The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Monday called on
South Sudan government to expedite the process of forming a hybrid court
to try perpetrators of rights abuses in the war-ravaged nation.
This follows a similar call by the United States on 7th September 2018.
In a statement, the commission urged South Sudan to use the newly
signed peace deal as an opportunity to ensure justice and accountability
for the victims of rights abuses.
“The Commission in particular urged the African Union and the
Government of South Sudan to agree on a timeline to fast-track the
long-awaited Hybrid Court for South Sudan, the Commission on Truth,
Healing and Reconciliation and the Compensation and Reparations
Authority, all set out in Chapter V of the Peace Agreement to render
justice and facilitate national reconciliation,” the statement reads in
part.
The Commission’s Chairperson Yasmin Sooka said they are waiting for consent from the government of South Sudan.
“Six months later, we are still waiting for this signature [by the
President of South Sudan or his foreign Minister], which is required by
the African Union to set up this court,” stressed Ms. Sooka.
“South Sudan is at war with its citizens and currently stands at the
crossroads between hope and peace, on the one hand, and more missed
opportunities, on the other hand. Sustainable peace requires justice and
accountability for serious crimes,” she added.
The rights body further added that victims of the five-year conflict
need justice for healing of communities and rebuilding of social bonds,
while condemning the on-going sexual violence against women and girls in
South Sudan.
The Commission further criticised the South Sudanese government for
not heeding to calls by civil society and the international community to
abolish the death penalty or put in place a moratorium on executions,
noting that three executions took place in May this year.
It further expressed fears that there could be more executions in the
coming months as 40 out of 345 death-row prisoners detained across the
country have been transferred from state and county prisons to Wau and
Juba central prisons, which are the only prisons equipped with execution
chambers.
Radio Tamazuj
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