‘Exert diplomatic pressure on South Sudan’s leaders’, global watchdog urges world leaders
President Yoweri Museveni, Prime Minister Abdalftah Alburhan of Sudan, President Salva Kiir, Dr. Riek Machar Teny and, His Excellency Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Kenya’s Special Envoy on South Sudan posting for a picture after the Summit in Entebbe(Photo credit: State House/Uganda)
Nov 17th, 2019 (SSNN) — In its bimonthly bulletin report released on Friday, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect urges the international community and the region to exert sustained diplomatic pressure on South Sudan’s government and all opposition groups to implement all critical pending components of the peace agreement.
The global R2P’s watchdog highlighted that despite the signing of the peace agreement in September 2018, and a significant reduction in ceasefire violations, clashes between government and NAS forces continue to seriously threaten the civilian population in the Equatoria region.
“Although a ceasefire has largely been maintained and armed violence has reduced since September 2018, clashes between government forces and rebel groups that refused to sign the R-ARCSS, including the National Salvation Front (NAS), continue to pose a threat to civilians,” the group said.
The group called on world leaders to join forces in putting diplomatic pressure on South Sudanese leaders to focus on implementing the peace deal.
“The international community must continue to exert sustained diplomatic pressure on all parties to the R-ARCSS to ensure its full implementation following the postponement. of critical deadlines. The AU and the government should expeditiously establish the Hybrid Court and ensure that it has the resources to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for mass atrocities. All perpetrators of such crimes should be held accountable, regardless of their affiliation or position.” Read part of the statement.
BACKGROUND
On 12 September 2018 a Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was signed by the parties to the conflict -including President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar formally ending the civil war that started during December 2013.
Since the signing, there have been severe delays in implementing crucial components of the R-ARCSS, including the reunification of the armed forces, the demarcation of state borders, and the establishment of a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU.
On 7 November President Kiir and Machar agreed to extend the deadline for the formation of the TGoNU for an additional 100 days.
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