South Sudan: State of emergency in Lakes region due to ethnic conflict /update 1

Event

The government declared a three-month state of emergency in the Lakes region (Western Lakes, Gok, and Eastern Lakes regions) on Monday, December 11, following the escalation of interethnic fighting in the area. According to regional officials, at least 170 people have been killed in the Western Lakes region since clashes broke out between the Rup and Pakam ethnic militias on December 7. Security forces in the Lakes region have been ordered to disarm local militia groups and restore order. However, continuing violence in the region remains a possibility in the near-term.

Context

South Sudan has been wracked by years of political, interethnic, and intercommunal violence - exacerbated by border and oil revenue disputes with Sudan. Following the 2011 signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that gave the country its independence from Sudan, the predominantly north-south conflict has given way to a pattern of internal violence. Since December 2013, the country has experienced an intermittent civil war waged between the government of President Salva Kiir and the SPLA on one side, and Machar and the SPLA-IO on the other. The conflict has continued despite international support for state-building and peace-keeping - including the 12,000-strong United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), deployed since 2011. The number of South Sudanese citizens displaced by the conflict currently stands at some 3.5 million.

Advice

Many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to South Sudan. Certain regions should be particularly avoided, including the states of Unity and Upper Nile, the north of Warrap state, parts of Eastern and Central Equatoria states, and areas along the border with the Central African Republic, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. If travel is necessary, ensure that proper security protocols are in place.