Arop
Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
South Sudan’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, has called on civil society organizations to steer clear of political entanglements and focus instead on speaking the truth in support of the transitional justice process, aiming to ensure that victims of the country’s armed conflict receive their rightful entitlements.
The minister made these remarks while inaugurating a specialized workshop on the mechanism for implementing transitional justice. He emphasized the need to clearly distinguish between political activism and civil society engagement, stating:
“Some individuals who claim to represent civil society are, in fact, politicians. It is time to speak the truth without blurring the lines between roles.”
Dr. Lomuro also stressed the importance of including respected national figures and representatives from religious institutions in the transitional justice mechanism to ensure transparency and prevent any perception of corruption during the stages of truth-seeking, reconciliation, and reparations.
He clarified that compensation and reparations should be directed only to communities that were severely affected by the conflict—particularly in areas where vital infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and roads were destroyed—rather than being awarded on an individual basis.
It is worth noting that transitional justice is one of the core provisions of the revitalized peace agreement. It guarantees victims the right to express their grievances and to claim reparations for the harm suffered during the armed conflicts that erupted in the country in 2013 and 2016.
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