Sudan Human Rights Monitor Issue 16

(February-March 2012) The feature article of this issue provides an overview of the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan. On 14 March the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan achieved a breakthrough in the negotiations on future economic, security and social relationships between the two countries that had been ongoing since July 2010, reaching agreements on nationality and the demarcation of their common border. The nationality agreement would give nationals of each government the freedom of residence, movement, work and the ability to acquire and sell property. The demarcation agreement provided for the establishment of joint mechanisms to manage the demarcation process including a Joint Border Commission, a Joint Demarcation Committee and a Joint Technical Team – all of which were to be established within weeks of the signing of the agreement.

The two agreements were to be signed by the two Presidents at a summit meeting initially scheduled for early April and were seen as a tangible step toward easing growing tension between the two countries over the issues of oil and transit fees, which reached a peak after South Sudan announced that it would stop exporting oil through Sudan on 23 January 2012. However this optimism was not borne out as troops from both countries remained mobilized along the borders and conflict threatened to engulf the two state.

This issue also covers insecurity in Darfur, intensified UN Security Council engagement with Sudan and South Sudan, the clearing of Pagan Amum of corruption charges, citizenship issues and protests in South Kordofan.

Download full issue here.

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