Dr. Riang Yer Zuor, Chairperson of National Constitution Review Commission in his office after speaking to Eye Radio on Friday, 27th Sept 2024. Photo Credit: Eye Radio

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – The Chairperson of the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) has reiterated that South Sudan’s permanent constitution-making process must be profoundly participatory, as mandated by the 2022 act governing the process.

Dr. Riang Yer Zuor made these remarks yesterday during the opening of a crucial three-day workshop focusing on the “Role of Journalists in the Permanent Constitution Making Process in South Sudan.”

He pointed out that the media’s role is “indispensable” in the current constitution-making process.

Dr. Riang stated that Article 6.13 of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) 2018, along with Sections 12 and 34 of the Constitution-Making Process Act 2022.

He explained that public involvement is secured through extensive civic education and public consultations, ensuring that citizens’ views are reflected and form the fundamental basis for drafting the constitutional text.

These exercises are meticulously designed to ensure their outcomes directly inform the final document.

“As such, our choice for a democratic constitution-making process entails wider public participation, which shall require a wider media coverage for the message to circulate widely enough for our people to make informed decisions and choices during public consultation exercises,” Dr. Riang stated.

“That is for this reason that a workshop on the role of journalists in the permanent constitution-making process in this country is of utmost importance for such an exercise should rightly be expected as stated in the invitation letter that I received, and I quote, ‘to equip journalists with the skills and knowledge to report responsibly and contribute to constructive public discourse during periods of the making of the permanent constitution.'”

The workshop aims to prepare journalists to responsibly report on this critical national undertaking.

Dr. Riang Yer Zuor noted last month that insecurity and insufficient resources had caused delays in the nationwide civic education and public consultations necessary for the process.

Despite these challenges, the NCRC is pushing forward, recognizing the media as a pivotal bridge between the constitutional process and the South Sudanese populace.