South Sudan: Rebel leader Riek Machar sworn in as vice president raises hopes of peace

Brendan Cole

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar, pictured in in Jonglei State in 2014, has been sworn in as vice-president of the world's newest state

Reuters

There are tentative hopes for peace in South Sudan after the rebel leader Riek Machar was sworn in as vice president of the world's newest country.

His place in a new unity government led by president Salva Kiir is hoped to usher in an end to conflict sparked by Kiir's sacking of Macha as his deputy more than two years ago.

The violence pitted Kiir's dominant Dinkas against Machar's Nuer and left tens of thousands dead and two million homeless.

South Sudan's descent into civil war

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 when Kiir, from the Dinka ethnic group, fired Machar, from the Nuer group, and his cabinet. The dismissal followed Kiir's decision to replace members of the army and government amid rumours of a coup plot by Machar.

Ethnic-related violence then spread, with militia groups carrying out attacks in villages and areas known to be inhabited by either Dinka or Nuer tribes.

More than 10,000 civilians have so far been killed in the conflict, amid allegations of crimes against humanity committed by both sides, including extra-judicial killings, abductions, rape, torture and use of child soldiers. At least two million people have also been displaced.

Although the two warring factions have signed at least seven peace deals, the violence has continued, and a January report from the African Union blamed both opposing leaders for the ongoing unrest.

More on the conflict here.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed Machar's return to Juba and in a statement said: "The Secretary-General calls for the immediate formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity."

President Kiir spoke of "peace and reconciliation" after Machar was sworn in, telling reporters: "Now that Dr Riek has taken the oath of the first vice president, we will immediately proceed with the establishment of the transitional government of national unity," Reuters reported.

The arrival of Machar, who denied claims he was plotting a coup, had been continually postponed since a peace agreement of August 2015.

One South Sudanese official told IBTimes UK earlier in April that the prospects of peace would be impacted by further any delays.

Machar told reporters: "I hope that with my arrival we shall finish with the obstacles and get into the implementation of the government.

"There are challenges that we need to overcome. The first challenge is the stabilization of the security situation of the country. The second is the challenge is the stabilization of the economy," Reuters reported.