South Sudan imports Chinese military trucks

MONDAY, 09 APRIL 2012 23:52 BY MAUREEN MUDI

ARSENAL: The trucks at the Mombasa port on Wednesday last week.Photo/Elkana Jacob

A CONSIGNMENT of military trucks has left the port of Mombasa for South Sudan, five days after they arrived by sea from China. The consignment was offloaded on Wednesday last week at the G-Section of the port, where overstayed containers are normally stored. It was cleared a day before the Easter holidays commenced.

The KPA shipping schedule confirmed that the consignment, part of which belongs to the United Nations, was brought on diverse days to Mombasa, using two vehicle carriers, Bahamas-flagged MV Crystal Ray and Panama-flagged MV Topaz Ace. They left Yokohama port on February 23 and 26 this year, passing through several other ports including Kobe, Durban and Dar-es-Salaam, and then Mombasa.

The vessels arrived in Mombasa on April 3 and the shipping company handling the consignment was, according to the manifest, the Freight Forwarders. The importation of the military hardware by South Sudan follows rising tensions with Sudan over boundaries and the sharing of oil resources. South Sudan has ruled out going to war with the North and asked Kenya to mediate to end the standoff that has seen scores of people killed over two months and a wave of refugees moving southward into Kenya.

The assistant director of public communication in the Ministry of Defense, Bogita Ongeri, refused to comment on the consignment and referred us to the High Commissioner of South Sudan. “The Sudanese officials are better and well placed to respond to this since the consignment is theirs. It is not something for Kenyans,” he added.

In 2008, a piracy attack incident on MV Faina exposed that the vessel had military cargo including 33 T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs), weapons and ammunition and documents that identified the buyer as the Government of South Sudan. The Kenya government insisted the acronym GOSS meant the Kenyan army’s own General Ordinance Supplies and Security and said the tanks were deployed to various bases in Kenya. However, satellite photos monitoring the tanks showed them being transported to various bases in South Sudan.

Yesterday, our sources at the port said the South Sudan government has continued to import its military equipment and other hardware through the port of Mombasa. “There has been a long-term agreement which was signed a long time ago. It is now that it is being implemented in phases,” said the sources who cannot be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The sources said the recent consignment includes 34 military trucks, trailers and wagons which had been at the port waiting for clearance. The KPA head of corporate affairs, Bernard Osero, gave a breakdown of all the vehicles which have been imported through the port in the last month but did not include the military ones headed for South Sudan.

http://www.the-star.co.ke/national/national/70585-updated-millitary-wares-leave-msa-port-for-south-sudan

Reaching for the gun: Arms flows and holdings
in South Sudan — new Sudan HSBA Issue Brief

The Small Arms Survey’s Sudan/South Sudan Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) is pleased to announce the release of a new Issue Brief: Reaching for the Gun: Arms Flows and Holdings in South Sudan

This Issue Brief reviews arms flows and holdings among both state and non-state armed forces as of early 2012, situating recent developments against historical trends and patterns of supply. It updates a previous HSBA report on small arms and light weapons flows and holdings in Sudan from December 2009.

Key findings include:

• In 2010–11 the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) acquired large quantities of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, 10 Russian-manufactured Mi-17 transport helicopters, as well as final deliveries of 33 T-72 battle tanks that were delivered to Mombasa Port, Kenya, in February 2009.
• Ukraine has been South Sudan’s principal supplier of weapons since 2005. Kenya and Uganda have been used as transshipment points for onward delivery to South Sudan
• From November 2010 to May 2011, the South Sudan Police Service (SSPS) marked 41,200 firearms distributed among various official security forces, permitting it to trace a number of firearms that leaked out of state control to non-state actors. The SPLA would benefit from similarly marking its weapons.
• South Sudanese rebel militia groups are well equipped with both small and large calibre small arms and light weapons. Analysis of captured materiel reveals that they have consistent access to new weapons from SAF and, to a lesser degree, from the SPLA, and a number of governments both inside and outside the region.
• Although the SPLA and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) officially separated in July 2011, military and logistical cooperation and collaboration between the two forces continues.

‘Reaching for the Gun’ is the 19th Issue Brief from the Small Arms Survey’s HSBA project. It can be downloaded in English (and shortly in Arabic) fromwww.smallarmssurveysudan.org/publications.

