REPUBLIC OF SUDAN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service Date 11 September 2012 REPUBLIC OF SUDAN 11 SEPTEMBER 2012 Contents Preface REPORTS ON SUDAN PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 2 AUGUST 2012 AND 11 SEPTEMBER 2012 Useful sources for further information Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Size and population .............................................................................................. 1.01 Ethnicity, religion and language ......................................................................... 1.07 Public holidays ..................................................................................................... 1.10 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.11 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 Currency ................................................................................................................ 2.03 3. RECENT HISTORY (1956 – 2010) ............................................................................... 3.01 Political history ..................................................................................................... 3.01 Independence and civil war (1956) .................................................................... 3.01 Political instability and rise of the National Islamic Front (NIF) (1958 – 1989) ................................................................................................... 3.02 Repression and the extension of political Islam (1989 -1999) ............................ 3.05 Al-Bashir’s split from the Islamists and regime consolidation (1999 – 2010) ................................................................................................... 3.08 History of Sudan’s regional conflicts ................................................................. 3.10 Causes of conflict ............................................................................................... 3.10 Overview of the main conflicts ............................................................................ 3.13 South Sudan (1956 – 2005) ........................................................................... 3.14 The disputed status of Abyei ...................................................................... 3.17 South Kordofan/Nuba mountains and Blue Nile ......................................... 3.19 Darfur (2003 – present) .................................................................................. 3.22 East Sudan (1990 – 2007) ............................................................................. 3.27 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS (J ANUARY 2011 – 1 AUGUST 2012) ..................................... 4.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 4.01 Possibility of regime change ............................................................................... 4.05 Update on Sudan’s regional conflicts ................................................................ 4.08 South Sudan’s independence and renewed conflict (January 2011 – 1 August 2012) ...................................................................... 4.08 Independence and post-succession issues ...................................................... 4.08 Escalating tensions and cross border conflict .................................................. 4.10 Drivers of Sudan’s conflict with South Sudan ................................................... 4.13 UN Security resolution 2046............................................................................. 4.16 Abyei .................................................................................................................. 4.18 Military build-up and resumption of armed conflict (January – May 2011) ....... 4.18 Peace agreement and establishment of UN peace keeping force (June 2011 – 1 August 2012) ......................................................................... 4.20 Blue Nile and South Kordofan (Nuba Mountains) ............................................... 4.23 2011 regional state elections and escalation of violence May 2011 – June 2011) ............................................................................... 4.23 Failed peace agreement and establishment of the Sudan ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 August 2012. REPUBLIC OF SUDAN 11 SEPTEMBER 2012 Revolutionary Front (SRF) (mid 2011 – late 2011) ...................................... 4.25 Continued fighting, political stalemate and a deteriorating humanitarian situation (early 2012 – 1 August 2012) ................................... 4.29 Political impasse (late July 2012) ................................................................. 4.33 Darfur (January 2011 – 1 August 2012) ............................................................. 4.35 Overview ........................................................................................................ 4.35 Darfur peace process in Doha ....................................................................... 4.40 Doha document for peace in Darfur (DDPD) ............................................... 4.43 Implementation of the DDPD ....................................................................... 4.45 Darfur’s rebel groups outside the Doha peace process ................................. 4.50 Human rights and humanitarian developments in Darfur ............................... 4.53 East Sudan (January 2011 – 1 August 2012) ..................................................... 4.57 5. CONSTITUTION .......................................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 6.01 Executive ............................................................................................................... 6.03 Legislative ............................................................................................................. 6.05 Political parties ................................................................................................... 6.07 Judicial .................................................................................................................. 6.10 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY SITUATION ................................................................................................ 8.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 8.01 Trends and levels of violence ............................................................................. 8.05 Darfur ..................................................................................................................... 8.06 Levels of violence 2011 – July 2012 .................................................................. 8.06 Drivers of violence .............................................................................................. 8.12 Types of violence ............................................................................................... 8.17 Inter-communal violence ................................................................................ 8.17 Crime and general insecurity (including attacks on humanitarian staff and UN peace keepers) ....................................................................... 8.20 Conflict between armed groups and Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) ................. 8.23 Sexual and Gender-based violence (SGBV) in Darfur ................................... 8.26 Security situation for non-combatants ................................................................ 8.27 Human rights violations related to SAF aerial bombardments ....................... 8.27 Human rights violations perpetrated by government (ground) forces ............. 8.32 Human rights violations perpetrated by pro-government miltia groups .......... 8.36 Human rights violations perpetrated by rebel groups ..................................... 8.39 Blue Nile and South Kordofan ............................................................................. 8.42 Levels of violence: June 2011 – July 2012 ......................................................... 8.43 Security situation for non-combatants in South Kordofan................................... 8.45 Human rights violations perpetrated by government (ground) forces and pro-government miltia groups ................................................................ 8.45 Human rights violations related to SAF aerial bombardment ......................... 8.51 Security situation for non-combatants in Blue Nile ............................................. 8.53 Abyei ..................................................................................................................... 8.56 Levels of violence: May 2011 – July 2012 .......................................................... 8.56 Human rights violations committed against non-combatants ............................. 8.62 East Sudan ...........................................................................................................