Anti Personnel Mines (IRIN)

Gunfire has ceased, but explosives continue to maim and kill. Experts involved in the de-mining efforts, the UNMAO, and the South Sudan De-mining Commission, have asked the armed factions for a detailed map of landmine placement. They do not know anything about it. But the inhabitants know; of course not the returned displaced persons. To date over 8 million square meters have been cleared, and 2293 anti-personnel mines along with 1163 anti-tank mines have been destroyed.

The government of South Sudan wants the roads to be cleared first. But much of the civilian population does not agree. Land mines remain buried in agricultural cropland and around watering holes making them inaccessible. Over the last 5 years, 2390 detonations causing physical injury or death have been reported. Statistics are far from complete. The Red Cross and Red Crescent have supplied the injured with prothesis as well as the polio victims.

Ex-Militias/Fighting in Juba

Street-fighting took place on the riverfront docks of Juba with only light casualties. Garbled and incomprehensible accounts of the incident appeared on press agency desks. We now have some idea of what happened. As has been widely reported, the pro-government militia, the South Sudan Defense Force under the command of Palino Matiep, had joined with the SPLA. The unification has precipitated numerous problems. Meanwhile, President Salva Kiir ordered food and military uniforms for the troops to be delivered in Juba by river barge. When the fighters came to claim the goods, unidentified persons contested the delivery believing that the men were enemies. Reports of Paolino Matiep's death in the skirmish circulated from Khartoum (killed by whom? and for what intent?). Matiep angrily denied the rumor and called for calm in the South.

It appears that SPLA soldiers kidnapped an officer belonging to the group of militia field commanders negotiating the disarmament and ransacked his house. A joint military team has opened an inquiry.

An estimated 1000 killed in the Lakes State over a two year period due to inter-tribal fighting

The situation has improved thanks to disarmament efforts, the jailing of up to 500 fighters, including tribal chiefs some of whom were accused of hiding weapons and thanks to an order prohibiting pastoral wandering over State boundaries put in place to avoid livestock theft. The prohibition order also applies to Warrap, Unity, Central Equitoria, and Jonglei.

Salva Kiir has forbidden his soldiers to enter bars, restaurants and night clubs while armed

The Lord Resistance Army (LRA)

Talks ended in January amidst accusations of ceasefire violations and distrust. Saint Egidio, the Italian Catholic NGO stepped into the breech by proposing a week of informal talks on the Kenyan coast, where “significant progress” was made. Helpful as well was the intervention of UN negotiator Joaquim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique. A two month armistice deal was signed with an air of pomp and amiability on April 14. Rebel leader Kony was present as was Uganda's chief negotiator. The rebels had six weeks to assemble in Ri-Kangba on the DRC border. Their safety there was in the hands of the South-Sudanese government, which was to deploy its special forces units equipped with walkie-talkies and automatic weapons. These elite troops are rumored to have been trained by Americans. However, the fact that LRA commanders have been accused of war crimes by the ICC posed a serious problem. The Ugandan government did not want to ask the Court to drop the accusation before the ceasefire was officially signed and the rebels would not come out of hiding as long the Court demanded their apprehension.

Further talks took place with Riek Machar acting as chief negotiator with co-negotiators from the DRC, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia attending. Chissano was present as well. Shortly after round table discussions began, the rebels abandoned their call for constitutional reforms and the Ugandan government consented to their inclusion in the national army.

Since, the UN affirms that Kony has gone to Ki-Kwangba where further talks will be held in the presence of the African dignitary team.