General Garwiji Dual, former Chief of General Staff of the SPLA-IO, has issued a stern warning over the ongoing house arrest of Dr. Riek Machar, Chairman of the SPLM-IO and First Vice President of South Sudan. He described the move as a direct threat to national stability and the peace process
“Whoever returned, Dr. Riek Machar to house arrest has no sense of patriotism. They must understand that their actions will have serious consequences soon. Either Dr. Machar is released, or South Sudan will descend into widespread chaos
General Dual emphasized that the recent unrest in Upper Nile State could easily spread to other regions, including Bahrel Ghazal, if the political crisis is not urgently addressed
He further pointed out that South Sudan’s government institutions are largely paralyzed:
“The country has come to a standstill. Parliament is inactive, the Council of Ministers is non-functional, and the only office showing any activity is that of the Vice President for Economic Affairs
General Dual criticized the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, accusing the administration of repeating past political mistakes
“This is the same pattern we saw in 2016 when Dr. Machar was sidelined through the actions of Taban Deng. But in the end, Dr. Machar returned to his position as First Vice President
SPLM-IO official Stephen Par Kuol echoed these sentiments, stating
“This is a government that lacks any political understanding. They want to drag the opposition into chaos, but SPLM-IO and the SPLA-IO remain strong, principled, and united
In a clear and urgent message, General Dual called on the international community and regional bodies to intervene
“The international community must apply strong pressure on the government of South Sudan. The African Union and IGAD must also step in to protect the peace process before it completely collapses
He concluded by challenging the government’s legitimacy
If the government is confident in itself, let them release Dr. Machar and go with him to democratic elections. Let the people of South Sudan decide who should lead them
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