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Jonah Leff
HSBA Project Coordinator
jonah.leff
@smallarmssurvey.org

---

• Download Reaching for the gun: Arms flows and holdings in South Sudan
• More publications from the Sudan HSBA
• Visit the Sudan HSBA website
• Follow the HSBA on Twitter (@Sudan HSBA) and Facebook (Sudan HSBA – Small Arms Survey)

http://www.smallarmssurveysudan.org/pdfs/HSBA-SIB-19-Arms-flows-and-holdings-South-Sudan.pdf

VP and Governor Exemply Easter Message on Forgiveness

VP and Governor Exemply Easter Message on Forgiveness.

President Kiir’s Speech at the SPLM National Liberation Council (NLC), Nyakuron Juba, South Sudan

Opening Remarks of the Chairman of Sudan Peoples’ Liberation 

Movement (SPLM) and President of the Republic of South Sudan,
H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit
SPLM National Liberation Council Meeting, Nyakuron-Juba
26th
March 2012
Your Excellencies,
Leaders of SPLM and other political parties
Your Excellencies members of the diplomatic corp
Comrades
Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to welcome you all to this gathering today and before we
move further, I invite you to stand and observe a moment of silence in
honor of our heroes and heroines, on top of whom is our founder and
leader, Dr. John Garang De Mabior, without whose sacrifice we will not
be here today. I would like to also give special honor and recognition to
our war veterans, wounded soldiers orphans and widows.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today we are here in an independent nation due to the wise leadership
of the SPLM and the vigilant struggle of the South Sudanese people. 2
This meeting of the National Liberation Council is overdue; however,
you are aware that the country has been engaged in many important
activities. This included the census, elections, referendum, and
ultimately independence. After independence, we have been faced
with many challenges, some old, some new.
Nevertheless, your political bureau has been diligently working to make
decisions in regards to the party for our overall benefit. These
decisions, which will be clearly outlined in the report of the Secretary
General, will summarize our engagement with the National Congress
Party during the CPA period and leading towards the independence of
South Sudan, including the disengagement of
SPLM-N.
At the last National Convention, we committed to peacefully resolve
the outstanding issues of the comprehensive peace agreement without
a return to war. To date, the SPLM has maintained that commitment,
even in the midst of continued provocations from the NCP and their
government in Khartoum. The NCP continues to drag their feet on the
implementation of the CPA provisions even after independence. After
months of negotiations in Addis Ababa, led by our Secretary General,
we have recently made progress in the areas of citizenship and border
demarcation.
While we welcome this breakthrough, we have not been able to move
forward on other pressing issues, mainly Abyei. In addition, the oil
shutdown remains unresolved. In an effort to end this impasse and
move the negotiations forward, I have invited President Bashir to a
summit in Juba. President Bashir has accepted my invitation and we
look forward to welcoming him to Juba on April 3rd
. 3
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The general elections held in 2010, SPLM exerted its position as the
people’s party in Sudan and particularly in South Sudan. Our candidate
for the Presidency of Sudan, Comrade Yassir Arman was second to El
Bashir, in spite of the fact that SPLM withdrew him from the candidacy.
Here in the South, SPLM won by a landslide. This was also reflected in
the referendum as the people of South Sudan overwhelmingly voted
for independence and today we are meeting as a ruling party in an
independent state.
You will also recall that during the election time 2010, there was an
open field in which parties could propagate their programs. All parties
were allowed unimpeded access to campaign, including the use of
media. Our gallant security forces protected us during the campaigns
and polling, ensuring that there was minimum distraction to the
electoral process. This was in line with our principle of pluralism and
freedom of expression and association. In our party, we met challenges
during the selection of candidates.
Those who felt that they were not selected by the electoral colleges, or
the political bureau, felt aggrieved and some of them chose to contest
as independent candidates. Some of them joined other political parties.
But those who were willing to support the decisions of the SPLM
remained within the party and campaigned for their chosen colleagues
in order to help them to get elected. This type of party discipline and
camaraderie must be encouraged. 4
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen,
After the elections, we endeavored towards the referendum. It was
noted as a landmark achievement in Sudan’s political history because
the status of the people of South Sudan would change should they
choose secession.
Comrades, the status of South Sudan has indeed changed, because
through a peaceful referendum, our people chose to be an
independent nation. SPLM should be proud to have delivered the
people of South Sudan this great political achievement. The
referendum brought change to the SPLM, as many of our loyal
members are citizens of Sudan. Our independence led to the
establishment of SPLM-North led by Cde. Malek Agar.
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen,
There are still challenges facing us as a party. While we succeeded in
delivering independence to South Sudan, we must continue to foster an
environment of unity, equality and progress, which is the emblem of
our party leading to the prosperity of our country.
However, the biggest challenge to achieving this vision is our
relationship with the government of Sudan and the NCP. They have
created, sponsored and armed militias that continuously disturb our
border states. They have bombed civilian targets in South Sudan and
diverted our natural resources.
We must conclude all of the outstanding CPA negotiations in order for
us to focus our concentration on developing the nation.5
I hope that the upcoming summit with President Bashir will enable us
to sign the agreements that were initialed by our negotiating teams.
This will pave the way forward as we aim to resolve the other issues
such as Abyei and the issues of oil. As a party, we must support this
summit and work with our negotiating team to broker a reasonable
agreement.
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen,
