Machar tells committee to consider AU, UN reports in inquiry
First Vice President Dr Riek Machar has urged the technical committee tasked with conducting a public consultation on the truth, reconciliation, and healing commission to also use other reports apart from the Steven Kay document for its work.
“There are also documents which this commission will use. With the report of the African Union on the human rights abuses in South Sudan, the several UN reports and most importantly, the views of our people, from which this technical committee was formed, I have confidence in the ministry of Justice and the technical committee,” he said while addressing a gather at the launch of the public consultations on the Commission of Truth, Reconciliation and Healing on Tuesday.
“They will listen to the people expressing their views. This is important because the legislation for the establishment of the commission will depend on what they will get,” he added
Dr Machar said the launch was aimed at drafting legislation for the establishment of the commission.
He also described it as an important moment in the country’s history for the quest for justice and reconciliation, arguing the event should have been launched within three months of the establishment of the RTGoNU.
According to Dr Machar, the commission should have come into existence alongside the hybrid court of South Sudan and the compensation and reparation authority established.
Three days ago, the President, Salva Kiir, and the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar signed an agreement on the unified forces and cessation of hostility.
Dr. Machar said the agreement would help the commission’s work because the unification of forces would create a conducive environment for easy movement all over the country.
“You will not be faced with difficulties since this face of unification of forces is going to be accelerated as stated in the agreement, so am happy that you will start your work of consulting our people while the environment has become conducive,” he said.
He said the output of the commission of truth, reconciliation, and healing will fit into the hybrid court, compensation, and reparation authority.
“It is important to know that we start the process of working on this legislation,” Dr. Machar stated.
However, on March 28, the South Sudan National Security Service (NSS) released a report that complicated some politicians in the wars that took place in 2013 and 2016.
The report mounted allegations that there was an attempted coup by Dr. Riek Machar and other politicians, which led to 2013 and 2016 conflicts in the country.
