SPLM, SPLM/IO parliamentary caucuses urged to cooperate
A civil society activist has urged the parliamentary caucuses of the SPLM and SPLM/IO to shun unnecessary disagreements over the provision of the revitalized peace agreement and pave way for progress.
This comes after the SPLM-IO led by Riek Machar has been boycotting parliamentary sittings after some reforms to be included in the amended Political Party Act were dropped by the ruling SPLM.
Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said that the moment the parliament embraces disagreements on the RARCSS implementation, the public will sharply lose trust in the agreement as a political tool for transitioning the situation from violence to peace.
“CEPO is worried about altering proposed reforms in any legislation, policy, and institution by the National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC).
“NCAC is an entity that is inclusive and mandated by the R-ARCSS to deliver the agreed-upon proposed policy and institutional reforms. The products of NCA the on reforms agenda of the R-ARCSS should be trusted by the parliamentarians in accordance with R-ARCSS article 1.18.1 read together with article 1.20.2,” he said.
He added that if some parliamentarians want to drop any proposed reform by NCAC then the parliamentarians with new ideas or who want to drop some reforms should absolutely embrace the principle of consultation and consensus-building with the other peace partner’s members in accordance with R-ARCSS articles 1.14.9 and article 1.14.10. This is the spirit of implementing the R-ARCSS.
Any decision, by one of the parties’ signatories to the R-ARCSS outside the spirit for implementation per R-ARCSS articles 1.14.9, article 1.14.10 read together with article 1.18.1, Yakani said, is a total violation of the R-ARCSS.
He revealed that “it is a clear demonstration of mistrust against other peace partners. In deficit of trust and confidence in delivering the RARCSS is the greatest blockage for hindering the smooth transitioning of the society from violence to peace.
He said the friction at the beginning of the reform of the political party’s act tells a lot about the hardship will be facing on the way towards delivering political reforms for securing sound legislative frameworks for the conduct of credible elections as proposed by the R-ARCSS provisions.
The peace partner’s conduct of business in the parliament, according to Yakani, is showing the public that still there is a higher deficit in trust and confidence among the parties for making peace and stability in the country.
