A civil society activist is calling for urgent intervention saying the clashes between government and opposition forces in parts of South Sudan could signal a collapse of the 2018 peace deal and a possible return to war.
Fighting broke out between government forces, SSPDF, and the SPLA-IO forces in Longechuk County of Upper Nile State on Thursday this week, preceded by fighting in Maiwut and Unity State earlier in the week.
The recent clashes came a day after the SPLM/A-IO announced the suspension of its participation in the joint security bodies in protest against repeated attacks on its bases by government forces across the country.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said urgent intervention is needed to avoid further military confrontations that could take the country back to war.
Yakani said the SSPDF’s strategy to instigate and encourage military defections among the armed opposition forces is a clear violation of the ceasefire and security arrangements.
“History may repeat itself, especially the events of 2016, which began in the same way, from lawlessness in the states and then the war in the capital, Juba. Therefore, this situation is dangerous and needs urgent intervention,” he said.
Yakani stated that if the conflict moves to the Equatoria region, it could spiral out of control, saying Juba residents are now living in fear. He added that the unprecedented security deployment of police forces in the capital, Juba worsened the situation.
“Five days ago, the police forces staged a military parade of weapons throughout the city of Juba, and currently clashes are erupting in Upper Nile, and all these military manifestations are dangerous and threaten the continuation of the peace agreement,” he said.
Yakani claimed that the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has been ineffective in ensuring that parties to the 2018 agreement implement the deal in letter and spirit.
The activist pointed out that the recent clashes are a clear indication that the parties have total disregard for the guarantors as it comes a few days after the President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Gen. Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan suggested proposals for the unification of forces and elections.
Yakani called on Sudan and Uganda, both guarantors of the deal to all an urgent meeting in Juba with the two main warring parties to iron out their differences and chart a way forward to implementing the sticky issues in the agreement.