By Yiep Joseph
Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), Ter Manyang Gatwech, has called on government to provide adequate funding to the Human Rights Commission.
In a statement extended to the media, Ter urged authorities to allocate necessary funds to enable the Commission to effectively carry out its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights in South Sudan.
“The CPA reminds the Government of South Sudan to release funding to the South Sudan Human Rights Commission so that it can fulfil its mandate as required by the Constitution,” Ter said.
The CPA concern came after reports of persistent patterns of human rights abuses in the country, characterized by a lack of accountability and justice.
This, according to Ter includes the recent arbitrary detention of local chiefs by authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
“The Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), an advocacy organization, has stated that the Greater Pibor Administrative Area has violated the recent 8th Governors’ Forum by arresting five local chiefs and holding them in police cells beyond the time limits set by South Sudan’s Constitution of 2011, as amended,” Ter said.
The activist expressed that the recently concluded 8th governor’s forum resolved to protect human rights at all levels, adding that arresting people and detaining them without taking them to court is a violation of human rights that has to be stopped.
Ter stated that provision of enough funds to the Human Rights Commission would strengthen the institution to perform its tasks effectively with the hope to reduce cases of violation in the country.
He reiterated the call on the government to release the money for the Human Rights Commission so that they could start to concentrate on their constitutional mandate of protecting rights.
Last year, the deputy chairperson of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission revealed that the institution was operating from her home after it was evicted from a rental office due to unpaid rent.
Officials of South Sudan Human Rights Commission have constantly been calling for the government to fund the commission in order to perform its mandate.
Although there are few supports, the South Sudan Human Rights Commission continues to suffer due to a lack of adequate funding.
The commission, however, has a lot to do as the country continues to experience serious human rights violations, according to many human rights reports.
In April this year, the United Nations Human Rights Council extended the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights Council in South Sudan for a year.
One decision and 13 resolutions were adopted, extending mandates on South Sudan, the human right to a clean environment, the right to privacy, and cultural rights.
The approval will see the three-member commission operate until April 2025.
“The Human Rights Council this afternoon adopted one decision and 13 resolutions, extending mandates on South Sudan, the human right to a clean environment, the right to privacy, and cultural rights,” the Council said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Council requested the Commission to present a comprehensive written report on the situation of human rights in South Sudan to the Council at its 58th session, which is to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue.
Also, in November the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has called on the African Union (AU) and the international community to intensify their support for the peace process and a holistic transitional justice to ensure sustainable peace.
The UN agency, in a press release, welcomed the recently enacted laws establishing the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing (CTRH) and Compensation and Reparation Authority (CRA) and urged the AU to provide support to operationalize the laws.