By Ephraim Modi D.S
The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement, Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) said they are watchful on the ongoing pocket insecurity in the country.
Asrat Denero Amad, CTSAMVM Chairperson was addressing the Technical Committee meeting yesterday. He however urged the parties to respect and end hostilities and communal conflict.
He urged parties to respect the 3th April agreement and refrain from any form of violence and cease hostile acts against each other.
Mr. Asrat stressed that CTSAMVM still continue its mandate in some very challenging situations in South Sudan as they remain very concerned about reports of the tensions in Unity and Upper Nile States.
“CTSAMVM continues to perform its mandate in some very challenging situations in South Sudan. We remain very concerned about reports of continued tensions between the parties in Unity and Upper Nile States that severely strain the peace process and put the lives of many innocent civilians at risks,” Mr. Asrat said.
CTSAMVM chair stated that the last meeting conducted by the technical committee briefed members on tensions in Koch and Leer Counties of Unity State, with series of reports on alleged hostilities led by Koch and Mayendit County Commissioners on the position of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A-IO) forces and the civilians in Leer County.
Mr. Asrat said that CTSAMVM had summited a preliminary report which addressed about the violence that had occurred in the month of February through April in the same area.
“We submitted a preliminary report dated 22 April 2022 which discussed the violence the occurred from February to April and resulted of an unspecific number of people,” he said.
He highlighted that violence resulted in the looting and destruction, girls and women subjected to multiple forms of sexual violence, saying that all these caused displacement of civilians.
CTSAMVM has also investigated series of violence in the area and applauded the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) for forming a committee to focus into the incidents and the tensions in the areas, the chair stated.
“CTSAMVM further investigated these incidents since the last CTC meeting and a report is going to be represented. We commend the RTGoNU for establishing a committee to look into the incidents there and de-escalate the tensions. We note, however, that there were reports of an armed attack by youths from Mayendit on Muom Training Center in Leer on 16th May, 2022 which killed 11 people,” CTSAMVM chair said.
In addition, he noted that parties continued to accuse each other intentionally, though in Upper Nile State clashes seemed to cease, but violence continued on civilian in Maiwut.
“In Upper Nile State, although clashes appeared to have subsided, the parties continue to accuse each other of intentions to attack one another. You will learn more about this and about CTSAMVM’s investigation into the violence in Maiwut,” he added.
In regards to the implementation of the pre-transitional tasks, CTSAMVM reported that their team has visited cantonment sites and training centers and discovered that little has changed yet the 3th April Agreement called the Joint Defense Board (JDB) to finalize arrangements for graduation and deployment of forces that are left with a period of just eight days.
Lastly the CTSAMVM has urged JDB to expedite the arrangements of the progress to graduate and deploy the forces to their respective sites.