7 Things You Need to Know About South Sudan's Government Crisis
On July 23, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir issued a decree dismissing his longtime vice president, Dr. Riek Machar, along with all the ministers and deputy ministers in his cabinet.
Sudan to Halt South Sudanese Oil Flow in Coming Weeks
Last week, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir issued a formal refusal to allow South Sudanese oil to move through its pipelines, an act that violates provisions in the September 2012 Cooperation Agreement, which forbids suspension of transport for alleged violations of other agreements, including accusations of rebel support.
Sudan Tribune: Friends of South Sudan Letter to President Salva Kiir
A group of pro-South Sudan activists in the Unites States have released a letter sent to president Salva Kiir and other senior officials in Juba expressing concern over what they described as "increasingly perilous fate" of the new state which came to life in July 2011 after voting almost unanimously to gain independence from Sudan.
Satellite Imagery Confirms Troops in the Demilitarized Zone in the Sudans
A new report by the Satellite Sentinel Project, or SSP, reveals that Sudan and South Sudan have troops in at least 14 locations within their contested border zone in violation of September 2012 agreements to demilitarize the border region.
Troops in the Demilitarized Zone: Confirmation of Violations by Sudan and South Sudan
A new Satellite Sentinel Project report confirms that Sudan and South Sudan have violated bilateral agreements to create a safe demilitarized zone border. DigitalGlobe satellite imagery acquired in May and June 2013 reveals violations at least 14 locations within the zone.
Sudans: Satellite Imagery Confirms Troops in Demilitarized Zone
New DigitalGlobe satellite imagery confirms that, in contradiction of U.N. reports, and in violation of security agreements, both Sudan and South Sudan maintain troops in at least 14 locations within their contested border zone.
New Satellite Imagery Confirms Broken Agreements Along the Sudan/South Sudan Border
A new report from the Satellite Sentinel Project, or SSP, confirms that Sudan and South Sudan have violated recent peace agreements by positioning troops in what is supposed to be a 12-mile (20-kilometer) demilitarized buffer zone along their contested border. Neither the joint border-verification mechanism established by both countries, nor the United Nations peacekeeping mission tasked with monitoring the demilitarized buffer zone has detected these violations.
As Young as Twelve: South Sudan's Child Marriage Epidemic
A recent video published by Human Rights Watch tells the story of Mary. At the age of 14 she was forced to marry, and soon after she attempted to leave her husband. To prevent her from leaving, he beat her so hard that she collapsed to the floor, and then pulled out an axe to continue the beating. Mary held up her arm in an attempt to defend herself as her husband sought to strike her in the head. The axe blade cut her arm deeply, but her head remained uninjured. Had she not raised her arm in self-defense, her husband would have killed her. Had she not raised her arm in self-defense, would have died that night.
Fix the Broken Approach to Peace Between the Sudans: Enough Project
The international community should not be lulled into a false sense of security because of the incremental steps Khartoum has recently taken in its bilateral relationship with South Sudan, argues a new Enough Project paper.
Crisis Brewing in Yida Refugee Camp on the Two Sudans' Shared Border
The U.N. reports that every day approximately 338 refugees cross from South Kordofan, Sudan, into newly independent South Sudan. Yida refugee camp now hosts more than 70,000 Sudanese who are fleeing atrocities and starvation warfare in their home country. However, the U.N.'s refugee agency maintains that Yida, which lies mere kilometers from the international border between the two Sudans, is an unsuitable location for an “official” refugee camp. Notwithstanding the fact that the camp has been hosting refugees for almost 20 months, the U.N. classifies the camp as a "transit" facility. The reality on the ground tells a very different story.
Satellite Imagery Confirms Sudan Armed Forces Buildup at Border Hotspot
A new Satellite Sentinel Project, or SSP, report, “Sudan Armed Forces Buildup in Heglig,” documents an increased Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF, military presence in the Heglig area of South Kordofan, Sudan.
Infographic: Peace by Committee
On September 27, 2012, President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan signed nine landmark agreements in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This infographic outlines the 17 committees and commissions responsible for implementing the agreements and making a path towards peace between the two Sudans.
Peace by Committee: The 17 Bodies Responsible For Making Peace Between the Two Sudans
A series of agreements signed between Sudan and South Sudan in September represent the start, rather than the end, of the bilateral peace process. A new briefing paper by the Enough Project includes a detailed chart that identifies which bodies are responsible for addressing which outstanding issues between the two countries
Peace by Committee: The 17 Committees and Commissions Responsible for Making Peace between the Two Sudans
On September 27, 2012, President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan signed nine landmark agreements in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The agreements mark the culmination of a two-year long negotiation process facilitated by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, or AUHIP, and address issues arising from South Sudan's independence from Sudan.
GlobalPost Op-Ed: The African Union's Chance to Support Peace in the Sudans
In December I traveled to Abyei, a disputed resource-rich region straddling the ill-defined border between Sudan and South Sudan.
AU Must Lead in Resolving Abyei Dispute to Avoid War in the Sudans
The upcoming African Union annual summit on January 21 offers a key opportunity to resolve the final status of Abyei—a disputed, resource-rich region straddling the ill-defined border between Sudan and South Sudan. The final status of Abyei remains one of the most controversial, outstanding issues between Sudan and South Sudan and must be resolved to avoid reigniting war between the two countries, according to a new Enough Project report and video.
Ethnic Tensions in Wau Spark Civil Unrest and Response from South Sudan Diaspora
At the end of last year, long simmering tensions between ethnic groups in South Sudan’s normally peaceful Western Bahr El Ghazal state ignited. Sarah Cleto Rial, who is a Wau native and program director of My Sister’s Keeper, commented on the recent violence in Western Bahr El Ghazal and the diaspora community’s response in this guest blog post.
South Sudan’s Yau Yau Rebellion Flaring as Army Launches New Offensive
The top commander of the South Sudan army’s controversial disarmament campaign in Jonglei state recently announced a shift in the strategy for dealing with the most troublesome challenge to their “Operation Restore Hope”—the David Yau Yau rebellion in Pibor. The SPLA will now “launch aggressive attacks” against the rebels, said Lt. Gen. Kuol Deim Kuol, effectively ending what the SPLA previous said was its plan to only assume defensive positions to allow the necessary space for an initiative that saw local elders travel to their communities to convince the population not to join Yau Yau or to be in possession of guns.
Report: South Sudan's Response to Violence in Jonglei
Traveling to Jonglei state during a relative lull in the clashes, the Enough Project sought to examine the South Sudanese government’s responses to the violence and its efforts to prevent further bloodshed, especially during the upcoming dry season when communities migrate in search of water and pastureland. The findings are published today in a new report titled, “’Sometimes We See Ourselves as Apart’: South Sudan’s Response to Violence in Jonglei.”
'Sometimes We See Ourselves As Apart': South Sudan's Response to Violence in Jonglei
Amid the host of challenges the South Sudanese people have faced, intercommunal violence has often been treated by South Sudanese leaders and the international community as a lesser priority for attention. This paper examines the government's efforts to prevent and mitigate violence and outlines recommendations for lasting peace in Jonglei state.