South Sudan has detained the Petroleum Minister and several military officials linked to Vice President Riek Machar, raising concerns over the peace deal from 2018. These actions, reportedly without reason, suggest increased instability in the region, despite ongoing peace efforts.
South Sudanese authorities have detained the Petroleum Minister, Puot Kang Chol, alongside several senior military officials associated with First Vice President Riek Machar. This development, reported by a spokesperson for the Vice President, raises concerns regarding the stability of the peace agreement that concluded the civil war in 2018. Although the country has technically been at peace, tensions between President Salva Kiir and Machar remain high.
The conflict, primarily between the factions of Machar and Kiir, has historically resulted in significant loss of life and displacement. Despite the 2018 peace accord, which brought an end to a five-year civil war, the relationship between the two leaders is marked by suspicion and conflict, often spilling over into violence among different communities.
Baluang, Machar’s spokesperson, indicated that these detentions occurred without any official reasoning provided. He confirmed that in addition to the petroleum minister’s arrest, the deputy chief of the army was also taken into custody, while other senior military personnel linked to Machar faced house arrests.
Furthermore, the presence of South Sudanese troops around Machar’s home has heightened the atmosphere of tensions, though he managed to visit his office without incident on Wednesday, according to Baluang.
In summary, the detention of key officials in South Sudan, particularly the Petroleum Minister and military allies of Vice President Riek Machar, poses a potential threat to the fragile peace established by the 2018 agreement. The lack of clarity surrounding these arrests, coupled with the ongoing tensions between political factions, underscores the precariousness of stability in the region.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
