South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, is currently in the midst of extreme political unrest. As tensions boil between the branches of government and society’s challenges deepen, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The country gained independence in 2011 after a peaceful referendum that brought an end to decades of civil war. Today, it faces these same challenges — a fractured economy, deepening poverty, and the specter of a return to violence. Recent developments surrounding the deportation of migrants from the United States have further spotlighted these issues and raised concerns about the nation’s future.
With a population of approximately 11 million people, South Sudan is rich in oil reserves, making its economy heavily reliant on petroleum exports. Yet, nearly two-thirds of its people continue to live on less than $1.90 a day—straining to afford even their most basic necessities. The country has experienced devastating effects of climate impact, such as the biblical flooding that forced 380,000 people from their homes last year alone. These elements put together create a precarious environment that limits the space for effective governance and adds to worsening humanitarian crisis.
Current President Salva Kiir and newly elected First Vice-President Riek Machar find themselves as the focal points of this ongoing political storm. In response, Kiir’s government put Machar under house arrest in March, saying he had been inciting rebellion among his supporters. Since the arrest, Machar’s party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has announced the peace agreement which ended the 2013-2018 civil war is now dissolved. This lethal conflict took the lives of up to 400,000 people.
This civil war quickly evolved into brutal massacres of civilians, with violent attacks by Nuer fighters supporting Machar and Dinka soldiers protecting Kiir. Much of this will depend on how Bol Mel takes center stage. By Tuesday, he was promoted to deputy chairperson of governing SPLM party, making him Kiir’s appointed successor. This political maneuvering begs a larger question of the leadership stability in South Sudan and the overall fragility of its political space.
The peace deal signed in 2018 is again on thin ice. Today, the United Nations is predicting that South Sudan is on the edge of returning to mass conflict. Only a few weeks ago, a U.S. federal judge ruled that deportations to South Sudan constitute a violation of migrants’ due process rights. This ruling adds to that precarious state of affairs. The judge pointed out the importance of robust legal safeguards for any deportee. This should raise profound ethical questions regarding the care and precaution we should extend to people we deport to a country experienced war and carnage.
Maj Gen James Enoka, South Sudan’s national police spokesperson, recently declared that no migrants have come to South Sudan so far. Yet this is a major part of the deportation pipeline. He further added that all those who are not South Sudanese would immediately be “re-deported to their right country.”