Saturday 10 December 2011

South Sudan Nhial Deng Nhial: We are on brink of war

South Sudan's foreign minister has warned his country is on the brink of war with Sudan following days of fierce fighting along the border. Nhial Deng Nhial told the BBC Sudanese forces had invaded the town of Jau, which was in the south. He urged the international community to intervene and said he hoped full-scale hostilities could still be avoided. South Sudan seceded from the north in July following years of civil war in which some 1.5m people died. The border between the north and south has not yet been officially designated. Since July Khartoum and Juba have accused each other of supporting rebels in the border areas. 'Tanks and aircraft' Mr Deng Nhial said the clashes in Jau, which he said was a town in Unity state, were the biggest threat to peace since South Sudan's independence. "Although there have been frequent aerial bombardments of different places in the Republic of South Sudan, we think that Khartoum has raised this offensive to an entirely new level by committing ground forces to cross into the Republic of South Sudan," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "We are still very much committed to the principle of dialogue with Khartoum - we are still hopeful that we can pull back from the brink of outright war." Earlier, Col Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan's army - the South People's Liberation Army (SPLA) - told the BBC that Khartoum had used tanks and long-range artillery in the offensive on Jau, which started on Saturday. Read more

"Turning Pebbles": Evading Accountability for Post-Election Violence in Kenya

This report examines the police and judicial response to the violence following the 2007 elections, which pitted ruling party supporters and the police against opposition-linked armed groups and civilians. Human Rights Watch found that of the 1,133 or more killings committed during the violence, only two have resulted in murder convictions. Victims of rape, assault, arson, and other crimes similarly await justice. Police officers, who killed at least 405 people during the violence, injured over 500 more, and raped dozens of women and girls, enjoy absolute impunity Read more

Recovery and Development Politics: Options for Sustainable Peacebuilding in Northern Uganda

This Discussion Paper addresses questions related to the causes, evolution and legacies of the prolonged war in Northern Uganda between the rebel LRA and government forces. It critically examines the Government of Uganda’s experience in drafting and implementing various plans for recovery and peacebuilding in Northern Uganda and proffers explanations for their limited success. It also analyses the threats posed by the continued marginalisation of Northern region and the persistence of poverty and underdevelopment relative to the more prosperous regions of the country. Of note is the concern about a possible regression into violent conflict and the breakdown of the fragile peace in Acholiland. The paper providesan alternative reading of the conflict and makes a compelling case for a radical paradigm of economic recovery, sustainable peace and development based on conflict-sensitive, inclusive, socially just and people-centred policies. It is essential reading for scholars, peace and security practitioners, activists and humanitarian and development workers with a keen interest in post-conflict reconstruction, reconciliation and peacebuilding in Africa. Read more

Stabilising the Congo

The brief considers the ‘stabilisation approach’ adopted by both the international community and national government to address the continued insecurity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Considering stabilisation also offers a way of conceptualising and engaging with the root causes of displacement. Political implications of the stabilisation agenda are brought into sharper relief by focusing on a single question: stabilisation by whom and for whom? Rather than continuing to support the State unconditionally, the brief calls on international actors to strengthen and exercise their combined leverage in critical priority areas that together form a comprehensive ‘road map’ to long-term peace and stability following the elections. Read more