By Matik Kueth
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, has announced a suspension of its participation in key political and security mechanisms outlined in the 2018 peace agreement.
This decision follows the controversial detention of several party officials, sparking major concerns about the credibility of the peace implementation structures.
In a statement released on Monday, Oyet Nathaniel, Deputy Chairman of the SPLM-IO, expressed discontent over the ongoing detentions, noting that the involvement of SPLM/A-IO members in the Joint Defense Board (JDB), High-Level Political Committee (HLPC), Joint Military Ceasefire Committee (JMCC), and Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) is halted until the release of the detained officials.
Although some officials, including Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Phar, have been released, many notable opposition figures remain in custody.
Those still detained include Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and several military officials.
Oyet emphasized the urgency of their release, stating that, “All the participation of the members of the said security and political mechanisms is hereby frozen with immediate effect.”
While suspending its involvement in the peace mechanisms, the SPLM-IO has pointed out that it will continue to attend RJMEC Plenary Sessions to advocate for the release of their detained members, denouncing the arrests as detrimental to the revitalized peace agreement.
“The act of arresting and detaining a signatory to the R-ARCSS… threatens the very essence and existence of the revitalized agreement,” he stressed.
The tension escalated following clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, between government forces (SSPDF) and the SPLM-IO-aligned White Army.
This unrest prompted a meeting called by Stephen Phar to address security arrangements, despite previous calls by IGAD heads of state for the release of SPLM-IO detainees at the SSPDF’s Headquarters in Bilpham.
According to Makuei, the SPLM-IO officials were arrested in Juba because they were suspected of coordinating efforts to fuel the conflict with the white army, as seen on some social media videos of some white army members chanting the SPLM-IO’s slogan (SPLA-IO Viva), an accusation that the SPLM-IO denied as untrue.
As the SPLM-IO suspends its participation in peace mechanisms, the fate of the 2018 agreement hangs in the balance, with growing calls for political engagement to settle the tensions.