The Chairman of the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance Deng Athuai Mawier has called for justice efforts to go forward side by side with the ongoing peace efforts in South Sudan.
He made these remarks after representatives of the SPLM-IO and SPLM-Juba factions who participated at the latest summit in Addis Ababa failed to reach a final peace deal and after the African Union shelved a report on human rights abuses in South Sudan.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Athuai said the people of South Sudan need peace. He added the peace and justice must go hand in hand according to appeals by international organizations.
Athuai, who was the victim of an assassination attempt last year, said, “You know the groups that shot me at a hotel garden before are the same groups that are now rejecting justice to prevail. So we must not surrender because if we surrender it will lead us to destruction”
The activist urged the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan to speed up the presentation of a report on the war crimes that have been committed during the conflict. Athuai stressed that the perpetrators should be held accountable.
He also accused the parties to the conflict of failing to bring stability in South Sudan. He further said they encouraged tribalism and racism as well as corruption.