By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan
The embassies of Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, alongside the Delegation of the European Union, on Friday, voiced their strong agreement with the assessment made by the Chairman of the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
They highlighed a significant deterioration in the political and security situation in South Sudan, a condition not seen since 2018.
In its Quarterly Report released on Monday, the RJMEC detailed the alarming decline in the political climate and security landscape of South Sudan, attributing it to recurrent violations that have stalled the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement established in 2018.
The collective statement from the Western embassies and the EU delegation called on President Salva Kiir to lift the house arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. “We urgently urge President Kiir to terminate the house arrest of First Vice President Machar and encourage all political leaders to return to dialogue promptly, focusing on attaining a sustainable political resolution,” the statement emphasized. “We condemn the recent remarks made by a senior transitional government minister on April 26, which categorized certain regions as ‘friendly’ or ‘hostile.’”
The statement reiterated a call for all political leaders to cease using violence as a strategy for political gain and to avoid further unilateral actions that could worsen the situation.
During a press conference on April 26, Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro publicly announced the South Sudanese government’s classification of Nuer-majority areas into “hostile” and “friendly,” amid escalating tensions between President Kiir and First Vice President Machar following recent violent incidents in Nasir. Last month, President Kiir had placed Machar under house arrest, accusing him of inciting rebellion against the government and undermining peace efforts5ue
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