South Sudan has arrested allies of Vice-President Riek Machar amidst escalating tensions that threaten the fragile peace agreement following the nation’s civil war. The arrests coincide with violent clashes in Upper Nile State, raising concerns over violations of the peace deal and the potential for renewed conflict. International agencies and diplomatic entities have called for restraint and dialogue to prevent further instability.
The recent arrest of South Sudan’s Oil Minister Puot Kang Chol and Deputy Army Chief General Gabriel Duop Lam, both close allies of First Vice-President Riek Machar, underscores the escalating tensions within the country’s fragile peace agreement. These actions highlight the precarious stability achieved following a five-year civil war that concluded in 2018 with a power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and Mr. Machar, the nation’s two top leaders.
The arrests coincide with violent clashes in the northeastern Upper Nile State, where government forces are reportedly engaged in ongoing skirmishes with rebels supported by Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO). Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth indicated that a government garrison was overrun by rebels, and he accused the SPLM-IO of collaborating with a militia known as the White Army, comprising youths from the same Nuer ethnic community as Machar.
The situation escalated when army forces surrounded Machar’s residence in Juba. His spokesperson confirmed that he was at his office the following day, but the security presence around his home had diminished. Following the arrest, Mr. Kang Chol’s spokesperson criticized the actions as being conducted “without explanation or legal justification,” reflecting widespread concern regarding violations of the peace deal.
The SPLM-IO has condemned these arrests, citing them as a breach of the peace agreement which jeopardizes the ongoing pursuit of stability in South Sudan. Calls for intervention by international partners have intensified, as the conditions laid out in the 2018 agreement for a unified military and constitutional progress remain unfulfilled, perpetuating the nation’s poverty despite its mineral wealth.
The United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have expressed concern over the escalating violence, cautioning that such clashes could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region. Diplomatic missions from the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union have also urged for immediate cessation of hostilities and called for all stakeholders to prioritize peaceful dialogue over conflict.
Recent political maneuvers by President Kiir, including the dismissal of two vice-presidents and the governor of Western Equatoria State, have been interpreted by analysts as efforts to consolidate power and marginalize Machar. Political analyst Abraham Kuol Nyuon warns that the ongoing aggressiveness among leaders and a lack of dialogue could potentially return South Sudan to conflict.
In summary, the arrests of key allies of Vice-President Riek Machar highlight the fragility of South Sudan’s peace agreement, threatening a return to conflict amidst ongoing violence. The international community’s calls for restraint and dialogue underscore the urgency of resolving the political tensions that continue to impede stability. Failure to recognize and act upon these developments may lead to a worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.
Original Source: www.lemonde.fr
