A civic education program to engage the public in the ten states of South Sudan in the constitution making process has been launched by the National Constitution Review Commission.

The advanced team for Jonglei left Juba for Bor yesterday, while the teams for Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria state leaves today.

The rest of the teams will leave on Sunday to the rest of the states.

A Member of the Constitution Review Commission leading a team to Jonglei, Ateny Wek Ateny, said gauging public opinion on the permanent constitution is important:

“Civic education is to consult with members of the public who are different stakeholders. The constitution requires us to consult with the people, so that they also give their views on how the constitution can be drafted, because the constitution must be reflective of the citizen’s aspirations.”

Mr. Wek urged the public to participate actively in the constitution making process to ensure that the permanent constitution reflects their aspirations:

“The public should take into account the fact that the process is theirs,” he said. “They must have an input in the constitutional process, if they must see the good governance.”

“If they don’t participate, they shouldn’t come and blame people later on that they were not told about the process.

“This is the time for them to come closer to the commission; so that they say what they think the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan should look like.

“If they don’t come to contribute, we are not given a mandate to go to their houses to knock on every door.”

The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan stipulates that members of the Transitional Constitution Review Commission must educate and involve the public, on the permanent constitution making process.