South Sudan step up efforts for new constitution

by Julius Gale

JUBA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's cabinet has approved a long-awaited draft constitution, paving for the way for the war-torn east African country to enact a new constitution in line with a 2015 peace pact, a peace monitoring body said Monday.

Festus Mogae, chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), said the government has assented to the constitutional amendment bill and that parliament is expected to endorse it next month.

According to the 2015 peace agreement, South Sudan should have a new constitution 18 months after the establishment of the transitional government of national unity in April 2016, but the country is behind schedule as war continues to grip the world's newest nation.

Mogae said the constitution lays a firm foundation for progress in the establishment of all the institutions and mechanisms provided for in the agreement.

"JMEC welcomes this significant progress and I urge the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) to expedite the ratification of the amendments to the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan," Mogae said.

The JMEC chairperson also said the security situation in South Sudan remains fragile as violations of a unilateral ceasefire declared by President Salva Kiir continue to be recorded across the country.

The former Botswana president further condemned acts of sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by uniformed men in the Southwestern town of Yei.

"I condemn all incidents of violence and again call on the warring factions to cease all hostilities and abuses immediately," he said.

South Sudan's cabinet minister Elia Lomoro said the government is committed to implementation of the new constitution, adding that the country is engaging the African Union about the establishment of a hybrid court to try individuals or groups accused of committing atrocities during the civil war.

South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll, creating one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under United Nations pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016.

The UN estimates that at least 4 million people have been displaced internally and externally.