By Matik Kueth
South Sudan’s government is moving closer to operationalizing its Hybrid Court and other transitional justice mechanisms, with plans underway to appoint commissioners to the Commission for Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation (CTHR).
Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Martin Elia Lomuro, unveiled the plans during the fourth R-JMEC plenary meeting on Tuesday, stressing the vital role of the Hybrid Court in addressing past injustices and promoting national healing.
“The operationalization of the Commission for Truth, the Commission for Healing, and that of Compensation and Reparation Authority are also ready. We are reaching a stage where we will be appointing commissioners to the Commission of Truth, Transition and Healing as spelled out in the law,” Lomuro said at minute 15:00–15:12 of his statement.
He emphasized that the institutions would provide victims of past conflicts an avenue to share their stories, seek justice, and promote national reconciliation, describing the process as central to rebuilding trust and confidence among South Sudanese communities.
“The outstanding in chapter five will be the Hybrid Court, which is a matter of discussion between ourselves and the African Union. But then the importance of that chapter is to provide an opportunity for those who felt victimized to tell their stories so that we hear the stories, lock them down, segregate them into those that can be resolved through forgiveness, and those that may be taken to court, and those that are serious human rights violations can now be taken and dealt with under the Hybrid Court,” Lomuro said.
Lomuro’s update comes amid broader efforts to ensure the country is ready for elections and political stability.
While pre-election institutions are functional, funding and operational support remain critical for their full effectiveness.
Joseph Geng, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, echoed Lomuro’s statement at the R-JMEC’s plenary meeting on Tuesday reaffirming the government’s commitment to establishing the Commission for Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation (CTHR), saying the process to appoint commissioners is well underway.
He said the government has already taken significant steps to operationalize Chapter Five of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, which focuses on transitional justice, accountability, reconciliation, and healing.
“The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has activated the other processes, including the selection of the panel members which shall comprise both South Sudanese and non-South Sudanese for purposes of appointment of commissioners,” Geng stated.
He revealed that the selection panel will meet this week to finalize the list of nominees before beginning the recruitment process.
Geng expressed optimism that the long-awaited commission will fully be established soon.
“We will be meeting this Thursday to review the panel members and to agree on next steps, including the work plan to begin the advertisement and recruitment of the commissioners,” he stated.
“We anticipate that in a month’s time we should have the commission set up, and I think this is a good progress in the right direction,” he added.
The establishment of the Commission for Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation is a crucial step toward addressing past atrocities and fostering national unity and reconciliation among South Sudanese communities.
The Hybrid Court for South Sudan was first outlined in Chapter Five of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS).
The provision was reaffirmed in the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS), which tasked the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Government of South Sudan, to establish the court as a cornerstone of transitional justice.
The court is designed to try individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations committed since the outbreak of the civil war in December 2013.
It was envisioned as a hybrid institution combining South Sudanese and international judges and prosecutors to ensure impartiality and credibility.
Despite repeated commitments, the court’s establishment has faced long delays due to political resistance and a lack of regional pressure.
For nearly twelve years, no perpetrators have been held accountable through the hybrid court, leaving justice in limbo since it is not established.
Extensive documentation by the United Nations and human rights groups has detailed mass killings, widespread sexual violence, and forced displacement, yet impunity persists.
Many victims feel forgotten, with little recourse to justice, while the absence of functional legal mechanisms has allowed cycles of violence and distrust to endure.
The AU and regional bloc IGAD have continued to press Juba to implement the transitional justice provisions of the peace agreement.
President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar have both at times favored a national truth and reconciliation approach as the sole instrument of justice, an idea they championed in 2015. Still, critics argue this could sideline accountability for serious crimes.
The operationalisation of the Hybrid Court, along with the Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Commission, will be a critical test of South Sudan’s commitment to justice, reconciliation, and sustainable peace as the country edges toward 2026 elections.