CEPO hails public consultations on truth commission

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has applauded the formation of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing.

“Transitional justice is an essential process for the transition of society from violence to peace, forgiveness, truth-telling, and healing,” Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, said.

“Although the process of citizens’ engagement in the transitional justice mechanism was delayed, it is better to have it now than never,” he added.

Yakani said his organisation, through its Transitional Justice Resources Centre (TJRC), will facilitate civic education around the country.

“The public discussions are planned to last at least one month prior to the establishment of the CTRH, according to the peace deal,” he said.

According to Yakani, the consultations will guarantee adequate documentation of the experiences of women, men, girls and boys so that the results of the consultations are incorporated into the resulting legislation.

Yakani said robust citizen participation, free of any limits, is critical in the formation of the CTRH.

According to Yakani, the transitional justice process guarantees unrestricted civic space for true engagement when citizens are consulted on their desires.

“Based on this point, we are urging the president to officially declare observation of freedom of expression by state authorities linked with the transitional process during these public consultations,” he stressed.

Last Thursday, a technical committee tasked with preparing for the consultations said the national public consultations for the establishment of the CTRH as envisioned in the 2018 peace agreement will be launched on April 5.

Chapter Five of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) calls for the establishment of the CTRH, a Hybrid Court for South Sudan (HCSS), and a Compensation and Reparation Authority (CRA).