Conflict in south sudan and the challenges ahead congressional research service 1 background south sudan emerged in 2011 as the worlds newest country, and one of its least developed. The strength of the narrative is in trying to provide nuance. Since sudan s modern borders were drawn up by the british last century, it. In modern terminology, it does, however, include parts of the east sudanian savanna. Understanding the roots of conflict in south sudan. Formation of the south sudan liberation army ssla 2011 9 july. Learn more about the south sudan humanitarian crisis. After almost 40 years of war between the sudan government and southern insurgents, southern sudanese voted in a january 2011 referendum to secede from sudan. The second sudan war 19832005 ended with the independence of. South sudans history at a glance concern worldwide. In the first booklength study of the south sudan civil war, john young draws on his close but critical relationship with the rebel splmio leadership to reveal the true dynamics of the conflict, and exposes how the south sudanese state was in crisis long before the outbreak of war. A close association between social anthropology and policy is not new in south sudan. South sudan, the worlds youngest nation, continues to struggle despite the august 2015 signature of a peace agreement.
South sudan gained independence from sudan in july 2011 after decades of war. Global south development magazines global development reporter mr. Apr 12, 2010 the destabilization campaign of the south coupled with the upswing of the regimes military operations in darfur comes at what could become the bloodiest addition to sudan s history. Since the eruption of the armed conflict in the south sudan, the splma leadership remained in the hands of the former chairman late dr. The history of sudan includes that of both the territory that composes republic of the sudan, south sudan as well as that of a larger region known by the term sudan. South sudans civil war is the result of a weakly institutionalized state and may require the african unions intervention to find peace and. In july 2011, south sudan was granted independence and became the worlds newest country. Since conflict erupted in december 20, usaid increased its humanitarian assistance and adjusted its development portfolio to best help meet the needs of the people of south sudan in the current context. Aug 06, 2018 south sudan gained independence from sudan on 9 july 2011 as the outcome of a 2005 agreement that ended africas longestrunning civil war. Small arms survey hsba working paper 8 schomerus the lords resistance army in sudan abstract the ongoing peace talks between the government of uganda and the lords resistance armymovement lram in juba, the capital of south sudan, have created renewed international interest in the conflict in northern uganda. Yet just twoandahalf years after this momentous decision, the country was in the grips of renewed civil war and political strife.
In december 20, that hope dimmed as the conflict broke out. South sudan is the worlds youngest independent country. South sudan, civil war, power struggle, ethnic violence. Peace and conflict studies, security publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. A human rights report united nations mission in south sudan. Conflict between 19551976 and 19832005 between the colonially modernised arab north and the underdeveloped christian and animist south brought widespread civilian suffering.
Learn about the civil war in south sudan, sanctions imposed by the united states and europe, and other recent developments on cfrs global conflict tracker. Geographically, south sudan is not part of the sudan region at all the sahel, forming as it does part of subsaharan africa. In response, the government equipped and supported arab militiaswhich came. Protecting civilians in a volatile environment eli stamnes the united nations mission in the republic of south sudan unmiss was established by security council resolution 1996 on 8 july 2011, in order to support this fledging state in consolidating peace and security. Solutions for moving beyond an ethnic conflict kuntzelman 83 cause of southern sudans current underdevelopment is rooted in this colonial history, as colonial preference was given to the arab regions of the north, where power and decisionmaking became centralized in the northern capital of khartoum. The south sudanese civil war was a conflict in south sudan between forces of the government and opposition forces. South sudan s conflict parties are supposed to form a unity government by 12 november. The northsouth conflict in historical perspective t he peoples ofsouthern sudan have suffered nearly two centuries of colonial rule under the turkoegyptian, the mahdiya, the anglo egyptian, and the postindependencenorthern regimes. The report builds upon the unmiss interim report on human rights, released on 21 february.
