General Gabriel Duop Lam’s arrest in South Sudan raises alarms over the stability of the peace agreement following violent clashes in Upper Nile. It has been described as a violation of the 2018 power-sharing pact that ended years of civil war. Tensions continue to escalate, with recent reports of violence and casualties in the region.
The arrest of South Sudan’s deputy armed forces chief, General Gabriel Duop Lam, has raised alarming concerns regarding the country’s fragile peace agreement. This incident follows violent clashes in Upper Nile state, where the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), aligned with President Salva Kiir, accused Lam of colluding with rebels who are predominantly from the same Nuer ethnic group as Vice-President Riek Machar.
Machar’s spokesperson, Pal Mai Deng, criticized the arrest, asserting it undermines the 2018 power-sharing agreement that aimed to restore stability post-civil war. The agreement, which was pivotal in halting the devastating conflict that took over five years and resulted in 400,000 fatalities, appears increasingly imperiled.
Recently, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan reported escalating violence in Upper Nile state, highlighting intense clashes between military forces and armed youth in Nassir. The confrontations, marked by the use of heavy weaponry, have led to numerous civilian and military casualties, indicating a deterioration in security conditions across the region.
Despite the 2018 peace deal’s intention to reconcile the longstanding rivalry between Kiir and Machar, tensions have persisted. South Sudan, which achieved independence from Sudan in 2011, continues to experience widespread violence, raising questions about the sustainability of its peace efforts.
The arrest of General Lam threatens the stability of South Sudan’s fragile peace agreement, renewing concerns about ongoing violence and ethnic tensions in the region. This situation underscores the challenges of enforcing the 2018 power-sharing agreement designed to end years of civil strife and highlights the precarious security landscape in South Sudan.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
