This Week in South Sudan – Week 50

Monday 8 December

• In Pictures by the Guardian: The Sudans: after the divide: South Sudanese IDPs caught in no man’s land, Mile 14, in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.*
• The ongoing conflict has crippled South Sudan’s economy as much of the labor force is displaced and oil revenue is down.
• The SPLM continues to push humanitarian groups in South Sudan to nationalize their staff, despite rescinding a controversial ban on foreign workers earlier this year.

Tuesday 9 December

• The Sudans: after the divide. South Sudan peace talks stutter, as its economy becomes casualty of war. *
• In a recent press release, UNMISS announced it has publicly destroyed weapons confiscated from IDPs living at its civilian protection sites in Juba.
• The push at the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on South Sudan’s warring parties has stalled due to a dispute over whether to include an arms embargo.
• The border between Nimule, Eastern Equatoria and Uganda has reopened after being closed over the weekend, to discourage Madi residents from crossing as refugees.

Wednesday 10 December

• In Pictures by CNN: South Sudan still at war despite independence.
• Displaced children tell their story in South Sudan in this short New York Times Op-Doc ‘Toys of War.’

Thursday 11 December

• The UN Security Council welcomed recent talks between the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan, and urges them both to hold a high-level security meeting as soon as possible.
• The South Sudanese government urged Sudan to refrain from destabilizing the disputed region of Abyei, saying renewed attacks undermines the spirit of cooperation between the two countries.

Friday 12 December

• Outbreak of “heavy” fighting between government troops and armed youth in Nassir town in Upper Nile state.

Saturday 13 December

• Riek Machar announced the SPLM-In-Opposition’s political platform during a speech at his party’s conference in Pagak, Upper Nile earlier this week.

Sunday 14 December

• UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, warned that the ongoing South Sudan conflict ‘jeopardizes future of entire nation’ and called on the international community to put its collective weight behind the IGAD peace process.
• In Pictures by Al Jazeera: South Sudan’s doctor shortage in Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
• Opposition parties in South Sudan have formed ‘The National Alliance’ and signed a joint charter describing a proposed 7-point reform programme to in response to the current crisis.

* Part of ‘The Sudans: after the divide’ project by the Guardian Africa network. The project is devoted to a week of coverage to Sudan and South Sudan, focusing on news and features stories from the region and showcasing local film, music and culture.