Hybrid Court to hold peace violators accountable: UN official

Radio Tamazuj photo: Speaker of the Western Lakes state legislative assembly, Chol Kuotwil speaks during the workshop on human rights in Rumbek town on 30 May, 2019.

The head of the UN field office in South Sudan’s Western Lakes State, Kwame Dwamena Aboagye has said the Hybrid Court will hold violators of the peace deal accountable, once established.

The head of the UN field office in South Sudan’s Western Lakes State, Kwame Dwamena Aboagye has said the Hybrid Court will hold violators of the peace deal accountable, once established.

He made the remarks at a three-day rule of law and human rights forum, which ended in Rumbek on Thursday.

“The Hybrid Court in the peace agreement will be soon established as an independent court and it will be headed by a panel of experts, which includes the African Union,” said Kwame.

He urged local communities to report human rights abuses like sexual exploitation and other forms of human rights violations in the state.

On his part, the state security advisor, Kedit Madol Kedit urged judges to be practical in exercising their roles in implementing what is stipulated in the constitution, but be mindful of the poor citizens.

“I am appealing to chiefs and judges to be practical in exercising their roles of implementing the rule of law, but be mindful of poor citizens who do not have anything to pay as court fines,” he said.

The Western Lakes state legislative assembly speaker, Chol Kuotwil Manhom, appealed to law interpreters to exercise law in the state.

He also urged the government of South Sudan to disarm civilians carrying arms.

“In accordance to the law of South Sudan, we are urging our national government to disarm the civil population carrying guns in their hands in order to allow freedom of movement, service delivery and development to take place in the country,” said Kuotwil.

Meanwhile, the president of the high court in Rumbek, Mathiang Kuac Mathaing urged county commissioners, government officials and the citizens to cooperate with law interpreters and the judiciary.

Several human rights lawyers, advocates, commissioners, traditional authorities, prison warders, police and civil society activists attended the workshop organized by the UN human rights division in Rumbek.