Kiir, Machar snub coup debate for reconciliation

President Salva Kiir has called for reconciliation and healing as the keys to eradicating the culture of impunity in the country.

Kiir said yesterday, as he launched a public consultation on the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing (CTRH) at Freedom Hall, that the day marks another milestone in the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.

 “As we embark on this process, we need to remember a few points. First, this chapter on transitional justice has three pillars: truth, reconciliation, and healing, which consultation we are launching today. Two, the hybrid court for South Sudan and the compensation and reparation authority, “he stated.

“The establishment of the commission does not negate the other pillars, and what we need now is reconciliation before the next step of pursuing justice.” “We need community healing first, rather than devoting our energy to deterring specific acts of violence through criminal prosecutions,” Kiir stressed.

He further said the Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders involved in this process should recognise the fact that the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing forms a critical part of the peacebuilding process in the country.

The Head of State said the processes for the establishment, and conduct of the commission must be fair, transparent, and inclusive and be firmly based on the parameters set out in the agreement.

“This is the only way the commission will meet its objectives of receiving and documenting complaints and reviewing eyewitness accounts of what transpired during the tragic events in the country”.

Up to the task

President Kiir said the outcome from the commission must reflect what the victims underwent and stressed that only through this process will genuine reconciliation be achieved in South Sudan.

First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, said the commission is a critical part of the peacebuilding process as it deals with the quest for justice and reconciliation.

According to Dr Machar, the commission will look into all aspects of human rights violations and abuses, as well as excessive abuses of power committed against all people by the state, non-state actors, or regions.

He said the work of the commission will feed into the other two mechanisms-the hybrid court and the compensation and reparation authority.

The FVP further said he hopes the Ministry of Justice will expedite the drafting of the other legislation for the other two transitional justice mechanisms so that justice can be dispensed for the country.

“The establishment of this mechanism deters perpetrators from violating human rights,” Dr Riek emphasised.

Steve Kay report question

Machar, who was adversely mentioned in the Steven Kay report, took a clever dig at the declassified report as he stated that there was a need to consider all the reports documenting human rights abuses in the country’s past brush with violence.

“Last week or more than a week ago, our President declassified documents. For the purpose of this commission, there are also documents that the commission can use. For example, the AU report, the Obasanjo report on human rights abuses in South Sudan, several UN reports will also feed into the work of this commission, but more importantly, the views of the people,” Dr. Machar said.

He added that the legislation of the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing will depend on the outcome.

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Justice Ruben Madol Arol, said the ministry constituted a technical committee which the First Vice President launched on June 20, 2021. The committee was to champion the process of conducting public consultations as required by the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ACRSS).

The minister said according to Chapter 5 of the peace accord, the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with other stakeholders, will conduct public consultations to seek the views of South Sudanese, which will, in turn, inform the legislation for the formation of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing.

“The Commission, when established, should reflect the needs, expectations, and aspirations of the South Sudanese people.” This is the only way to ensure the credibility and legitimacy of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, and therefore, it is owned by the people of South Sudan, “Justice Madol said.