Officials in South Sudan have dismissed concerns over a heavy deployment of armed troops in the capital, Juba, describing the move as a routine drill linked to preparations for long-delayed elections scheduled for later this year.
The police have stated that the deployment is part of a training exercise ahead of the polls. The government is urging the public to remain calm, despite ongoing fighting north of the capital.
“The country is experiencing relative peace except for some pockets in northern Jonglei where the SPLA-IO elements have been disturbing peace,” a government spokesperson said.
However, the fighting has sparked a displacement crisis, forcing many civilians to once again depend on food aid from humanitarian agencies. One displaced resident living in a camp described the dire conditions: “Life in the camp is hard. There is no food. There is no money. But I have to live here because outside the camp there is fighting. At least here in the camp, I can be sure that I am safe from the fighting.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan says it is concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Jonglei State. It is urging all parties to halt hostilities, especially in Akobo, a town close to the Ethiopian border. Akobo was recently captured from opposition forces by government troops, but the opposition has since pushed the government out of the area.
The escalation in fighting comes as South Sudan’s opposition group loyal to former vice president Riek Machar says the 2018 peace deal has now collapsed. President Salva Kiir’s team disagrees, saying it is calling on all opposition groups to join the implementation of the peace accord.
“Without the revitalized peace agreement, then there is no government. So the revitalized peace agreement is where we all draw our legitimacy from. The agreement is there,” a government spokesperson added.
One economic expert said South Sudan’s government has now lost control of the economy due to the ongoing conflict. “There’s a currency crisis in the banking system of South Sudan. If we can make this distinction very clear, then we’ll understand the currency has moved away from the banks into the streets, into the homes, into the business centers. And that currency is used either to buy dollars in the market. That’s why you are seeing these bangles all over. They are coming from the business centers.”
There is still no clear plan on how the government intends to improve the situation. The African Union is calling for dialogue among the political parties to end violence in the East African country.