The Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has announced the
dissolution of the 2018 peace deal subsequent to the arrest of its leader, Dr.
Riek Machar, the first vice president of South Sudan.
Hon. Oyet
Nathaniel Perieno, deputy chairman of the SPLM-IO and first deputy speaker of
the national parliament, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that his boss,
President Salva Kiir’s rival Machar, was placed under house arrest on
Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at 9:46 PM.
The arrest,
carried out by senior security personnel from the National Security, Tiger
Division, and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces under President Kiir’s
directive, also included Machar's wife, Angelina Teny, Minister of Interior,
and his protocol team and close protection guards, signaling the collapse of
the peace agreement.
“The arrest
and detention of H.E Dr. Riek Machar Teny effectively brings the Agreement to a
collapse; thus, the prospect for Peace and Stability in South Sudan has now
been put into serious jeopardy,” Oyet stated.
With the
government yet to comment on the development, the senior opposition official
stated that the arrest ordered by President Kiir represents a breach of
commitments, undermines agreements, and reflects a lack of political will to
achieve peace and stability in the country.
“Consequently,
we would like to declare that with the arrest and detention of H.E Dr. Riek
Machar Teny the R-ARCSS, 2018 has been abrogated,” he declared.
Oyet raised
concerns about the escalating airstrikes and ground military operations near
Juba, targeting cantonment sites and training centers in Wunliet, Aswa, and
Rejaf. He urged regional and international intervention to ensure the safety
and release of SPLM-IO detainees.
Civil society
activists, the United Nations, and the United States have called for restraint
and the reversal of the action following reports of the arrest.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns among observers and citizens about the stability of South Sudan's fragile peace process, with fears that the country may relapse into renewed civil war.