Civil society groups are calling for the publication of the African Union Commission of Inquiry Report on the atrocities committed in during the 16-month conflict.

The civil groups say once the report is released, it will help establish accountability mechanism and boost transitional justice in the country.

“Human rights violation is a fertilizer for political struggles and arguments,” said Edmond Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization.

“As long as the report remain silent, some people still knock the table that still they have a case to argue on and that they have a case to politically struggle because their right is violated.”

A member of South Sudan Law Society, Victor Bol, says the report must be released for the sake of accountability purpose.

“The process that was initiated was supposed to reveal the atrocities that happened, which would be used to form how we tailor the transitional justice system and the justice mechanism that would apply.”

The civil society groups made the call came during a public lecture organized by the University of Juba, Center for Peace and Development Studies.

The five-member Commission of Inquiry, chaired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, was established by the AU in March 2014 to investigate human rights violations and abuses committed by parties to the South Sudan conflict and make recommendations on accountability, reconciliation and healing among South Sudanese communities.

The Commission of Inquiry ended investigations in August and submitted its final report to the Chairperson of the AU Commission in October 2014. Since then it has not been made public.