Strategic Security Review Board pose for a photo after the opening of a two-day consultative workshop on a draft Security Reform Policy (Photo/Michael Daniel/Eye Radio).

A human rights officer at the UN Mission in South Sudan has urged the removal from office and service of those responsible for grave human rights violations in the country.

Elisabeth Haynes Sageder made the remarks at a meeting of the South Sudan Strategic Defense and Security Review Board in Juba today.

She stressed on the need to have the grievances of marginalized victims heard for the security sector reform to be sustainable.

Haynes says the reform should address the impunity Gap by removing those responsible for grave human rights violations from office and active service.

” UMISS strongly believes that if victims and communities are marginalized and their grievances left unaddressed security sector reform cannot achieve sustainable peace.

“We rely on security sector reform actors to address this impunity gap in a preventive manner by, for example, taking security sector personnel to court, and removing those responsible for grave human rights violations from Office and active service,” said Haynes.

According to Chapter II, article 2.5 of the revitalized peace agreement, the board is entrusted to produce essential documents to provide the framework for security sector transformation.

It is required to conduct a Strategic Security Assessment (SSA), develop a Security Policy Framework (SPF), Revised Defense Policy (RDP), Security Sector Transformation (SST) Roadmap, and White Paper on Defense and Security. The findings of these documents are to be reflected in the White Paper on Defense and Security.

Meanwhile, General Charles Tai Gituai who is the interim chairperson of the peace monitoring body, RJMEC says criminal prosecution of war crimes will guarantee none-repetition of the past human rights violations.

The values of transition Justice relation security sector and forms would be fathomed through criminal prosecution, justice,  truth seeking,  reparations and various other forms of reforms and prevention that will guarantee non-repetition

“Therefore the initiative of transitional Justice Seek to empower victims, marginalize groups and communities affected by conflict with accountability. Justice redresses the consolidation and sustainable peace important to know that inter-communal violence is one of the major threats to peace and security in South Sudan in this regard,” he said.

He urged the board to expedite the review of the policy framework and submit it to the transition National Legislative Assembly for approval.

“It’s barely six months after the elections, I urged the board to review the policy framework and submit it to the transition National Legislative Assembly for approval, ” added Tai.