Tensions rise in #SouthSudan
The National Elections Commission (NEC) has proposed the date of 22 December 2024 to hold the first elections since independence (2011). A decision deemed unilateral by VP Machar, at the head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (#SPLMIO). He has instructed the South Sudanese population to disregard the NEC decision.
No major progress has been made on good governance, basic human rights or accountability for atrocity crimes. Quite the opposite, as the South Sudanese parliament has recently passed a law to extend the power of the National Security Service (#NSS), which is already notorious for its abuses.
The bill, decried by #SPLMIO, human rights NGOs, and now 9 Western embassies would give the NSS the right to search, monitor, arrest and detain citizens without a warrant.
Fresh clashes have opposed #SSPDF to civilians in Nasir (northeast) yesterday, displacing 3,000. This is the region where an agreement was recently struck with #Ethiopia should allow for the construction of a highway and pipeline to salvage #oil exports, that is to say #SouthSudan’s economy.
Although Kiir asks his people to focus on economic growth, the country is on the verge of economic collapse, as a consequence from the war in neighbouring #Sudan and the #RedSea crisis.
Mathieu Gotteland