Human Rights Council: 37th Session Item 3: Clustered interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and the Special Advisor on the prevention of genocide Oral Intervention 2 March 2018 Thank you Mr. Vice-President. The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project welcomes the study on the contribution of transitional justice to the prevention of gross violations and abuses of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the prevention of atrocity crimes and their recurrence.

This study speaks to the human rights situation in South Sudan, where the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan recently concluded that the human rights violations committed during the ongoing civil war may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The conflict, which started in 2013 and was reignited in July 2016, has inflicted untold suffering on the people of South Sudan. Lack of accountability for gross human rights violations remains a major obstacle toward reconciliation, with impunity fuelling the cycle violence and violations. As long as there is no justice, there can be no peace. A robust transitional justice mechanism is essential in addressing the underlying causes of the conflict, and ultimately in achieving accountability and ensuring the country’s recovery. We urge the Government of South Sudan to reaffirm its commitment to the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan and acknowledge the importance of transitional justice mechanisms. We also call on the Council, the African Union, and other relevant regional bodies to support South Sudan in this endeavour. The government must prioritise and fast track the establishment and operationalisation of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, the Hybrid Court, and a Compensation and Reparations Authority to ensure justice for the victims and prevent further atrocities. I thank youMr. Vice-President.

For more information, please contact

Hassan Shire Executive Director, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project on executive@defenddefenders.org or +256 772 753 753 (English and Somali)

Estella Kabachwezi Senior Advocacy and Research Officer, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project on advocacy@defenddefenders.org or +256 782 360 460 (English)

East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project DefendDefenders seeks to strengthen the work of human rights defenders throughout the region by reducing their vulnerability to the risk of persecution and by enhancing their capacity to effectively defend human rights. DefendDefenders focuses its work on Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia (together with Somaliland), South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Visit us atwww.defenddefenders.org