JUBA – The arrest and detention of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar is a critical step in implementing the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), according to Vice President Taban Deng Gai, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Cluster.
Gai, a figure often associated with controversial statements, addressed the media following a meeting with President Salva Kiir at the State House on Monday. He emphasised that the government remains committed to peace and stability.
“The messages we delivered to the people along the road from Lakes to Western Bahr El Ghazal, to Warrap, and to Unity States were the messages of the president that he will never take this country back to war and that he needs peace and people to be protected,” Gai said.
The Vice President clarified that Dr. Machar’s detention does not undermine the 2018 peace agreement. “And I explained to them the issue of the house arrest of Dr. Riek Machar that it doesn’t mean any problem on the implementation of peace,” Gai stated.
“Instead, it is the implementation of peace because it’s a message to the populace and people of South Sudan, whether it’s high-ranking officials, that people must abide by the law, don’t go into conflict with the law,” he added.
However, Gai’s position stands in stark contrast to the views of regional and international communities, which have consistently urged the release of Dr. Machar to ensure the smooth execution of the peace agreement.
Machar was arrested in March this year following the killing of Maj. Gen. Majur Dak and 27 of his soldiers by the White Army in Upper Nile State’s Nasir County. The government accused Machar of coordinating the attacks.
The SPLM-IO Chairman, with several senior officials from his party, including Puot Kang Chol, remain in detention while many other members of his party either fled the country or are living under the fear of persecution by the regime.
The R-ARCSS recognises Dr. Machar as a pivotal partner in the peace process. His continued detention risks jeopardising the implementation of the agreement, raising concerns about the stability and inclusivity of South Sudan’s path to lasting peace.
