The arrest of General Gabriel Duop Lam, a close ally of Vice-President Riek Machar, raises concerns regarding the stability of South Sudan’s peace deal. The United Nations has noted an increase in violence, particularly in Upper Nile state, which threatens the progress made since the 2018 agreement that ended a prolonged civil war. Continued efforts are needed to maintain peace in a nation still reeling from its tumultuous past.
Recently, South Sudan’s military detained General Gabriel Duop Lam, the deputy head of the armed forces and an ally of Vice-President Riek Machar. This action has raised alarm regarding the stability of the country’s fragile peace agreement. Lam’s detention came amid escalating clashes in Upper Nile state, where the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) accused him and his troops of colluding with local rebels, many of whom belong to the same ethnic group as Machar.
Machar’s spokesperson, Pal Mai Deng, characterized the arrest as a violation of the 2018 power-sharing accord that successfully concluded South Sudan’s devastating five-year civil war. Reports from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan indicate a recent surge in violence in Upper Nile state, particularly in Nassir, involving fierce confrontations that have resulted in civilian and military casualties.
The 2018 peace deal aimed to resolve the conflict sparked by the longstanding rivalry between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, a discord that led to the deaths of approximately 400,000 individuals. Despite the agreement, tensions have continued to rise, and widespread violence persists in this nascent nation, which achieved independence from Sudan in 2011.
The recent arrest of General Gabriel Duop Lam threatens to destabilize the already fragile peace in South Sudan, as it contravenes the 2018 power-sharing agreement. Continued violence and political unrest undermine efforts to establish lasting peace in a country still grappling with the consequences of a devastating civil war. The situation demands careful monitoring in order to preserve the precarious peace that has been achieved.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
