No tags yet.
December 2018 marked five years since the civil war in South Sudan started. Established in 2011, South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation descended into conflict two years after its creation due to a rivalry between its two leaders, President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar.[1] Since then, contention and in-fighting between the government and opposition forces has further complicated this war, which has undergone multiple ceasefires and peace deals. The latest of these peace deals was concluded in August 2018.
The August 2018 peace deal re-instated Machar as the country’s Vice-President, and thus attempted to end the years of fighting through an equitable division of power. However, the violence and humanitarian catastrophe continues till this day. Brokered by Sudanese President, Omar-al-Bashir, and the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the peace deal was born of need and necessity.[2] Indeed, five years of war impacted Sudan’s oil production and export, and also creating economic problems for Uganda. Critics of the peace deal argue that it has made South Sudan a protectorate of Sudan and Uganda, effectively eroding its sovereignty.[3] However, regardless of the power politics behind the deal, the first step towards addressing the issues in South Sudan is ending the war. Yet, the recent protests in South Sudan, challenging the authority of President al-Bashir, endanger the future of the deal.
A successful implementation of this peace deal is crucial to address the root causes of South Sudan’s refugee crisis. According to experts, the conflict has created 2.5 million refugees and 1.8 million internally displaced people. Stuck in refugee camps across the region, these people are terrified of returning home as militia groups continue to clash and recruit child soldiers.
[1] https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/air-serv-positions-second-aircraft-south-sudan
[2] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Why-Khartoum-brokered-2018-peace-deal-in-the-South/4552908-4877274-htxhs5/index.html
[3] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/South-Sudan-deal-to-benefit-only-to-Uganda-Khartoum-/4552908-4783924-rm8jg7z/index.html