This Week in South Sudan – Week 4

Monday 25 January

• Observers and stakeholders have called on South Sudan’s government and the SPLM (IO) to resolve the deadlock over forming a transitional government.

Tuesday 26 January

• SPLM (IO) leader Riek Machar claims that the government of President Salva Kiir continues to violate the August peace agreement and he wants the United Nations and African Union to enforce it.
• In a confidential report, a U.N. Security Council panel recommends placing an arms embargo on South Sudan, and concludes that both President Salva Kiir and SPLM (IO) leader, Riek Machar, qualify to be sanctioned over massive human rights abuses. Russia has already voiced its opposition against such measures.
• Amid tensions in his home area Pibor, the former militia leader, David Yau Yau, dispelled rumours that he had been assassinated in Juba.
• At least seven people were killed and five wounded in an attack by unknown gunmen in Turalei area in Warrap State.
• South Sudan’s National Security Service allegedly prevented SPLM (IO) Advance Team members from leaving Juba as they were leaving for a meeting between Riek Machar and the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala.
• The South Sudanese cabinet held an emergency cabinet meeting over the worsening economic situation, rapidly growing crimes rate and killing of senior officials. 

Wednesday 27 January

• 13 people have been killed in Wau County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State over the last two weeks. There has been a general rise in crime reportedly due to deteriorating living conditions and the presence of armed pastoralists from other states.
• The South Sudanese government announced it might take three more months before a transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) can be formed.
• Deutsche Welle: “South Sudan on brink of economic collapse”

Thursday 28 January

• Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir ordered the opening of the border with South Sudan for the first time since the South’s secession in 2011. This signals a normalization of the two countries’ political and economic relations.
• Six people died and several others were wounded in a cattle raid in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. The raiders reportedly attacked the Mayen Thou area and stole 150 cattle.

Friday 29 January

• President Salva Kiir dispatched a delegation to the proposed Boma State. Its mission was to ease tensions between SPLA generals allied to the appointed governor Baba Medan and the former Cobra Faction leader David Yau Yau.
• A force of approximately 1,500 soldiers from Abyei area have allegedly defected from the SPLA and joined the SPLA-North.

Saturday 30 January

• The SPLA and SPLA (IO) have both withdrawn fighters from ’hot-spot’ areas in which they occasionally clashed.

Sunday 31 January

• In an extraordinary meeting the IGAD-countries foreign ministers urged President Salva Kiir and his government to “suspend” the implementation of the 28 states-plan. IGAD considers the plan to be “inconsistent” with the August peace agreement.