This Week in South Sudan – Week 37

Monday 8 September

• South Sudan’s Presidential spokesperson accused IGAD of being impartial.
• The South Sudan Information Minister described journalists reporting the SPLM/A-in-Opposition’s view as “rebels and agitators”.
• At least 40 people were killed in clashes in Warrap State.
• UNMISS started construction work on the Bor-Juba road to improve security.
• Unity State youths announced that they want the governor excluded from elections.

Tuesday 9 September

• The preliminary UN probe showed that the UN helicopter that crashed in August was shot down.
• The government in Unity State claimed the SPLA-in-Opposition is preparing to attack Bentiu.
• Two people were killed in Renk (Upper Nile State) by unknown gunmen.
• China gave 25 million dollar to SPLM-Juba.
• The South Sudan President signed a new media bill.
• The South Sudanese government dismissed fourteen oil workers for alleged links to the SPLA-in-Opposition.
• The SPLM-in-Opposition denied having links to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

Wednesday 10 September

• The Red Cross requested $19 million to cope with an alarming number of people facing starvation in South Sudan.
• Journalists expressed skepticism over South Sudan’s new media laws.
• The South Sudanese government denied being involved in the dismissal of oil workers.
• The SPLA-in-Opposition denied planning an attack on Bentiu.
• The Committee to Protect Journalists (KPC) called for the release of a South Sudanese journalist who has been detained for three weeks.

Thursday 11 September

• South Sudan detained a Ugandan community leader.
• Authorities identified 19 suspects in the Tonj East (Warrap State) violence.
• Norway donated US $10 million to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in South Sudan.

Friday 12 September

• It was confirmed that  Salva Kiir will attend the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.
• Fuel shortage hit the Bahr el Ghazal region.
• The opposition party coalition dismissed their leader, Lam Akol, from the IGAD peace talks.

Saturday 13 September

• South Sudanese air force officers joined the SPLM-in-Opposition.
• The Warrap parliament warned absentee MPs that administrative measures will be taken if the MPs do not report to the assembly within a week.
• South Sudan security returned the confiscated keys to the Catholic run Bakhita radio.
• The South Sudanese government enforced a travel ban on the opposition leader, Lam Akol, hindering his participation in the IGAD talks.
• The SPLA-in-Opposition denied downing the UN helicopter.
• The UN reported that ten women have been raped in Bentiu.

Sunday 14 September

• Slava Kiir requested a meeting with Sudan’s President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir to discuss bilateral relations.
• A senior army officer was killed in ambush in Rumbek (Lakes State).
• The South Sudan peace talks were transferred from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar.
• Rumbek North accused Cueibet youths of cattle raiding.