The history of south sudan comprises the history of the territory of presentday south sudan and the peoples inhabiting the region. The birth of the new country brought hope for a bright future. Modern history of conflict in sudan pulitzer center. Relations with sudan united states department of state. South sudan marks its third anniversary of independence on wednesday engulfed by a worsening refugee crisis. A history of south sudan south sudan is the worlds youngest independent country. United nations mission in the republic of south sudan unmiss since the outbreak of the conflict on 15 december. South sudan has been a country in turmoil since its formation.
After fighting in the northern states of south sudan among the nuer, the conflict has moved to the southwest in the regions richer in water, fertile land and forests, i. The conflicts between what is now sudan and south sudan are often understood through their historical roots. Made up of the 10 southernmost states of sudan, south. Machar denied trying to start a coup and fled to lead the splm in opposition splmio. Since the split, sudan and south sudans oil production has declined because of continued domestic political instability and conflict between the two countries. South sudan hasnt known peace since it became an independent nation in 2011. Pdf a brief history of the conflict in sudan 49 abdellah. Inadequate funding has been a big challenge, too, in facing the conflict. Understanding the roots of conflict in south sudan south sudan s civil war is the result of a weakly institutionalized state and may require the african unions intervention to find peace and. First civil war begins between the south and north. Geographically, south sudan is not part of the sudan region at all, forming as it does part of subsaharan africa.
Established in 2011 after two wars, south sudan has since reverted to a state of devastating civil strife. Making it a benefit for all executive summary executive summary oil production is the key factor in the development of south sudan, since july 2011 the worlds newest independent country. Yet in the past, oil production was linked with serious human rights abuses, such as forced displacement. The ongoing conflict has severely affected or displaced more than 1. Most of the fledgling nation is in the grip of a humanitarian crisis fueled by years of chronic underdevelopment, conflict and natural disasters. The united nations mission in the republic of south sudan. In december 20, president kiir accused his former deputy riek machar and ten others of attempting a coup detat. The breakthrough in the north south peace process has come at a time of escalating fighting in the farflung region of darfur. Since its independence in 2011, south sudan is battling a new civil war. This has seen south sudan ranked the highest on the world index of fragile states that can collapse anytime. South sudan did not make progress on establishing the. There is little need to repeat yet again this rather long history. Pdf south sudan struggle for independence, and its implications. Conflict profile, causes, actors and dynamics tethloach ruey doctoral thesis dissertation politics international politics topic.
The unified sudan began producing oil in 1999, and as a result, the country tripled its per capita. However, their independence, like that of other countries in the world, came with a huge human cost following decades of intense conflict between the arab north and the nonarab south. Understanding the roots of conflict in south sudan council. Ali, viceroy of egypt under the ottoman empire, the southern sudan was plundered for slaves. Her research and publications since 2001 have focused on the historical and contemporary role of chiefs in southern sudan, and related issues of governance, state. With the south sudanese conflict in its fifth year in 2018, this paper seeks to not. In 1881, muhammad ibn abdalla, also known as mahdi, began a crusade to unify western and. Solutions for moving beyond an ethnic conflict kuntzelman 83 cause of southern sudan s current underdevelopment is rooted in this colonial history, as colonial preference was given to the arab regions of the north, where power and decisionmaking became centralized in. Yet just twoandahalf years after this momentous decision, the.
The seeds of south sudans return to violent conflict in december 20 were sown long before the. The conflict began in 2003 when rebels launched an insurrection to protest what they contended was the sudanese governments disregard for the western region and its nonarab population. South sudan was settled by many of its current ethnic groups during the 15th19th centuries. Civil war breaks out in the predominately christian. South sudan gained independence from sudan on 9 july 2011 as the outcome of a 2005 agreement that ended africas longestrunning civil war. Conflict profile since its independence in 1956, sudan has seen an intermittent civil war. Systemic conflict transformation a northern and a southern view. General abbud leads the first military coup against the civilian government. With national elections slated for midapril, this is bashirs chance to be validated as a democratically elected leader. It particularly focuses on the period after the august 2015 agreement for the resolution of.
