Dr. Riek Machar’s arrest is not a national crisis, it is a long-overdue justice in South Sudan
Emmanuel Sunday de John2
By Dr. Sunday de John, Nanyuki, Kenya
Friday, May 9, 2025 (PW) — The recent arrest of Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon should not be viewed as a political setback; rather, it represents a long-overdue reckoning. For decades, South Sudan has endured the ramifications of his ambition, betrayals, and the cycles of violence he has instigated. This moment should not be mistaken for persecution; it signifies accountability.
Dr. Riek Machar’s record is marked by tragedy. From the 1991 Nasir split, which led to the Bor Massacre, to his alliance with Khartoum that transformed the liberation struggle into a civil bloodbath, his actions have repeatedly fractured the country. During the height of the SPLA’s war against the North, he redirected our strength toward a fratricidal conflict, which devastated communities, altered military operation priorities, and left enduring ethnic wounds.
He was forgiven and returned as a result of peace efforts led by Kenya’s President Daniel arap Moi. He rose to prominence, first becoming the third most powerful figure and then the second in South Sudan. However, he remained unchanged in his ambitions. He attempted to eliminate President Salva Kiir Mayardit by encouraging him to challenge President Bashir in the Sudan’s election of 2010, hoping that he remains the only contestant against Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, that was a political trap meant to remove President Salva Kiir Mayardit from then then Southern Sudan’s politics.
Despite being given responsibilities beyond his defined constitutional authority, Dr. Riek Machar failed to show loyalty in return. Instead, he cultivated dissent within the SPLM, which led to the outbreak of the 2013 conflict that set the nation ablaze. By this conflict, millions were displaced internally and across the international borders, families were torn apart, and schools, hospitals, and homes were reduced to rubble.
When peace was brokered in 2015 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, he responded with war at the presidential palace in 2016, in a failed coup disguised as a political meeting. The 2018 agreement merely reset the cycle, it empowers Dr. Riek Machar and his family without bringing peace to ordinary citizens. Instead, it extended the suffering of the victims from 2018 to 2025 while shielding those responsible.
Today, many South Sudanese continue to reside in UN protection camps. Food insecurity remains widespread, and essential services are severely lacking. The ongoing instability can be directly attributed to the ambitions of a single individual. Of course, Dr. Riek Machar.
Some in the international community now advocate for his release. But what are they truly defending; peace or impunity? Dr. Riek is not above the law. Sovereignty requires that justice be served without outside interference. South Sudanese suffering must not be used to excuse a legacy of bloodshed.
Dr. Riek Machar’s politics has fractured social cohesion. Communities that once intermarried have turned hostile against each other. In-laws have become enemies. Hate has replaced the trust that once existed. This is the legacy we must all work to undo.
As some members of SPLM-IO flee or cry foul attempting to express their grievances, others, like Hon. Stephen Par Kuol, are stepping up to take charge. Leadership is not solely about one individual. Replacing Dr. Riek is not an act of betrayal or a coup as alleged; it is a necessity. For eight years, South Sudan has been mired in a costly political limbo, characterized by five vice presidents and a lack of clear direction. This situation cannot persist.
As we move forward, the state must fulfill its responsibility to protect all civilians, particularly those living in regions linked to Dr. Riek. These communities are not his private domain; they are citizens of the Republic of South Sudan. The recent bombings and military operations in areas like Fangak must cease immediately. South Sudan is not at war with its own people. We must seek justice without perpetrating new injustices.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit must resist external pressures and media campaigns. South Sudan deserves justice; this is not an act of vengeance, it represents a new beginning. Dr. Riek Machar should be held accountable under the law. Those who armed themselves and terrorized innocent civilians must be deal with in the best way possible, militarily or otherwise. It is time for our institutions to regain their strength.
South Sudan has long been held captive by its history. Now is the time to break free, not by rehashing old power structures, but by holding accountable those who exchanged peace for power. Let justice be heard. Let the country begin to heal.
Yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler!
The author, Dr Emmanuel Sunday de John Along (M.D), is the chairman of the South Sudan United Front Progressive (SSUF/P), and can be reached via his email: Emmanuel Sunday de John Along <sundaydejohn4@gmail.com>
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