Sudan & S. Sudan: Back to Their Old Ways

By Benjamin Larson

Sudan and South Sudan had been celebrating a time of peaceful independence between each other, but this time-span was short-lived due to the fact that on Monday October 8th shells were fired toward Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan in Sudan. Reports from both BBC.com and RadioDebanga.org quoted Damian Rance of the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in saying that, “To our knowledge there were five mortar shells that landed inand around the town of Kadugli.” This town is on the outskirts of Abyei, the most disputed area in Sudan. As the situation was investigated it was found that one of the shells landed in the Unicef compound, but remained unexploded. Due to this, members of the UN and the IRIN have been moved as a “precautionary measure.” The toll from the violent strike resulted in 6 deaths and 23 injured Sudanese. Throughout the next few hours, fingers were pointed at many groups in both of the countries for the lethal attacks.

Arnu Ngutulu Lodi of the SPLM-N, the anti-Sudan rebels concerned about border areas, finally spoke up a few hours later and claimed that the attacks were from their people. On top of this, Lodi wanted to make it known that the attacks were “noton the people of Kadugi, but the military.” The SPLM-N has been countering government forces for many years and this specific attack was directed because of the Sudanese Ariel bombings that had took place over the Nuba Mountains a few weeks earlier. Another motive believed to be used is the fact that there was to be an important political meeting in Kadugli on Monday. This meeting was to have many UN, IRIN, and Sudanese leaders according toRadioDaBanga.org. Knowing the motives of the SPLM-N has commonly been anti-government; the timing of this event was thought to have come by no coincident.

As for reports by the UN, political leaders in the area, and myself in the past few days, a feeling of disappointment was inevitable. For two countries making strides toward great independence with borders now formed and economic policies now set, it seems like a major set-back. Though this is felt throughout the countries and many people’s hearts, there is a strong feeling in my mind that this kind of violence will happen much in the future. This belief is based on the past discrepancies and the history of the rebel groups in that area. All we can hope for is that war will not be in the mind of either of the countries and their militaristic powers.