The list of our challenges may be long, including meeting the
development plan, encouraging peace and reconciliation and providing
services to our people. However, we must remain vigilant. We will be
operating without the much needed resources from the oil. As you are
all well aware, your government decided to shut down oil operations
after several attempts to stop Khartoum from stealing our oil.
This puts enormous pressure on the government to fulfill budgetary
obligations. We have introduced austerity measures and continue to
explore ways of increasing our non-oil revenues. As SPLM cadres, we
count on you to help explain to our people the reasons for this shut
down and the steps that the government is taking to ensure that the
much needed services are not heavily disrupted.
SPLM as a party will promote national unity, reconciliation and healing
as a priority. To be able to achieve this, the SPLM led government will
double our efforts to consolidate unity and to promote reconciliation
among the people of South Sudan. Much of our insecurity has been
caused by illegal possession of firearms, which has encouraged cattle
rustling and other disruptive activity.
The situations taking place in Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, and Warrap States
are undesirable and unacceptable.
Comrades, your government has put into place mechanisms for
peaceful disarmament of communities that illegally possess arms. I
take this opportunity to urge all of you to cooperate by encouraging
civilians in your community to peacefully hand over any illegal weapons
in their possession. As members of the NLC, use your positive influence
to encourage peace and reconciliation in your home areas. While
working alongside our partners, such as the UN, we must take
responsibility for our insecurity and make every effort to guarantee
peace and stability.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Food security is as important as our physical security. The UN has
informed us that our country will have a deficit of about 400,000 tons
of food which we need to work very hard to generate. Your SPLM led
government is doing all it can to import food and essential commodities
to ensure that the disaster is abated. However, we encourage the
development of our agricultural sector in order to produce food right
here at home. This is the only way to lasting food security. We must all
engage in food production and influence your communities to do the
same.
Education, healthcare, and infrastructure are all among government
projects that have been given priority. We must work together to bring
education to all children, but in particular the girl child. 7
She must be educated and given every opportunity to succeed, just like
her male counterparts.
High quality healthcare is necessary in order to bring down our
mortality rate, and eradicate diseases that have plagued our people for
decades. Building infrastructure, particularly roads, bridges, electricity,
and affordable housing will connect our citizens and provide them with
opportunities for employment. We will continue to work with our
partners and friends to implement these important components of our
development plan.
Corruption and malpractices still continue to impede development. This
practice is draining the limited resources we have and it has the
potential to undermine the mission of the SPLM. As a government, we
have put into place several mechanisms for combating this corruption
including bills on transparency and accountability. These laws will be
enforced and anyone who violates, or intends to violate or is suspected
of violating them will be prosecuted by law. The SPLM must also
enforce these laws within the party.
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen,
As I mentioned earlier, our circumstances have changed. As a party, our
constitution and manifesto all refer to our previous political realities.
The current political dispensation and status require that our basic
documents conform to our political reality. It is therefore of paramount
importance that these basic documents are made compatible with our
political reality as it will affect our structure and the way we do
business. 8
As we carry out this restructuring and reformation process, we must
recognize that we are now in an era of democracy and political
pluralism. SPLM, our party, affirms its total and unwavering
commitment to democratization and political pluralism in our country.
We would like to pursue a policy of harmony and social cohesion which
is according to the guiding principles of our constitution.
In order to strengthen these principles, our political and civic education
at all levels starting from the BOMA congresses need to be enhanced.
This will ensure proper organization and mobilization of our cadres. As
we do this, we should be conscious of empowering of our women and
youth leagues. Women and youth constitute the majority of our
cadres. Their development is paramount and will contribute
enormously to the development of this country.
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen,
Before concluding, it is my honor to recognize the enormous support
provided to South Sudan from our friends and partners all over the
world. This support has been demonstrated both materially and
politically. We want to say thank you for supporting us. We in South
Sudan are now free.
However, please remember that injustice continues in Darfur, South
Kordofan and South Blue Nile. As a party and a government we
subscribe to the sovereignty of states and non-interference in the
internal affairs of another state. Yet, we are mindful of the pain that the
people of those areas are experiencing is the exact pain that we in
South Sudan endured for many years.
I therefore call upon you our partners, friends and well-wishers to
provide the much needed humanitarian assistance to those who need it
most and further urge you to seek for peaceful political settlement in
those regions.
Comrades, we have come a long way to be where we are today. We
have achieved much, but we must remember that there still remains
much to be achieved. Building a nation is will take our lifetimes. Those
who have gone before us have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
It is now our turn to do our part to contribute to building this country.
South Sudan has endless potential, but it will take our collective effort
to realize that potential. We must join together to build South Sudan
into a strong and innovative country filled with promise for generations
to come.
Long Live SPLM
Long Live our Partners and Friends
Long Live the people of South Sudan
SPLM OYEEE
God Bless you all.
Thank You

