---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 7:48 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fwd: Clashes in South Kordofan: eye witness To: Group <[email protected]>
1. FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE ON THE GROUND: War erupted in Nuba Mountains since June 5th Dear friends and peace makers, With sorrow and sadness I am here to tell you that I have just arrived safely from Kadougli the capital of south Kordofan where heavy fighting started since Sunday 5th June in Omdorain. Actually the reason for erupting fighting in Omdorain is not really clear, but this conflict in general followed the stupid declaration that was made by president of Sudan Omar Elbashier in his election campaign in Elmujlat where he says they will (NCP) kill the Nubas and follow them up to their karaker (where they live) including the bitterness that still in the heart of many people of south Kordofan on the cheating of the election and some incidences reported after the announcement of the election result such as bombing of the school in Alabo area and random killings reported several times among the civilians. The conflict erupted in several places in south Kordofan such as Talodi, Ebradap and Kadougli the centre for the fight. The fight started in Kadougli yesterday at 4:00 pm and continued up to this day 7th June, and the worry is that there is hug number of armies arrived Kadougli this morning in support of NCP army with modern type of weapons and the SPLM has also requested more solders from their side to support them. Security situation is very bad, citizens of Kadougli town fled their homes to a save places even though hundred of them have nowhere to hide, people have been in door for three days and nights and there is no movement, market has become a battle ground, no food, no water, no fuel for transporting the civilians to where is a bite safer. There is need for an urgent action to stop the conflict and let civilians access water and food. Even the sick once in the hospital have run a way living their treatment. Humanitarian aid is needed because the conflict is inflaming every hour, urgent call for the NCP and the SPLM to stop fighting immediately. There is death and injuring among citizens and the solders only that the statistics is not yet known. Some families in Khartoum started mourning over their dead once, solders or victim citizens, the killing is increasing. If the UN has no mandate to speak to the fighters, we are calling that they should be allowed to intervene and assist the poor civilians have water, people should put in mind that there are children, there are sick persons, there are women in birth labour who cannot sty without water. UN has taken all staff with their families to UN station, because the situations is deteriorating and big attach expecting in Kadougli in few hours. With this comes chaos all over, most of the INGOs office was robed, windows and doors were broken. Let us pray that God to keep people safe where ever they are. reliable source, Nuba, June 7, 2011 END1 2. Clashes in Sudan's Kadugli kill six, thousands flee: UN 7th June 2011 KHARTOUM, Sudan (AFP) – Fighting between elements of Sudan's northern and southern armies in Kadugli, capital of volatile South Kordofan state, has killed six people and forced UN agencies to suspend operations in the town, UN sources said on Tuesday. "There has been continued gunshots heard in the town itself today... The fighting is between elements from the SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces -- the northern army) and the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army -- the southern army)," Hua Jiang, spokeswoman for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), told AFP. "At one of the hospitals we visited, we saw six dead bodies, four of whom were government of Sudan police, and the other two civilians... Earlier we saw about 3,000 people taking refuge at the Kadugli police hospital," she added. A UN source in Kadugli said that, since Monday, all UN agencies had suspended their operations in the state capital, where the United Nations has a large presence, and withdrawn to the UNMIS peacekeeping base near the airport. "Now the situation is a little bit calm, but at any time it can flare up," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Tensions are escalating in South Kordofan, the north's only oil-producing state, which borders the south and was a key battleground during the 1983-2005 conflict. The state is awash with weapons and retains strong links to the south, especially among the indigenous Nuba peoples, who fought on the side of the southern rebels even though their homeland lies in the north. "The fighters in the SPLA are largely from the Nuba Mountains. Their cause is very far removed from Juba and the independence of the south," said a Western analyst based in the southern regional capital, speaking on condition of anonymity. END2 3. North-South Clashes Break Out in a Center of Sudan Tensions By JOSH KRON - NYT Published: June 6, 2011 JUBA, Sudan — Fighting spread to a city in a heavily militarized part of Sudan on Monday, United Nations officials said, as the northern Sudanese army appeared to be trying to disarm militias and forces aligned with southern Sudan. On Sunday, members of the southern military raided a police station in the city of Kadugli, looting weapons, United Nations officials said. Clashes broke out Sunday evening between the northern and southern armies about 60 miles away, they said. On Monday evening, fighting broke out in Kadugli, with 10 tanks from the northern army stationed throughout the town, said Hua Jiang, a spokeswoman for the United Nations in Sudan. Kadugli is the capital of Southern Kordofan State and the largest city in the subregion of Nuba Mountains, which has become a center of tension between northern- and southern-aligned forces. “This is a disarmament process,” said Rabie A. Atti, a spokesman for the northern government. “They are now going ahead.” Southern Sudan is scheduled to become independent on July 9, after 50 years of civil war between the Arab north and African south. In January, southerners voted overwhelmingly, by nearly 99 percent, to secede. Many people in Southern Kordofan, as well as nearby Blue Nile State — both part of the north, but bordering the south — fought alongside the south during the civil war, with the goal of overthrowing the government, not becoming independent. According to a peace agreement brokered by the United States in 2005, the two states are to hold their own, somewhat ambiguous “consultations” on their future. But late last month, the Sudanese Army invaded the contested area of Abyei, and it threatened to do the same in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan. Tens of thousands of Abyei residents fled the invasion there. