Prioritizing Chapter Two of R-ARCSS necessary before recruiting forces, says Yakani
By Chuol Chanyo
Civil society member Edmund Yakani has lauded the recent move by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) to launch a recruitment drive for forces in key categories. However, he said the timing of this exercise is poor, as there was need to implement Chapter Two of the 2018 peace agreement, which focuses on the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements.
“We heard from the announcement by the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs that part of the recruited forces will receive training to become peacekeeping forces, which is a good indicator, and we welcome it. The call to build a professional army is a good idea, but the timing is not appropriate.”
“I had hoped that we would first implement the revitalized peace agreement, particularly Chapter Two, before moving on to qualifying our army,” Yakani stated.
The announcement comes at a time when the country is experiencing sharp political contradictions due to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement to resolve the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. Chapter Two of the agreement requires security and defense sector reform during the political transitional period.
For his part, Yakani held the country’s leadership, especially the defense sector, responsible for ensuring the success of this initiative and its proper implementation. He described it as a major challenge given the need to build a professional army. “The idea, in general, deserves support, as there is an urgent need to transform our military and defense sector into a professional one and build our human capacities to enable participation in peacekeeping missions anywhere.”
“However, the challenge posed is: Is this decision sincere? And has it come at the right time? These are legitimate questions, but it is a process we must deal with.”
Yakani noted that the country suffers from the widespread presence of armed groups and militias without comprehensive disarmament or dissolution, which could undermine the efforts of the Ministry of Defense to build a professional army, as these militias may corrupt or weaken the prestige of the regular army.
Last week, SSPDF announced vacancies in the military showcasing its desire to recruit new South Sudanese youth into the military institution across its various sectors, with the aim of build a professional national army.
Since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, one of the challenges facing South Sudan in the defense sector has been transforming it into a professional institution or building a professional army.
One of the main reasons for the lack of professionalism in the defense sector is the integration of numerous community militias into the army, which has weakened the professional aspect within the Ministry of Defense.
Additionally, there has been a challenge in remuneration, making the transformation of armed youth or even volunteers into professionally trained military personnel a massive challenge especially as the country still faces military confrontations between the signatories of the peace agreement.
