Jonglei Governor Praises New Police and Prisons Project, Encourages More Improvements in the Justice Sector

Juba, 21 November 2008: With support from a three-year, $45 million Multi-Donor Trust Fund implemented by UNDP, in partnership with UNOPS and UNMIS, the GoSS Police and Prisons Services broke ground on a new police and prisons infrastructure initiative in Bor, the capital of Jonglei State, on Friday 21 November. Jonglei State Governor, HE Kuol Manyang, led the commencement ceremony with words of hope for the bright future of Jonglei State and the justice system. Improving the justice systems in Bor and including the public in social change will strengthen the relationship between the government and citizens in Jonglei and improve the overall security situation in the State.

Bor struggles with familiar problems facing many towns and villages across Southern Sudan, where communities are trying to cope with populations that outnumber basic resources, such as water, food, and shelter. In preparation for the census earlier this year, refugees and internally displaced people flooded back into Southern Sudan, overwhelming towns whose scarce resources were already in limited supply. Because of the pressure of the burgeoning populations, criminality and enforcing law and order have become a challenge that can only be addressed by properly trained police and prisons services.

Many of the current police officers in Jonglei are former soldiers who were ushered into police service without adequate training or support to transition them into their new positions. To harness the necessary respect and authority within the community, they need to be better organized and equipped. Added support from GoSS and international partners will help ensure a capable and well-trained police service in Jonglei State.

Friday's groundbreaking ceremony recognized the commencement of three major construction projects in Bor, including a new Police Headquarters, Police Training Center, and the Central Prison. These projects, which also help strengthen and support justice systems across Jonglei State, allow local police to keep law and order and promote good citizenship and civil obedience within communities. Governor Manyang was hopeful that the police and prisons projects in Bor will open the doors for more projects focusing on improving law and justice mechanisms in the State.

The GoSS and the United Nations have emphasized the importance of building human rights protections into the justice system to ensure that law enforcement and prison conditions are improved in line with international standards and the Bill of Rights provisions in the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan (ICSS). Such considerations will be integrated into the UN's comprehensive training and infrastructure support to local police and prisons institutions. The rehabilitated police and prisons facilities will improve living conditions for inmates and increase opportunities for the complete rehabilitation of those within Jonglei's correctional system.

In a moving speech given at the new prison site, Governor Manyang highlighted the importance of increasing the awareness of human rights in the state. He stressed that by protecting and upholding prisoners' rights and demanding humane and fair treatment for all, the police and prisons service can serve as a model to other citizens. Governor Manyang urged prison wardens and guards to remember that prisoners are members of the Sudanese society, and they deserve the opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration back into the community after their terms.

As noted by the Governor, the infrastructure initiatives demonstrate GoSS's fundamental role in rehabilitation programming and development projects in the Southern Sudan. Although the GoSS and United Nations are working together to implement projects in Jonglei State and across the South, it is the GoSS who leads the way, making decision, allocating funds, and guiding partners on vital programming in Sudan.

With support from the UNDP and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, and joint implementation with UNMIS and UNOPS, police and prisons support initiatives in Bor are just the latest in a series of infrastructure rehabilitation and construction projects in Southern Sudan. Across all ten states, UNDP's Rule of Law Unit has been active in providing advice and assistance to local justice establishments. UNDP's extensive programming across Southern Sudan is helping prison institutions to provide humane care for inmates care and treatment to improve rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into their communities after serving their sentences.

UNDP supports rule of law institutions in Southern Sudan by providing technical advice, capacity building and infrastructure support. UNDP also promotes access to justice by linking justice institutions with community and civil society initiatives. By working directly with the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development (MoLACD), the Judiciary of Southern Sudan (JoSS), the Southern Sudan Human Rights Commission, and the Police and Prisons services, UNDP is helping to establish sustainable, accountable, and transparent law and justice systems in Southern Sudan so that all can enjoy the benefits of peace and security.

***

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Danielle Botti, Information Officer, UNDP Southern Sudan - Juba : danielle.botti@undp.org
Ms. Sue Tatten, Senior Rule of Law Advisor, UNDP Southern Sudan - Juba: sue.tatten@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.