As the world marks this year’s World Humanitarian Day, the Joint Monitoring & Evaluation Commission (JMEC) has called calls on all Parties to the conflict of South Sudan to protect humanitarian aid workers and asked parties to “ensure aid workers who diligently serve the society’s most vulnerable, are safe and protected.”

“Attacks on humanitarian aid workers are not only against the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (ACoH) as signed in December 2017,but are also against international humanitarian law,” JMEC said in a statement issued on Monday.

In the recent past, the Commission said, aid workers in South Sudan “have unfortunately been targeted, threatened, abducted, killed and aid access obstructed, in blatant violations of what the ACoH was intended to achieve.”  

“JMEC reminds the Parties to the Agreement that they have a duty to ensure that aid workers in their midst are not targeted, their safety and security is guaranteed at all times, and that hindrance to access the vulnerable and displaced population, are cleared to facilitate safe humanitarian operations.”

Communication Office

PRESS RELEASE

(For Immediate Publication)

Monday, Augsut 20, 2018, Juba, South Sudan

World Humanitarian Day: A call to protect aid workers in South Sudan 

As the world marked this year’s World Humanitarian Day (Sunday August 19), the Joint Monitoring & Evaluation Commission (JMEC) calls on all Parties to the conflict of the Republic of South Sudan, to do more and ensure aid workers who diligently serve the society’s most vulnerable, are safe and protected.

Attacks on humanitarian aid workers are not only against the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (ACoH) as signed in December 2017,but are also against international humanitarian law.

In the recent past, aid workers in South Sudan have unfortunately been targeted, threatened, abducted, killed and aid access obstructed, in blatant violations of what the ACoH was intended to achieve.  

JMEC reminds the Parties to the Agreement that they have a duty to ensure that aid workers in their midst are not targeted, their safety and security is guaranteed at all times, and that hindrance to access the vulnerable and displaced population, are cleared to facilitate safe humanitarian operations.

ENDS

Representatives from Journalist for Human Rights, 

Members of the Fourth Estate, 

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good afternoon!

Let me begin by congratulating all of you for attending this workshop designed to provide you, members of the media with a forum to discuss the ongoing Revitalization process of the ARCSS. 

I hope that these two days have given you an opportunity to hear the facts as opposed to opinions and anecdotes. I hope too that you have been provided with the tools to carry out your vital role as the members of the Fourth Estate, to speak to and for the people and tell the truth. 

Even as I address you today, the process of revitalizing the ARCSS is proceeding, one step at a time, reaching yet more important milestones since it begun in December 2017.  

Substantial progress has been made and continues to be achieved in Khartoum, on outstanding issues concerning Governance, Security and responsibility sharing. The Parties have agreed on representation of women at the highest level. Of the proposed four Vice Presidents, one will be a Woman. Women will also make up thirty- five percent of the National Executive. This is indeed encouraging, that women can play an integral role in the peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan.  

I am convinced that the Parties to the conflict will build on this progress, adhere to the signed Agreements and give prominence to the promotion of peace and reconciliation of the peace process. 

The Regional Community, the International Community, the Government and people of South Sudan, must not let up for one moment on the progress we have achieved these last months. We must support every effort the government and the people have now taken in the effort of rebuilding this country for future posterity. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

We need to continue the dialogue on peace, reaching out to communities to explain the facts of the peace process, discover what they know and dispel rumours and untruths. We must encourage the people to talk about their experiences, fears and expectations. Inclusivity is not simply all the Parties to the Conflict; it is about all the people of South Sudan, rich and poor, young and old alike. 

There will be no long term peace without reconciliation and inter- communal integration. In Your reporting, you must be able to ask; What does that mean to a simple woman who has lost her children or to young men who have never known a life without fighting? How will the people come to terms with the awful damage that has afflicted the country for the past five years?

