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| Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition |
| Leader | Riek Machar |
| Foundation | 2013 |
| Split from | Sudan People's Liberation Movement |
| Headquarters | Juba |
| Ideology | Federalism; Social democracy |
| Country | South Sudan |
Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition is a political movement and armed faction formed in 2013 after a split from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement amid a power struggle involving Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. The group has been central to the South Sudanese Civil War and subsequent revitalized peace process negotiations, interacting with actors such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, and neighboring states like Uganda and Sudan. Its trajectory intersects with major events including the Bor massacre, the Juba Declaration (2006), and the 2015 and 2018 ceasefires.
The movement emerged from a December 2013 political crisis triggered by clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir Mayardit and those aligned with Riek Machar Teny, leading to a nationwide South Sudanese Civil War (2013–2018). Early phases involved confrontations in Juba, Bor, Malakal, and Bentiu and drew in paramilitary actors such as the White Army (South Sudan) and Tiger Faction New Forces. The group signed the Compromise Peace Agreement (2014) and later participated in the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (2015) and the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (2018), while splintering into factions like the National Salvation Front (South Sudan) and experiencing defections to South Sudan Opposition Alliance. The history includes multiple negotiations mediated by the Troika (United States–United Kingdom–Norway), African Union, and IGAD envoys, and has been shaped by regional dynamics involving Ethiopia and Kenya.
Leadership centers on Riek Machar as a prominent figure with deputies drawn from Dinka, Nuer, and other ethnic constituencies; internal rivals include Tito Biel and Pek-affiliated commanders. Organizational structures have attempted to mirror political wings and military commands, engaging with institutions like the Community of Sant'Egidio and international mediators. The movement's headquarters in Khartoum-adjacent exile periods and later relocation to Juba reflected accords with President Salva Kiir and transitional arrangements in the Transitional Government of National Unity (South Sudan). Its political bureau has negotiated power-sharing with parties including the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Union of Sudan African Parties.
Official positions emphasize federalism, decentralization, and reform of institutions such as the South Sudan National Police Service and National Legislative Assembly (South Sudan). Economic policy statements reference management of oil revenues in the Greater Nile Oil Basin and engagement with investors from China and India, while social policy platforms address reconciliation linked to the Juba Declaration and restorative measures involving traditional institutions like chiefdoms in Equatoria. The movement's rhetoric invokes commitments to the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 and periodic consultations with civil society groups including South Sudan Council of Churches and UN Women missions.
The armed component has comprised organized units formerly integrated into the Sudan People's Liberation Army and irregulars implicated in battles at Malakal, Bentiu, and Abyei. Commanders such as Tito Biel and field leaders operating around Upper Nile and Unity State have led operations alongside confrontations with forces loyal to Salva Kiir and allied militias like the Cobra Faction. The movement engaged in negotiated ceasefires monitored by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and its troops have been subjects of arms embargoes and sanctions from entities including the United Nations Security Council and the European Union.
As a primary opposition actor, the movement has been integral to transitional arrangements, occupying positions in the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity and contesting elections scheduled under the Revitalised Agreement. It has influenced debates in forums such as the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and impacted local governance in states like Jonglei State and Warrap State. Political rivalry with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement has affected the implementation of security sector reforms overseen by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission and funding decisions by international partners such as the World Bank and African Development Bank.
The movement has engaged multiple mediators including IGAD, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, and envoys from the United States Department of State. Its diplomacy has included liaison with Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia, interactions with the United Nations and dialogues concerning repatriation and humanitarian access coordinated with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and International Committee of the Red Cross. The movement participated in the Khartoum talks and in negotiations accompanying the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and the 2018 Revitalised Agreement, affecting sanctions regimes deliberated by the United Nations Security Council.
Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented allegations against forces aligned with the movement, including reports of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement in incidents at Bor and Malakal. Accusations contributed to targeted sanctions by the United States Department of the Treasury and travel restrictions by the European Union. The movement has at times denied specific allegations while committing to investigations through mechanisms established under the Revitalised Agreement and monitoring by UNMISS and commissions associated with the African Union.
Category:Political parties in South Sudan Category:Rebel groups in South Sudan Category:2013 establishments in South Sudan