The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has commended the call by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) for the immediate release of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and the full implementation of all provisions of the peace agreement as the only viable path towards a sustainable solution to the challenges facing South Sudan.
Last week, the AU Peace and Security Council held a meeting in Addis Ababa about the situation in South Sudan and expressed deep concern over the deteriorating political and security situation in the country and the potential of a full-scale civil war.
“The Peace and Security Council also expresses deep concern over the continued house arrest of Dr. Riek Machar Teny, First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release; further expresses deep concern over the dismissals and detention of SPLM-IO officials from the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (R- TGoNU), in blatant violation of the provisions of the R-ARCSS; strongly calls for their immediate and unconditional release and reinstatement, to de-escalate the prevailing political tension and to prevent the total collapse of the R-ARCSS; and also calls for an independent investigation of all violations of the R-ARCSS,” the communique read in part.
Yakani told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that CEPO engaged stakeholders before the Council’s meeting and welcomed the commitment of the leadership and members of the AU Peace and Security Council to achieving peace in South Sudan.
“The communique raised valid appeals and concerns that will transition the country from violence to peace if South Sudan’s leaders can respect and enforce the calls made by the African Union Peace and Security Council,” Yakani said.
He reinforced the AU’s call for peace dialogues, implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, protection of civilians, release of Dr. Machar and other party detainees, preparation of credible elections, freeing civic and political space, and the continuous engagement of AU and IGAD with the South Sudanese leaders for the realization of peace and security.
“The AU Peace and Security Council’s call for the conclusion of the Tumaini peace process for South Sudan was also encouraging,” he said. “CEPO is urging South Sudan leaders to respect and enforce decisions made by AUPSC and IGAD to secure peace and security.”
Yakani said CEPO will facilitate civil society and media deliberations on the recent AUPSC communique on the political situation in South Sudan.
“South Sudan political and security leaders should demonstrate a sense of primary responsibility to make peace and security prevail in the country,” the activist stated. “Silencing guns through dialogue is the best approach to resolving political disagreements among political leaders.”
The Peace and Security Council strongly urged the South Sudan peace partners to respect the Agreement’s provisions, desist from undermining peace, to use dialogue in addressing their differences, redouble efforts in building mutual trust and confidence and always use the available legal, peaceful and collaborative means and ways of addressing challenges that may be encountered in the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement; and categorically warns that peace spoilers will be held accountable for undermining the peace process in South Sudan.