I believe the answers lie with two elements of society, the youth and women. Looking around the hall, I can see that both are well represented here today. I am told that you are also an enthusiastic and questioning audience. It is heartening that we have a media in this country that is adventurous and brave despite the challenges that you face in your profession. A free and open media is vital to any democracy and South Sudan is no exception. 

Impartial, fact-based reporting underpins democracy, and ensures transparency in the institutions of government. It encourages the people to question the authorities and seek the truth, for without truth there is no trust.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I hope that these two days have in a way provided the skills and knowledge essential to your vital task of shining the light on the Peace Process, enabling you to explain in layman’s terms the complicated and arcane language of politics and diplomacy.

I urge you to establish and adhere to a level of objective truth and avoid the modern trend of appealing to emotions. Your task is even harder in the era of social media when almost anything can be said and circulated on social media sites like Facebook, WhatsApp and others and be taken for the gospel truth.

I wish all of you the best of luck in your chosen profession, knowing that you have not taken an easy path in life and that your task is vital to the future of this wonderful young country South Sudan. 

Finally, I want to thank Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) for partnering with us JMEC in convening this workshop, and to thank all of you for your very active participation. 

With these few remarks, it is my pleasure to now declare this workshop officially closed.

God bless You all and may He Bless all the people of South Sudan. 

Thank you very much!

A free and open media is vital to South Sudan’s democratic space, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), has said.

Speaking during the official closing ceremony of a two-day media workshop in Juba on Friday, JMEC Deputy Chairperson Ambassador Augostino Njoroge said,

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation (JMEC) has called on the South Sudan media to be part of the solution in the country’s quest for durable peace.

Speaking during a workshop that targeted members of South Sudan media, JMEC Chief of Staff, Ambassador Berhanu Kebede said,

The Representative of the Media Authority,

The Representatives from Journalists for Human Rights,

Distinguished guests,

Members of the press,

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good morning!

Allow me at the outset to start by extending warm greetings from His Excellency Festus Mogae, the chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission and from the entire leadership of the Commission. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) for partnering with JMEC in convening this workshop which I consider to be instrumental for you as representatives of the different media outlets understand your role, in the ongoing efforts to restore peace and inclusive governance in the South Sudan.

As you all know, the implementation of the 2015 peace agreement was undermined by the events of July 2016 and the subsequent expansion of the conflict within South Sudan. New political and military groups emerged and the fighting in the country covered large areas. Additionally, some agreement parties left Juba. As a result of these developments, implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) was severely compromised both in letter and spirit. JMEC’s evaluation and monitoring reports throughout 2016 captured this sad state of affairs.  

Consequently, President Festus Mogae made a recommendation to IGAD to urgently consider measures to get the implementation of the ARCSS back on track. IGAD Heads of State then decided to convene a High Level Revitalization Forum on the 2015 agreement.

The HLRF initiative drew its mandate from the IGAD 31stSummit of the Heads states and governments held on 12th June 2017 in Addis Ababa. The process was spear headed by the IGAD Council of Ministers with facilitation by the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Dr. Ismail Wais, and his task force composed of Advisors from JMEC and the IGAD Secretariat.

The cardinal objectives of the HLRF were:

1.  Restore the permanent ceasefire,

2.  Return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement and

3.  Develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic elections at the end of the transition period;

 Ladies and gentlemen,

As you may be aware, the HLRF has achieved important milestones since its commencement in December of 2017, in Addis Ababa. The Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access was signed on 21st December 2017. Progress was made incrementally on the revitalization of Chapter 1 and 2 of the Agreement and during the Khartoum round of negotiations, agreement was reached on outstanding issues on Security and responsibility sharing. 

Ladies and gentlemen and the representatives of the press,

It is our earnest hope that peace will be restored fully to South Sudan and that the fully revitalized Peace Agreement will be comprehensively implemented by the Parties. It is also our expectation that following the signing of the revitalized agreement, the millions of internally displaced South Sudanese and refugees will voluntarily return to their homes and fully participate in the reconstruction of their country.

