Latest news with #Machar
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US deportations cast spotlight on South Sudan's deepening political crisis
An attempt by the US to deport South Asian migrants to South Sudan has cast a spotlight on the world's youngest country, which is experiencing a renewed outbreak of the political tensions that have plagued it over the years. On Wednesday, a US federal judge said the deportation of migrants from the US to South Sudan 'unquestionably' violated a court order requiring that any people being deported to a third country should receive due process. Related: Judge rules Trump administration violated court order by attempting to deport migrants to South Sudan US immigration authorities later confirmed that eight migrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam and South Sudan were on the deportation flight and claimed that they had been convicted of offences including murder, armed robbery and other serious crimes. South Sudan's police spokesperson, Maj Gen James Enoka, told the AP on Wednesday that no migrants had arrived and if they did, they'd be investigated and those found not to be from South Sudan 're-deported to their correct country'. If they do make it to South Sudan, they will find a country in the midst of political uncertainty and renewed fighting between rival factions. South Sudan became the world's youngest country when it gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a referendum. The country of 11 million people is rich in oil reserves and its economy is heavily reliant on exports of the product. But the sector is marred by mismanagement and corruption and despite its vast resources, the country is underdeveloped, with most places lacking electricity, paved roads and other infrastructure. About two thirds of its population live in extreme poverty. South Sudan also experiences some of the world's most punishing climate phenomena, including extreme flooding, which displaced 380,000 people last year. In March, authorities put Riek Machar, the country's first vice-president and main opposition leader, under house arrest, accusing him of agitating his supporters to cause a rebellion. Earlier that month, the White Army, a community militia loyal to Machar, had launched attacks against the country's military in Nasir county and overran an army base. The militia said it had acted in self-defence. The government responded by bombarding areas where the group was based and arrested opposition figures. Related: 'They came for us, to take our shelters and kill us': how violence returned to a shattered South Sudan Machar's party, SPLM-IO, said his arrest had in effect collapsed the peace deal that ended the 2013-2018 civil war in which an estimated 400,000 people were killed in fighting between Nuer fighters loyal to Machar and Dinka forces backing Salva Kiir, the current president. This year's renewed tensions have put the deal to the test and shaken a fragile peace, with the United Nations warning that South Sudan was on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict. Machar remains under house arrest and government offensives have continued in many parts of the north-east, where Nasir is located. On Tuesday, Kiir promoted second vice-president Benjamin Bol Mel as the deputy chairperson of his SPLM party. In his new role, Bol Mel, who is widely viewed as Kiir's chosen successor, would become acting president if Kiir stepped down. The news about deportations of South Asians to South Sudan comes weeks after a standoff between South Sudan and the US after the US sent a Congolese man to South Sudan, claiming he was South Sudanese.
