Rebel leader's return fans hope in S. Sudan

JOHANNESBURG — The return of opposition leader Riek Machar to South Sudan's capital, Juba, offers the troubled nation its best hope of emerging from decades of on-and-off war. But the last-minute foot-dragging of Machar and his opponent, President Salva Kiir, suggests that hope is tenuous, an echo of the reluctance and delay that has dogged every step of the peace process.

The men, equally jealous, stubborn and ambitious, both fought in the rebel army for independence from Sudan and became partners in the country's first independent government in 2011. But they fell out bitterly in 2013 after Kiir made it clear he wouldn't make way so that Machar could succeed him, triggering ethnic fighting that spread from Juba to the north and east of the country.

Men, women and children were shot or hacked to death with machetes, and entire towns were looted and burned. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement government and army split acrimoniously, imploding efforts to improve lives in one of the world's most corrupt and impoverished nations. The country is ranked 169 of 188 countries by the United Nations in terms of human development.

Deep suspicion and mistrust endure after the war that saw horrendous violence against civilians from both sides, with at least 50,000 people killed.

The two have been pushed and dragged by the international community into a peace deal neither seems to want. Both sides threw up a flurry of last-ditch barriers over the last week, infuriating international diplomats, with the U.S. eventually pulling out of funding Machar's flight Sunday.

Kiir's close ally and hard-line army chief, Paul Malong Awan, has sharply opposed the peace deal and return of opposition forces to Juba, which is part of the delicate, internationally brokered peace deal. Awan fueled the mistrust and suspicion when he said this month that Machar would not become president while he was around.

A few days later, government forces beat up 16 members of Machar's publicity team, The Associated Press reported.

The peace deal had taken nearly 20 months after fighting broke out to broker. Kiir reluctantly signed it last August, while enumerating a long list of concerns, calling for revisions and complaining that it had been imposed by the international community.

The deal turns back the clock to 2013, with Kiir as president and Machar his restive deputy. It sets up a government of national unity and a two-year transition process leading to national elections.

But the process now enters a hair-trigger stage, with soldiers from both sides in or near Juba, posing the risk that an ill-placed remark or a new disagreement about procedures could trigger violence.

An international commission has been set up to monitor each step of the peace process and intervene when there is disagreement.

Machar told reporters at the airport that obstacles to peace could be overcome, if there is political will.

“It is important to start thinking how we should kick off national reconciliation and healing in our country. The war was vicious, we have lost a lot of people in it, and we need to bring our people together so that they can unite, reconcile and heal the wounds, the mental wounds, that they have,” he said.

He was sworn in as vice president immediately.

One major factor that risks destabilizing the peace deal is that the unity government could turn into an informal presidential race, with rivalry between Kiir and Machar playing out over 30 months as each tries to win an advantage and discredit the other.

South Sudan is facing a severe hunger crisis, because of drought, a poor harvest and conflict, with 6 million people in need of assistance, more than half the population.

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