Machar’s return to South Sudan and his reinstatement as vice-president in April had restored hopes for the implementation of a peace process signed in August 2015. The idea of joint patrols by soldiers of the SPLA and Machar’s SPLA-IO, as envisaged in the peace agreement, seems preposterous.
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Alfred Taban, editor of the Juba Monitor, was arrested after calling on President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar to step down. Observers say almost 300 died in battles.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is Zuma’s Special Envoy to South Sudan and has been involved in efforts to help reconcile the warring factions in the party.
The fighting prompted the United Nations and some countries to withdraw non-essential personnel. The additional USA troops in Juba and those dispatched to neighboring countries are there only to protect the Embassy and American citizens who are leaving South Sudan because of the conflict. Many have sought refuge in church compounds across Juba, seeking safety and protection. According to the United Nations, several of its camps came under fire from machine guns and mortar.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation and the risk of relapse into conflict and that of further and widespread atrocities against the civilian population, the Secretary-General and the two former Presidents agreed on the urgency of concerted regional and global action to address the current challenges and bring about lasting peace and security in South Sudan. Thousands are at the southern border with Uganda but can not leave, a clear violation of their right to movement.
At the moment, the conflict seems to be cooling.
Tensions between Kiir and Machar’s supporters rose to the surface last week in fighting between government troops and Machar’s former rebel fighters.
While this certainly sounds hopeful, there are certain indications that the situation may be repeating the events of the first civil war. At the invitation of President Kiir, a heavily armed convoy of Ugandan troops has crossed into South Sudan following the recent fighting.
A delegation led by Major General Su Guanghui, acting director of the defence ministry’s Peacekeeping Affairs Office, arrived in Juba on Saturday and evacuated 17 embassy staff, 12 members of a Chinese medical team and 20 employees of various Chinese companies.
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He accused Riek Machar of being a problem to President Kiir, making it hard for the president to focus on the development of the young nation. There the troops are meant to support the national army.
