South Sudan: Opposition SPLM-IO Office in Rumbek Shut Down Amid Arrests of Senior Officials
Security forces in Lakes State, South Sudan, have closed the main office of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Rumbek, arresting several senior party officials, including Deputy Governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang, raising concerns about a growing political crackdown.
The closure follows Mathiang’s recent public criticism of the arrest of SPLM-IO leaders in the national capital, Juba. Mathiang, who also serves as the state party chairperson, was detained by the National Security Service (NSS) after Governor Rin Tueny Mabor labeled his statement “insubordination and incitement” against national authorities.
Other party officials arrested include State Minister of Animal Resources Gai Magok, opposition parliamentarian Ater Akolde, and Mandela Machiek, chairperson of the SPLM-IO youth league. Acting State Information Minister William Koji Kirjok confirmed the office closure, stating that the facility would remain closed until the detainees’ cases are resolved.
The SPLM-IO national secretariat condemned the arrests and office closure as a violation of the 2018 peace agreement, calling for the immediate reopening of the Rumbek office. Spokesperson Pal Mai Deng emphasized that the continued arrests of party members undermine political stability.
Observers warn that the crackdown in Lakes State could spread to other opposition-controlled areas, heightening tensions amid ongoing regional disputes, including the recent capture of Nasir town in Upper Nile by a militia reportedly loyal to SPLM-IO leader First Vice President Riek Machar.
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