Watchdog reacts to graduation of peace forces in Bahr el Ghazal

JUBA – A South Sudan civil society watchdog has welcomed the graduation of another batch of Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) in the Greater Bahr e Ghazal region and urged the parties to the revitalized peace agreement to expedite the graduation of the remaining batch in phase one in order to start the process for phase two.

During a ceremony conducted at Wau Stadium in Western Bahr el Ghazal State on Friday, the parties graduated at least 12,765 including 4098 for South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), 4951 for the police, 1160 for the prison service, 1353 for the wildlife, and 1203 for the civil defense.

In a statement, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the graduation of the NUF in the Bahr el Ghazal region and urged the parties to complete the process for remaining forces in phase one to begin the process for phase two.

“The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization appreciates and congratulates the parties to the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity for the graduation of the unified in Wau. This is essential task for successful political transition of the situation from violence to peace,” the statement signed by CEPO Executive Director Edmund Yakani reads in part.

Yakani then appealed to the parties to also expedite the deployment process so that they start the training and graduation of phase two, saying time is running pass the beginning of the extended transitional period.

“With this latest Wau graduation of the unified forces at least now the redeployment of the unified forces will take place and rollout of phase two of the training for the unified should start.  Genuine implementation of the transitional security arrangements is the cornerstone for the expected successful political transitioning from violence to peace,” Yakani said.

“Playing about with the process for genuine transitional security arrangement is clear demonstration of low political appetite for the implementation of the R-ARCSS and this means still the spirit of violent mitigation of political is within the political leaders of the party signatories to R-ARCSS,” he stressed.

He went on to stress that “The political leaders of the RTGNOU if really is serious about the conduct off successful general national election by December 2024, then speeding up the implementation of genuine transitional security arrangements should be their one priority.”

“Without proper security arrangements that offers effective provision of safety and security to individual and community including respect of civil-rule, the chance of the country witness conduct of creditable and peaceful general national elections is limited.

“Finally, CEPO is urging R-TGNoU leaders in executive and legislative to sincerely double efforts to speedy deliverance of the transitional security arrangements as milestone for securing successful political transitional process in the country.”