JUBA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's peace monitors on Thursday called on the government to officially lift the state of emergency in some parts of the country to restore political space needed for achieving sustainable peace.
Augostino Njoroge, deputy chairperson at the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), said for confidence-building purposes, the government should pave way for the recognition of democratic rights and freedom of speech, including the role of a responsible media.
"For confidence-building purposes, we recommend to officially announce the lifting of state of emergency, to ensure that the political space needed for exercising the individual's democratic rights and freedom of speech is in place, and the role of a responsible media is duly recognized," Njoroge said in a statement issued in Juba.
Njoroge said the confidence-building measures already initiated by President Salva Kiir should continue to constructively engage all stakeholders and parties to the agreement to ensure inclusivity of the revitalized deal.
"Together and in a spirit of unity, the president and the leaders of the opposition should travel throughout the country and advocate for peace and reconciliation to the people of South Sudan," he added.
He appealed to regional and international guarantors to fully support the implementation of the agreement through appropriate political and economic support.
The state of emergency was declared in the greater Upper Nile region following the outbreak of the conflict in 2013 but later extended to two regions of Bahrl-el-Ghazal and Equatoria after forces loyal to Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat.
