This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
South Sudan's main civil society groups are calling for a 100-day delay in forming a unity government to prevent a possible relapse into war.
According to a proposal made public on Friday, the South Sudan Civil Society Forum expressed disappointment that key issues have not been addressed ahead of the November 12 deadline.
“There can never be a shortcut to meaningful implementation of the R-ARCSS,” the forum said, referring to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.
President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar, and several other groups signed an amended agreement in September last year, initially setting a May 12 deadline to form a unity government. However, mediators accepted a six-month delay.
Ahead of the second deadline, Dr Machar's Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) have said the unity government should not be formed unless key issues are addressed, including the merger of armies, vetting and training of soldiers, and establishing main camps for soldiers.
Reports emerged this week that some soldiers in camps were leaving due to lack of supplies, raising concerns about a new security threat.
The forum warned the international community against forcing parties into a unity government without first addressing the issues, saying it could backfire.
“Some regional and international bodies are encouraging them to selectively implement provisions of the R-ARCSS. Such recommendations undermine the entire peace agreement, especially the sequence of agreed implementation schedule,” the forum said.
Published on November 2, 2019, by The East African.
