SPLM-IO.  condemns unlawful detention of  FVP Dr . Riek  Machar.

JUBA, South Sudan, March 28, 2025 — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) has strongly denounced the ongoing house arrest of Dr. Riek Machar Teny, First Vice President of South Sudan and Chairman of SPLM-IO. The group has called the detention a clear violation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and accused elements within the ruling SPLM-IG of attempting to derail the peace process and consolidate power.

According to SPLM-IO, a team led by Justice Minister Wek Mamer, supported by legal experts, has developed plans to undermine the R-ARCSS. These alleged plans, outlined in a report submitted to President Salva Kiir and businessman Bol Mel, include three potential scenarios: the removal of Dr. Machar and his replacement with an SPLM-IO loyalist aligned with SPLM-IG, the orchestration of a coup within SPLM-IO to sow division, and the suspension of South Sudan’s Constitution and government institutions under the guise of a state of emergency.

“These continued acts of aggression by power-hungry individuals who prioritize wealth over the blood and suffering of our people threaten the hard-won progress toward peace, stability, and national unity,” the SPLM-IO said in a statement signed by Hon. Reath Muoch Tang, the acting chairperson of the National Committee on Foreign Relations.

The SPLM-IO has rejected these alleged moves and urged the international community, including the African Union, IGAD, and other peace guarantors, to take immediate action to ensure compliance with the R-ARCSS. The opposition party emphasized its commitment to the peace agreement but warned it would not tolerate unilateral actions or violations aimed at undermining the accord.