The SPLM-IO party in South Sudan has suspended participation in the peace process due to deteriorating relations between its leader and President Kiir, heightened tensions from recent clashes, and the detention of officials. This suspension threatens the 2018 peace deal, which ended a five-year civil war. Humanitarian concerns have escalated with significant displacements, while external factors from neighboring Sudan add to regional instability.
A significant political development occurred in South Sudan when a major party in the coalition government announced on Tuesday its suspension from a crucial aspect of the 2018 peace agreement. The deterioration of relations between First Vice President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir has contributed to this decision, which comes amid escalating clashes and arrests in the region.
The peace agreement, designed to conclude a five-year conflict between Kiir’s forces and Machar, who leads the SPLM-IO party, is now under strain. Recent hostilities in eastern South Sudan have further strained the already fragile relationship between the two leaders, leading to the detention of several SPLM-IO officials, including the petroleum minister and a senior military figure, by government security forces.
The government has accused the SPLM-IO of having ties with the White Army, a militia composed mainly of ethnic Nuer youths who previously aligned with Machar during the recent civil war. However, the SPLM-IO vehemently denies these allegations. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the deputy chairman of SPLM-IO, stated that the party would refrain from participating in security arrangements tied to the peace process until the detained officials are released. He emphasized that “the ongoing political witch-hunts continue to threaten the very essence and the existence of the (peace deal).”
The violence surrounding the town of Nasir in Upper Nile state has resulted in the displacement of approximately 50,000 individuals since late February, with around 10,000 seeking refuge in Ethiopia, as noted by Anita Kiki Gbeho, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan. The situation remains dire as tensions continue to rise.
Additionally, Nicholas Haysom, South Sudan’s UN peacekeeping chief, expressed concerns regarding the country’s potential relapse into civil war, citing the rampant hate speech and misinformation present in the public domain. This situation raises fears that the ongoing conflict may adopt an ethnic nature.
Moreover, analysts suggest that the conflict in neighboring Sudan has exacerbated the breakdown of the peace process in South Sudan, with a cessation of oil revenues and heightened regional tensions. Alan Boswell from the International Crisis Group remarked, “Already we are seeing the initial stages of spillover fighting in Upper Nile from the Sudan war. It will be difficult to prevent those tensions from spreading to (the capital) Juba. “
The recent suspension of the SPLM-IO from key peace process elements signals a troubling juncture for South Sudan as political tensions escalate between key leaders. With accusations and detentions intensifying, and the humanitarian crisis leading to mass displacements, the stability of the region is at risk. Increased regional tensions due to the crisis in Sudan further complicate the situation, prompting concerns that South Sudan may revert to civil conflict.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
