South Sudan in Focus: Recent Episodes
Voice of America
A 30-minute weekday program covering rapidly changing developments in the new nation of South Sudan and the region.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei says it's concerned about a surge in criminal incidents within the Area in the past two weeks; Ugandan traders in South Sudan complain that immigration officials continue to harass and extort money from them in disregard for the East African Common Market Protocol which guarantees the free movement of individuals, goods and workers across the regional bloc; The G7 foreign ministers say restoration of a creditable civilian-led government in Sudan is vital for the resumption of economic support to the country.
President Salva Kiir's security advisor, Tut Kew Gatluak, and a South Sudanese delegation are in Khartoum to discuss with Sudanese officials the progress made so far in implementing the October 2020 Juba Peace Agreement; The United States Embassy in Juba is calling on the South Sudan government to remove the commissioners of Koch and Mayendit Counties from their positions and hold them accountable for recent human rights violations in Leer County of Unity state
At least 20 people are reported killed, scores of others injured, and thousands displaced following an attack by unidentified gunmen on a cattle camp in Mugali payam of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State on Wednesday; The resistance committees of Khartoum State have signed a political charter dubbed 'Charter for the Establishment of the People's Authority', which lays out a two-year transitional period for Sudan.
Health officials in South Sudan report an increase in meningitis cases in Northern Bahr al Ghazal State; A new report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says cases of conflict-related sexual violence more than doubled between January and March compared to the same period last year; Authorities in Warrap State say calm has returned to the area following deadly fighting which left 21 people killed and more than a dozen injured in Gogrial East County on Sunday.
Health ministry officials in South Sudan have declared a cholera outbreak in Rubkona County of the country’s Unity State; The United Nations has donated 19 million US dollars to help communities in South Sudan prepare for severe flooding expected during the rainy season; Educational officials in the Kreinik locality of Sudan's West Darfur State are expressing concern over the fate of school operations. Schools have remained closed since deadly, inter-communal violence broke out last month.
The United States embassy in South Sudan is calling on South Sudanese leaders to create a conducive environment for the general elections expected to take place next year; Democratic Republic of Congo President, Felix Tshisekedi, has vowed to spearhead efforts to have an arms embargo imposed on South Sudan lifted; Around two dozen South Sudanese in the U.S. staged a “peace rally” in front of the White House Saturday to demand that President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar step down.
A Juba-based economic analyst says South Sudan will continue to experience a protracted economic crisis following an announcement by the country’s finance minister that South Sudan’s crude oil has been sold up to 2027; Police in the Northern Bahr al Ghazal State capital, Aweil say they are interrogating three Sudanese traders for their alleged involvement in defiling and killing a six-year-old girl on Wednesday before they are charged with defilement and murder; Around 30 political detainees in Sudan have entered a second day of hunger strike to protest their illegal months-long detentions without charges. The detainees demand they be released immediately or charged in a court of law.
Authorities in Duk County of South Sudan’s Jonglei State say at least 13 people were killed and several others injured in a fresh attack in the area; Local authorities in Eastern Equatoria State say suspected armed cattle keepers kidnapped eleven men from the Gaji area of Mugali Payam; Some women activists in Sudan’s Darfur say hundreds of women displaced by recent inter-communal fighting in Kreneik and Al Geneina towns of West Darfur State are experiencing anxiety and depression and are in need of psychosocial support.
Internally Displaced Persons in South Sudan say they continue to live in fear for their security despite the government’s call for reconciliation in the country; Authorities in Magwi County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state say nearly 900 families have been displaced from their homes in Mugali Payam following an attack on the community there; The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Sudan says the situation in Kreneik locality of West Darfur State remains a major concern.
The U.S. Embassy in South Sudan has expressed concern about the state of press freedom in the country as journalists face censorship, intimidation, and extralegal suspension of media outlets at a critical time in the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement; South Sudanese journalists in the Capital Juba say they are subjected to constant intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detention because of their work; Journalists in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum say a hostile media environment since the October 25 military coup coupled with economic hardships have forced many journalists to abandon the profession.
Health authorities in South Sudan’s Warrap State are reporting the outbreaks of three diseases including measles, rubella and anthrax in the area; Hundreds of residents in Juba’s Gurei neighborhood have become homeless after unknown land agents demolished their houses following a land dispute; As Muslims mark the end of Ramadan by the Eid al-Fitr celebration today, families of detained members of the resistance committees are calling on the Sudanese authorities to release their loved ones who have been behind bars for months without charges.
The Darfur Bar Association and UNICEF say at least 20 children were killed in recent inter-communal fighting in West Darfur State; A spokesperson for the SPLA-In-Opposition says a lack of political will from the main peace partners is delaying the graduation of South Sudan’s unified forces
We look at challenges facing young women in ICT in South Sudan as UN Women launches the second phase of the African Girls Can Code Initiative in Dar el-Salam, Tanzania; At least four people were killed in Al Genena town of Sudan's West Darfur State last evening following what residents describe as random shooting that started shortly after the Muslim evening prayers; Human Rights Watch says Sudanese security forces have unlawfully detained hundreds of protesters since December 2021 and disappeared dozens of others as part of a crackdown on anti-coup protests following the October 25 military takeover.
