Following South Sudan's referendum on independence, Insight on Conflict will be producing a weekly round-up of the news. To subscribe to receive the updates via email, please contact joel@insightonconflict.org or complete the form below.

News round-up:

  • Talks between Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir of the ruling NCP party and opposition leader Sadiq Al-Mahdi of the NUP failed to reach an agreement on a broad-base government, thereby increasing tensions and leaving core issues unresolved. At the same time, other opposition party, the PCP, accuses the government of having poisoned its leader whilst under detention last week. Amidst these tensions, the NCP promises to break up South Kordofan and reinstate West Kordofan in case of a win at the upcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • Fighting between Darfur rebels and government forces continue in a new series of heavy clashes. Meanwhile, peace talks over a planned referendum on the permanent status of Darfur in Sudan seemed to end in deadlock. They only continued when the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) announced they would resume talks under the condition of the government reaffirming its willingness to discuss the administrative status of Darfur. At the same time the reintegration of ex-combatants in Darfur seems to be getting a foothold as 1000 former fighters have pledged to lay down their weapons.
  • A number of people have been killed by Sudanese militia in an in South Kordofan, preceding long-delayed elections in the region. On Sunday the NCP’s Political Mobilisation Secretary, Haj Magid Suwar, warned against the SPLM’s platform in South Kordofan, claiming the Southern ruling party intimidate and attack local population.
  • More than 800 people have been killed and 94,000 displaced in South Sudan according to the top UN aid official in the area. At the same time it seems both the rebels and the army are mobilising, as seen in the emergence of a new rebel group, forced army recruiting, and a campaign by the South Sudan army against rebel groups – resulting in civilians bearing the brunt. The governor of the Lakes state announced 400 police officers will be deployed in order to prevent clashes between border communities.
  • The agreement of North and South Sudan to withdraw unauthorised forces from Abyei has been welcomed by UNMIS, while an inter-party dialogue is being launched in order to discuss solutions to local disputes. At the same time, the widespread carrying of weapons in Abyei is causing concern.

News in detail:

North Sudan

All Africa: Two Khartoum newspapers halt publication over censorship

09 Apr: Two pro-opposition newspapers in north Sudan on Saturday said they are suspending publication over government censorship which increased dramatically in recent days following news of a mysterious airstrike that killed two people in eastern Sudan.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201104100021.html

Sudan Tribune: Sudan rejects U.S. accusations on curbing internet freedoms

11 Apr: The U.S government has designated north Sudan as one of the countries which impose restrictions on access to the internet and monitor e-mail communication.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Sudan-rejects-U-S-accusations-on,38533

Sudan Tribune: Sudanese opposition party says Turabi poisoned in detention

11 Apr: The opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) has charged security quarters of poisoning its leader Hassan Al-Turabi who was hospitalized on Saturday due to injuries he sustained a week ago while in detention at Kober Prison in Khartoum.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Sudanese-opposition-party-says,38546

Sudan Tribune: NCP-NUP dialogue fails to agree on government participation

18 Apr: Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir who chairs the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) will meet with the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) Sadiq Al-Mahdi to discuss the pending issues in their dialogue over the political reforms in the country.

http://www.sudantribune.com/North-Sudan-NCP-NUP-dialogue-fails,38607

Sudan Tribune: Nuba Alliance denounces NCP’s proposal to break up of South Korfodan

18 Apr: The proposed break up of South Kordofan state has been opposed by the alliance of Western Nuba Mountains associations, societies and organizations. North Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has pledged to reinstate the state of West Kordofan should the party win the state’s gubernatorial elections

http://www.sudantribune.com/Nuba-alliance-denounces-NCP-s,38609

Darfur

Sudan Tribune: JEM rebels report fresh clashes with Sudanese army

11 Apr: An alliance of Darfur rebel groups have claimed that they roundly defeated forces of the Sudanese government in clashes that occurred on Sunday north of the country’s troubled western region.

http://www.sudantribune.com/JEM-rebels-report-fresh-clashes,38548

Reuters: Clashes erupt in Darfur as peace talks stall

12 Apr: Fighting has erupted between government forces and rebel groups in Sudan's Darfur region, rebels and U.N. peacekeepers said Tuesday, days after peace talks stalled over a planned referendum.

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE73B6LG20110412

Sudan Tribune: South Darfur state accuses UNAMID of aiding rebels

12 Apr: A website with close links to Sudan’s security agency accused the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) of providing rebel groups with material support in its insurgency campaign against the central government in Khartoum.

http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Darfur-state-accuses-UNAMID,38554

Sudan Tribune: JEM rebels deny Sudanese army seizure of their positions in North Darfur

17 Apr: The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said its fighters repelled an attack by the government troops and militias on its positions in North Darfur denying a statement by the Sudanese army over the capture of a rebel field hospital.

http://www.sudantribune.com/JEM-rebels-deny-Sudanese-army,38598

Channel 6: One Thousand ex-combatants to lay down arms in West Darfur

17 Apr: More than 1,000 former fighters in the Darfur conflict have pledged to surrender their weapons and begin the process of reintegration into civilian life, the African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) said on Sunday.

http://channel6newsonline.com/2011/04/one-thousand-ex-combatants-to-lay-down-arms-in-west-darfur/

Sudan Tribune: JEM rebels to resume direct peace talks if Sudan discusses Darfur status first

18 Apr: The rebel justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said ready to resume direct talks with the government delegation in Doha when the latter reaffirm its willingness to discuss the administrative status of Darfur region with them.

http://www.sudantribune.com/JEM-rebels-to-resume-direct-peace,38602

South Kordofan

Alert Net: Militia kill 17 before polls in Sudan state – SPLM

14 Apr: Sudanese militia have killed 17 people in the oil-producing South Kordofan region just two weeks before long-delayed elections, a candidate for state governor said on Thursday.