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
A look at South Sudan, where the US is accused of quietly sending migrants
The United States once cheered the creation of South Sudan as an independent nation. Now the U.S. is being asked to explain why it appears to be deporting migrants from as far away as Vietnam to a chaotic country that's once again in danger of collapsing into civil war. A U.S. judge ordered Trump administration officials to appear at an emergency hearing Wednesday to answer questions. If the deportations are confirmed, that means people from Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere are being sent to a nation they have no link to, thousands of miles from where they want to be. Vietnam's list of its embassies in Africa shows the closest one to South Sudan is in Tanzania, over 800 miles away. After reports of deportations to South Sudan, US says it's removed 8 people convicted of crimesSouth Sudan's police spokesperson, Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no migrants had arrived in the country and that if they do, they would be investigated and again 'redeported to their correct country' if found not to be South Sudanese. Recently, the Trump administration abruptly revoked the visas of all South Sudanese, saying the country's government failed to accept the return of its citizens 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan pushed back, saying the person in question was Congolese, but later said it would allow him into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' with the U.S. South Sudan's government has struggled since independence from Sudan in 2011 to deliver many of the basic services of a state. Years of conflict have left the country heavily reliant on aid that has been hit hard by another Trump administration decision — sweeping cuts in foreign assistance. Here's a look at South Sudan, whose own people had been granted U.S. temporary protected status because of insecurity at home. The euphoria of independence turned to civil war two years later, when rival factions backing President Salva Kiir and deputy Riek Machar opened fire on each other in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in 2013. The two men's tensions have been so much at the heart of the country's insecurity that the late Pope Francis once took the extraordinary step of kneeling to kiss their feet in a plea for lasting peace. Five years of civil war killed hundreds of thousands of people. A peace deal reached in 2018 has been fragile and not fully implemented, to the frustration of the U.S. and other international backers. South Sudan still hasn't held a long-delayed presidential election, and Kiir remains in power. His rivalry with Machar is compounded by ethnic divisions. Machar has long regarded himself as destined for the presidency, citing a prophecy years ago by a seer from his ethnic group. Earlier this year, the threat of war returned. Machar was arrested and allies in the government and military were detained following a major escalation that included airstrikes and an attack on a United Nations helicopter. Machar's opposition party announced South Sudan's peace deal was effectively over. 'Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people,' U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned. Some Western countries have closed their embassies there while others, including the U.S., have reduced embassy staff. The U.S. Embassy's travel warning said that 'violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba.' The Trump administration's pressure on South Sudan to take in deportees, including foreign ones, is in sharp contrast to Washington's past warm embrace as its rebel leaders — including Kiir and Machar — fought for independence. Now there is less support than ever for most of South Sudan's over 11 million people because of the cuts in U.S. aid. Climate shocks including flooding have long caused mass displacement and closed schools. South Sudan's health and education systems were already among the weakest in the world. Aid organizations had offered essential help. South Sudan's government has long relied on oil production, but little money from that is seen, in part because of official corruption. Conflict in neighboring Sudan has affected landlocked South Sudan's oil exports. Civil servants at times go months without being paid. How South Sudan is equipped to handle migrants arriving abruptly from the U.S. is yet to be seen.
Toronto Star
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
A look at South Sudan, where the U.S. is accused of quietly sending migrants
The United States once cheered the creation of South Sudan as an independent nation. Now the U.S. is being asked to explain why it appears to be deporting migrants from as far away as Vietnam to a chaotic country that's once again in danger of collapsing into civil war. A U.S. judge ordered Trump administration officials to appear at an emergency hearing Wednesday to answer questions. If the deportations are confirmed, that means people from Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere are being sent to a nation they have no link to, thousands of miles from where they want to be. Vietnam's list of its embassies in Africa shows the closest one to South Sudan is in Tanzania, over 800 miles away. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW South Sudan's police spokesperson, Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no migrants had arrived in the country and that if they do, they would be investigated and again 'redeported to their correct country' if found not to be South Sudanese. Recently, the Trump administration abruptly revoked the visas of all South Sudanese, saying the country's government failed to accept the return of its citizens 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan pushed back, saying the person in question was Congolese, but later said it would allow him into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' with the U.S. South Sudan's government has struggled since independence from Sudan in 2011 to deliver many of the basic services of a state. Years of conflict have left the country heavily reliant on aid that has been hit hard by another Trump administration decision — sweeping cuts in foreign assistance. Here's a look at South Sudan, whose own people had been granted U.S. temporary protected status because of insecurity at home. A deadly divide The euphoria of independence turned to civil war two years later, when rival factions backing President Salva Kiir and deputy Riek Machar opened fire on each other in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in 2013. The two men's tensions have been so much at the heart of the country's insecurity that the late Pope Francis once took the extraordinary step of kneeling to kiss their feet in a plea for lasting peace. