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South Sudan Peace Talks: SPLM/A-IO Faces Internal Rift in Juba

“We came to Juba for peace through R-ARCSS, and we stand firm in this,” declared Maj General John Sunday Martin, a senior commander of the SPLM/A-IO, amidst rising tensions in South Sudan’s capital. However, recent events at the Palm Africa Hotel in Juba have starkly highlighted deepening divisions within the movement.

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, what was intended as a unifying gathering for peace implementation instead laid bare the challenges facing the SPLM/A-IO. Accusations of betrayal and corruption surfaced, signaling not just a rift but a potential fracturing of the group’s commitment to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

“However, the peace in demand can neither be attained through betrayal, nor corruptions of will, for money and positions,” Martin emphasized, reflecting on the day’s tumultuous events.

The discord was apparent when a faction within the SPLM/A-IO, led by figures now dubbed as ‘political mafias’ by Martin, allegedly violated the principles of the R-ARCSS, aligning themselves with government interests rather than the group’s established goals. This has led to a stark declaration, labeling these former comrades as rebels and partners in the crimes of the SPLM-IG, the ruling party in Juba.

In response to these events, Martin announced a restructuring of the SPLM/A-IO’s leadership, placing Deputy Chair, Cde. Nathaniel Oyet, and Chair, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, at the helm to steer the movement back towards its foundational aim of achieving genuine peace for the people of South Sudan.

He further criticized the government’s approach to peace negotiations, suggesting that a genuine commitment would involve dealing directly with the SPLM/A-IO under the leadership of Machar and Oyet, rather than with the splinter group that convened at the Palm Africa Hotel.

The schism has significant implications for South Sudan’s peace process. The SPLM/A-IO, a critical stakeholder in the peace agreement, is now visibly divided, which could lead to further instability in a country still grappling with the aftershocks of civil conflict.

Martin’s statement also highlighted the steadfast resolve of the Equatoria commanders within the SPLM/A-IO, who he says will continue to reject the leadership of the so-called political mafias of the Palm Africa Hotel. This internal unity among some sections of the SPLM/A-IO could serve as a bulwark against total fragmentation of the movement.

The situation remains fluid in Juba, with all eyes on how these new dynamics will influence the ongoing efforts to secure lasting peace in South Sudan. As factions within the SPLM/A-IO realign and redefine their strategies, the hope for peace remains tempered by the realities of political intrigue and the challenges of reconciliation.