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Kenya

South Sudan’s peace deal hangs by a thread

– Warlike peace –

It has included the abduction and rape of thousands of women and girls, massacres of civilians, recruitment of child soldiers, murder, mutilation and even cannibalism.

The government on Monday appeared ready to receive Machar, but after he failed to appear, the red carpet laid out at Juba airport was rolled up and a box of white doves representing peace taken away.

“Soon he will come, we pray,” said the woman carrying the birds. She wore a specially printed cap with a smiling picture of Machar alongside the slogan “With peace we all win”.

Machar is a former rebel leader turned deputy president who was fired, became a rebel leader again and has now fought his way back to the vice presidency.

“It’s only hypocritical to think that his return and creation of a government he is part of will be the panacea for the country’s current troubles,” said Jok Madut Jok, a former top government official who heads the Sudd Institute think tank.

The threat of violence at a local level remains enormous, with multiple militia forces unleashed and out of control.

Machar and Kiir are decades-old rivals and even if they can work together both must also rein in powerful hardline field commanders.

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