South Sudan’s Riek Machar: I’ve Spent 7 Years Under House Arrest

Kiir and Machar (L) meeting at State House Juba in June 2022 (Courtesy photo)

South Sudan’s First Vice President, Riek Machar, has publicly revealed that he has been under house arrest for seven years, despite holding a senior government position. 

His statement comes amid political crackdowns and rising violence in Upper Nile State, which has drawn warnings from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that the country is on the brink of war.

“Many may not know, but I am probably the first vice president in the world who has been under house arrest for seven years and is still active in the government,” Machar said in a statement on Saturday night, accusing his peace partners of constant intimidation.

His remarks follow the arrest of key SPLM/A-IO allies, including his Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, and Petroleum Minister Puot Kang, as well as the recent attack on a UN helicopter in Nasir, which resulted in the deaths of a UN crew member and a South Sudanese general. 

The UN has condemned the attack as a war crime and warned that South Sudan’s peace deal is unraveling.

Meanwhile, Uganda has officially backed Kiir, with the NRM Parliamentary Caucus approving UPDF deployment in South Sudan, calling it a necessary intervention to restore stability. 

Uganda’s army chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, vowed that any move against Kiir would be considered a declaration of war against Uganda.

Despite these developments, Machar remains defiant. 

“If anything happens to me, a smarter, purposeful, and powerful Riek Machar will appear,” he warned, signaling that his political struggle will continue even if he is removed.

He also rallied South Sudanese citizens, arguing that those resisting peace do so out of fear of accountability and the empowerment of the people.

“The challenges we have to overcome are the enemies of peace who are afraid of the accountability that comes with peace. Their greatest fear is that peace gives power to the citizens.”

South Sudan’s current crisis bears striking similarities to the events leading to the 2015 civil war, when political disputes between Kiir and Machar escalated into full-scale fighting, displacing millions of people and leading to mass atrocities.

The recent battle for control of Nasir, where the White Army—a Nuer youth militia—overran SSPDF positions, has further heightened tensions. The government has accused SPLM/A-IO of backing the offensive, leading to a security crackdown and mass arrests of opposition figures.

The UN Commission has compared the current situation to past conflicts, warning that South Sudan is on the verge of another war.

“What we are witnessing now is a return to the reckless power struggles that have devastated the country in the past,” said Commissioner Barney Afako.

The UN Commission attributes these rising tensions to political mismanagement, prolonged delays in the unification of forces, and the government’s crackdown on opposition figures.

“These attacks and the increasing instability are the consequence of political mismanagement, including prolonged delays in the unification of armed forces required under the Revitalized Peace Agreement,” the Commission stated.

The United Nations, Kenya’s President William Ruto, and other international actors have since called for de-escalation to prevent another civil war in South Sudan.

Source: https://chimpreports.com/south-sudans-riek-machar-ive-spent-7-years-under-house-arrest/