Business Daily
Date: 19.12.2013
Page 12..
Article size: 315 cm2
ColumnCM: 70.0
AVE: 133000.0
South Sudan fighting highlights fragile
State as fears over spread of chaos grows
THEDILEMMA
Questions
rotate around
motive of
fighting and
who fired the
first shot
An al eged coup and heavy fighting in South
Machar a "prophet of doom" who continued "to
Sudan's capital highlights the bitter fault persistently pursue his actions ofthe past"
lines and fragility ofthe newly­independ­
Andrews Atta­Asamoah, of the South Africa­
ent nation, analysts and observers say.
based Institute for Security Studies, warned that
Oil­rich but grossly impoverished and awash a "knee­jerk response from pro­Kiir members
with guns from the decades of war that led to South of South Sudan's army against alleged pro­Riek
Sudan's independence in July 2011, internal divi­ (Machar) cadres will worsen the situation."
sions rooted in the long years of civil war boiled
Whether clashes began as a coup plot gone
over on Sunday.
wrong or unplanned fighting sparked by long
"Who fired the first shot and what their motive running ethnic and political tensions, many
was is not clear to anyone... but it has opened up a fear the violence is now being used to purge
very nasty can of worms," said a senior South Suda­ political rivals.
nese security sourceclosetothe presidency, warning
"Old scores are being settled," said a South
that the fighting pitted rival factions ofthe ruling Sudanese journalist, who asked not to be named.
party —the Sudan People's liberation Movement "Now the political fighting has turned into blood­
(SPLM) — and the corresponding loyal units within shed the government will want to put an end to
this once and for all."
the ex­rebel SPLAarmy.
"Divisions within the SPLM are no secret, but
President Kiir comes from the majority Dinka
since this incident has unfolded, there will be no ethnic group, which also holds key leadership
easy way back for those in the fighting, their bridges positions in the army, while Mr Machar comes
are being burnt,"
from a branch ofthe Nuer tribe, who form a key
President Salva Kiir was swift to blame troops part of the foot soldiers in the military.
loyal to his arch­rival and former deputy Riek Ma­
Mr Macbar's troops were accused of abrutal
char, a controversial leader who fought both with massacre in the ethnic Dinka town of Bor in 1991.
and against Kiir during Sudan's brutal 1983­2005
civil war, and staged a failed coup against the main­
stream SPLA in 1991.
President Kiir, dressed in military fatigues rather
than his usual dark suit and cowboy hat, insisted
on Monday that the situation was "under control"
and imposed a dusk­to­dawn curfew.
But battles raged for a second day Tuesday across
the ramshackle capital, amid fears the fighting could
spread elsewhere in the country.
South Sudanese media reported several former
ministers have been arrested but there was no news
on the fate of Machar, with his telephones — and
those of several of his aides — unanswered since
the fighting began.
In a hardline speech, President Kin* called Mr
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya