Conflict in south sudan and the challenges ahead congressional research service 1 background south sudan emerged in 2011 as the worlds newest country, and one of its least developed. Baseline assessment communicating for peace in south sudan. Although there is no formal death toll for the south sudan conflict, tens of thousands of people are estimated to have been killed since december, 20. The town of bor has already changed hands three times in south sudans three weeks of civil war, and whoever controls the strategically important state capital will have the upper hand in the long. Sudan and south sudans merging conflicts crisis group. Aly verjee with little more than a month left before a new transitional government is set to assume power in south sudan, efforts to keep the latest peace agreement on track are becoming more urgent, even as most key pretransition deadlines have been missed and the political will of the belligerents. Vice news arrived in juba and found the army desperate to dispel rumors. North sudan wanted to convert south sudan, but south sudan retaliated so it wouldnt be converted. More than a third of south sudan currently faces hunger, and ongoing conflict has forced more than three million people to flee their homes. Today, after two weeks of fighting in south sudan that is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people, representatives from both the government and rebel forces met in ethiopia to discuss the. South sudan hasnt known peace since it became an independent nation in 2011. Aged nine, garang was one of a force of 20,000 children enlisted by the sudan peoples liberation army to fight in the second sudanese war. Preventing renewed war in south sudan crisis group.
Its drivers, key players, and postconflict prospects the sudd institute summary this 1analysis argues that although the crisis was triggered by power struggle within the splm, historical issues that remained unresolved after the cpa significantly compounded it. Until the west starts making the war hurt for corrupt elites, the bloody civil war will go on. Since conflict broke out in middecember 20, south sudan has become one of the neediest, most tragic places on earth. Image caption after gaining independence in 2011, south sudan is the worlds newest country and one of its poorest. In 2011, south sudan become the worlds newest country, after an historic vote for independence. But the gunfire in the capitol, juba, was anything but celebratory. But in this clip below we discuss what it will take to bring a near and long term political solution to the desperate situation there. The republic of south sudan and the republic of the sudan are a main. The civil war in south sudan broke out in december 20, when. As the head of state, the president has every power to stop the war and restore our dignity in the world as people. Japan exploits violence in south sudan to dispatch. United nations mission in the republic of south sudan unmiss since the outbreak of the conflict on 15 december. Machar denied trying to start a coup and fled to lead the splm in opposition splmio. One hundred children a day are now crossing the border into uganda from the.
South sudans peace deal never stood a chance foreign policy. The conflict has been marked by the failure of the government of the republic of south sudan. I say observe because there is nothing to celebrate. Can south sudans men of war lead the country to peace. There are many causes for the conflict in south sudan, ranging from ethnic tensions, management of oil resources and the power struggle between president salva kiir and opposition leader dr. Nick turse is the managing editor of tomdispatch, a fellow at the nation institute, and a contributing writer for the intercept. Author rebecca hamilton did not want to call the crisis in south sudan a civil warnot yet, at least.
War consumes south sudan, a young nation cracking apart. As its implementation faltered, violence between factions broke out again in july 2016, setting back the peace process once again. Today, after two weeks of fighting in south sudan that is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people, representatives from both the government and rebel. Its guarantors need to act urgently in the next days to save it and prevent the country from returning to fullscale combat. South sudan conflict analysis brief south sudan, the worlds youngest nation, continues to struggle despite the august 2015 signature of a peace agreement. A peace agreement ends south sudans brutal civil war. After years of conflict, a comprehensive peace agreement between the sudanese government and southern sudan is signed. Rape victims try to survive attacks south sudan blames on unregulated youth wrapping. South sudans ongoing civil war tests ethiopias foreign policy. For more than eighteen months, the intergovernmental authority on development igad, the regional body mediating peace negotiations to end south sudans civil war, has struggled to secure a deal in the face of deep regional divisions and the parties truculence.
It follows a revival in the conflict between troops loyal to. Sudan and south sudan conflict by emma macdougall on prezi. In late december 20, following months of deteriorating political relations between the president and opposition members, armed conflict erupted between elements of the presidential guard in juba. A social and behaviour change communication initiative page 2 acknowledgements forcier consulting thanks our colleagues at sfcg and unicef south sudan for their cooperation. His latest book is next time theyll come to count the dead. After almost 40 years of war between the sudan government and southern insurgents, southern sudanese voted in a january 2011 referendum to secede from sudan.
