UN back regional move to end conflict in S Sudan

Injured South Sudanese soldiers lie under a shade in Juba. Fighting in the world’s youngest State broke out between the ethnic Dinka and Nuer soldiers in Juba a week ago. [PHOTO: REUTERS]

By STANDARD TEAM

A regional push to have the warring factions in South Sudan cut a deal to end the confl ict has received the backing of United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki Moon.

The UN boost came just two days before the expiry of the December 31 deadline for face-to-face talks between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar. The ultimatum for the talks was issued at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Nairobi.

Through his spokesperson, the UN boss said he was happy that the deal brokered on Friday was going to open doors for “a ceasefire, the release of the detainees and building toward a process of peaceful dialogue”.

It was also accompanied with a warning to the people of South Sudan that those killing and persecuting people will be punished.

“The United Nations stands with the people of South Sudan and will continue to do everything within its means to protect civilians at risk and provide necessary humanitarian assistance. All violence, attacks and human rights abuses must end immediately. The Secretary General reminds those responsible that they will be held accountable,” read the brief.

Supply aid

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is set to begin flights to supply aid to the thousands trapped in the conflict that has so far claimed 1,000 lives, displaced 122,000 people, 63,000 of the displaced in UN missions.

“Starting December 30, UNHAS will offer humanitarian flights between Juba-Nairobi,” UN OCHA South Sudan office tweeted.

Yesterday, there were reports that a band of South Sudanese youth -loyal to rebel leader Riek Machar - marching on the strategic town of Bor.

The BBC, quoting South Sudan government sources, reported the movement of the youth.

“Government troops are currently in control of Bor, the capital of Jonglei State they had taken from the rebels. The government has offered to cease hostilities, but an army spokesman told the BBC that its forces were still battling over oilfields in the north,” the BBC reported.

Armed with machetes and sticks, the “wildcard” group does not have military training, a UN spokesman told the BBC.

The UN is organising surveillance flights to ascertain the group’s size, added the spokesman, Joe Contreras.

Ethnic militia

South Sudan accused rebels on Sunday of mobilising a feared ethnic militia for new attacks despite a government offer of a truce to end two weeks of conflict in the young state, global news agency, Reuters reported.

A 25,000-strong force of the “White Army” - made up largely of ethnic Nuer youths who dust their bodies with ash - was marching on the town of Bor, recaptured by loyalist forces last Tuesday, an army spokesman told Reuters.

The White Army are recognised by the ash, prepared from burnt cow dung, with which they cover themselves to ward off insects. They are armed with machetes and sticks as well as guns.

“We are prepared to engage them,” Sudan People’s Liberation Army spokesman Philip Aguer said by phone from South Sudan’s capital, Juba, 190 km (120 miles) south of Bor by road.

Defense Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk told Reuters politicians in Juba were speaking to the White Army members to tell them that this is not an ethnic-based conflict and to convince them to abandon their march on Bor.

Toby Lanzer, UN assistant secretary-general, in Juba as deputy special representative and development & humanitarian coordinator wrote yesterday on Twitter that over 22,000 civilians had sought shelter at the UN Mission for South Sudan base in Malakal.

In the UNMISS base in Melut, Lanzer said there were 700 people who had turned up.

 

-Reports by Alphonce Shiundu, BBC, Reuters