South Sudan peace monitors urge urgent establishment of Hybrid court

JUBA – South Sudan’s peace monitors on Tuesday called for urgent establishment of the long-awaited Hybrid court enshrined in 2018 revitalized peace deal to try crimes committed during more than seven years of conflict.

Chapter 5 of the peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar calls for establishment  of Hybrid court, transitional justice, accountability, reconciliation and healing institutions.

It provide a pathway for building sustainable peace based on recognition that can only be achieved through accountability for serious international crimes and the truth recovery about past violations.

The UN panel of experts on South Sudan on several occasions accused the government of delaying and obstructing the process of establishment of Hybrid Court.

The court once set up will be constituted by both South Sudanese and judges from other African countries.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) called on the government to start the process of establishing Hybrid court in South Sudan.

“The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) urge the establishment of transitional justice mechanism and Hybrid court for South Sudan without further delay,” said a statement extended to Sudans Post on Tuesday.

It stressed that accountability and justice are important building blocks for peace and reconciliation, adding that these mechanisms are cornerstones in building accountability and rule of law for South Sudan.

“With these pending tasks and the limited time left, renewed vigor, commitment, compromise and political will are needed to deliver South Sudan that the R-ARCSS envisages,” it said.

“The implementation of the revitalized peace agreement remains the best hope for building durable and sustainable peace in South Sudan,” it added.

It expressed deep concern over delay to establishing transitional justice mechanism, drafting of legislation and constitution-making process.

“The permanent constitution process must be fast-tracked, as this is a pre-requisite for the conduct of elections at the end of the transitional period. The new constitution represents democratization, rule of law and stable South Sudan,” it said.