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Five years of civil war killed hundreds of thousands of people. A peace deal reached in 2018 has been fragile and not fully implemented, to the frustration of the U.S. and other international backers. South Sudan still hasn't held a long-delayed presidential election, and Kiir remains in power. His rivalry with Machar is compounded by ethnic divisions. Machar has long regarded himself as destined for the presidency, citing a prophecy years ago by a seer from his ethnic group. Earlier this year, the threat of war returned. Machar was arrested and allies in the government and military were detained following a major escalation that included airstrikes and an attack on a United Nations helicopter. Machar's opposition party announced South Sudan's peace deal was effectively over. 'Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people,' U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned. Some Western countries have closed their embassies there while others, including the U.S., have reduced embassy staff. The U.S. Embassy's travel warning said that 'violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba.' A country in disarray The Trump administration's pressure on South Sudan to take in deportees, including foreign ones, is in sharp contrast to Washington's past warm embrace as its rebel leaders — including Kiir and Machar — fought for independence. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Now there is less support than ever for most of South Sudan's over 11 million people because of the cuts in U.S. aid. Climate shocks including flooding have long caused mass displacement and closed schools. South Sudan's health and education systems were already among the weakest in the world. Aid organizations had offered essential help. South Sudan's government has long relied on oil production, but little money from that is seen, in part because of official corruption. Conflict in neighboring Sudan has affected landlocked South Sudan's oil exports. Civil servants at times go months without being paid. How South Sudan is equipped to handle migrants arriving abruptly from the U.S. is yet to be seen.
21-05-2025
- Politics
A look at South Sudan, where the US is accused of quietly sending migrants
The United States once cheered the creation of South Sudan as an independent nation. Now the U.S. is being asked to explain why it appears to be deporting migrants from as far away as Vietnam to a chaotic country that's once again in danger of collapsing into civil war. A U.S. judge ordered Trump administration officials to appear at an emergency hearing Wednesday to answer questions. If the deportations are confirmed, that means people from Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere are being sent to a nation they have no link to, thousands of miles from where they want to be. Vietnam's list of its embassies in Africa shows the closest one to South Sudan is in Tanzania, over 800 miles away. South Sudan's police spokesperson, Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no migrants had arrived in the country and that if they do, they would be investigated and again 'redeported to their correct country' if found not to be South Sudanese. Recently, the Trump administration abruptly revoked the visas of all South Sudanese, saying the country's government failed to accept the return of its citizens 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan pushed back, saying the person in question was Congolese, but later said it would allow him into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' with the U.S. South Sudan's government has struggled since independence from Sudan in 2011 to deliver many of the basic services of a state. Years of conflict have left the country heavily reliant on aid that has been hit hard by another Trump administration decision — sweeping cuts in foreign assistance. Here's a look at South Sudan, whose own people had been granted U.S. temporary protected status because of insecurity at home. The euphoria of independence turned to civil war two years later, when rival factions backing President Salva Kiir and deputy Riek Machar opened fire on each other in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in 2013. The two men's tensions have been so much at the heart of the country's insecurity that the late Pope Francis once took the extraordinary step of kneeling to kiss their feet in a plea for lasting peace. Five years of civil war killed hundreds of thousands of people. A peace deal reached in 2018 has been fragile and not fully implemented, to the frustration of the U.S. and other international backers. South Sudan still hasn't held a long-delayed presidential election, and Kiir remains in power. His rivalry with Machar is compounded by ethnic divisions. Machar has long regarded himself as destined for the presidency, citing a prophecy years ago by a seer from his ethnic group. Earlier this year, the threat of war returned. Machar was arrested and allies in the government and military were detained following a major escalation that included airstrikes and an attack on a United Nations helicopter. Machar's opposition party announced South Sudan's peace deal was effectively over. 'Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people,' U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned. Some Western countries have closed their embassies there while others, including the U.S., have reduced embassy staff. The U.S. Embassy's travel warning said that 'violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba.' The Trump administration's pressure on South Sudan to take in deportees, including foreign ones, is in sharp contrast to Washington's past warm embrace as its rebel leaders — including Kiir and Machar — fought for independence. Now there is less support than ever for most of South Sudan's over 11 million people because of the cuts in U.S. aid. Climate shocks including flooding have long caused mass displacement and closed schools. South Sudan's health and education systems were already among the weakest in the world. Aid organizations had offered essential help. South Sudan's government has long relied on oil production, but little money from that is seen, in part because of official corruption. Conflict in neighboring Sudan has affected landlocked South Sudan's oil exports. Civil servants at times go months without being paid. How South Sudan is equipped to handle migrants arriving abruptly from the U.S. is yet to be seen.
