South Sudan Border
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30 Dividing lines: Grazing and conflict along the Sudan– South Sudan border By Joshua Craze Copyright Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva 2013 First published in July 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing of the Small Arms Survey, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organi- zation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Publications Manager, Small Arms Survey, at the address below. Small Arms Survey Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Series editor: Emile LeBrun Copy-edited by Emile LeBrun and Clar Ni Chonghaile Proofread by Donald Strachan ([email protected]) Cartography by Jillian Luff (www.mapgrafix.com) Typeset in Optima and Palatino by Richard Jones ([email protected]) Printed by nbmedia in Geneva, Switzerland ISBN 978-2-9700856-7-6 2 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 30 Contents Maps ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 List of abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Border negotiations 21 The CPA 22 Impasse at the TBC 22 The disputed territories 24 Security arrangements and border monitoring 27 The 27 September agreements 31 Current stakeholder positions 37 Future prospects 41 II. The Northern Bahr el Ghazal–East Darfur border ........................................................................ 43 Introduction 44 A brief history of the border 45 The border: 2005–11 47 The imposition of an international border 50 Current political dynamics 53 Armed actors 58 Stakeholder positions 61 Future prospects 68 Western Bahr el Ghazal 69 Craze Dividing lines 3 III. Abyei ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 72 Introduction 72 A brief history of the border 73 Current political dynamics 82 Armed actors 92 The state of negotiations 93 Stakeholder positions 97 Future prospects 100 IV. The Unity–South Kordofan border ................................................................................................................... 103 Introduction 103 A brief history of the border 105 The border: 2005–11 109 The imposition of an international border 113 Current political dynamics 115 Armed groups 124 Stakeholder positions 125 Future prospects 130 V. The Upper Nile–South Kordofan border .................................................................................................... 131 Introduction 131 A brief history of the border 133 The border 2005–11 134 The imposition of an international border 138 Current political dynamics 139 Armed groups 143 Stakeholder positions 144 Future prospects 146 VI. The Upper Nile state–White Nile border ................................................................................................ 148 Introduction 148 4 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 30 A brief history of the border 149 The border 2005–11 150 The imposition of an international border 151 Current political dynamics 152 Armed actors 155 Stakeholder positions 156 Future prospects 157 VII. The Upper Nile–Blue Nile border ................................................................................................................... 159 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 163 Endnotes .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 167 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 182 About the author ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 190 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................................................. 191 Craze Dividing lines 5 Maps Map 1 Sudan–South Sudan border zone Map 2 Disputed areas at the TBC Map 3 Grazing routes into Northern Bahr el Ghazal, 2011–12 Map 4 Clashes and military positions along the Northern Bahr el Ghazal– East Darfur border, 2011–12 Map 5 Missiriya migration into Abyei, 2011–12 Map 6 UNISFA strategy for the 2012–13 grazing season Map 7 Territorial claims in Abyei, 2012 Map 8 Grazing into Unity state, 2011–12 Map 9 Clashes on the Unity–South Kordofan border, 2011–12 Map 10 Grazing routes into Upper Nile from South Kordofan, 2011–12 Map 11 Grazing routes into eatern Upper Nile, 2011–12 6 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 30 List of abbreviations AAA Abyei Area Administration AAC Abyei Area Council AARC Abyei Area Referendum Commission ABC Abyei Boundaries Commission AJOC Abyei Joint Oversight Committee ALF Abyei Liberation Front ARA Abyei Referendum Act ARC Abyei Referendum Commission ARFP Abyei Referendum Facilitation Panel AU African Union AUHIP African Union High-Level Implementation Panel CBZ Common Border Zone CDO Closed District Ordinances CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CSSAC Bureau of Community Security and Small Arms Control FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GNU Government of National Unity GoS Government of Sudan GRSS Government of the Republic of South Sudan ICG International Crisis Group IOM International Organization for Migration JBC Joint Border Commission JBVMM Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mission JEM Justice and Equality Movement JIU Joint Integrated Unit JPSM Joint Political and Security Mechanism NCP National Congress Party NIF National Islamic Front NISS National Intelligence and Security Services Craze Dividing lines 7 PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration PCP Popular Congress Party PDF Popular Defence Forces PDOC Petrodar Operating Company PSC African Union Peace and Security Council RoS Republic of Sudan RoSS Republic of South Sudan SAF Sudan Armed Forces SDBZ Safe Demilitarized Border Zone SDG Sudanese pounds SLA-AW Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid SLA-MM Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minawi SPLM/A Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army SPLM-N Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North SPLM-DC Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change SRF Sudan Revolutionary Front SSDF South Sudan Defence Forces SSDM/A South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army SSLM/A South Sudan Liberation Movement/Army SSLA South Sudan Liberation Army SSP South Sudanese pounds SSPS Southern Sudan Police Service SSUM/A South Sudan Unity Movement/Army TBC Technical Border Committee UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNISFA United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei UNMIS United Nations Mission in Sudan UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNSC United Nations Security Council 8 Small Arms Survey HSBA Working Paper 30 Executive Summary Almost two years after South Sudan became Africa’s newest nation-state, its border with Sudan is neither delimited nor demarcated (see Map 1).1 While a series of agreements were signed in Addis Ababa on 27 September 2012, the status of the contested areas of the border and the explosive question of Abyei were left unresolved.2 At issue for both states are oil reserves in the border region, as well as some of the most fertile land in the two countries. The border region also contains crucial grazing areas for transhumant and pastoralist groups, which traditionally agreed flexible grazing arrangements between themselves long before discussions began about a national border dividing their territory. While there has been no agreement on the border’s location, the border region was the site of a series of clashes in the first half of 2012, before the rainy season began. In March and April, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) took Hejlij3 from the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), to widespread international con- demnation (Sudan Tribune, 2012b). The SPLA said the assault was prompted by a series of SAF attacks on South Sudanese positions along the border, notably at Kiir Adem between Northern Bahr el Ghazal and East Darfur, and in Unity state (Small Arms Survey, 2012b). Fighting continued throughout 2012,