Five news items in the last week and today highlight the precarious security condition for Sudanese living in Darfur and South Sudan.
In the first, Frank Nyakairu at Reuters explores whether the resurgent Lord’s Resistance Army is now receiving financial or military support from elements in Khartoum. Last week, the UN Deputy Special Representative and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Ms. Ameerah Haq, expressed grave concern about the increasing number of deaths due to the escalating attacks by rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) against civilians – mostly women and children – in Southern Sudan’s Western and Central Equatoria States.
Suspicions abound that an old relationship has now been reborn. A Ugandan intelligence official, for instance, notes: “They are estimated to be about 2,500 (strong) and operating in two languages, Acholi and Arabic.” The use of Arabic points to possible renewed cooperation between the LRA and Sudanese intelligence (however, since the LRA recruits Sudanese – usually by abduction – this could also be a less troubling explanation). With all this in mind, there is still no smoking gun and therefore an International Crisis Group expert concludes:
“We have heard the LRA appears to be better armed than it has been in the recent past…but we have no evidence to substantiate those allegations that Sudan is supporting the LRA.”
Another article this week explores the root causes for recent tribal violence in South Sudan. This year has been the bloodiest since the end of the civil war. More than 1,200 people have been killed “in a wave of violence that has targeted villagers as often as cattle herders and women and children as often as men.” Skye Wheeler at Reuters investigates the causes for the violent clashes, pointing out that many southerners see scary resemblances to the inter-ethnic violence of the early 1990s that was often encouraged and instigated by Khartoum. He writes:
Senior officials from the south’s dominant Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have openly accused northern politicians of once again arming tribes and militias to destabilise the south ahead of the referendum. Khartoum denies the accusations.
Again, these claims still remain only suspicious rumors as there is yet no hard evidence to connect Khartoum to the recent wave of violence. The situation certainly though cries out for greater vigilance and further investigation.
Similarly, the drivers of continuing conflict and even the existence of continuing conflict in Darfur have been hotly debated over the last month. As I wrote in an early posting, with or without active war, Darfur remains a dangerous and unpredictable place. And recent figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirm this . In 2009 alone:
- Seven national humanitarian staff and three UNAMID staff have been killed.
- 12 humanitarian staff and 10 UNAMID staff have been wounded or injured.
- 11 humanitarians (seven international) have been kidnapped.
- 26 humanitarians and three UNAMID staff have been physically or sexually assaulted and 10 UNAMID staff have been wounded or injured.
- 11 humanitarians (seven international) have been kidnapped.
- 26 humanitarians and three UNAMID staff have been physically or sexually assaulted.
- 18 humanitarians and 11 UNAMID staff have been abducted during carjackings.
- 44 humanitarians and 12 UNAMID staff have been arrested or temporarily detained by the Government of Sudan.
- 64 humanitarian vehicles and 31 UNAMID vehicles have been hijacked or stolen.
- There have been 103 assaults or break-ins on humanitarian agency premises, and 22 on UNAMID premises.
Given these statistics, it comes as no surprise that UNAMID announced this morning that it will increase patrols. And finally this morning we are receiving fresh reports about a Darfuri rebel splinter group attacking three Sudanese policemen which then resulted in Sudanese police and army activity around and inside three IDP camps.
As we continue to state, a peace process in Darfur and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement are the only routes to long-term peace and security for conflict-weary Sudanese. At the same time though, these stories and reports reveal that all of these negotiations are taking place in an environment of troubling violence and looming threats. Since feelings of insecurity usually preclude comprise, the international community must ensure that investigating attacks and providing protection to civilians remains a constant priority.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Darfur, Humanitarian Aid, LRA, South Sudan, UN, violence