http://www.goss-online.org/magnoliaPublic/en/news/press/mainColumnParagraphs/01111119/content_files/file/NLC%20Speech%20March%2026.pdf

The Martyrs’ Day: Letter to Glory in the name of Gen George Athor Deng

By Atok Dan Baguoot 

Dear Gen Athor Deng,

It was exactly on the 19th December at 10:a.m. local time in Juba that your news of being besieged at Morobo county in Central Equatoria state hit the market. Few minutes later, you were pronounced dead in a gun battle that involved SPLA soldiers. You had died as a villain according to your assassins but on the other hand you were a hero when one revisits stories of struggle.

Your death took Juba and the entire South Sudan a surprise because upright mental persons could not come to term with reality that you had come to graduate sections of your army in military training near at this end point. On that day when the Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, flanked by the SPLA Spokesperson, Philip Aguer Panyang went to media to declare the news, the next thing one asked was the number of casualties involved in both sides of the battle. It happened that it was a wishful battle that nobody died apart from you and your personal aid.

Though that statement contradicted the reality of the termed “besieged” used by the SPLA spokesperson Philip Aguer before the finally announcement. Nobody was bold enough to question it. Of course Dr. Machar said you were killed on Monday while Panyang said you died on Tuesday, a fact that contradicts the truth surrounding your death. The right persons who knew when you died were your own God and those triggered the bullets that sent you to heaven or hell. It has gone month now since we were relieved of your burdens.

In this account, you had ascended to the highest rank in the SPLA through personal contributions during the struggle. 2005 when peace agreement was signed wasn’t a long one for your assassins to have forgotten what you had brought to the people of this country. You didn’t go and come back for confirmation like what others had done, nor did you even gone to rest after combined enemy had lodged seven round of bullets into your flesh. Your ascension to highest rank was gradual based on achievements counted.

In fact, we were relieved from your burdens when you died with simple reason that all the deaths including those who died of malaria were attributed to your rebellion. The government could say ambulance would have gone to pick up a patient in the village if Athor had not way laid ambush. Crops would have yielded well if Athor had not stirred up violent even in Raga leave alone Jonglei and Warrap where perennial hunger has erected tents.

Your children would never live to celebrate when you departed the world except your birth day which I also doubt if you had birth certificate to show such a record. Your death had discolored our Christmas and new year happiness. To those whom you had killed their loved ones, it was a joyous moment and justice was seen done. Those who had known and have not forgotten your valor in the struggle, it was a day of regrets. All in all, we would have loved to see justice done if you were brought to competent court of law to answer on all charges levied on you and to tell us why you rebelled more so to those who were aggrieved by your action. They had wished to see you being handcuffed and drag to court and made publicly so that others who held the same sentiment of rebelling against government can see and that complaining in South Sudan when rigged off in elections warrants death if the aggrieved nag.

