Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has handed over a newly constructed office, valued at over $49,000, to the Lakes State Human Rights Commission as part of the Quick Impact Project (QIP), which supports small-scale, low-cost initiatives designed to quickly address community needs and improve living conditions.
Stephen Mathiang Deng, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs in Lakes State, represented Governor Rin Tueny Mabor at the handover ceremony. He expressed gratitude to the UNMISS field office in Rumbek, particularly its Human Rights Division, for approving the state’s Human Rights Commission’s proposal to construct the facility.
“I extend my thanks and appreciation to the members of the Human Rights Commission,” Minister Deng said. “If they had remained idle and not approached UNMISS, no one would have offered to build this office.”
He emphasised that the new office provides a dedicated space for the commission to carry out its duties freely. “This office is now government property, and the Human Rights Commission will use it to fulfil its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights.”
Deng stressed that the state government will safeguard the office for its intended purpose. “This facility is for the benefit of the people of Lakes State,” he said. “It belongs to the community and will be used solely for human rights purposes, not for individual ownership.”
Addressing the role of the commission, Deng clarified that human rights work does not shield criminals or obstruct justice.
“Investigate and verify information thoroughly,” he urged. “If allegations are confirmed, the individual responsible for violating human rights must be held accountable.”
He emphasised that no one is above the law, stating, “From the governor to all of us, we are under the law. If anyone tries to step above it, the law, not the governor or me, will hold them accountable.”
Deng encouraged the commission to provide training on conducting investigations to achieve reliable outcomes, noting that human rights are enshrined in South Sudan’s constitution.
“This office will be a vital tool for your work, and you must continue to educate the public on human rights, backed by legal verification,” he added.
Raoul Irenge, Human Rights Team Leader and Officer-in-Charge of the UNMISS Rumbek Field Office, described the construction of the Lakes State Human Rights Commission office as the fulfilment of a long-standing request.
“The commission’s members have long sought a decent workspace to carry out their constitutional mandate of promoting and protecting human rights, as outlined in South Sudan’s Revitalised Peace Agreement,” he said.
Irenge noted that the Lakes State Human Rights Commission is the primary government entity responsible for upholding the Bill of Rights and all international and regional human rights treaties ratified by South Sudan.
“Under Section 7 of the South Sudan Human Rights Commission Act of 2009, the commission’s functions include investigating human rights abuses, conducting detention facility visits, raising community awareness, monitoring government compliance with human rights obligations, and expressing opinions on human rights issues,” he explained.
He commended the commission for its active collaboration with UNMISS’s Human Rights Division, which shares a similar mandate of monitoring, investigating, and reporting on human rights.
“The commission’s open-door policy has facilitated the follow-up and documentation of numerous human rights cases and incidents,” Irenge said. He added that the office was selected for construction under the 2024–2025 budget cycle of UNMISS’s QIP funding program, with Universal Brothers Auto CBO implementing the project.
Irenge urged the commission to maximise the use of the new facility to advance human rights and the rule of law in Lakes State, in collaboration with UNMISS and other stakeholders.
Mahok Malual Kodi, Chairperson of the Lakes State Human Rights Commission, described the handover as a significant milestone. “Today is a joyous day as we open the Human Rights Commission office in the Meen-atol area,” he said.
“This office, built by UNMISS’s Human Rights Division and handed over to the government, is now operational. I call on the citizens of Lakes State to visit and report any cases of human rights violations, including those concerning child rights, women’s rights, or general human rights.”
Kodi emphasised that the commission would follow up on reported cases to ensure justice is served. “This office is officially open on Meen-atol Road, and it is here to serve the people,” he said.
William Deng Malek, head of the Auto Community-Based Organisation (CBO), explained that his non-governmental organisation was contracted by UNMISS to construct the office.
“The project was funded with $49,000 under UNMISS’s QIP, which typically caps funding at $49,500,” he said. “We completed the construction and equipped the office with three executive tables, chairs for three offices and a hall, eight plastic tables, and two additional tables for the commission.”
Malek added that the organisation installed a solar power system with four 300-watt panels and four 200-amp-hour batteries. “Although the original plan included a pit latrine, the swampy terrain required us to construct a septic tank with two doors instead,” he noted. “We are proud to hand over this fully equipped office to the Lakes State Human Rights Commission.”
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