Violences in South Sudan Cause At Least 16 To Die

South Sudan’s Map (bbc.co.uk)

Violence continues in the newly independent state of South Sudan as rebels attack the southern Sudanese military killing at least 16 people, 12 of them rebels and 2 soldiers. The clash sparked in Jonglei state, where forces loyal to George Athor blew up two army trucks near Fangak, a small town in this state.

Lieutenant General George Athor is a commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, the southern Sudanese rebel army that fought the second civil war in Sudan, turning into a political party at the end of the conflict, and a candidate to the office of governor of Jonglei State.

Athor took arms and launched an armed rebellion after the elections in April 2010, when he lost, considering that the outcome of the state elections was rigged.

He is considered one of the most powerful insurrectionists, and is accused of having staged numerous attacks in the region after the announcement of the elections.

George Athor (sudantribune.com)

Negotiations were launched in October 2010 between the South Sudanese Government (GoSS) and Athor’s army to the purpose of assuring that the referendum in January goes without incidents.

The negotiations went well until they reach a stalemate, and Salva Kiir, president of GoSS, had to issue a decree in December by which the further talks with Athor’s delegation was to be held in a secret location under the guidance of the clergy of the country.

An agreement was signed on January 5, a few days before the referendum was launched, by which George Athor was to be reintegrated into the ranks of SPLA (though the agreement made no reference to the rank he was supposed to have) and a timeline of ceasefire was to be observed, though no provisions were mentioned about what happens if the timeline is breached.

George Athor was accused since April 2010 by the southern officials of playing the hand of the north and being infiltrated by the north to stir problems southwards, an allegation the north has repeatedly denied.

Officials of the GoSS acted rather surprised at the resumption of the conflict by Athor, though it was expected that it

SPLA (mirayafm.org)

would not last much more after the referendum.

In their opinion, the moment Athor picked was rather strange since it all happens at a time when SPLA is doing its best to integrate his rebels into the army in an effort to bring all southern Sudanese together.

This incident is only one of those who show that South Sudan is about to face many challenges in its way to independence.

South Sudan held an one-week referendum to decide its independence from northern Sudan.

The referendum brought a result that went beyond the most optimistic hope of the organizers: there was a huge turnout and 98 percent of the people who voted decided in favor of independence, not to mention that the atmosphere was so correct that not even one complaint was failed to challenge results.

President Omar al-Bashir was one of the people who supported the idea from day one, asserting that if the southerners decided to go independent he would be the first to recognize and salute the new nation, and so he did.

Southern Sudan Referendum (boncherry.com)

It would seem that he played a winning card, since yesterday UN’s ambassador in Sudan alluded to the possibility that the international arrest warrant issued on his name for the genocide in Darfur could be withdrawn as some sort of “reward” for his stance on the south’s referendum.

There is no saying what would have happened with the independence referendum if the Sudanese president had been arrested last year during his travel to Kenya, where he witnessed the referendum that changed the lives of Kenyans.

The new nation is expected, even under these circumstances, to face many problems, since it is one of the poorest in the world and comes after decades of war.

That it is very rich in oil is an advantage, since countries like Kenya have already announced their willingness to participate in the rebuilding of the economy.

Northern Sudan is also hoping that the new neighbor will have fruitful economic ties with it, and there are hopes of that coming to pass, given the peaceful way the two nations are separating and the fact that the oil drilled from the south needs to pass northern territory to arrive to a port, from where to be shipped further.

However, al-Bashir warned that clashes like the one that claimed the lives of at least 16 may happen, and they are expected to grow in intensity as the fate of the province Abyei will be brought into question.

The oil-rich Abyei has still to decide to which country to adhere, after a referendum was abandoned at the beginning of this year.

South Sudan, the name almost established for the new country, will have to arrive at an understanding with the north in order to set the steps of the transition toward independence, which is expected to be completed by July 9, 2011.