Inasmuch as this, the only culprit condoning impunity is the government that robs Peter to pay Paul and felt justice done. If the government can rob somebody from his victory and liaises in partnership with robber, then it becomes tale in the Manor Farm which later became “Animal Farm” after which all animals struggled for freedom and later turned to be “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others”. After South Sudan obtained freedom, some became more equals, so the least equals must learn that.

In regard to this, the only station in life in which you were wronged was the time when Gen Kuol Manyang Juuk lifted you on his huge shoulder after you succeeded to disrupt and dislodge the assembly of Nassir group and their affiliates in Panyagor in 1994. Night preceding that you were in Poktap, a distant of more than 12 hours walk. Dr. John Garang De Mabior persuaded you saying “Athor from tomorrow if the meeting in Panyagor succeeded , that will mark the day the souls of all those South Sudanese who had perished to bring justice would be rendered in ruin and the Movement would then be no more”. You heeded on to that benevolent call from your leader and ordered all your soldiers at around 7:00.p.m. to start running together with you and by 4.00.a.m, you had arrived Panyagor , four hours before the commencement of the highly regarded meeting of true betrayers.

Somebody might want to learn who were those in that highly dramatized meeting. They were, Dr. Riek Machar, the leader of the Nassir, Dr. Lam Akol, Kuach Kang, Joseph Oduoh, Kerubino Kuanyin Bol, Arok Thon Arok, William Nyuon Bany, Gordon Koang Chol, Taban Deng Gai, Simon Kun Puoch, Elijah Hon Top, Riek Gai Kok, James Kok Rue, and many others that you know. Section of this government was for that meeting. It was highly funded by the West and those who were against the leadership of Dr. John Garang De Mabior.

Gen Athor, despite that selfless contributions, it says in English that be fair. “when am right thousands times, nobody remembers, but when am wrong only a time, nobody forget”. Gen Athor you are true victim of this fallacy.
In this case, what matters most is not where you died like many people do say you killed in Kampala and carried to Morobo, it is the fact that you died. As now you might have already met with people that had departed earlier. Dr. John Garang is one of those whom you might have shook hands with. I think he will ask you to do one thing because he was your boss. In religious aspect, death is not misfortune nor it an accident or even a punishment. It is the end of life on this part of the universe.

Gen Athor, it is good that you have gone to that covetously place. It is the only place you are either judged wrongly of rightly because God counts on your deeds both known and unknown to human kind while still alive. He is a fair God. He is immune against all human nonsense. Lodge your complaints there and wait for Kuol Manyang who cheated you in elections in the name of SPLM as if SPLM and him were destined to rule by God.

The worse after you left, the same government is still blackmailing scapegoat that you manufactured crisis in Jonglei and that whatever reason of conflict is you. That alone will tell a sound minded person that something was fishy and that the vehicle of struggle might have truly veered off the road. This is solely judged by comrades versus comrades like exactly in the tale of animals in Animals Farm after they had successfully sung the “Beasts of England”. The alive government officials are saying that guns used in tribal conflicts in Jonglei were brought by you. They don’t even mention anything on the guns companies.

http://atokdbaguot.blogspot.com/2012/02/letter-to-glory-in-name-of-gen-george.html

South Sudan accuses Sudan of new attack

KHARTOUM, April 10 | Tue Apr 10, 2012

(Reuters) – South Sudan said on Tuesday that Sudan had attacked a disputed oil-producing border region with warplanes and artillery, in the latest flare-up of violence that has delayed a summit between the former civil war foes.

The South Sudanese army (SPLA) said the town of Teshwin in the border area had come under attack late on Monday and that fighting was continuing on Tuesday. Sudan’s armed forces spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad could not immediately be reached for comment on his mobile phone.

South Sudan, which seceded in July, has been locked in a bitter dispute with Khartoum over oil payments and other issues, and clashes in the ill-defined border region last month raised concerns they might escalate into full-blown war.

“They launched a new attack, and occupied southern territory until the SPLA repulsed them,” said Philip Aguer, a spokesman for the South’s forces, Sudan People’s Liberation Army. “Fighting continued today and is still ongoing.”

He said the Sudanese ground forces had started their attack from the disputed area of Heglig, where Sudan controls an oil field that accounts for roughly half of its 115,000 barrel a day output.

South Sudan’s army briefly occupied a portion of the Heglig area last month before pulling out.

The two countries are at odds over how much the landlocked South should pay to export its oil through Sudan.

