UN peacekeepers in Sudan: Escalating inter-tribal violence in the southern region is jeopardizing the stability of the entire country says the United Nations.
Escalating inter-tribal violence in
In his latest report on the work of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the security situation in the south has deteriorated since April, with long-simmering disputes sparking "alarming waves of violence [and] at times triggering vicious cycles of attack."
At least 200 civilians have been killed in the clashes, as well as dozens of members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the former southern rebel group that signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 to end the civil war.
Mr. Ban said the future of the CPA depends largely on the relationship between the SPLA and the National Congress Party (NCP), which signed the agreement and formed a Government of National Unity in
"Their action or inaction in the coming months will determine whether the outstanding benchmarks," such as elections scheduled for next year and a subsequent referendum that could result in the secession of southern
He urged both sides to "take steps to engage in meaningful dialogue and reach agreement on outstanding issues."
One of those issues is the status of Abyei, an oil-rich area in the centre of the country that has been contested by north and south and was the scene of deadly clashes last year that forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee.
Source: Allafrica.com