President Salva Kiir - CREDIT | Office of the President | Nov. 29, 2021

President Salva Kiir has launched nationwide public consultations for the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing.

Chapter five, article two obligates the Ministry of Justice in collaboration with stakeholders and civil society to conduct public consultations for a period not less than one month prior to the establishment of the Commission.

It adds that the consultation shall ensure the experiences of women, men, girls and boys are sufficiently documented and findings of the consultation incorporated in the resultant legislation.

The Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing shall also recommend processes and mechanisms for the full enjoyment by victims of the right of remedy including by suggesting measures for reparation and compensation.

In his address during the launch President Salva Kiir says the consultation must reflect the views of the victims to achieve genuine reconciliation.

“The commission for truth, reconciliation and healing must focus on serving the interest of the victims, throughout its work,” President Kiir said.

“The final truth that will come from this process must reflect what the victims went through, it’s only after this that our country can achieve a genuine reconciliation.

“Today [Tuesday] marks the beginning of the launch of the consultation process for establishment of the commission for truth, reconciliation and healing.”

The peace agreement obligates the Unity government to initiate legislation for the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing.

Others include an independent hybrid judicial body referred to as the Hybrid court for South Sudan and the Compensation and Reparation Authority.

First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar however urged the Ministry of Justice to initiate legislations towards the establishment of other transitional justice mechanisms.

“Since the output of the commission of truth and reconciliation will fit into the hybrid court and will fit into the compensation and reparation authority,” Dr. Machar said.

“It is important now that we start the process of working on this legislation, for the hybrid court the ball has been thrown.

“When you speak to AU the AU say they are waiting for us to do the legislations, while we here in the ministry, the ministry is waiting for the guideline so that the legislations would be done.”

But President Salva Kiir insisted that South Sudan require reconciliation first before seeking justice.

“What we need the most is the reconciliation before the next step on pressuring punitive justice,” said Kiir.

“We need community healing first rather than devoting our energy on the tarring specific acts of violence through criminal precaution.

“We need to use reconciliation and forgiveness to eradicate the culture of impunity.”