South Sudan took three quarters of what was the united country’s oilput when it seceded. It shut down production in January after Khartoum started taking some oil for what it calls unpaid transit fees.

Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was meant to meet his counterpart Salva Kiir in Juba last week to defuse tensions, but he called off the summit due to the border violence.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti said on Tuesday Khartoum wanted the summit but needed more time to prepare.

“We don’t want the summit to fail. If the summit fails nobody else will solve the problems,” he said after meeting his Czech counterpart in Prague.

“We are committed to the summit, but let us delay till we are able to solve or at least discuss the problems in (a) way that the summit will be successful,” he said.

Among other unresolved issues, the two sides need to mark their border and end accusations of supporting rebels in the other’s territory. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Additional reporting by Jana Mlcochova in Prague; Editing by Alessandra Rizzo)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/10/southsudan-fighting-idUSL6E8FA3ZO20120410

BBC: Sudan says South Sudan’s Army (SPLA) controls largest oil field of Heglig

Sudan says its largest oil field is now controlled by South Sudan’s army.

A Sudanese military spokesman told the BBC its forces had been defeated outside Heglig, and retreated north.

South Sudan said its forces had advanced to Heglig, but stopped short of saying its forces actually controlled the oil fields.

Clashes between the two sides started two weeks ago, and are among the worst since South Sudan gained independence last July after a long civil war.

South Sudan ended up with most of the oil fields, although it has to export the oil using pipelines through ports in Khartoum’s territory.

Both sides blame the other for starting the latest fighting along the undemarcated and disputed frontier in the oil-producing Heglig area.

South Sudan’s military spokesman, Philip Aguer, told the BBC the army was responding to air and ground attacks by the Sudanese armed forces.

A Sudanese government statement earlier described the offensive as “severe”, saying its Heglig oil fields were deliberately targeted.

Sudan doesn’t admit to many military defeats, so acknowledging a reverse outside Heglig is already extremely significant.

The fact that Sudan’s biggest oilfield is now apparently in the hands of the South Sudanese army is astonishing.

It is legitimate to wonder why Sudan’s military – which has the advantage of air power and greater weaponry – wasn’t able to stop the South Sudanese advance.

Perhaps the Sudan Armed Forces are simply over-stretched: as well as the South Sudanese army, they are fighting rebel groups in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Khartoum alleges the rebels are supported by South Sudan.

Sudan will certainly respond, and a programme showing “martyrs” who “sacrificed themselves for their country” is already being shown on Sudanese TV.

However it is possible the South Sudanese will slip away from the oilfields, with their point proven.

These clashes almost certainly represent an attempt to win ground before negotiations resume.

Several sources, both Sudanese and international, suggest Sudan struck first in this instance, before getting a bloody nose.

The most likely outcome is a continuation of low-level hostilities for some time, but the seriousness of these latest events takes the two countries nearer to a return to outright war.

A Sudanese man who works in the oil industry, who did not want to be named, told the BBC that Sudan began the fighting.

Another source suggested the Sudanese were trying to regain a post on the disputed border they had lost two weeks ago.

Fighting ‘poisoned atmosphere’Col Khalid Sawarmi, the spokesman for the Sudan Armed Forces, said: “Now the [soldiers] from South Sudan they are inside Heglig city, and the oilfield, they conquered the Sudanese army outside of Heglig.

“The South Sudanese attacked our Sudanese army in Heglig, as you know Heglig is not part of South Sudan,” he continued.

In January, South Sudan, which depends on oil sales for 98% of its revenue, shut down all of its oil fields in a row over the fees Sudan demands to transit the oil.

The BBC’s James Copnall in the capital, Khartoum, says oil is at the heart of the disagreements between the two countries, and oil installations are increasingly being targeted militarily.

Nhial Deng, South Sudan’s Foreign Minister, said the fighting had “poisoned the atmosphere” between the two sides.

“But we are committed to finding solutions through dialogue,” he said. “I strongly believe Khartoum’s stance is… to make military gains so they come to the table in a position of strength.”

A presidential summit, which was to have been held in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, at the beginning of April, has been postponed indefinitely because of the recent fighting.

African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki held talks late last week with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart, Omar al-Bashir, amid international fears of a return to full-blown conflict.

Meanwhile, an international weapons monitoring group, Small Arms Survey, says it has gathered enough evidence to show that both South Sudan and Sudan are providing arms to rebels and militia groups in each other’s territory.

