The arrests of South Sudan’s oil minister Gabriel Doup Lam and army general Puot Kang Chol have raised concerns over the peace deal post-civil war. Both are senior figures in the SPLA-IO and allies of Vice-President Riek Machar, whose relationship with President Salva Kiir has been tense. Critics highlight the risks these detentions pose to the fragile peace agreement, urging international involvement to prevent further escalation.
The recent arrests of Gabriel Doup Lam, the oil minister, and Puot Kang Chol, an army general in South Sudan, have raised alarms regarding the integrity of the peace agreement that ended the country’s civil war. Both men are prominent members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and closely associated with Vice-President Riek Machar, who is in conflict with President Salva Kiir. Party spokesperson Col Lam Gabriel Paul informed the BBC that the government has not provided any justification for these detentions.
Since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, it has faced turmoil. Following an internal dispute between Machar and Kiir in 2013, civil war erupted, claiming 400,000 lives and displacing 2.5 million people over five years. A peace deal was established in 2018 but has encountered persistent challenges. Despite these unsettling developments, President Kiir has assured through his spokesperson that the nation will not revert to warfare.
Gen Lam, currently overseeing the military faction of the opposition, was detained on a Tuesday, while Chol was taken under cover of night by security agencies. Troops encircled Machar’s residence in Juba but withdrew later. Reports indicate that numerous senior military personnel aligned with Machar have been placed under house arrest. Given the current situation, the stability of the peace deal remains questionable.
Machar’s spokesperson, Pal Mai Deng, voiced that Gen Lam’s arrest breaches the peace agreement, asserting, “This act puts the entire agreement at risk.” He urged the international community to intervene. These arrests coincide with reports of the White Army militia capturing a key town in Upper Nile state after confrontations with government forces, which have raised suspicions against Machar’s associates regarding their potential support for the rebels.
The UN and African Union have expressed concerns that continued violence in this region could escalate further. Ter Manyang, director of the Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy, cautioned that unless the leadership effectively manages the ongoing conflict, South Sudan risks returning to war. The nation has yet to conduct elections, which are now scheduled for 2026 after multiple delays.
The arrests of leading opposition figures in South Sudan have sparked significant apprehensions regarding the durability of the peace deal that concluded the civil war. While the government maintains it will not revert to conflict, key stakeholders are calling for international intervention. The escalating tensions could pose a grave threat to stability and peace in the nation.
Original Source: www.bbc.co.uk
