November 25, 2014: South Sudanese, both government loyalists and rebels,
are skeptical of a peace deal recently negotiated by government and rebel
leaders. The East African Inter-Governmental Authority for Development
(IGAD) began releasing details of the power sharing deal during the second
week of November. At the moment it looks like the current president will
continue as president and the rebel leader will become prime minister. The
government and rebels will keep their forces separate but as the transition
proceeds there will eventually be rebels integrating into South Sudan army
units (Sudan Peoples Liberation Army, SPLA). However, ceasefire violations
continue, particularly in Upper Nile and Unity states. However, that isn't
the only reason people are skeptical the deal will last. A group of South
Sudan refugees recently accused government and rebel soldiers of attacking
refugees. Crimes include theft and murder. Some 15,000 South Sudanese have
fled to Uganda, and they claim they can't trust either side.
November 23, 2014: - The SPLA claimed it has discovered a plan to start a
second rebellion. The plot involves some politicians and local militia
forces in Equatoria state. Members of the Equatoria Defense Force (local
militia) intended to secede from South Sudan and make Equatoria an
independent state.
November 22, 2014: Senior administrators of UNAMID, the UN-African Union
hybrid peacekeeping operation in Sudan's Darfur region, acknowledged that
UNAMID has received a request by the Sudan government to create an exit
strategy. Earlier this year the Sudan government began complaining about
UNAMID, characterizing the operation as having no end. This was something
of a change. Previously Sudan had complained that UNAMID was an example of
UN imperialism. The UN responded to Sudan's request by referring the
Sudanese government to UN Security Council Resolution 2173, which sets out
conditions for ending the mission.
November 21, 2014: South Sudan's second-highest ranking diplomat in Ethiopia
has defected to the rebels (Sudan Peoples Libera Movement in Opposition,
SPM-O). The diplomat is a member of the Nuer tribe. The rebel commander is
a Nuer as are many other senior leaders.
The UN announced that Ethiopian Major General Birhanu Jula Gelalcha will
take over as commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
November 20, 2014: Government and rebel officials in South Sudan said that
they will continue to pursue reconciliation talks. A rebel leader
acknowledged that despite the new power-sharing agreement many differences
still exist between the government and the rebels but the civil war needs to
end.
Ceasefire negotiations between Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation
Movement-North (SPLM-N) adjourned today. Negotiators are trying to arrange a
permanent ceasefire in Sudan's Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. The
talks, sponsored by The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel
(AUHIP), recommenced on November 12. The SPLM-N said that it is seeking a
comprehensive process to achieve peace in Sudan. Comprehensive means
reaching sustainable agreements with other rebel groups in Sudan. The
government has also agreed to begin talks with two Darfur rebel groups the
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni
Minnawi faction(SLM-MM).
November 18, 2014: The SPLA accused Sudan of reinforcing its military units
along the Sudan-South Sudan border. SPLA observers have seen more heavy
weapons -- tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers along the Sudan-
Western Bahr el Ghazal state border. The Sudanese build-up follows South
Sudanese threats to increase its air defenses. South Sudan made the threats
after Sudanese Air Force planes attacked civilians in Western Bahr el Ghazal
state on November 2.
November 15, 2014: South Sudan rebel leaders are being briefed by their
negotiators on the details of the power-sharing agreement reached with the
government. Both sides know they have to convince many of their supporters
to back the agreement.
November 14, 2014: This is an odd twist. South Sudan accused IGAD of
delaying implementing the new peace agreement. Rebels said that IGAD
negotiators take too many recesses and holidays. South Sudanese government
and rebels leaders say that just as they are about to reach a deal, IGAD
mediators take a break. South Sudanese from both sides say that is why the
new power-sharing deal has not been signed. South Sudanese government and
rebel leaders have made a verbal agreement and intend to follow through on
it. But IGAD mediators decided to take a recess before the leaders signed an
agreement. IGAD mediators have another version they contend that they have
given government and rebel leaders until the end of November to reach
agreement on some unresolved issues. That said, IGAD has begun a training
seminar for SPLA and rebel commanders who will oversee implementation of the
Cessation of Hostilities (COH) agreement. Six senior officers from both
sides will participate in a workshop beginning November 15.
November 11, 2014: The East African Inter-Governmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) said that it would impose sanctions on both the South
Sudan government and the rebels if fighting in South Sudan did not cease.
November 10, 2014: Rebel and South Sudan government troops fought
engagements in three South Sudan states. The rebels claimed government units
attacked their positions near oil fields in Upper Nile and Unity states. The
government denied the allegation and said rebels attacked. A major firefight
was also reported in Jonglei state. The battles occurred as South Sudan and
rebel leaders completed two days of talks in Ethiopia's capital, Addis
Ababa. The leaders declared that they have agreed to a complete end to all
hostilities and have reached a power-sharing arrangement for the
transitional government. Unfortunately, hostilities continue in the
countryside.
November 9, 2014: South Sudan and rebel leaders said they have agreed that
the government and rebels will command separate defense forces during the
transitional government period. Essentially, the government will get to
maintain loyal forces and the rebels will get to keep their forces in the
field. The leaders are participating in IGAD-sponsored talks in Ethiopia.
IGAD would provide ceasefire monitors. Both sides said that they will
develop a process for integrating the two forces as the transitional
government stabilizes. Both leaders said they had made progress on the
powers of the transitional president. The president will be the chairman of
the ministerial council but he can delegate his powers to the prime
minister. The president will appoint ministers but the prime minister will
oversee day to day government operations.
November 8, 2014: South Sudan rebels claimed government forces aided by
"foreign allies" attacked rebel positions near Tor and Hofra (Unity state).
Foreign allies means anti-Sudan rebel forces operating in South Sudan. In
this case, a subsequent report identified the allies as fighters with the
Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).
A man armed with a knife murdered two security guards outside Sudan's
presidential palace in Khartoum. Other guards then killed the attacker.
Investigators claimed the attacker was mentally ill.
The Jiye tribe in South Sudan's Jonglei state has agreed to join the Greater
Pibot Administrative Area (GPAA). A former rebel commander is governor
(chief administrator) of the GPAA. Three other Jonglei tribes have agreed to
join the GPAA.
November 6, 2014: South Sudan announced that it will purchase new air
defense weapons. The government made the announcement after an attack by
Sudanese aircraft in Raja county, Western Bahr el Ghazal state. On November
2nd an attack by Sudanese Air Force planes killed 35 civilians and wounded
17. The 35 were killed in an attack delivered by jet aircraft. The wounded
were hit by a bomb dropped from an AN-12 transport (rigged as a bomber).
October 28, 2014: The Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N)
announced that the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) will
re-open talks between the rebels and the Sudanese government. The talks will
be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Observers reported heavy fighting between South Sudan government forces and
rebels in and around the city of Bentiu (Unity state). The fighting erupted
as new negotiations were scheduled to begin.