We at JMEC remain optimistic that at this point in time that parties to the conflict will demonstrate absolute determination and political commitment to bring lasting peace to their motherland, South Sudan and work relentlessly for the peaceful integration of divided communities. 

Your coverage of the conflict and the peace process in your various media platforms could be described as double-edged. History shows the media can fuel wars and turn communities against each other. Equally, the media can be agents of peace and reconciliation, counter hate speech, fight impunity and uphold supremacy of the law. 

Members of the press, 

JMEC calls on you to play a critical role in this endeavour. We urge you to; promote cohesion; build brotherhood and good neighborliness. JMEC wants you to be part of the solution, not part of the problem and above all, hold the signatories of these Agreements accountable. Remind them that South Sudan and indeed the world are watching. Violators of the signed agreements must be known, exposed and held accountable. Only then will the trust of the people in the political leaders be regained and true inclusivity achieved. 

I would like to seize this opportunity to urge the government and the opposition to keep the momentum of constructive political engagement that we have so far witnessed during the HLRF process and to bring about lasting peace to South Sudan, which is blessed with huge natural resources and an active population. This window of opportunity which is pivotal to bring South Sudan out of the conflict should not be wasted.

Let the South Sudanese Political actors with the support of the region and the international community say enough is enough to the conflict and lay the foundation for the emergence of South Sudan that enjoys its proper place in the Regional and International arena. 

It is my hope, and that of JMEC, that this workshop will strengthen the vital role of the media in the peace-building process in the country. 

With these brief remarks, I now declare this workshop officially open.

May God bless you and the people of South Sudan.

Thank you very much.

PRESS RELEASE

(For Immediate Publication)

Thursday, Augsut 16, 2018, Juba, South Sudan

Be part of the solution, JMEC tells media

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation (JMEC) has called on the South Sudan media to be part of the solution in the country’s questfor durable peace.

Speaking during a workshop that targeted members of South Sudan media, JMEC Chief of Staff, Ambassador Berhanu Kebede said,

“We urge you to promote cohesion; build brotherhood and good neighborliness. JMEC wants you to be part of the solution, not part of the problem and above all, hold the signatories of these Agreements accountable.” 

The workshop organized in collaboration with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), is aimed at giving an update on the Peace Process, receive a briefing on progress on the implementation of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities and Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (ACoH) from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM),as well as impart skills on how to write reconciliation stories to 100 journalists attached to local and international media houses based in Juba.

He urged the media to remind the Parties that “South Sudan and indeed the world are watching.” 

“Violators of the signed agreements must be known and exposed. Only then will the trust of the people in the political leaders be regained and true inclusivity achieved,” he added.

Ambassador Kebede said mediacoverage of the conflict and the peace process in the various media platforms in the country “could be described as double-edged”

“History shows the media can fuel wars and turn communities against each other. Equally, the media can be agents of peace and reconciliation, counter hate speech, fight impunity and uphold supremacy of the law,” he said.

The Chief of Staff said, it is the commission’s “earnest hope that peace will be restored fully to South Sudan and that the fully revitalized Peace Agreement will be comprehensively implemented by the Parties.” 

“We at JMEC remain optimistic that at this point in time that parties to the conflict will demonstrate absolute determination and political commitment to bring lasting peace to their motherland, South Sudan and work relentlessly for the peaceful integration of divided communities,” he noted.

“Following the signing of the revitalized agreement, the millions of internally displaced South Sudanese and refugees will voluntarily return to their homes and fully participate in the reconstruction of their country.”

Ambassador Kebede further urged the government and the opposition “to keep the momentum of constructive political engagement that we have so far witnessed during the HLRF process and to bring about lasting peace to South Sudan.”

“This window of opportunity, which is pivotal to bring South Sudan out of the conflict, should not be wasted,” he said.

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) has lauded the latest signing of the outstanding issues on Governance between Parties, terming it as a ray of hope for the people of South Sudan.