Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
July 8, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – UNMIS Coordinator for Southern Sudan today downplayed allegations that the National Congress Party is fueling tribal conflicts but also insisted that the food shortages there are caused by weather factors.
The Southern Sudan violence is the result of local conflicts and lack of rooted state institutions as well as infrastructures said Gressly. He also said that weather can explain the current food caps in four states.
David Gressly made these statements during a press conference held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the UN mission in Khartoum. The UN official was replying to reporters who focused their questions on who is behind southern Sudan violence and its impact of the peace process as well as the possible links between it and the food shortages there.
The UN official who serves in southern Sudan since 2004, told reporters that the continuing violence in the semi-autonomous region is a “direct consequence” of civil war, the high level of armament among civilians, frictions between communities over resources like land, water, pasture.
He also stressed that Cattle rustling, that he described as “traditional activity” in southern Sudan, do cause similar kinds of violence.
Gressly further stressed that these different causes of violence are there due to the “lack of institutions of police, of courts, prisons, etc. and of the rule of law.” “This is why I think we would take time before these changes. It is also due to a lack of infrastructure” he further added.
Asked about allegations by SPLM officials that the National Congress Party was behind the increased tribal fighting, Gressly reiterated that the situation is “best understood as local conflicts. We have seen no direct evidence of these allegations.”
He further said that such allegations can be raised directly through the Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee (CJMC) and “such allegations would be investigated – that is the appropriate channel for such allegations to be put on the table for investigation,” he added.
The UN official mentioned the death of more than 1,000 in tribal fighting since the start of 2009. He further said that the fighting has become widespread and include the 10 states of southern Sudan.
However he pointed out “There are clear grounds for concern about the security situation in and around the city of Malakal, eastern Jonglei State and the Sobat River corridor where some of the worst clashes have taken place this year. We have also seen more fighting in Lakes State between the Agar Dinka and Beli tribes than had been the case in previous years.”
Gressly regretted that women and children are more and more targeted. “In that sense it is new and a larger scope. It is not the first time we have seen violence targeted against women and children but this is a little bit different scale.”
Speaking about the food caps in the South, the UN coordinator said the insecurity can be one of the factors that caused the food shortage in some southern Sudan states. Nonetheless he mentioned the unusual lack rains and said “the larger factor may simply be the weather this year.”
A joint committee of the federal and southern Sudan governments, besides UN officials is conducting an assessment in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria and Upper Nile to determine how severe the crisis might be.
Gressly said Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal, Upper Nile and Jonglei are areas that historically have been most affected by food shortages.
He also said the assessment is focusing on “the states that typically are vulnerable and the information that is coming in seems to indicate that we need to get out there and take a look at what is going on to fully understand the magnitude.”
(ST)
oshay
Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
FINALLY, it’s about time the United Nations set the record straight and stopped this Southern Sudanese custom of blaming everything on the North.
People we want change and change can only come about when the SPLA is positioned to be what it was, a military entity not a political one. I urge all Southerners to either vote for SPLM-DC or NCP, they will build the south like they did in the North.
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
The only people behind the problems of killing are dinkas and junglese in general. They are mad and leaving themselves to be decieved by the arabs with few pounds, lets not attack those innocent of SPLA-DC for no reason. Dinkas are the problems because their present in any area means present of insecurity. The accept any offer from arabs just to destroy with Southerner, they value food and money as their main things but looking at one another as a valuless object which is totally crazy. The arabs are now persuading them as a tool to jumble the Southerners because they like arab $$ and pounds. I don’t suspect anyone as a problem of insecurity in South but the particular family of entire junglese is the poison. If someone could take GOSS from their savage Mr Kiir then i believe that South may improve in some stages. But living with this Kiir of dinkas means sooner we will all find ourselves living with arabs and been converted to what the arabs use to do to dinkas before been libterated by Equatorians. Everyone have seem how we been through the dinkas party of SPLA, now we SPLA-DC so would you like to continue with the miserbale life you have experienced under dinkas party or dress the new life with hope and diginity. The choice is yours if you want to mis the new life of SPLA-DC.
Logic is the chairman and founder of Equatorian Resistant Movement (ERM) after achieving its objectives and goals it will reverse to Sudanese Revolution Movement for Democratic (SRMD)
M.C.C Kul-chi-gongic
Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
Dr Riek Gai and Dr Riek Machar are the reason for the conflicts among civilians in the Southern Sudan. Riek Gai is now arming civilians and Nuer militais to fight against Dinka from Luac to Apuk-Giir Tiik. Two weeks ago I went to Kosti in order to witness Smuggling weapons from Kosti to Bintu and Malakal. According to my search the Southern Sudan violence is the results of leadership of Southern Sudan.
What I want to tell to these traiters, you will never succeed in your war plan against Dinkas because we discovered your plan. So, my advice to you my Dinkas, don’t forget the war of 1991 in Bor is now repeating itself… and if there is anyone who deny it you will see it in few days or even months…
“The one who will listen and take these few lines are saved and the one who don’t will suffer”. Remember 5,000 of Dinka Bor childen, women and elders were killed by Dr Riek Machar in 1991.
By M.C.C Kul-chi-gongic
BUSTA 2
Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
FOOD, FOOD, FOOD, FOOD,FOOD AND FOOD!!
In the Bible it said whoever doesn’t work, should not eat.
In the picture, you can see those who hate to go to the garden or to use their hand to get food.
If food is the cause of violence in most part of Sudan, then places like Rumberk, Bor,Awil and many more will never tasted CPA fruitness since fighting will be the mottor of the day there.
South Sudan is in damm problem and soon we will refer to it as NB
Aparana
Local factors are behind South Sudan tribal violence – UN
In fact GOSS president Dr. Salva Kiir did not clearly mention that, NCP is behind the insecurity and lack of development in the South, but he always says ENEMIES OF PEACE without furtherly specifying them. Our president knows that he is the first enemy of the South Sudan together with his kitchen cabinate working only to fulfil their greed and hunger for public money this is proven by the grubbing of more than $7 billion transferred to forein banks for them and at least their next 5th gerations. No more escapegoating the NCP for any of our failures. enough is enough, their days are numbered.
Aparana.