South Sudan on brink of another civil war, warns UN envoy  | World News

South Sudan is at risk of falling back into civil war, the United Nations’ top official in the country has warned, criticising the government’s sudden decision to delay the latest peace process.
“The situation in South Sudan is ‘dire’,” warned Nicolas Haysom, head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, emphasizing that peace efforts can only succeed if President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar “put the interests of their people ahead of their own,” according to the Associated Press (AP).
South Sudan, rich in oil, became independent from Sudan in 2011 after years of conflict. However, in December 2013, the country plunged into a brutal civil war driven ethnic divisions. Kiir, from the Dinka ethnic group, led government forces against Machar, a Nuer leader. More than 40,000 people died before a 2018 peace agreement brought them together in a unity government.
Story continues below this ad

Under that deal, elections were meant to take place in February 2023 but were postponed to December 2024, and now to 2026.
The latest tensions have erupted in the north, where government forces are clashing with a militia known as the White Army, widely believed to be linked to Machar. Earlier this month, a South Sudanese general was among those killed when a UN helicopter, sent to evacuate government troops from the town of Nasir, was attacked.

On March 4, the White Army took over a military base in Nasir. In response, government troops surrounded Machar’s house in the capital, Juba, and arrested several of his key allies.
Haysom warned that violence is increasing as elections approach. “Tensions are escalating, particularly as we grow closer to elections and as political competition between the main leaders sharpens,” he told AP.Story continues below this ad

He added that a lack of trust between Kiir and Machar is preventing the 2018 peace deal from being fully implemented. He also highlighted the growing impact of “misinformation, disinformation and hate speech”, which is deepening ethnic divisions and spreading fear.
“Given this grim situation, we are left with no other conclusion but to assess that South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war,” Haysom warned. He said if war breaks out again, it could bring back the horrors seen in 2013 and 2016.
The UN is particularly concerned about the “ethnic transformation” of the conflict, he added.
To prevent another civil war, the UN and its partners, including the African Union, are increasing diplomatic efforts. Haysom said the international community is urging Kiir and Machar to meet, stick to the 2018 peace deal, respect the ceasefire, release detained officials, and solve their issues “through dialogue rather than military confrontation.”
(with inputs from AP)
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

Expand