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/world/africa/07sudan.html?_r=1 END3 4. Sudan army says attacked by SPLA in South Kordofan June 6, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on Monday changed its earlier version about the events that took place in South Kordofan over the weekend saying that it clashed with the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA). SAF spokesperson Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad was quoted by Sudan news agency (SUNA) as saying that on Sunday SPLA units carried a wide-scale attack in Umm Dorain about 12km southeast of South Kordofan’s capital state of Kadugli. The military official said that the SAF company in the area "bravely carried out their duties" but were overwhelmed by a large influx of SPLA forces and were thus forced to withdraw to other positions. The fighting led to one death and seven injuries from the SAF side, Sa’ad revealed. "SAF reserves its full right to respond to that in the suitable time and place," he said. Yesterday the Sudanese army downplayed reports of clashes in the state saying it was an isolated incident caused by one soldier but declined to place blame on any side. Multiple sources told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that SAF moved tanks south from El-Obeid and stationed them at Kadugli airport and near the compound of the UN’s World Food Program (WFP). They also established checkpoints on the main road heading north from Kadugli airport. SAF tanks and heavy artillery were stationed in and around the state’s main town of Kadugli while clashes have been reported in surrounding villages, sources added. There were widespread fears that SAF was moving to enforce the ultimatum it issued last month to SPLA to move out of the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The SPLM rejected the deadline saying units in the border regions consist of Northern soldiers. A UN official who spoke to Sudan tribune on condition of anonymity said that SPLA forces took over a police station in Kadugli while others moved to control a neighborhood in the city where former deputy governor Abdel-Aziz Al-Hilu resides. In early May the National Congress Party (NCP), which governs North Sudan, beat the SPLM in controversial state elections to decide the state governor and the makeup of South Kordofan’s legislative assembly. Incumbent NCP governor, Ahmed Haroun was reinstated in office after defeating his deputy, the SPLM candidate Al-Hilu. International monitors endorsed the result despite claims of fraud by SPLM. The SPLM has strong support in the northern border state’s of South Kordofan and Blue Nile as many people from the areas joined the SPLA/M in fighting Khartoum during Sudan’s second North-South’ civil war. However with South Sudan due to secede in July after a referendum earlier this year both states will remain north of the border and governed by the NCP. In late May the SAF moved to take over the neighboring disputed region of Abyei in retaliation to an SPLA attack on one of its conveys near the oil-rich district while being escorted by UN peacekeepers. The North has rejected demands by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to withdraw and president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir declared that Abyei belongs to the North. WAR FEARS IN SOUTH KORDOFAN On Monday heavy shooting took place in Kadugli close to the residence of South Kordofan governor. Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune by phone that gunshots can be heard all over Kadugli and stressing that the town is in a very tense situation following clashes that erupted on Sunday and continued today. They added that SPLA soldiers came down unexpectedly from nearby mountains and started shooting on SAF positions which prompted an intense exchange of fire. The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) confirmed the clashes today. "The fighting appears to be between elements from the SAF and SPLA," said Kouider Zerrouk, a spokesman for UNMIS was cited as saying by Agence France Presse (AFP). The Secretary general of SPLM in the North Yasir Arman said in a press release that the incidents remain "isolated" and that dialogue is underway to resolve it. He said that the presidency created a joint NCP-SPLM delegation, SAF and security organs which arrived in Kadugli to meet with officials from both sides in a bid to diffuse tensions. Arman said that the delegation established a committee to review the situation and come up with solutions that are acceptable to both sides. He added that Sudan’s 2nd Vice president Ali Osman Taha was in contact with the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir to contain the issue. But On Tuesday heavy fighting was reported to have resumed in Kadugli. As part of the 2005 peace deal that ended the conflict, and granted South Sudan the right to self determination, the two states were accorded ’popular consultations’ to consider whether the Comprehensive Peace Agreement addressed their grievances and propose what their future relationship with Khartoum might look like. The much delayed processes are yet to be completed despite there being only a little over a month until the official end of the peace deal and South Sudan’s independence. (ST) END4 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor Sudan Ecumenical Forum [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
