Ethnic Conflict in South Sudan

As background to the current situation in South Sudan, you might want to read the 13 September 2013 Human Rights Watch report titled "They Are Killing Us: Abuses against Civilians in South Sudan's Pibor County."  The report documents abuses against civilians in Pibor County by Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) forces.  The report deals with longstanding ethnic conflict involving Dinka Bor, Lou Nuer and Murle in Jonglei State.  

The Rise and Fall of Insurgent Militias in South Sudan

The Small Arms Survey published in November 2013 a detailed report titled "Pendulum Swings: The Rise and Fall of Insurgent Militias in South Sudan."  It concludes that southern rebel insurgencies decreased significantly in 2012-13.  As of early October 2013, only David Yau Yau's militia remained active.  But while most commanders have accepted President Salva Kiir's amnesty, it remains to be seen whether the resulting agreements will be fully implemented and the forces fully integrated into the SPLA.  The report also stated that many of the arms and much of the ammunition still in use by the rebels are of Chinese, Iranian and Sudanese origin, supplied by the government in Khartoum. 

Violence Continues in Sudan's Darfur and South Sudan's Jonglei

The Enough Project published several recent reports concerning the ongoing violence in Sudan's Darfur region and South Sudan's Jonglei State. 

John Prendergast, Omer Ismail and Akshaya Kumar authored "The Economics of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur" dated August 2013.  They report that Janjaweed forces are once again torching villages, terrorizing civilians and systematically clearing prime land and resource-rich areas of their inhabitants.  More than 300,000 Darfuris have been displaced so far this year and another 75,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Chad.  An economic agenda is the major driver for the escalating violence, which is fueled by land grabbing, consolidating control of recently discovered gold mines, manipulating reconciliation conferences for increased blood money, expanding protection rackets and smuggling networks, and demanding ransoms. 

A report dated 6 August 2013 titled "Evidence of Violence, Civilian Displacement in South Sudan's Jonglei State" is based on the Satellite Sentinel Project, which revealed destruction of portions of the central market and abandonment of residential areas in Pibor.  There was also considerable expansion of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) encampment in the town.  An estimated 100,000 civilians have been displaced.  A short piece by Garrett Moore on 30 July 2013 titled "Jonglei Civilians Urgently Need Protection and Assistance" explains that fighting is occurring between the SPLA and the rebel forces of David Yau-Yau. 

Continuing Conflict in Jonglei, South Sudan

The Refugees International blog site has two recent postings concerning ongoing conflict in Jonglei State of South Sudan precipitated by fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the rebel group led by David Yau Yau.  The first commentary by Caelin Briggs on 14 May 2013 is titled "South Sudan Army Commits Atrocities in Jonglei as Aid Workers Flee."  The second one is by Dara McLeod dated 20 May 2013 and titled "S.Sudan Army Causing Atrocities, Humanitarian Emergency in Pibor."