Both sides have often made and denied such claims of support.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17672727

SPLA claim seizure of South Kordofan’s oil area of Heglig

April 10, 2012 (BENTIU) – South Sudan Army, SPLA, forces claimed the capture of Heglig town yesterday afternoon after repulsing an attack by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) .

According to the . SPLA division four commander James Gatduel Gatluak, Sudanese Army forces launched yesterday air and ground attacks that forced them to engage fighting with the Sudanese troops to and to take the control of Heglig on Tuesday.

The SPLA general further alleged that their troops are advancing about 30 kilometer north of Heglig oil field.

In Khartoum, Sudan Tribune failed to reach SAF spokesperson. However military sources requesting anonymity said the oil workers were evacuated and the army was ordered to withdraw from the oil area.

Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir will hold a press conference with the visiting Nigerian president. He is expected to speak about these developments..

http://www.sudantribune.com/SPLA-claim-seizure-of-South,42191

South Sudan Accuses Sudan of Attacks on Oil-Rich Border Region

By Jared Ferrie on April 10, 2012

Sudan’s military has attacked a town in an oil-producing border area of South Sudan, according to that country’s information minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin.

Two brigades belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces attacked the town of Abiemnhom in South Sudan’s Unity state, injuring four civilians, including a child, Benjamin said today by phone from Juba, the southern capital.

Al-Sawarami Khaled, a spokesman for Sudan’s army, and foreign affairs spokesman al-Obeid Murawih didn’t answer calls made seeking comment today.

South Sudan seceded from the north in July, assuming control of about three-quarters of the formerly unified nation’s daily oil production of 490,000 barrels. The north and south fought a two-decade civil was that ended in 2005.

“They have been trying to move into Unity state with the intention of occupying the oil fields,” Benjamin said. “South Sudan condemns the bombardment and calls on the Republic of Sudan to withdraw its forces.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Jared Ferrie in Juba at jferrie1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-10/south-sudan-accuses-sudan-of-attacks-on-oil-rich-border-region

Airstrikes, artillery bombardment on Sudan-S.Sudan border

By Hannah McNeish (AFP) 

TASHWIN, South Sudan — Sudan on Tuesday carried out new airstrikes inside South Sudan, as rival armies exchanged artillery fire in the latest round of bloody fighting in contested border regions.

An AFP correspondent in the South Sudanese frontline village of Tashwin heard heavy artillery shelling and multiple airstrikes lasting for around an hour, with one bomb dropped by aircraft landing less than a kilometre (mile) away.

The bombing follows border fighting that erupted two weeks ago between the two neighbours, the most serious unrest since Juba’s independence, and prompted international fears of a return to full-blown conflict.

Southern Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said that Sudanese airplanes “bombarded Abiemnom, well within the sovereign territory of South Sudan.”

“Initial reports confirmed that four civilians have been wounded, including a small child,” Benjamin told reporters in the Southern capital Juba.

Clashes last month broke out along the undemarcated and disputed frontier in the oil producing Heglig area, with each side blaming the other for starting the bloody fighting.

The dusty village of Abiemnom in Unity state is some 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of the border with Sudan, but also lies on a strategic road to the contested Abyei region, some 10 kilometres (six miles) away to the west.

“The intended target was a strategic bridge in Abiemnom,” leading to Abyei, Benjamin added.

Military officials in Sudan were not immediately available to comment.

African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki held talks late last week over the crisis with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir, but tensions remain high between the two sides.

Benjamin claimed northern troops, backed by tanks and proxy militia forces were advancing towards the South’s Unity state, where key oil fields are located.

“Two brigades of Sudan Armed Forces, backed by 16 tanks and accompanied by members of the mujahedeen and other militia loyal to Khartoum, are currently moving towards Unity state with the intent to capture and occupy the oil fields,” he added.

“The Republic of South Sudan condemns the bombardment of innocent civilians, and calls on Sudan to immediately withdraw from the sovereign territory of South Sudan.”

He did not clarify whether northern troops had crossed the border.

Large Southern Sudanese troops movements were seen close to the frontier, with convoys heading up to the frontline.

Despite the violence on the border, Juba ordered Tuesday that Sudanese nationals living in the newly independent country be treated with respect, after a deadline requiring them to formalise their status expired.

“All nationals of the Republic of Sudan are declared foreigners as of 9 April 2012,” South Sudanese Interior Minister Alison Magaya said in a statement.

