The government of South Sudan and several rebel groups began peace talks in Kenya on May 9, 2024. These rebel groups did not sign the peace agreement in 2018, which ended the South Sudan civil war and established a transitional government. Since then, the government has tried to gain the support of these rebel groups for a peace agreement, but negotiations have been unsuccessful. As a result, elections have yet to take place, and the transitional government has been extended. South Sudan could hold elections in December 2024 if the rebel groups agree to support a peace agreement. The rebel groups may be more inclined to support such an agreement if more ethnic groups are represented in South Sudan’s government and if the government works to end human rights abuses.
Al Arabiya News reported that Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan, said his government was ready to negotiate “in good faith and with an open mind” and hoped the rebels shared “similar convictions and a similar desire for peace.” According to Africa News, Pagan Amum Okiech, the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (S.P.L.M.-I.O.), stated, “We need to leave the mindset of conflict, we need to stop seeing ourselves as enemies.”
The South Sudan Civil War began in 2013 after President Kiir accused Vice President Riek Machar of planning a coup and removed Machar from office. Kiir receives support from the Dinka people, while Machar is backed by the S.P.L.M.-I.O. and the Nuer people. In 2020, Kiir appointed Machar as one of the country’s five vice presidents after a unity government was formed, allowing both the Dinka and Nuer communities to have a voice in government. It is essential that both the Dinka and Nuer continue to be represented after the transitional government ends, as excluding either group could lead to heightened conflict. The International Crisis Group reported that allowing losing presidential candidates to become vice president would help ensure representation for both groups and could likely help prevent conflict.
While South Sudan is divided into ten states, state governments have little power. For instance, the national government controls revenue from oil exports and cattle auctions and has not allocated funds to state governments. This has caused South Sudan to become one of the poorest countries in the world, and many of its people rely on humanitarian aid. A peace agreement should grant state governments more power and allow them to receive funds from economic resources. Although the Dinka and Nuer are the largest groups in South Sudan, the United States Institute of Peace reported that other groups have larger populations in some states. One state where this has occurred is Western Equatoria, where the Azande people are the largest group. By withholding power from state governments, the Azande and other smaller ethnic groups receive little representation, which has increased ethnic conflicts in South Sudan.
There have been many human rights abuses in South Sudan. Human Rights Watch reported that 800 people were killed between January and June 2023, with most deaths occurring during clashes between people from different ethnic communities. The government of South Sudan has done little to stop killings and violence against civilians, and few officials accused of planning attacks have been prosecuted. Due to these fatal conflicts, 2.2 million refugees have left South Sudan to move to other countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The United Nations Development Program has supported the creation of a Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing in South Sudan. Establishing a commission could improve human rights in South Sudan, as it could investigate attacks and allow refugees to return to the country.
Conflicts between different ethnic groups in South Sudan have occurred since the beginning of the country’s civil war. Increasing the representation of ethnic groups in the national and state governments could decrease conflicts between groups. However, ethnic conflicts may persist even if rebel groups support a peace agreement. For this reason, the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing should be established, as it could compel the government to take further steps to prevent conflicts.
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