By Lodu William Odiya
Some of the foreign embassies have reiterated the call for the unconditional release of Dr. Riek Machar Teny and other opposition detainees.
First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny was arrested in March following the conflict in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
The government said the Opposition was in conflict with the law and will be investigated and presented to the court, however such process continue to delay.
The Foreign Missions, which comprise the Embassies of Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, expressed their concern in a joint statement.
According to the joint statement, the group called on all South Sudan’s leaders to work together toward peace and stability.
“We call on all South Sudan leaders to work together urgently to stop the violence. This includes the release of all political detainees, including the first vice president, so that meaningful dialogue—the only route to sustainable peace for South Sudan—can occur,” the statement partly read.
The missions expressed grave concern over ongoing hostilities in several parts of South Sudan.
According to the joint statement issued yesterday, this growing violence is in flagrant violation of the ceasefire and the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and threatens the hopes for peace and development shared by all South Sudanese.
“We specifically condemned the repeated attacks against civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical facilities protected under international humanitarian law,” the statement partly read.
The statement further emphasized that these attacks were only exacerbating the suffering of the South Sudanese people.
“We are also seriously concerned by the inter-communal violence in several states and reports of restrictions on humanitarian access,” the joint statement further underlined.
Violence in South Sudan has escalated with an increase in victims harmed by armed groups and a rise in conflict-related sexual violence.
Communal violence remains a primary driver of conflict, particularly in Warrap State and Central Equatoria State.
Political tensions were also rising, especially in Upper Nile State, raising fears of a potential return to civil war.
Despite previous peace agreements, political violence and instability persist, with community-based militias being responsible for nearly 80 percent of civilian harm.
The situation remains dire, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the violence.
Recently, the Interim Chairperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), Stephen Par Kuol, also called for the release of Dr. Machar.