Toronto Star
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
A look at South Sudan, where the US is accused of quietly sending migrants
The United States once cheered the creation of South Sudan as an independent nation. Now the U.S. is being asked to explain why it appears to be deporting migrants from as far away as Vietnam to a chaotic country that's once again in danger of collapsing into civil war. A U.S. judge ordered Trump administration officials to appear at an emergency hearing Wednesday to answer questions. If the deportations are confirmed, that means people from Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere are being sent to a nation they have no link to, thousands of miles from where they want to be. Vietnam's list of its embassies in Africa shows the closest one to South Sudan is in Tanzania, over 800 miles away. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW South Sudan's police spokesperson, Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that no migrants had arrived in the country and that if they do, they would be investigated and again 'redeported to their correct country' if found not to be South Sudanese. Recently, the Trump administration abruptly revoked the visas of all South Sudanese, saying the country's government failed to accept the return of its citizens 'in a timely manner.' South Sudan pushed back, saying the person in question was Congolese, but later said it would allow him into the country 'in the spirit of maintaining friendly relations' with the U.S. South Sudan's government has struggled since independence from Sudan in 2011 to deliver many of the basic services of a state. Years of conflict have left the country heavily reliant on aid that has been hit hard by another Trump administration decision — sweeping cuts in foreign assistance. Here's a look at South Sudan, whose own people had been granted U.S. temporary protected status because of insecurity at home. A deadly divide The euphoria of independence turned to civil war two years later, when rival factions backing President Salva Kiir and deputy Riek Machar opened fire on each other in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in 2013. The two men's tensions have been so much at the heart of the country's insecurity that the late Pope Francis once took the extraordinary step of kneeling to kiss their feet in a plea for lasting peace. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Five years of civil war killed hundreds of thousands of people. A peace deal reached in 2018 has been fragile and not fully implemented, to the frustration of the U.S. and other international backers. South Sudan still hasn't held a long-delayed presidential election, and Kiir remains in power. His rivalry with Machar is compounded by ethnic divisions. Machar has long regarded himself as destined for the presidency, citing a prophecy years ago by a seer from his ethnic group. Earlier this year, the threat of war returned. Machar was arrested and allies in the government and military were detained following a major escalation that included airstrikes and an attack on a United Nations helicopter. Machar's opposition party announced South Sudan's peace deal was effectively over. 'Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people,' U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned. Some Western countries have closed their embassies there while others, including the U.S., have reduced embassy staff. The U.S. Embassy's travel warning said that 'violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba.' A country in disarray The Trump administration's pressure on South Sudan to take in deportees, including foreign ones, is in sharp contrast to Washington's past warm embrace as its rebel leaders — including Kiir and Machar — fought for independence. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Now there is less support than ever for most of South Sudan's over 11 million people because of the cuts in U.S. aid. Climate shocks including flooding have long caused mass displacement and closed schools. South Sudan's health and education systems were already among the weakest in the world. Aid organizations had offered essential help. South Sudan's government has long relied on oil production, but little money from that is seen, in part because of official corruption. Conflict in neighboring Sudan has affected landlocked South Sudan's oil exports. Civil servants at times go months without being paid. How South Sudan is equipped to handle migrants arriving abruptly from the U.S. is yet to be seen.
