
There are frightening news from Juba and South Sudan. This week has been showing the dire side of the Republic. There are movements of both the state and other signatories of the R-ARCSS. As there are appointments and also military moves, which implicates two main culprits. These have sadly fought before and they can easily do it again.
These two leaders within South Sudan is President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar Teny. Both of them have fought and the latest agreement has ceased this since 2018. There have been skirmishes and usage of military within South Sudan. However, not on a scale of a civil war, which was stopped by the Khartoum Declaration and R-ARCSS. Therefore, the need to adhere and implement it is even more important. Because, that is how to build trust and institutions.
What we are reading and seeing is similar to 2013 and 2016. The world and the Republic has seen these sorts of actions done by both parties then. The SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO has both fought each other. Before the agreement Machar had to flee into exile and was stationed outside of South Sudan for a long time. Therefore, these two knows the costs of war and should avoid that by any means. They have seen the costs and the suffering it has caused. Instead of finding solutions and procedures for the future. It is instead trying to get an upper-hand in a supposed election cycle, which haven’t been scheduled or written road-map about. However, the state haven’t implemented the stipulations or prepared the states for an election.
Here is the recent reports over the weekend:
“The SPLM-IO has issued a statement rejecting last week’s decree by President Salva Kiir announcing command of the unified forces. SPLM-IO says the President’s decree left out some positions of command” (Radio Miraya, 27.03.2022).
“UBA – A South Sudan army general turned member of Pan African parliament has said that ongoing attacks by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) are attempts to displace members of constituencies in SPLM-IO-controlled areas and manipulate elections in favor of President Salva Kiir Mayardit. There has been fighting in Upper Nile and Unity state where South Sudan army forces in the two states launched attacks on several bases belonging to the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny” (…) “In a statement, Major-General Mabior Riiny Lual, said the ongoing conflict in Upper Nile state is an indication that the SPLM-IG want to go to elections and that the war is a campaign by the Kiir-led army to displace constituencies in opposition-controlled areas so that elections are manipulated in favor of Kiir.“The war in Upper Nile is an indication that there is a determination by SPLM to go for elections. The war is an attempt to displace constituencies of SPLM-IO to discourage them from voting,” he said in a statement seen by Sudans Post on Friday evening” (South Sudan Uncensored – ‘TOP GENERAL SAYS ATTACKS ON SPLA-IO ”IS AN ATTEMPT TO DISPLACE CONSTITUENCIES TO MANIPULATE ELECTIONS” (26.03.2022).
That this is happening now is a worrying sign. The ending of collaborations and working in connection with R-JMEC and other councils from SPLM/A-IO should be a sign of a stalemate. While the President also appoints and leaves out the FVP out of his Presidential Decrees. That is working without the parts of government, which is needed.
This shows that the communication between the parties has stopped and it is more needed than ever. The two leaders needs to talk and secure peace. Instead of continuing to escalate. Innocent lives will be taken and people will die over their power games. Which these two are only gaining. While the Republic is losing in general.
South Sudan doesn’t need more violence and death. Kiir and Machar has been main culprits of conflict. That’s why these two needs to talk and find ways out of this. While we are seeing things that resemble before the R-ARCSS. In 2022 these needs talks and not weapons. The arms and the solo-runs should be over. Time for institutionalization and state building. However, that is going slow, because that will weaken the President and has power. He wants power and ensure he has that indefinitely.
We have to hope that these two finds a way and a forum to meet. Before the attacks and skirmishes escalates further. The state and the President has to ensure the trust. He is the Head of State and if he finds himself in a new civil war because of his pride. Than his self-importance is destructive to the state. Neither is it any good, if Machar cannot try to reach out and show humility. However, these are both men of war and that what they know the most. It has only been a short window without major conflict.
South Sudan needs peace and not war. Peace.













