A major party in South Sudan’s government, SPLM-IO, has partly withdrawn from the peace process due to escalating tensions with President Salva Kiir’s administration. Clashes have led to detentions of key officials, while fears of a renewed civil war rise amid regional instability and hate speech proliferation, particularly influenced by the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan.
A major party in South Sudan’s coalition government has announced a suspension of its participation in the peace process established by a 2018 deal, following worsening relations between its leader, Riek Machar, and President Salva Kiir. This agreement aimed to resolve a five-year conflict between forces loyal to the two leaders, but recent clashes have intensified hostilities.
Tensions escalated when security forces detained several SPLM-IO officials, including key figures such as the petroleum minister and the army’s deputy head. This crackdown followed confrontations in Nasir, a town near the Ethiopian border, where the White Army militia—associated with Machar—forced government troops to retreat.
The SPLM-IO refutes allegations of collaboration with the White Army, which mostly consists of ethnic Nuer youths. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the party’s deputy chairman, emphasized that they would not partake in security arrangements of the peace process until the detained officials are released, citing ongoing political repression as a threat to the peace deal’s viability.
The violence around Nasir has resulted in the displacement of about 50,000 individuals, with around 10,000 seeking refuge in Ethiopia, according to United Nations reports. The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by the conflict’s potential to reignite civil war, as indicated by Nicholas Haysom, the UN peacekeeping chief, due to rampant hate speech and misinformation.
Analysts highlight that the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan is contributing to the destabilization of South Sudan’s peace process, as disruptions in oil revenues and increased regional tensions create an environment ripe for conflict. Alan Boswell from the International Crisis Group warns of spillover violence from Sudan into South Sudan, particularly threatening the capital, Juba.
The temporary withdrawal of the SPLM-IO from the peace process highlights the ongoing tensions between the party and the South Sudanese government. With reports of increased violence and displacement, the humanitarian situation remains dire. The potential for renewed conflict looms large, exacerbated by external influences from Sudan. Continued political repression challenges the stability and prospects of peace in South Sudan.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
