The SPLM-IO party in South Sudan has suspended its role in the peace process due to deteriorating relations with President Kiir, following mass arrests of its officials. This has sparked tensions amid ongoing violence and a humanitarian crisis, with warnings from UN officials about the risks of renewed civil war rooted in ethnic conflict and regional instability.
A significant party in South Sudan’s coalition government, led by First Vice President Riek Machar, has announced its suspension from a crucial aspect of the 2018 peace agreement. This decision comes amid escalating tensions and deteriorating relations between Machar and President Salva Kiir, particularly following violent clashes.
The peace agreement that ended five years of conflict between Kiir’s loyalists and Machar’s SPLM-IO party is now at risk. Recently, several SPLM-IO officials, including key military and ministry leaders, were arrested amid accusations of their involvement with the White Army, a militia primarily consisting of ethnic Nuer youths linked to Machar.
Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, SPLM-IO’s deputy chairman, stated that the party would refrain from participating in security arrangements of the peace deal until the detained officials are released. He emphasized that ongoing political persecution undermines the integrity of the peace process.
Recent clashes in Upper Nile state have resulted in the displacement of about 50,000 individuals, with 10,000 fleeing to Ethiopia, according to UN Humanitarian Coordinator Anita Kiki Gbeho. This displacement highlights the urgent humanitarian crisis stemming from the conflict.
Nicholas Haysom, the UN peacekeeping chief in South Sudan, warned that the nation is perilously close to relapsing into civil war, noting an increase in hate speech and misinformation that could escalate ethnic tensions. Furthermore, analysts point to the regional instability caused by the conflict in neighboring Sudan as a contributing factor to the deterioration of South Sudan’s peace process, with increasing risks of armed conflict spreading to the capital, Juba.
The suspension of SPLM-IO from the peace process signifies a critical juncture for South Sudan, highlighting the fragile nature of the peace agreement established in 2018. The arrests of key officials have intensified the conflict, leading to significant displacement and rising ethnic tensions. Without resolution, South Sudan risks sliding back into civil conflict, exacerbated by regional instability from neighboring Sudan.
Original Source: www.straitstimes.com
