{UAH} South Sudan peace talks break down while its parliament extends president’s term to 2021

The tenuous peace negotiations over the civil war in South Sudan broke down this week as the faction supporting former Vice President Riek Machar rejected a deal that would have reinstated him. Negotiations over recent weeks have been fraught with misunderstandings and weak enforcement: The cease-fireagreed just two weeks ago broke down hours after it had been instated. According to Deutsche Welle, on July 8, the leaders left the meeting with conflicting accountsover whether a power-sharing agreement was even reached.

It seems that the rebels had been looking for more from the negotiations—namely institutional adjustments that would check President Salva Kiir's power base—according to Reuters. "We will not fall only for the position of the First Vice President in this negotiation. We are focusing more on structural and institutional issues to constrain Kiir's regime both in the executive and legislature," said Puok Both Baluang, deputy spokesman for the largest rebel group. Meanwhile, on July 11, South Sudan's Parliament voted to extend Kiir's presidential term for three years, allowing him to stay in power until 2021. The extension applies to vice presidents, state lawmakers, and governors as well. Critics believe that the move will undermine the already fragile peace talks, but Paul Youani Bonju, chairman of the parliament's information committee, has stated that the law will instead "bolster the government team" at the negotiations.

On July 10, the United Nations (U.N.) announced that the recent attacks by the government in Unity state in April and May earlier this year, which killed 232 civilians along with committing mass rape may amount to war crimes. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council approved an arms embargo on the country. Tens of thousands of people have already died and millions have fled their homes in the civil war that has endured since 2013.

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