The international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Sudan has condemned the killing of three of its staff in the recent inter-communal violence in the Kreinik locality of West Darfur State; A group of church leaders in the United States and the United Kingdom as well as other organizations have written an open letter to South Sudan President Salva Kiir expressing their concern about the future of the country.
A body monitoring South Sudan’s ceasefire says the recent fighting in Unity and Upper Nile States between some of the parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement is undermining efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire; The High Court in Juba has sentenced a catholic priest and three others to varying prison sentences for last year's attempted assassination of Bishop Christian Carlassare of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek; The Sudanese Security and Defense Council has ordered a deployment of additional troops in West Darfur State to maintain law and order and prevent further inter-communal fighting in Kerenik and Al Genena.
200 people are reported killed and tens of thousands displaced in inter-communal clashes between Arab nomads and local farmers in Kreinik locality of West Darfur State over the weekend; The Norwegian Refugee Council in Sudan is calling on parties involved in renewed violence in Kreinik town of West Darfur to restrain from harming civilians and allow safe and free passage for civilians fleeing the ongoing violence; Authorities in Jonglei State's Nyirol County say at least seven people were killed and four others injured during a cattle raid in the area over the weekend; Some South Sudanese are adding their voices in paying tribute to the late Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and praising the role he played during southern Sudan's struggle for liberation; On World Malaria Day, the health ministry and World Health Organization officials in South Sudan are rolling out the RTSS anti-malaria vaccine in a bid to save millions from the killer disease
Authorities in the Abyei Special Administrative Area say thousands of people displaced from their homes by recent inter-communal violence are in dire need of humanitarian assistance; Some residents of the Sudanese capital Khartoum have welcomed a decision taken by Khartoum State authorities to regulate the use of motorbikes in a bid to combat crimes including theft in the city.
Residents of the South Sudan capital, Juba, say commodity--and especially food-- prices have increased rapidly over the past few days making it difficult for families to survive; More than one thousand oilfield workers in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State have gone on strike accusing their employer, DAR Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC), of failing to implement the South Sudan labor policy which guarantees the workers certain allowances; The South Sudan Refugee Commission has rejected a call by the Ugandan government on South Sudan to contribute towards supporting South Sudanese refugees living in Uganda; Sudanese activists are questioning the judicial system after seeing footage of former President Omar al-Bashir moving around a hospital ward and greeting other patients. Earlier reports alleged the ousted President was let out of Kober Prison because of health complications.
The Editor–in–Chief of The Juba Monitor has been arrested for allegedly defying a court order suspending the newspaper's publication over allegations of malpractice; The United Nations World Food Program in Sudan says more than 18 million people are likely to face acute food insecurity by September 2022 due to a combined effect of conflict, economic crisis, and poor harvests; The international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières says it is treating dozens of people who were wounded in the recent fighting between factions of the SPLM–IO in Leer County of Unity State; A survivor of violence in Darfur is joining our studios in Washington to share his reflections on the ongoing trial of militia leader Ali Kushayb and the prospects of justice for the victims of the Darfur war.
The South Sudan People’s Defense Force and the SPLA-In-Opposition are trading accusations following renewed clashes between the two over the weekend; The U.N. Secretary General' special envoy to the Horn of Africa, Hanna Tetteh, has expressed concern over the recent violence in the disputed Abyei region and urged Sudanese and South Sudanese leaders to resolve the status of the Abyei area; A South Sudanese artist is using comedy to lighten the spirits of South Sudanese in the face of violence, insecurity, and a dire humanitarian situation.