But the jubilation over this newfound freedom was fleeting, and internal strife has marred much of its short life as an independent state. The honeymoon period is now over for the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in south sudan, which formally ended the civil war in august 2015. Nick turse, the perpetual killing field tomdispatch. This conflict mainly arose because of religious differences. Government and rebel forces have clashed in three states in south sudan, just days after their leaders agreed to unconditionally end fighting. South sudans civil war is the result of a weakly institutionalized state and may require the african unions intervention to find peace and. A human rights report united nations mission in south sudan. Mapping conflict violence in south sudan community. Vice was invited to embed with south sudanese government forces. When the conflict began between the dinka and nuer groups, uganda entered juba, the capital of south sudan, to secure the area and allow refugees to leave the city. Japan exploits violence in south sudan to dispatch military by ben mcgrath 16 july 2016 in a test case of japans new military legislation passed last year, tokyo dispatched its selfdefense. Understanding the roots of conflict in south sudan south sudan s civil war is the result of a weakly institutionalized state and may require the african unions intervention to find peace and.
One of the worlds most serious humanitarian crises is happening in south sudan. However, its lack of implementation has sparked conflict in the oilrich abyei, south. Since its independence in 2011, south sudan is battling a new civil war. Hundreds of people were killed this weekend in fighting that seemed to pierce any hopes that a fragile peace agreement could prevent the reemergence of civil war. Today, the country is struggling with a series of conflicts that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.
One study of 24 communities in unity state found that nearly 8000 people had been killed over a twelvemonth period. This ended the civil war and allowed for a referendum and eventual south sudanese independence in 2011. The state of human rights in the protracted conflict in. Several countries are evacuating their citizens from south sudan following days of fighting that have seen hundreds of people killed. Over one million displaced by south sudan conflict bbc news. Proxy wars and secret ops in africa recently received an american book award. In december 20, president kiir accused his former deputy riek machar and ten others of attempting a coup detat. South sudan which is officially known as the republic of south sudan is a landlocked country in eastern africa with plains in the north and centre and highlands in the south, along the border with uganda and kenya. South sudan, the worlds youngest country, gained independence on 9 july 2011 following decades of war, lengthy negotiations and a referendum to secede from sudan. Moghahat abeel, one of ulinys subordinate commanders, offered a.
Uganda, south sudans southern neighbor, has had an enduring role in aiding south sudan in its infant years. South sudans next civil war is starting foreign policy. Accountability in south sudan cannot wait for peace. The outbreak of widescale conflict in south sudan in december 20 has challenged ethiopias role of peacemaker and. Take a look at the timeline below for a peek into the countrys history, from its violent split from sudan through to today. The signing of a comprehensive peace agreement by the sudanese government and the rebel group splma brought about the end to decades of civil war, and south sudans independence in 2011. The report builds upon the unmiss interim report on human rights, released on 21 february. Jok madut jok said that controlling the soldiers was one of those pre interim. At separation, south sudan was one of the least developed places on earth, the result of decades of neglect and the long war years. Today, south sudan observes its fourth anniversary as a state. Analysts say south sudan has become shockingly similar to darfur, the vast, western region of sudan that plunged into conflict in the mid2000s and. Timeline and rates of conflict events in south sudan, from december 20 9 july 2016. A rebel spokesman blamed the government for attacking their positions, including oil fields. With international pressure, in 2005, a comprehensive peace agreement cpa was signed by the sudan peoples liberation army splma and khartoum.
Peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in neighbouring south sudan have entered the second day without face to face talks starting as earlier expected. The united nations mission in south sudan unmiss has today released a public report on the gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international. Humanitarian help for south sudan federal foreign office. However, many issues remain unresolved for south sudan and its northern neighbour. Uprisings that erupted after the elections of 2010 and independence in 2011 and the clashes at the border between sudan and south sudan have been discussed in academic as well as policyrelated publications. South sudans ongoing civil war tests ethiopias foreign. Rise in children forced to join militias raises fresh fears over south sudan. One consequence of the wars end was the oil fields in southern sudan could be developed far more extensively than was possible during the war and began to.
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