By Jacob Onuha Nelson
Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Joseph Geng Akech, has clarified a recent statement by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, which described a community in Upper Nile state as “hostile.”
Speaking to reporters in Juba, Dr. Geng explained that the reference to a “hostile community” was not intended to label the entire population of that area. Instead, he said, it referred specifically to “an organized group that attacked the barracks.”
“The reference to the hostile community doesn’t mean the collective community, but this is an organised group that attacked the barracks, as we have seen, and of course, this is taken care of under chapter 5, which calls for the reconciliation of communities,” Geng said.
Geng emphasized that addressing such incidents falls under the framework of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), particularly Chapter V, which is dedicated to transitional justice, accountability, reconciliation, and healing.
He referenced the history of the peace process, noting the original agreement signed in 2015, its collapse in 2016, and its revitalization in 2018.
Geng stated that while the agreement was intended to consolidate peace and security, its implementation has faced challenges, which he believes contributed to the incident in Nasir that “sparked this level of political crisis.”
Dr. Geng urged the transitional government to proactively address the underlying issues.
He highlighted that Chapter V calls for the government to strengthen security mechanisms, support initiatives that foster peace, and work towards holding elections by the end of the transitional period as stipulated in the agreement.
He further suggested that the hostility observed in communities is “evidently supported by some of the partners to the peace agreement.”
Geng claimed these partners have influenced groups to attack military affiliations, implying that political actors are undermining the peace process.
He reiterated that the agreement, and specifically Chapter V, strongly emphasizes reconciliation as a crucial element to prevent such violence and division.
Geng called on all political parties that are signatories to the peace agreement to respect its terms and organize themselves to participate in the upcoming elections, a key requirement of the transitional roadmap.