After independence, South Sudan’s internal conflicts remain a major challenge to growth. Strategic Intelligence director of regional intelligence analysis David James studied the consistent cycle of violence and political divisions in the South Sudan.
In a brief analysis, we look at the triangular prism that factors violence in South Sudan. Conflicts within South Sudan, Sponsored conflict by Khartoum, and the conflicts sponsored by Juba form this triangle of political and ethnic conflict that plague South Sudan.
South Sudan lands were part of Egyptian Muhammad Ali Dynasty. In 1972, Southern Sudan autonomy came to be but ended in 1983. Until year 2005 Sudan was at war with Southern Sudan.
Jonglei state is home to the Lou-Neur and Murle tribes of South Sudan but the epicenter of internal political problems and ethnic conflict in South Sudan.
These communities for decades have fought over water and pasture. Access to sophisticated arms and political affiliation continues to fuel the inter-communal conflict. Youths from either community are ever ready to engage in war.
The Nuer tribe of Riek Machar ‘White-Army’ a 6,000-8,000 mostly Lou-Nuer youth militia, has continued to launch bloody attacks on the Murle ethnic community.
Riek Machar is formerly a vice president of the government of South Sudan. Politicians have facilitated the flow of arms to Jonglei allowing the spillover of these arms to other states.
The South Sudan police has no capacity to stem crime and the proliferation of arms across states.
Rebel militants within and affiliated to SPLM commanders continue to remain actively involved in sponsored violence.
Sponsored violence and Sudan-South Sudan oil disputes also factor the conflicts in South Sudan common border areas.
The cyclic violence prism in Sudan touches Ethnic violence, and State Sponsored conflicts such as Sudan and Juba sponsored Southern militias.