“Sudanese nationals shall be accorded fair treatment and full respect in regard to their human rights.”

An April 8 time limit ended a grace period after South Sudan separated last July in the wake of an overwhelming “yes” vote in an independence referendum that followed Africa’s longest civil war.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese are believed to live in the South — although the exact figure is not known — significantly fewer than Southerners in Sudan.

Over 370,000 Southerners have returned from Sudan since October 2010, but an estimated 500,000 others remain in the north.

Those seeking to apply for northern residence need documents from South Sudan but many cannot afford a trip South to get the relevant papers.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iyKtK0dqUofKPma_lkorx4Q-oQsA?docId=CNG.cb4770974eab911d9a2c05f1ffc24871.691

Thousands Of South Sudanese Marooned In Sudan Voice of America April 09, 2012 Thousands Of South Sudanese Marooned In Sudan Alsanosi Ahmed | Khartoum One day after Sudan’s April 8 TH deadline expired, the government began registering Southern Sudanese as foreigners. Majority of them have been stripped of their …

African energy: Eastern El Dorado? Minneapolis Star Tribune Members of South Sudan’s government visited their oil fields in February after production was halted due to a dispute with Sudan. South Sudan’s oil resources are being dwarfed by other finds in east Africa. Photo: Pete Muller, Associated Press In …

South Sudan vice president calls for border peace between Unity, Warrap and … Sudan Tribune By Bonifacio Taban Kuich April 8, 2012 (BENTIU) – South Sudan’s vice president, Riek Machar, is urging Warrap, Unity and Lakes state governors to come to the table with their grievances and improve the security situation in northern/central region of …

Aid Reaches Displaced in South Sudan The Media Line After missing their harvest and seeking shelter in impoverished South Sudan, tens of thousands of refugees from the disputed Abyei region have been given food and agriculture aid by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to help them …

Bashir Tells South Sudan to Offer Security for Settling Post-Secession Issues AllAfrica.com Khartoum — The Sudanese president Omer Al-Bashir has encouraged the government of South Sudan to reach a deal on security with his country, saying that such step will pave the way for resolving other points of contention between the two neighbors.

Sudan Stops South Sudanese Leaving Wall Street Journal By NICHOLAS BARIYO KAMPALA, Uganda—Sudanese authorities have prevented hundreds ofSouth Sudanese citizens from returning to their country, officials said Tuesday, underscoring deteriorating relations between the two formerly-united oil-rich countries.

Displaced by civil war, South Sudan returnees stuck Press Herald By ANDREW GREEN/Special to The Washington Post WAU, South Sudan — Teresa Adut Akol’s new home is a small patch of concrete floor in a railway station outside this town. She shares the space with her eight children and stacks of their belongings,…

Two South Sudanese Ladies Killed in a Car Crash, USA.

2 people killed in crash near Flandreau IDed
April 9, 2012, 6:28 p.m. CDT
AP
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) — Authorities have identified a Nebraska woman and a 9-year-old girl who died after the car in which they were riding hit a bridge guardrail on Interstate 29 north of Flandreau.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol reports that 30-year-old Nyapan Wiliam Nyuon and 9-year-old Nyagan Athena Lia, both of Omaha, Neb., were killed when the northbound car hit the bridge guard rail, spun and landed on the shoulder of the road that ran below the bridge just after 7 a.m. Sunday
The women were thrown from the car. A 23-year-old woman who was also in the car suffered serious injuries. The patrol says none of them were wearing seat belts.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/2-people-killed-in-crash-near-flandreau/90ddff747f19439094973264ca3d3846

Moody County accident victims identified

A Nebraska woman and a 9-year-old girl died and a third person was seriously injured Sunday in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 29, two miles north of the Flandreau exit.

Nyapan W. Nyuon, 30, of Omaha was driving a northbound 1990 Honda Accord that lost control and skidded. The vehicle struck the east-side bridge guard rail, spun and landed on the shoulder of the road below the bridge. Nyuon and Nyagan Athena Lia, 9, died at the scene. Another passenger, Nyakong Tap Lia, 23, of Omaha, was taken to a Sioux Falls hospital with serious injuries.

None of the occupants was wearing seat belts.

http://siouxfallsbusinessjournal.argusleader.com/article/20120409/NEWS/304090044/Moody-County-accident-victims-identified