1. Salva Kiir and Riek Machar are the president and on-and-off vice-president of South Sudan, respectively, and have been pivotal figures in negotiating peace agreements over the country's first decade as an independent nation.
2. Both Kiir and Machar spent their formative years in the South Sudanese civil wars, with Kiir leading several successful military offensives against the Sudanese government and Machar forming an opposition rebel movement to the main rebel group SPLM in 1991.
3. The ongoing civil war in South Sudan is essentially a conflict between Kiir's Dinka-dominated troops and Machar's Nuer-dominated troops, with both men concerned about their own political future, security, and that of their families and allies.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the political history and current situation in South Sudan, with a focus on the two main political leaders, Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. However, there are some potential biases and missing points of consideration that should be addressed.
One potential bias is the portrayal of Kiir as a calm and mild-tempered leader, while Machar is described as frustrated and opposed to Garang's leadership. This characterization may be influenced by the fact that Kiir has been in power for longer than Machar and has had more opportunities to shape his public image. Additionally, the article does not explore the reasons behind Machar's opposition to Garang's leadership, which could provide important context for understanding his political views.
Another potential bias is the emphasis on ethnic divisions between the Dinka and Nuer groups, without fully exploring other factors that contribute to conflict in South Sudan. While ethnicity is certainly an important factor in the country's politics, it is not the only one. The article could have delved deeper into issues such as resource competition, regional disparities, and historical grievances.
The article also makes some unsupported claims, such as stating that Kiir and Machar both see themselves as legitimate heirs to South Sudanese leadership based on their ethnic backgrounds. While this may be true to some extent, it is difficult to know for sure what motivates these leaders without more direct evidence from them.
Additionally, there are some missing points of consideration in the article. For example, it does not discuss how external actors such as neighboring countries or international organizations have influenced South Sudanese politics over time. It also does not explore how ordinary citizens have been affected by the ongoing conflict or what their perspectives might be on Kiir and Machar's leadership.
Overall, while the article provides a useful overview of South Sudanese politics and its key players, it could benefit from a more nuanced analysis that takes into account a wider range of factors and perspectives.