Rocky Road to Peace

SOUTH Sudan gained its independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, but independence did not bring the internal conflict to an end. At the end of 2013, fighting between government troops and rebel factions erupted into a conflict that killed many people and prompted more to flee their homes by the time a tentative, internationally mediated peace agreement had been signed in August 2015.

This April, rebel leader Machar finally returned to capital Juba and resumed his old job as first vice president in a new unity government led by President Kiir. But South Sudan has still been in an unstable state, with conflicts continuing and the peace agreement not implemented effectively. There are many reasons why peace remains elusive in South Sudan.

Mutual distrust: Although the two sides signed a peace agreement and Machar returned to Juba, the agreement doesn’t have a sound basis as both sides have their own armies and can’t forget their old enmity. Any little disagreement may trigger conflict.

The latest conflict started on July 7 when soldiers loyal to Machar fired at a checkpoint manned by Kiir’s troops, killing at least five soldiers. The fighting quickly escalated from small-arms fire to heavier weapons, continuing until Kiir and Machar asked their forces to cease fire on the night of July 10.

During the violence spree, some UN agencies and refugee camps in Juba were also attacked, resulting in casualties among UN peacekeepers. Two Chinese peacekeepers lost their lives, the second time that Chinese soldiers were killed in the line of duty in Africa in two successive months this year. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks, urging the UN Security Council to take action to ease the conflict and protect civilians.

Tribal conflicts: With a population of about 12 million, South Sudan