South Sudan Justice and Reconciliation in a Divided Country
The conference aims to discuss the findings of the research project “Intersections of Truth, Justice and Reconciliation in South Sudan”, which has been jointly implemented by University for Peace (UPEACE) Centre The Hague, South Sudan Law Society (SSLS) and PAX. The project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a part of the ‘Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law’, and is administered by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). More information on the project is available here.
To register please contact UPEACE: +31(0)70 302 2878.
The findings are presented by Victor Bol Dungu (SSLS, South Sudan) and Dr. Rens Willems (UPEACE). Confirmed panellists include Marieke Wierda (MFA), Victor Lowilla (SSLS, South Sudan) and Kathelijne Schenkel (PAX). The day will be moderated by Daud Gideon (PAX, South Sudan).
Drawing on the findings of the project and expertise of the participants, the following questions will be addressed:
- What does the current situation mean for transitional justice and access to justice in South Sudan?
- What can Dutch organizations and the Dutch government do to support transitional justice and access to justice in South Sudan?
Agenda
9:30 – 10:00 Welcome with coffee
10:00 – 10:15 Opening remarks
10:15 – 11:30 Presentation of A2J report followed by Q&A/discussion
11:30 – 11:45 Coffee break
11:45 – 13:00 Presentation of TRJ report followed by Q&A/discussion
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:00 Panel discussion: future scenario’s and steps ahead
16:00 – 16:30 Closing remarks
16:30 – 18:00 Reception
Point of departure for the discussions are the two final reports of the project:
- “Access to Justice: Perceptions of and Experiences with Violent Crime in South Sudan.” The report documents people’s experiences with justice after violent crimes, and finds that security and justice services are often unavailable, or considered inaccessible or inadequate. People with more time and resources to invest have a higher chance of obtaining justice for a crime. Both punishment of perpetrators and compensation of victims are considered vital elements of justice, yet overall justice remains unattainable for most victims of violent crimes. The lack of justice contributes to spirals of violence prevalent in South Sudan.
- “Perceptions of Transitional Justice in South Sudan.” This report documents people’s perceptions and experiences of truth, justice and reconciliation in relation to the past and present conflicts in South Sudan. It finds that more than half of the people interviewed have been victimized by an armed group or actor, and that women are increasingly targeted in the post-2013 period. People diverge widely on the causes and possible solutions to the conflict, as well as on how to balance punishment (and amnesties), compensation and reconciliation. This shows the importance of continued discussions on transitional justice and reconciliation in the current context. At the same time, space for this is decreasing.
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