Prominent civil society activist Edmund Yakani has issued an urgent appeal to President Salva Kiir to declare an immediate ceasefire, warning that South Sudan is on the brink of sliding back into full-scale civil war.
In a statement shared with Eye Radio, Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, CEPO, warned that intensified clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) are threatening to dismantle the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
This warning comes as military confrontations surge during the dry season, with heavy clashes reported in Narus (Eastern Equatoria), Panyume (Central Equatoria), and across the Waat, Yuai, Uror, Nyirol, and Pajut regions of Jonglei State.
“Military solutions never gain anything,” Yakani stated, pointing to recent fighting in Jonglei, Eastern and Central Equatoria State. “This is sending a strong message that the country is already in a full-scale military confrontation. We have seen new waves of displacement where civilians are running into the bushes, suffering from injuries, hunger, and malaria without any humanitarian assistance.”
Yakani criticized military commanders and political leaders for pursuing armed solutions to political misunderstandings. He highlighted that innocent citizens in areas such as Waat, Yuai, Uror, Nyirol, Narus, Pajut, and Panyume are paying “a very heavy price” for a conflict they did not choose.
“The situation is running out of control and out of hand,” Yakani warned. “This undermines the spirit of commitment toward the 2018 peace agreement and may force the country into a new mediation process. This wave of confrontation is also challenging the proposed elections.”
Directly addressing the Head of State, Yakani appealed to President Kiir to “exercise wisdom” to de-escalate the tension. He proposed a three-point plan to restore stability, including an immediate and total ceasefire, the formation of an inclusive political dialogue commission, and the immediate release of all political detainees.
Yakani emphasized that South Sudanese must resolve their differences through negotiation rather than “the barrel of the gun.” Warning of the escalating violence, he added: “Our message to our leaders, in particular to His Excellency the President: The situation is running out of control and out of hand.”
The escalation of violence comes at a sensitive time as the country prepares for potential elections. Civil society groups are now warning that the prospect of free, fair, and peaceful polls is growing increasingly uncertain. Without renewed mediation and a halt to the current military movements, they fear the country could return to the widespread conflict that defined previous years.