Juba, 19 December 2018; South Sudan’s Revitalized Peace Agreement suffered a severe setback as the country’s notorious National Security Service on Tuesday brutal attacked and harassed members of the Monitoring and Verification Team in Luri in the outcast of capital Juba.    

The incident attracted global condemnation from UN, IGAD and international partners who urged South Sudan’s government to immediately honor its commitment to peace by ensuring the perpetrators are brought to account.

After the dehumanizing treatment of its members, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism [CTSAMM] issued a strong statement in which it has warned South Sudan current Transitional government to allow the monitoring team to move freely as pre the term of Revitalized Peace Agreement.

“CTSAMVM condemns in the strongest terms the appalling attack that took place on 18 December 2018 on its Monitoring and Verification Team in Luri Area,” says the statement.

“CTSAMVM has launched a full investigation into the events in which TGoNU security forces assaulted and illegally detained senior ranking male and female officers and support personnel from IGAD guarantor nations who are assigned as international Observers to CTSAMVM” added the statement.

The statement also demands South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity as per peace term to allow free movement of the Monitors.

“Attacks on CTSAMVM personnel and interference with the performance of their duties are strictly prohibited and must be prevented from recurring” partly reads the statement.

“CTSAMVM further demands that TGoNU immediately conduct an investigation holding perpetrators accountable for these despicable acts and their chain of command responsible for its utter failure of leadership.”

The CTSAMVM is as an impartial arbiter to investigate the alleged violation of the Agreement on the basis of credible information. CTSAMVM works for the betterment of the people of South Sudan in support of the peace process and in accordance with the agreements, national and international law. CTSAMVM reiterates its mandate to freely monitor the implementation of the R-ARCSS as outlined in the agreement”

However, according to Washington Times, “South Sudan’s National Security Service forced several officials assessing the country’s new peace deal to strip and face “inhuman” treatment, an international monitoring group said in an internal report” Says Washington Times.

The paper further reveals, “Four East African monitors were blindfolded, bound, kicked and robbed of money and a wedding ring on Tuesday said an internal report seen by The Associated Press from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.”

The men were stripped to their underwear and the woman was stripped naked, it said. Soldiers threatened to kill their driver and robbed him, it said. All were released five hours later.