Armed groups opposed to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) have been a feature of the landscape in South Sudan since the civil war era, in which the SPLA’s hegemony was under constant challenge. Other armed groups competed with the mainstream SPLA for territorial control and opposing visions and objectives. Khartoum’s support to anti-SPLA militias was a key government strategy in the later stages of the war.

Protective Measures: Local Security Arrangements in Greater Upper Nile discusses the organization of Local security arrangements (LSAs) in Greater Upper Nile and their impact on local security dynamics in the region, drawing on original research conducted in Mayom county in Unity, Uror county in Jonglei, and Fashoda county in Upper Nile prior to the outbreak of widespread conflict in Greater Upper Nile.

Available in:  ARABIC ¦ ENGLISH

Available in:  ARABIC ¦ ENGLISH

Available in:  ENGLISH

The Eastern Front and the Struggle against Marginalization describes the origins and the rise of the Beja Congress (and to a lesser extent the Rashaida Free Lions) and their armed rebellion, as well as the process leading up to the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA) of 14 October 2006 and its aftermath. It sets the eastern rebellion in its broader national and regional contexts and provides a critical review of the ESPA, which ended the conflict.

Small arms trafficking across the western half of the border between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has remained largely unexamined. The legacy of armed conflict in both countries, the presence of armed groups such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on both sides of the border, and poor border control would suggest the possibility of a robust trade in small arms.

In early 2003, after several years of simmering violence, rebel groups in Darfur launched a full-scale rebellion against Sudanese government targets. Two groups emerged. The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) enjoyed early successes, capturing el-Fasher airport, but then nearly succumbed to Khartoum’s brutal counter-offensive. It was further weakened by internal tensions between its two leaders, Abdel-Wahid Mohammad Nur (a Fur) and Minni Arku Minawi (a Zaghawa). The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) was more developed politically than the SLA but less significant militarily.

During celebrations commemorating the second anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Government of South Sudan (GoSS) President and Vice-President of the Republic Salva Kiir made clear that the agreement was facing a crisis and there was a growing risk of a return to war. In particular, he blamed Khartoum’s continuing support for Other Armed Groups (OAGs).

The ongoing peace talks between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement (LRA/M) in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, have created renewed international interest in the conflict in northern Uganda. While the negotiations have proved extremely difficult, they have opened up new channels of communication with the LRA. The talks have also allowed the affected population of Eastern and Western Equatoria, South Sudan, to voice their grievances against the LRA and raise questions about the conduct of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) in Sudan.