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JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The Chairperson of the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), Lony Ruot Kok, has warned that excluding the media and the public from the ongoing interview process for Truth Commission members risks undermining the integrity of South Sudan’s transitional justice journey.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Eye Radio on Tuesday, December 23, Ruot expressed deep concern over the lack of transparency in the selection of commissioners for the Commission for Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation (CTRH).

He argued that public participation is not just a preference but a legal requirement. Ruot pointed specifically to Article 10(2)(f) of the CTRH Act, 2024, which mandates that the selection process be participatory.

He noted that the law requires interviews to be conducted in a manner that allows for both panel participation and observation by the media and the public.

“Generally, what we want is for the group to observe the law,” Ruot stated. “This interview they are conducting now should be open to the public and the media. It should be participatory as the law requires… This is part of building public trust and ground for the upcoming commissioners to be able to do their work in a very trusted manner.”

The CTRH is a cornerstone of Chapter V of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, designed to address human rights abuses committed during the civil war.

Ruot emphasized that if victims do not see a transparent selection process, they may lack confidence in the final panel appointed to hear their grievances.

“If they build trust, that will allow victims to have confidence in the upcoming appointed commissioners. It should not be a closed activity; it should be an open activity to everyone,” Ruot added.

The Transitional Justice Working Group is now calling on the Government of South Sudan, the CTRH Selection Panel, and international partners—including IGAD, the African Union, UNMISS, and diplomatic missions—to intervene.

The group insists that the selection panel must ensure full compliance with the CTRH Act, 2024, publicly announce interview schedules in advance, open the doors to journalists and observers to witness the proceedings.

In November, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs issued the call for applications, seeking the seven commissioners (four South Sudanese and three non-South Sudanese) who will be tasked with documenting the truth of the conflict and recommending reparations for survivors.

As the selection process moves into its final stages, advocates like Ruot maintain that the legitimacy of the commission’s future work depends entirely on the transparency of its birth.