A separate conflict that remained unresolved centred on the darfur region in western sudan. Fighting broke out between the sudan peoples liberation movement splm. A brief history of modern sudan and south sudan south sudan, the worlds newest nation, was once a sizeable part of sudan, the country to its north. Brief history of south sudan water for south sudan. For almost three years, the equatoria region in south sudan had been spared from the conflict that exploded in 20. Her research and publications since 2001 have focused on the historical and contemporary role of chiefs in southern sudan, and related issues of governance, statesociety relations and political and judicial cultures. However, the government did not address impunity for widespread conflict related sexual and genderbased violence against south sudanese. South sudan seceded from the republic of sudan in 2011. After years of conflict, a comprehensive peace agreement between the sudanese government and southern sudan is signed. The cessation of the south was as a result of a referendum organized there in 2011.
Summary south sudan, which separated from sudan in 2011 after almost 40 years of civil war, was drawn into a devastating new conflict in late 20, when a political dispute that overlapped with preexisting ethnic and political fault lines turned violent. May 17, 2017 this is the story of how sudan became two nations, and of an ongoing conflict in the nuba mountains that has changed the lives of millions of people. There are many causes for the conflict in south sudan, ranging from ethnic tensions, management of oil resources and the power struggle between president salva kiir and opposition leader dr. South sudan became the youngest nation in the world after splitting from the larger sudan to become the republic of south sudan in 2011. External actors should push the adversaries to make progress on these matters before entering any powersharing arrangement lest war erupt once more. South sudan became an independent nation on july 9, 2011. Timeline with background information on the conflict in sudan.
Sudan has a long history that begins with its being a collection of small kingdoms until egypt conquered the area in the early 1800s. Since the split, sudan and south sudan s oil production has declined because of continued domestic political instability and conflict between the two countries. The conflict has been marked by the failure of the government of the. Jonglei is not the only south sudanese state wracked by cattle raids and tribal violence. Republic of sudan and the new republic of south sudanor north and south sudan, for claritythe two countries were again in a state of war. Key characteristics of the economy south sudan s dependence on subsistence agriculture and food aid indicates that the countrys present economic state is extremely poor. Take a look at the timeline below for a peek into the countrys history, from its violent split from sudan through to today.
Pdf south sudan struggle for independence, and its. In mid2011, following south sudan s independence, conflict broke out between the government and the splmn in southern kordofan and blue nile states, sudan s two areas. South sudan, the worlds newest nation, was once a sizeable part of sudan, the country to its north. Institute of peace, june 2011, filesresourcessr278. South sudan, officially the republic of south sudan and previously known as southern sudan, is a landlocked country in eastcentral africa that is part of the united nations subregion of eastern africa. Years of international efforts to bring an end to decades of conflict by helping to negotiate the comprehensive peace agreement cpa of 2005 and the later.
This introductory essay to the online selection of african affairs articles documents and analyses this phenomenon. It is an outsiders view and will no doubt, given the complexity of south sudan, be full of gaps and generalisations. The united nations mission in the republic of south sudan unmiss. Conflict analysis and options for systemic conflict. Ending south sudans civil war council on foreign relations. The army vowed not to give up one inch of the soil of this homel and, and government of ficials rushed abroad. The conflict has been marked by the failure of the government of the republic of south sudan.
South sudan, as a result of tribal and political conflict, is a country in name only. More than a million people have been internally displaced and 400,000 have fled the. The conflict between the northern and southern sudan has usually been misunderstood, because the historical roots of the conflict have been misrepresented. South sudan through an understanding of the historical narrative of the. South sudan conflict analysis brief south sudan, the worlds youngest nation, continues to struggle despite the august 2015 signature of a peace agreement. On 30 june 1989, the revolutionary command council for national salvation, rccns sudan led by brigadier general omar albashir, took over power. Sudan is africas largest country in geographical terms and has a population of around 40 million. The lack of basic infrastructure, educated and skilled. At this time, however, egypt only controlled the northern portions, while the south was made up of independent tribes. A brief history of the civil war in south sudan comboni. By the end of the 19th century the sudan was under britishegyptian rule.
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