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/militia-kill-17-before-polls-in-sudan-state--splm

AFP: Sudan forces 'kill over 20 people' in South Kordofan

14 Apr: Sudanese paramilitary forces killed more than 20 people including women and children when they attacked a village in South Kordofan, the oil-producing border state's deputy governor said Thursday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hrTUY1YpY0c4QX3pOCCvj1y2MQ3A?docId=CNG.ca9c5f5db26ce94dd8519e902b92fae7.441

Sudan Vision: NCP warns against SPLM platform in South Kordofan state

17 Apr: NCP Political Mobilization Secretary, Haj Magid Suwar warned against the SPLM platform in South Kordofan State describing it as dangerous and threatening the security and stability of the state.

http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=73064

South Sudan

Wall Street Journal: Sanctions will not apply to Southern Sudan, OFAC says

12 Apr: U.S. sanctions on Sudan will not apply to the nation of Southern Sudan once it is formed, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2011/04/12/sanctions-will-not-apply-to-southern-sudan-ofac-says/

Sudan Tribune: Joint donors warn South Sudan government over corruption

12 Apr: As preparation for South Sudan’s independence declaration in July continues to gather momentum, representatives from the joint donor team (JDT) countries have warned government over mismanagement of future development aid.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Joint-donors-warn-S-Sudan,38552

AFP: Over 800 killed in south Sudan since January – UN

13 Apr: More than 800 people have died in south Sudan violence since January and almost 94,000 people fled their homes, posing a major challenge for the fledgling state, the top UN aid official for the region warned on Wednesday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gd2E8ZAEGaLlWhjY6RtUPctCa0lg?docId=CNG.02e59dd6cb2c6353408522f79d0dd27f.331

Sudan Tribune: New rebel group calls to overthrow South Sudan government

13 Apr: A new rebel group led by Peter Gadet Yak a former general of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) called to overthrow Juba government and to form an interim cabinet composed of all the political parties in the nascent state.

http://www.sudantribune.com/New-rebel-group-calls-to-overthrow,38566

Sudan Tribune: SPLA forcefully recruit civilians into army in Unity state

13 Apr: The local government in South Sudan’s Unity State along with Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) division four Command decided to initiate a policy aimed at conscripting state citizens into the army in response to the increasing difficulty in recruitment.

http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLA-forcefully-recruit-civilians,38559

Sudan Tribune: South Sudan army says it is capable of providing adequate security

14 Apr: The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) said on Thursday it is capable of providing adequate security to all its citizens and their properties, across the ten states and in the surrounding areas.

http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-army-says-it-is,38574

Sudan Tribune: South Sudan militias, tribes clash

14 Apr: More than a month after southern Sudan's army attacked an ethnic Shilluk militia at a village called Duur, humanitarian organisations and the United Nations still haven't been allowed into the area.

http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/South-Sudan-militias-tribes-clash-20110414

Sudan Tribune: Unity state targets 6,000 new fighters into South Sudan army

15 Apr: While some people have expressed concerns objecting to the conscription of civilians into military services, authorities from the oil producing state of Unity have said Friday they are targeting at least 6,000 new fighters into the South Sudan army (SPLA).

http://www.sudantribune.com/Unity-state-targets-6-000-new,38588

Sudan Tribune: Buffer zone of 400 police between Lakes and W. Equatoria states

17 Apr: The governor of Lakes state Chol Tong Mayay has said that a 400 strong police force will be deployed along the border between Lakes and Western Equatoria to prevent further clashes between communities.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Buffer-zone-of-400-police-between,38595

Sudan Tribune: Greater Equatoria demands federal system in South Sudan

18 Apr: Greater Equatoria conference reiterated its support to southern Sudan government and called to implement a federal system in the to-be-independent state next July.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Greater-Equatoria-demands-federal,38608

Abyei

Star Africa: Sudan’s Abyei region awash with arms and anger

11 Apr: As Sudan's leaders struggle to reach a deal on its bitterly contested status ahead of southern independence in July, armed young men roam the streets of Abyei, the flashpoint border town where resentment towards Khartoum runs high.

http://www.starafrica.com/en/news/africa/article/sudans-abyei-region-awash-with-arms-and-161285.html?no_cache=1

United Nations: UN welcomes agreement on implementation of pact on Abyei dispute

13 Apr: The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) today welcomed the decision by both sides in the disputed area of Abyei to form a joint committee to oversee the implementation of an earlier agreement on the withdrawal of unauthorized armed forces from the area.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=38104&Cr=abyei&Cr1=

Sudan Tribune: North & South Sudan agree to withdraw “all unauthorized forces” from Abyei

14 Apr: North and South Sudan have agreed to withdraw “all unauthorized forces” from Abyei and form a joint committee to monitor the implementation of an accord signed last January in Kadugli town to ease tension in the hotly contested region.

http://www.sudantribune.com/North-south-Sudan-agree-to,38581

International

VOA: Sudan prepares to hold talks over resolving foreign debt

12 Apr: A prominent member of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) says a delegation representing President Omar Al-Bashir’s government will soon hold talks in Washington with officials of international financial institutions.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Sudan-Prepares-to-Hold-Talks-over-Resolving-Foreign-Debt--119720334.html

Sudan Tribune: Sudan FM said to receive Uganda’s pledge of no support to Darfur rebels

14 Apr: Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Karti on Wednesday concluded a two-day visit to Uganda, eliciting a pledge from its President Yoweri Museveni that his country will not provide support to rebel groups from Sudan’s war-battered region of Darfur.

http://www.sudantribune.com/Sudan-FM-said-to-receive-Uganda-s,38580