President Kiir trains eyes on perpetrators of 2013, 2016 violence

President Salva Kiir yesterday revealed the government’s intention to expose and try the perpetrators of the country’s horrific wars of 2013 and 2016, which left the country in utter ruins.

With piling anxiety over the Cold War in the corridors of power in the government, the President summoned reporters to a surprising but brief address to the nation, where he emphasised the need for healing and reconciliation.

He said that for the country to move forward, the citizens should confront what took place during the war by telling the truth.

Speaking to journalists at the government’s secretariat office in Juba on Monday, the Head of State emphasised that the time was ripe ‘to tell the truth’’ about what unfolded during the war, underlining the fact that it would be quite relieving to revisit and solve the past in order to face the future with ease.

Earlier this year, in his New Year speech to the public, Kiir directed the ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to establish the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing as stipulated in the RevitaliSed Peace Agreement.

He said the objectives of the truth and reconciliation commission were to receive and document complaints and eyewitness reports of the victims of tragic events that happened in 2013 and 2016.

“Personally, it is in  best interest of the people of South Sudan, especially the victims, to know exactly what took place during those two unfortunate events,” he said. “I would like to state that we are aware of and acknowledge the views of those who see the establishment of a hybrid court for South Sudan as the priority,” he added.

Prosecution needed

For the President, there has always been a belief that prioritising punitive justice would take away the goal of reconciliation, which is what was needed the most in the country. However, he explained that the government does not deny or shy away from prosecuting those who have committed crimes.

“We have demonstrated this through our actions. We have prosecuted people and imposed considerable prison sentences on those who were found guilty, including our own soldiers,” said President Kiir.

But the Head of State added  that they have been mindful of the position that the government has taken on the issues related to ‘‘human rights violations” not being shared by other partners, and that at times that creates a situation where the government’s views are misrepresented in the reports that are compiled by the partners.’’

This situation cannot serve the interests of the victims who suffer the atrocities if any, he said, adding that “it politicises their victimhood.’’

“For us as a government, we believe that more can be achieved if we can work collectively with our partners to strengthen the capacity of our institutions. We do not believe that it is helpful for each party to work independently,” “he emphasised.

He added that by providing capacity building and technical assistance locally in areas that are related to human rights protection, the country could improve the situation that could deliver more results than the current reports written independently by the partners. He alleged that such reports are circulated internationally with the goal of applying pressure on the government.

“The government is open to genuine partnerships that address real challenges, but it equally objects to any attempt to undermine its work by those who choose to operate outside established institutions,” he said.

‘‘There was a need for cooperation with partners for an ideal path for the country. For instance, the country is faced with prevailing insecurity that is driven by cattle rustling, inter-communal violence, flooding, food security issues and climate change,’’ he stated.

‘‘These are areas where we can collaborate to achieve desired results for the people. We also need this real partnership in the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement, which we are committed to implementing despite the challenges we face,” he said.

Civil war

In 2013, a civil war broke out between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, leading to the displacement of more than 2.2 million people. Some of these people were displaced within the country, while others ran to neighbouring countries like Uganda.

The two leaders penned a peace deal in 2018, putting an end to the cycle of violent clashes that took the lives of hundreds of thousands.