17 South Sudanese civil society organizations say that people suspected of committing crimes should be excluded from the recent presidential amnesty.

In a decree read by Vice President James Wani Igga yesterday, President Salva Kiir pardoned all armed forces fighting the government and gave them up to the end of next month to respond.

“The civil society organizations say that pardoning suspected perpetrators of crimes will contradict the international law and promotes impunity,” reported Michael Minassie, Eye Radio’s correspondent in Addis Ababa.

“They made the call in a document submitted to the warring parties on security sector reform and defense transformation in Addis Ababa yesterday.”

The groups urge the United Nations not to endorse amnesties to human rights violators in the agreement.

The civil society organizations have also recommended the reestablishment of one army with a new command and the transformation of the police service.