South Sudan is on the brink of a renewed civil war, the UN's top envoy to the world's newest nation warned on Monday.
Describing the situation in the country as “horrific”, Nicholas Haysom said international efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution could only succeed if President Salva Kiir and his rival-turned-vice-president Riek Machar were willing to act “and put the interests of their people above their own”.
When oil-rich South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long conflict, there were high hopes.
But in December 2013, the country descended into a civil war rooted in ethnic divisions, with forces loyal to Mr Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, battling forces backing Mr Machar, an ethnic Nuer.
The conflict killed more than 400,000 people and ended with a 2018 peace deal that united Mr Kiir and Mr Machar in a national unity government.
According to the agreement, the elections were supposed to be held in February 2023, but they were postponed to December 2024 and then to 2026.
The latest escalation stems from fighting in the north of the country between government forces and a rebel group known as the White Army, which is believed to be allied with Mr Machar.
Earlier this month, a South Sudanese general was among several people killed when a UN helicopter was shot at as it evacuated government troops from the city of Nasir, where fighting is raging in Upper Nile state.
A few days ago, on March 4, the White Army seized a military garrison in Nasir, after which government forces surrounded Mr. Machar's home in the capital, Juba, and arrested several of his key associates.
Mr Haysom noted that tensions and violence were increasing “especially as elections approach and political competition between the main players intensifies”.
He added that Mr Kiir and Mr Machar do not trust each other enough to demonstrate the leadership needed to implement the 2018 peace agreement and move towards a future with a stable and democratic South Sudan.
“Widespread disinformation, the spread of false information and hate speech also exacerbate tensions and heighten ethnic divisions and fear,” Mr Haysom said.
“Given this grim situation,” he noted, “we have no choice but to acknowledge that South Sudan is balancing on
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
