Africa-Press – South-Sudan. A board meeting of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) failed to discuss the content of the report tabled before due to unpaid salary arrears.
The Tuesday meeting, which was meant to discuss ceasefire violations, failed to discuss the content of the report until the salaries of the local staff were cleared.
The member said they could not discuss a report purportedly prepared by people who were on ‘industrial strike’.
“We need to push the meeting until the issue of national monitors is resolved, then we cannot move on with our work,” said Regina Joseph Kaba, the Secretary-General of SPLM-IO.
CTSAMVM is a peace monitoring body that deals with violations of the ceasefire among parties to the peace agreement in South Sudan.
The body is also tasked with compiling reports and engaging the parties to the peace agreement.
Regina added that CTASMVM shouldn’t conduct any meetings until the issue of national monitors is resolved.
Okello Lawiri, a representative from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), told the CTSAMVM to utilize the few resources at their disposal to settle the arrears for both international and national monitors.
“You are telling us to lobby the government to pay national monitors. Where do you get the budget that you use for paying for the international monitors? Where did you get it from?” Okello asked.
CTSAMVM monitors is composed of 15 staff, two foreigners, and 13 nationals.
The foreigners are paid by IGAD, while the local staff draw their allowances from the government.
In March, RJMEC claimed that CTSAMVM staff are owed over three years in arrears and that they have since gone on “strike” until their dues are fully settled.
What baffled the board, however, was the source of the report that was to be tabled before them. Some board members argued that those charged with collecting the data were on strike, and thus they could not discuss a document whose content had several unanswered questions.
Meanwhile, Bior Leek, representing former detainees (FD), rejected the reports, adding that it was a development by an unknown as those concerned were at home due to a lack of payment.
“The CTC (Ceasefire Technical Committee) has not sat to pass the report. I am not ready to discuss any report being generated by the intelligence community from unknown sources brought here for discussion. Can you tell us what your sources for these reports are?” Bior questioned.
Asrat Denero Amad, Chairperson of CTSAMVM, said although the monitors are in a fund crisis, there is a need to engage donors and the South Sudan government to support the monitors.
“As a board member, we need to urge the government to give salaries on time, as we know that since April 2020 until now, they are not getting salaries.” Asrat appealed
He said the Ceasefire Technical Committee was unable to sit and pass the reports because the national monitors were still on strike.
“In this case, we can hold off on issuing the reports on violations because the CTC member meeting did not take place, but you have to know the national monitors were on strike.
CTSAMVM has been evasive in its financial dealings. The body, for example, has failed to provide to the media their financial operations—the yearly budget—nor have they disclosed how much the government owes them in arrears.
Recently, the government of Japan advanced $00,000 to CTSAMVM to support the national monitors.
However, Communication Officer Margaret Lole, was evasive when asked whether the fund they received was enough and, if not, the deficit.
While addressing the board meeting, Riko appealed to the other peace partners to support CTSAMVM in order to strengthen their work and effectively contribute to bringing peace to South Sudan.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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