South Sudan rebel’s return delay fans fears for peace

Juba / AFP

Fragile hopes for an end to South Sudan’s civil war are being tested by the rebel leader’s failure to return to the capital to form a unity government.
International pressure is growing after Riek Machar, a former rebel leader turned deputy president who was fired, became a rebel leader again and has now fought his way back to the vice presidency, failed to appear in Juba as expected on Monday or Tuesday.
“The agreement is at risk,” said Festus Mogae, head of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) established to supervise an August 2015 peace deal that calls for the forming of a so-called unity government led by President Salva Kiir, with Machar as first vice president.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening Mogae urged both sides to “urgently demonstrate flexibility.” The UN and US also weighed in.
The UN Security Council expressed “serious concern”, with its members calling for “all parties to quickly form the transitional government and fully implement the peace agreement,” said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao, whose country holds the council presidency.
“The United States is extremely disappointed that Riek Machar has not fulfilled his commitments under the peace agreement and returned to Juba as he stated publicly he would,” said US Deputy Ambassador David Pressman late Tuesday.
The latest sticking point appears to be Machar’s desire to return to Juba with a large armed entourage which the government said contravenes the peace deal.