UN voices alarm over continuing clashes in Sudan's Southern Kordofan

[News_Editor]

UN voices alarm over continuing clashes in Sudan's Southern Kordofan

2011-06-14 04:26:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Monday voiced alarm over the continuing clashes in the Sudanese state of Southern Kordofan.

According to reports, more than 53,000 people have been displaced due to the fighting between the northern army known as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) of Southern Sudan, which will become an independent state next month.

The violent clashes continue despite the calls by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other top United Nations officials for an end to the hostilities which include bombardments and artillery shelling.

The SAF and SPLA have been fighting in 11 of 19 localities in Southern Kordofan state as well as in Unity state in Southern Sudan. Many local residents have taken refugee outside the compound of the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan (UNMIS), in Southern Kordofan's capital Kadugli.

UNMIS has been assisting the internally displaced persons (IDPs) but its efforts have been hampered by the movement restrictions imposed by the SAF. The UN mission has reinforced its presence in the region by bringing in troops from other parts of Sudan.

"The mission is doing its best, but as the number of the IDPs continues to grow by the day, its military strength is stretching to its limit," said Hua Jiang, UNMIS head of public information.

UN aid agencies have been working on assisting residents including providing food for an estimated 4,000 people sheltered at Kadugli's compound. However, OCHA said access to water is inadequate as the compound remains cut off from supply lines.

The World Food Program (WFP), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have started preparations to provide affected citizens with food and non-food items as soon as possible.

The European Union also condemned the continuing violence in Southern Kordofan. Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, deplored reports of aerial bombardment and indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

"The High Representative is deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Southern Kordofan state," said Michael Mann, Ashton's chief spokesperson. "She also calls on all parties to cease hostilities immediately, take all necessary measures to protect civilians and resume negotiations under the auspices of President Mbeki."

Earlier this year, millions of Southern Sudan residents voted in favor of separating from the rest of the African nation. The referendum was seen as the culminating point of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended the long north-south civil war in Sudan.

The armed conflict killed some 2 million people and forced an estimated 4.5 million others out of their homes. Under the CPA, the SPLA became the official army of South Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) the ruling party.

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