFTAR Breakfast celebrations.

The occasion was attended by top government officials including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and Vice President for Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi, among many others.

According to Kiir, the country is moving in the right direction and there is a need to maintain it.

 “Thanks God we are on the way to total peace in our country and we must thank all our friends who have been standing with us working for peace. Let us keep the direction so that we don’t lose the direction and return to war. Let’s safeguard the peace,” he said.

President said the five-year conflict destroyed the country, forcing those who wanted to help South Sudan withdraw their support.

“We have spoiled our country and we must go back to our senses so that there is no war between neighbor, among tribes or states.”

But since the parties have stopped the war, Kiir said, he is hopeful the donors and investors will come back into South Sudan.

“When we fell into war among us, all the promises made to us and things that were supposed to be delivered stopped. Because they say, if they give us the money, it means they have thrown it into the ocean.”

‘“Now that we have stopped fighting among ourselves, these people will come,” the head of state concluded.

With just a year left to the end of the transitional period, the peace parties are yet trading accusations over the slow implementation of the peace agreement.

They are yet to implement key provisions of the peace deal including the graduation of the unified forces which the international community and observers view as a determinant to stability of the country.

Adil, Lobong demand enactment of laws to regulate cattle keepers.

The governors of Eastern and Central Equatoria have recommended the enactment of a legal framework to regulate the movement of cattle keepers in the states.

Governor Emmanuel Adil and Louis Lobong made the appeal during questioning by the Council of States to explain insecurity related to herders in the region on Wednesday .

Responding to inquiries by the lawmakers, Governor Louis Lobong of Eastern Equatoria State suggested the need to enact laws to address the frictions between farmers and the pastoralists.

“In order to avoid clashes between cattle keepers and the predominantly farming communities as well as between different cattle keeping communities, there is a need to establish a legal framework to guide the movement of cattle in South Sudan,” he said.

He also emphasized on the need to strengthen law enforcement agencies for effective curtailing of conflict situations in the states.

“The organized forces in the States are poorly equipped. They lack the logistics needed for robust and effective interventions. Therefore I plead with you to lobby for a security fund to be allocated to the States to help them equip and prepare the organized forces for urgent response to security situations,” Governor Lobong stated.

Tensions have reportedly continued following the incidents between cattle keepers and the host communities.

Last week, herders and the host communities clashed in the areas of Abara, Ayii, Kit and Agoro-Somboro in Magwi County leaving scores dead and hundreds of others displaced.

“The presence of such laws and proper sensitization of our citizens will be of great importance in preventing clashes between different communities,” Lobong added.

For his part, Emmanuel Adil Anthony who is the governor of Central Equatoria state echoed the remarks of Louise Lobong.

‘The enactment of laws to regulate the movement of cattle across the State is one of the steps we believe will significantly mitigate the recurring cattle related conflicts.”

Adil said the security forces need logistical support to help particularly in the evacuation of the herders and to regulate the movement of the herders.

“Inadequate financial support from the national government to provide logistics for the forces engaged in the cattle evacuation exercise.”

Conflict between farmers and cattle keepers in some parts of the Equatoria region remains a major security concern.

In the recent years, there have been reports of cattle grazing uncontrollably on farmlands, destroying precious food crops cultivated by settled communities in areas like Pageri, Abara, Agoro, Omeyo, Ayii, Nyolo, and parts of western Torit County.

This is in defiance of a 2015 order by President Salva Kiir for the evacuation of cattle from the Equatoria region.

A committee was set up to ensure that the animals were returned to their respective states, but these have not been implemented due to unclear reasons.

When asked why the presidential orders for the evacuation of cattle from the Equatoria region were not effected, the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjaminhe argued that the two orders were implemented.

“Honorable Speaker, my answer is, they have been implemented. Whether they have followed up to the right conclusions is another thing but the implementation was there and I gave you one example of one of our citizens who responded to the order and took his cattle where they should be,” he said.

Marial also concurred with the governors’ call for laws regulating movement of cattle in designated farmlands.

However, on Monday, authorities of Mugali Payam in Eastern Equatoria’s Magwi County decried displacement of the natives due continued harassment allegedly by herders in the area.  

Cattle keepers, the local authorities described as “Illegal IDPs”, allegedly attacked Avumadrici area, allegedly abducting and raping a 13-year old girl last week.

In a written statement, the area leaders said residents are still experiencing unprecedented violence including looting of their properties.

They noted that the settlers went on rampage immediately after the recent visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Dau, and UN agencies to the area.

 

US regrets S.Sudan, Sudan gov’ts silence over Abyei issue

The US government has expressed regrets over the silence of both Sudan and South Sudan on the status of Abyei Administrative Area.

According to the US government, UNISFA should further its support of community dialogue and inter-communal reconciliation through outreach to local peace committees and to those who don’t always understand what the mission does.

In recent months, violence intensified in the contested region despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission – UNISFA in the area.

The most recent attack happened last week when over 40 civilians including women and children were killed by suspected Misseriya tribesmen in separate incidents in the area.

In December last year, the Chief Administrator for Abyei Administrative Area called on the presidency to expedite the process of determining the final status of the area.

The two countries are currently struggling to implement similar peace agreements signed after political unrests and conflicts over the years.

The oil-rich border region of Abyei has been contested since South Sudan gained independence in 2011.
The area was accorded a special administrative status by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict, known as, the Abyei Protocol.

A referendum was originally to be held in 2011 in which the residents of Abyei could decide either to remain part of Sudan or to become part of South Sudan.

However, the referendum was postponed indefinitely due to disagreements over the process.

As a result the Dinka Ngok and the Mesiriya tribesmen of Sudan unilaterally conducted separate referendums – but were not recognized by either government.

In 2020, a UN official told a Security Council meeting that, despite improving relations between Sudan and South Sudan, progress was unlikely in a short term in determining the final status of the Abyei Area.

In May last year, President Salva Kiir constituted a high-level committee to initiate dialogue with the Sudanese government on the final status of the Abyei Administrative Area.

The team comprises three members of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly and four other senior SPLM cadres.

The committee was tasked with negotiating with the government of Sudan in order to reach an amicable solution on the status of Abyei.

The committee members who were expected to feed President Salva Kiir with monthly updates on the progress of the negotiation have so far made no progress.

In her address to the Security Council yesterday, Linda said “Let’s be crystal clear, the long-term solution to this conflict can only be worked out through diplomacy. And we encourage all parties to renew diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful and mutually acceptable resolution of Abyei’s final status.”

Linda stressed that there should be meetings of joint institutions between the two countries, including the Joint Political and Security Mechanism.

“We regret there have been no meetings of any joint institutions or mechanisms, including of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism, since the last time the Council was briefed on the situation in Abyei last year. It’s simply unacceptable to resign ourselves to the status quo.”

Ambassador Linda went on to express US concerns over the recent violence in the Abyei Administrative Area.

“We are deeply concerned by the recent violent clashes in Abyei in February and March. And we thank the mission for quickly reacting to restore order and increasing patrols. Going forward, we must improve community relations on the ground. This is essential to addressing security in Abyei,” she added.

The US ambassador to the UN further said the United States looks forward to working constructively with Security Council to renew UNISFA’s mandate.

“This underscores the mission’s need for more police to address criminality and a civilian deputy head of mission to strengthen dialogue with the parties, including on establishing the Joint Police Service.”

The diplomat said her government will continue to partner with the governments of Sudan, South Sudan, and the people of the region, and all stakeholders to work toward peace, security, and prosperity of the region.

“We once again reiterate our call for Sudan to issue visas for UN personnel and a civilian deputy head of mission mandated by the Security Council, in 2019.”

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