At least 9 people were injured when hundreds of protesters clashed with the bodyguards of South Sudan's Jonglei State governor in Bor town Wednesday; A Somali-owned fuel depot in Juba exploded last evening burning down the depot and destroying several trucks. No fatalities were reported; Truck drivers from Kenya and Uganda protest South Sudan's recent decision to impose an annual fee of 100 US dollars and a 30 dollar entry and exit fee on all vehicles entering the country
At least ten soldiers were killed in separate clashes between rival factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army ̶ In Opposition or SPLA-IO in Upper Nile State over the weekend; Central Equatoria State official vow to work together to address a host of challenges facing the state including conflict between cattle keepers and famers, land grabbing, economic hardships, and activities of the armed opposition group National Salvation Front; An executive member of the Sudanese Journalists Network has condemned the detention of three British media personnel in Khartoum yesterday calling it an attack on media freedom
The US government is calling on the government of South Sudan to hold politicians and military officers who are fueling violence in Jonglei State and the Pibor Administrative Area to account; Sudanese authorities have released human rights activist Amira Osman after two weeks of detention in Omdurman prison for women without charges
Human rights organizations are calling on the South Sudan government to adopt and implement a human rights agenda that will address impunity, end repression, and ensure rights protection for South Sudanese citizens; A member of parliament from Lakes State's Cueibet County in the South Sudan National Legislative Assembly is raising concern about an outbreak of an unknown disease in the County
South Sudan’s Ministry of Environment says the Sudd, one of the largest wetlands in the world, is under threat; US lawmakers have called for swift action to restore civilian rule in Sudan, including targeted sanctions against Sudan’s military and the leaders of the October 25th coup; The World Food Program says about 30 percent of the population in Sudan’s North Darfur State is food insecure following the suspension of UN operations last year
Authorities in Jonglei State say thousands of civilians displaced by recent inter-communal violence in Bor County are in dire need of food, medicine and shelter; A delegation from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, is in Khartoum to meet with Sudanese leaders in government and society to find ways to resolve the political crisis in the country
Some residents of the South Sudan capital, Juba, Gumbo suburb are calling on the Rajaf Payam authorities to legalize their settlement. They threaten to stop paying taxes if their settlement is not recognized as legal
Frequent travelers in the South Sudan’s capital Juba are complaining about high fares charged by Kenya Airways; Some displaced people living in the protection of civilians (POC) site in the South Sudan capital Juba say they are willing to return to their home communities once the security situation improves
Community leaders at the Protection of Civilians Site in South Sudan’s Unity State capital Bentiu are accusing armed forces of kidnapping at least 15 children from the camp; Hundreds of protesters gathered Wednesday in front of the offices of the UN mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) to reject an initiative led by UNITAMS head Volker Perthes to resolve the political crisis in Sudan following the October 25 coup
South Sudanese express mixed reactions to a decision by the country’s lawmakers to increase their monthly allowances from around 23 US dollars to 2,000 US dollars; The France based medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, has condemned the detention of its medical staff in the Sudanese capital Khartoum early this week; Sudanese public health experts suspect that a recent wave of respiratory infections that has swept across the country is related to COVID-19, and possibly the Omicron variant
The chief administrator for the Greater Pibor Administrative Area denies armed men from that locality were responsible for attacks in Jonglei State’s Bor County that killed 32 people and injured 27 others
Rival members of the Anglican Church in South Sudan’s Jonglei State attacked a church compound with automatic weapons over the weekend injuring a bishop and several members of the clergy; Rights activists in Sudan are calling for the release of Amira Osman Hamid, the head of “No to Women Oppression” initiative, who was arrested by Sudanese security over the weekend
Authorities in Warrap State's Gogriel East County are pursuing a suspected member of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force who reportedly killed two women with a knife and shot another man in Konglong Boma this morning before escaping; A presidential spokesman has condemned a recent statement made by U.S Senator Patrick Leahy calling on the South Sudan President Salva Kiir and First Vice Resident Riek Machar to step down; An education official in Twic County of South Sudan’s Warrap State says hundreds and possibly thousands of students missed school for more than two weeks because of to the Twic Olympics that ended this week; Two top US diplomats say assistance to Sudan will remain suspended while threatening measures against those blocking the transition to democracy
Thousands of people are fleeing their villages in Kapoeta East County of South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria State due to hunger; Local leaders and communities in Twic County of South Sudan’s Warrap State have welcomed the revival of the Twic Olympics. The games are aimed at promoting peace and unifying communities in the area; Members of the South Sudan Chollo (Shiluk) community living in Khartoum have welcomed a recent agreement that they say will enable them to go back to their ancestral land
A presidential committee formed last year to address the issue of land grabbing and illegal settlement in the South Sudan capital, Juba, says it is mapping plots illegally seized to address conflicts from rampant land theft; Also, authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area say the main market in the area has run out of stock after traders stopped transporting in goods due to the insecurity along the road from Juba; The Central Committee for Sudanese Doctors has withdrawn all its medical workers from the military, police and the national security service-owned hospitals across the country, as part of a call for country-wide civil disobedience
Some South Sudanese political analysts warn the deals the SPLM-In Government signed with the SPLM-In Opposition Kit-Gwang faction and the Agwelek group may hamper efforts to restore peace and stability across the country; Residents in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital Wau say they are living in fear after the South Sudan People’s Defense Force or SSPDF heavily deployed soldiers in parts of the town; The Central Committee for Sudanese Doctors says at least seven people were shot and killed and scores were wounded by the Sudanese security forces during protests on Monday
The leader of the SPLA-IO breakaway Kit-Gwang faction, Simon Gatwech, signed an agreement in Khartoum Sunday to be integrated into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF); Authorities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State say they are searching for suspects after an explosion at a party killed at least 2 people and injured dozens of others in Aweil West County; Education officials in South Sudan’s Twic County of Warrap State say thousands of children have missed school for three straight months due to flooding that destroyed classrooms and made roads impassable
Western Bahr el Ghazal State in South Sudan has suspended its government operations in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19; Authorities in Maban County of Upper Nile State say nearly 2,000 South Sudanese living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia have returned in recent weeks after fighting between Ethiopia’s government and rebels reached the camp.
Sudanese resistance committees, the main force behind Sudan’s revolution, have called for a mass protest in Khartoum Thursday; The United States, the United Kingdom and Norway are urging the South Sudan to share data on the country’s oil and non-oil revenues with the public; South Sudan’s government plans to present the 2021/2022 fiscal year budget in parliament next week after operating for nearly two years without one; Authorities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State are calling for urgent humanitarian aid for displaced people following recent clashes.