South Sudan: Tensions high in Juba November 4

Event

Media sources reported that tensions are high in the capital city of Juba on Saturday, November 4. Security forces have reportedly surrounded the home of Paul Malong, the former army chief. Residents said that soldiers have blocked the main road leading to Malong’s house. Government officials issued a statement saying that the situation is normal and that the deployment was a “routine operation.” Media sources reported that many of the streets in a capital remain empty as residents fear that clashes may break out between Malong’s bodyguards and security forces. Remain vigilant.

Context

Malong was sacked in May 2017 and has been under house arrest since then. President Salva Kiir issued an executive order on October 30, stating that Malong will not be allowed to leave his resident at any time. Security forces arrived at his house on Friday, November 3, claiming that Kiir also ordered his bodyguards to disarm.

South Sudan is wracked by political, interethnic, and intercommunal violence, all exacerbated by border and oil revenue disputes with Sudan. Following the 2011 signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that gave the country its independence from Sudan, the predominantly north-south conflict has given way to a pattern of internal violence. Since December 2013, the country has experienced a stop-and-start civil war between the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the SPLA on one side, and rebel forces in support of former Vice President Riek Machar Tehny Durgon and his Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) on the other. This is despite international support for state-building and peace-keeping - including the 12,000 strong United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) deployed since 2011. The number of South Sudanese citizens displaced by the conflict currently stands at some 3.5 million.

Advice

Individuals in Juba are advised to remain vigilant and obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.

Due to this and other security concerns, many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to South Sudan. Certain regions should be particularly avoided, including the states of Unity and Upper Nile, the north of Warrap state, parts of Eastern and Central Equatoria states, and areas along the border with the Central African Republic, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. If travel is necessary, ensure that proper security protocols are in place.