A major South Sudanese political party has suspended its participation in the peace process, stemming from deteriorating relations between Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir. The government accused SPLM-IO of association with the White Army militia, which the party denies. Increased violence has led to widespread displacement and heightened fears of a return to civil war.
A significant party in South Sudan’s coalition government has announced its suspension from a crucial aspect of the 2018 peace agreement amidst escalating tensions between its leader, Riek Machar, and President Salva Kiir. Although the peace deal concluded a five-year conflict between their factions, relations between Machar and Kiir have deteriorated, particularly following recent violent incidents in the eastern region of the country.
In early March, government security forces detained several officials from the SPLM-IO party, including the petroleum minister and the deputy chief of the army, after violent clashes involving the White Army militia near the town of Nasir. The government has accused SPLM-IO of having connections with the White Army, which comprises ethnic Nuer young combatants that allied with Machar during the previous civil war; these allegations have been firmly denied by the party.
Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the SPLM-IO deputy chairman, announced on Tuesday that the party will refrain from participating in security protocols related to the peace process until the arrested 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 recent conflict surrounding Nasir has resulted in the displacement of approximately 50,000 individuals since late February, with about 10,000 seeking refuge in Ethiopia, as reported by Anita Kiki Gbeho, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan.
South Sudan’s UN peacekeeping chief, Nicholas Haysom, expressed grave concerns about the nation being “on the brink of relapse into civil war,” attributing the risk to widespread misinformation and hate speech that may exacerbate ethnic conflict. Analysts suggest that the ongoing turmoil in neighboring Sudan has further contributed to the deterioration of the peace process and risks spilling over into South Sudan, particularly in the Upper Nile region, warned Alan Boswell from the International Crisis Group.
The situation in South Sudan remains precarious as a major party in the coalition government has suspended its involvement in the peace process, citing ongoing political persecution. The resurgence of violence and displacements raises alarms about a potential return to civil war, further aggravated by hate speech and misinformation. The evolving dynamics, particularly influenced by the conflict in neighboring Sudan, further complicate the already fragile peace deal initiated in 2018.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
