The arrests of South Sudan oil minister Gabriel Doup Lam and army general Puot Kang Chol, both opposition leaders, have raised concerns over the stability of the 2018 peace deal. The situation has sparked fears of escalating violence and calls for international intervention, as tensions between rival factions grow and the country remains without a scheduled election until 2026.
Security forces in South Sudan have recently apprehended oil minister Gabriel Doup Lam and army general Puot Kang Chol. Both individuals are prominent figures in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and associates of Vice-President Riek Machar, raising significant concerns regarding the stability of the peace deal that ended the civil war. The government has not provided any justification for the arrests, according to party spokesperson Col Lam Gabriel Paul.
South Sudan achieved independence from Sudan in 2011, but civil war erupted two years later due to disputes between Machar and President Salva Kiir. The conflict claimed approximately 400,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million individuals, culminating in a peace agreement in 2018. However, challenges have persisted since then.
Despite the escalating situation, President Kiir reassured that South Sudan would not revert to war, as relayed by his spokesperson. Gen Lam, who oversees the military faction of the SPLA-IO, was detained on a Tuesday, while Chol was taken into custody during the night. Furthermore, troops surrounded Machar’s residence in Juba before subsequently withdrawing, with other senior allied military officials reportedly placed under house arrest, intensifying fears for the peace agreement’s continuation.
Machar’s spokesperson, Pal Mai Deng, expressed to AFP that Gen Lam’s arrest undermines the peace accord, stating, “This act puts the entire agreement at risk” and urged international intervention. These arrests coincided with reports of the White Army militia capturing a key town in Upper Nile state amidst confrontations with government forces.
The UN and African Union have cautioned that the violence in the region could escalate. Ter Manyang of the Center for Peace and Advocacy indicated to Reuters that the fighting risks derailment of the peace agreement, highlighting the necessity for decisive leadership management to prevent a resurgence of conflict. With elections scheduled for 2026 after prolonged delays, these developments add to the urgency of the situation.
The recent arrests of Gabriel Doup Lam and Puot Kang Chol raise alarm about the potential collapse of the peace deal in South Sudan. As tensions mount between the Kiir administration and Machar’s faction, the call for international intervention grows. The broader implications of militia activities, ongoing violence, and the absence of electoral processes further compound the precarious situation, indicating that proactive measures are critical to maintain peace.
Original Source: www.bbc.co.uk
