the arrest of the vice-president rushes the nation in direction of the civil battle | EUROtoday

IIt was quickly 10 p.m. when the safety forces surrounded the Riek Machar residence on Wednesday, March 26, the primary vice-president of South Sudan. An arrest warrant was given to him whereas his bodyguards had been taken. Place the quantity two of the beneath residence, thus monitored the revitalized settlement on the decision of the battle in South Sudan (designated beneath the acronym R-Arcss) signed in 2018 along with his rival, President Salva Kiir.

The subsequent morning, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the deputy chief of the occasion of Riek Machar, the favored Movement for the Liberation of Sudan in opposition (SPLM-IO), revealed a press release that “with the arrest and detention of His Excellency Doctor Riek MACHACHAR TENY, the 2018 R-Arcss was repealed”. “We are above all for dialogue,” says Africa level SPLM-IO spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang. But if it fails, we are going to revise our choices. »»

“The president refuses any dialogue”

Envoy for the final likelihood to Juba, this Friday, after the failures of the mediations of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), Western diplomats and even non secular leaders, the previous Prime Minister Kényan Raila Odonga has not managed to persuade Salva Kiir to show round.

“The president refuses any dialogue for the second. He needs to be the chance to violate the peace settlement to the purpose that within the occasion of recent negotiations, the SPLM-IO will likely be unable to say as a lot weight as in 2018, “observes Patrick Godi, representative of young people within the mixed monitoring and reconstituted evaluation committee responsible for ensuring the implementation of the R-Arcss. The treaty having put an end to five years of civil war after some 400,000 dead has never fully satisfied Salva Kiir.

“With his relatives, they felt like they had this agreement imposed. They therefore applied themselves to dismantle it gradually to develop a new political system. At the same time, they set out to unravel the SPLM-IO on the military and political levels, ”explains Remember Miamingi, a South Sudanese analyst specializing in peace and security issues. Ayak Chol, a member of the Tumaini initiative, who tries to include other armed groups at the R-Arcss, regrets having remained unanswered when she and other members of the South-Sudanese civil society interviewed the government about Riek Machar of any delegation on high-level affairs. “The first vice-president was confined to Juba but it surely was impression that he was glad together with her golden seat,” said the researcher.

An escalation against the background of disarmament

The status quo, however, has gone mid-February. If weapons swarm in the youngest nation in the world, it is above all because citizens do not feel safe. “The authorities has failed to guard them, then many native forces take over. This is the case of the white military, within the county of Nasir, “continues Ayak Chol. This armed group is made up of young Nuers, the people of Riek Machar. Tensions increased when the defense forces of the South Sudanese people announced the disarmament of the White Army, as part of the security component of the peace agreement.

“The native inhabitants replied that nationwide forces systematically assault the Nuers after having disarmed them. Then, it demanded that disarmament be made by the mandatory unified power of South Sudan made up of veterans from numerous armed teams, ”provides Ayak Chol. Faced with the refusal of the troops of Salva Kiir, the scenario degenerated.

On March 4, General Majur Dak was killed, following the failed evacuation of troopers from the protection forces of the South Sudanese individuals led by the UN. In retaliation, a number of leaders of the SPLM-IO have been arrested. Among them, the Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, and General Gabriel Doup Lam, on the head of the navy wing of the SPLM-IO which has not but been built-in into the military, haven’t been launched.

A rustic on the point of civil battle

The air bombings led by common troops on the county of Nasir, positioned close to the Ethiopian and Sudanese borders, didn’t spare civilians. As of March 24, Nicholas Haysom, the particular consultant of the UN Secretary General in South Sudan, warned that the youngest nation on the earth was “on the verge of a relapse in the civil war”. Nasir fights have already moved 63,000 individuals.

In Juba too, the exodus of the members of the SPLM-IO is organized. It is similar within the 53,000 troopers who joined the mandatory unified power of South Sudan. “Those who come from the SPLM-IO are attempting to depart to affix their authentic navy coaching. This will essentially enhance insecurity round Juba and broaden the battle throughout the nation as a result of these troopers is not going to stay their arms crossed within the bush, “warns Patrick Godi, of the mixed monitoring and reconstituted assessment commission.

Clashes already broke out at the start of the week near the capital. And the arrest of Riek Machar should not help anything. “The Nuer community does not accept to see its leader subject to intimidation and humiliations. But instead of wanting to the government, she accuses the Dinka people, to whom Salva Kiir belongs. This increases ethnic divisions, ”deciphers a political official who prefers to remain anonymous.

Civil society is mobilizing for peace

The regional context could promote climbing. “In 2018, war ended when Sudan and Ethiopia closed their borders to prevent military supplies. However today, the flow of weapons is important and the risk of a war by proximity between the regional powers, such as Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, is real, “alerted Miamingi. The analyst however detects a glimmer of hope within the emergence of the Reclaim motion which brings collectively activists, politicians, non secular leaders and South Sudanese lecturers against the battle.

To uncover



The kangaroo of the day

Answer

“In the absence of regional pressure and on the part of the international community which is occupied with other crises, this platform intends to take up the destiny of the nation in its hands. It is a positive signal to put pressure on political leaders in a peaceful manner, ”greets Remember Miamingi. Other activists individually promote peace to attempt to purpose with their leaders.

Read too Docu Télé – France 24: Sudan du Sud, such an extended technique to peaceThis is the case of the musician Meen Mabior, of the Ana Taaban collective (“I am tired” in Arabic, perceive: “tired of war”). “I launched an appeal on social networks to urge leaders to settle their disputes by peaceful means rather than pushing to war. Because in the end, the victims of conflicts are always the most vulnerable, ”insists this resident of Juba. His determination is made. As in 2013, he is not going to go away, even when the fights once more shake the capital: “As a public persona, it’s a obligation to remain to provide hope to those that wouldn’t have the means to flee. »»