South Sudan: Worries That Peace Deal May Collapse

South Sudan's peace deal may collapse after rebel leader Riek Machar failed to return to the capital as planned, observers and a ceasefire monitor said Wednesday.

Machar was meant to arrive Monday, and then Tuesday, to assume the vice presidency under his rival President Salva Kiir and form a transitional government. But he did not show up and it is not known when he will return.

Machar's failure to come to Juba threatens the peace deal signed last year, and the two sides should cooperate, said former Botswana^[1] President Festus Mogae, head of a commission monitoring the deal. The U.N. hopes to see the return of Machar to Juba "as soon as possible," spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, Stephane Dujarric, said.

The U.S. accused Machar of making a "willful decision" not to return, threatening South Sudan with further conflict. "We call upon the government to exercise maximum flexibility for the sake of peace, and on Machar to return to Juba," the U.S. Embassy in Juba said in a statement.

If Machar doesn't return to Juba quickly, "it can actually derail the implementation of the peace agreement," said Jacob Chol, a University of Juba professor.

The rebels said Machar did not return because the government did not clear a flight from Ethiopia^[2] for Machar's top general , Simon Gatwech, who is under an international travel ban from U.N. sanctions. The government said Gatwech was trying to bring at least 260 troops with him to Juba, contravening the peace deal.

Besides non-formation of the transitional government, other clauses of the peace deal haven't been implemented. Fighting continues, aid workers complain of restrictions on their access to civilians, and the government has not complied with troop limits in Juba.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan's civil war.

References

1. ^{^} Botswana (abcnews.go.com)
2. ^{^} Ethiopia (abcnews.go.com)