South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar is facing trial on charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, sparking concerns about the country’s fragile peace and unity government. The trial, which began with a special court session in Juba, has Machar and 20 co-defendants, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, appearing before the court. The charges are linked to violent clashes in Nasir earlier this year involving the Nuer-dominated White Army militia.
Machar, who has been under house arrest since March, made a rare public appearance at the trial. His detention and trial have significant implications for the country’s peace process and unity government, established under the 2018 peace agreement. The agreement ended a five-year civil war that claimed over 400,000 lives. However, the trial threatens to derail the peace process and destabilize the country ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.
Civil society groups are calling for transparency and oversight in the trial, criticizing the government’s decision to limit media access. Omara Joseph, Advocacy and Protection Officer at the South Sudan Human Rights Defense Network, emphasized the need for international actors to apply pressure to ensure accountability and transparency in the trial. The restrictions on media access have reinforced perceptions that the trial is politically motivated and unlikely to be impartial.
The trial has also reignited ethnic tensions between Machar’s Nuer base and President Salva Kiir’s Dinka supporters. The rivalry between Machar and Kiir dates back to the 1990s, and their relationship remains tense despite sharing power in a unity government. Analysts warn that the case against Machar appears to be a pretext for a political power struggle, which could plunge the country back into conflict.
The stakes are high in the trial, not only for Machar and his allies but also for the future of South Sudan. The country’s leaders must prioritize national unity and work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict. With the unity government in disarray, the trial risks undoing years of progress and destabilizing the country. As the trial unfolds, international attention will be focused on the outcome and its implications for South Sudan’s fragile peace and unity government.
