Electoral reforms must be accomplished before elections – RJMEC
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has laid down key areas within the revitalised peace agreement that should be attended to before elections in South Sudan can be held at the end of the transitional period.
In its quarterly report released yesterday, RJMEC pointed out that “in order to foster trust and confidence in the results of the resulting election” armed must be unified, the unification and redeployment of the forces of the armed Parties to the Agreement, and the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) conducted and the Permanent Constitution-making process be completed to guide the conduct of elections.
As envisaged in the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the monitoring body further noted before elections are held, the National Elections Act 2012 and the Political Parties Act 2012 should be reviewed and National Elections Commission and the Political Parties Council reconstituted.
In its report, the Commission said the voluntary return of South Sudan internally displaced persons and refugees should be facilitated and the constituency delimitations, registration of voters and population census should “ideally be undertaken”.
“Looking ahead, particularly in view of the holding of elections at the end of the Transitional Period, it is imperative that the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity(RTGoNU) complete the Transitional Security Arrangements (TSAs), continue to lay the foundation for improved transparency and accountability, enact all pending legislation in support of the implementation of the R-ARCSS, and priorities other activities in the Agreement necessary for the holding of free and fair elections,” the report notes.
The report that covers the period between October and December 2021, said “very limited progress” was made in the implementation of the R-ARCSS during the reporting period.
Of particular concern, it the Commission said, is the failure of the RTGoNU to provide the necessary resources to complete the critical process of the graduation and deployment of Phase 1 of the Necessary unified Force (NUF).
The Commission has described the logistical situation in cantonment sites and training centres in the country as dire resulting in many troops deserting and either leaving for their homes in search of food, essential life support commodities and shelter which has among other factors, led to the defection of a high number of Opposition forces to the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSPDF).
“The RTGoNU has consistently failed to provide the much-needed funding and sufficient logistics to sustain troops in cantonment sites and training centres during this reporting period and indeed for the past two years,” the report reads.
Further, of concern to the monitoring body, is the delay, up to now, of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) to enact the pending legislation, which is critical in support of the implementation of the R- ARCSS
“With the exception of the Public Finance Management reforms within the context of Chapter IV of the R- ARCSS, there was hardly any progress within the other chapters, which can only increase the frustrations of the wider population that the Agreement is not having the desired impact on their lives,” the report added.
“Ongoing inter-communal violence in several states combined with the dire humanitarian situation remains of considerable concern.”
“The human cost and suffering associated with the conflict is indeed regrettable with the magnitude and severity of humanitarian needs continued to rise, due to cumulative effects of prolonged inter-communal and community-based conflict, widespread flooding, high levels of food insecurity and the covid-19 pandemic,” it said.
“The RTGoNU must therefore continue to exert efforts at addressing these troubling issues, which continue to negatively impact the implementation of the R-ARCSS and fostering lasting peace,” the report prepared pursuant to Article 7.9 of Chapter VII of the R-ARCSS reads.
RJMEC said the security of humanitarian workers and access to people in need remained a major concern and was hampered by active hostility by youth groups, bureaucratic impediments, restriction of movement, operational interference, ambush/robbery and looting of humanitarian assets.
“This led to the relocation of humanitarian workers thus affecting operations. By December, humanitarian assistance presence in Renk and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area continued to increase following the provision of written guarantees of safety by the local authorities. It is hoped that the guarantees will hold leading to an increase of humanitarian interventions in the previously affected areas.”
