LOOMING DISASTER IN

WESTERN UPPER NILE REGION:

A POLITICAL EYE WITNESS REPORT FROM THE FIELD

FROM

November – December 2000

By

KOANG TUT DOH

And

KUR YAI NOP

P. O. BOX 9658, NAIROBI, KENYA

E- Mail: ktut2001@yahoo.com

Table of Contents Page

1.0. Table of content i

2.0 List of Acronym ii

3.0. Foreword 1

4.0. Brief historical background to the conflict in the Sudan 2

5.0. Beginning of political crisis in Western Upper Nile Region 3

6.0. Impact of political crisis on civil population in Western Upper Nile region 4

7.0. Impact of Oil exploitation on civil population in Western Upper Nile region 5

8.0. Benefits of Oil exploitation by the Government of Sudan 5

9.0. How Talisman Oil companies help the government of Sudan in its war efforts 5

10.0. Disadvantages of Oil exploitation on civil populations in Western Upper Nile 6

11.0. The future of the people of Western Upper Nile Region 7

12.0. Recommendations and Conclusions 8

L i s t o f A c r o n y m

CDR : Commander

C-in-C : Commander in Chief

C O S : Chief of staffs

ECM :Executive Committee Members

GOS : Government of Sudan

ORCD :Organization for Relief & Community Development

SSIA :South Sudan Independence Army

SSIM : South Sudan Independence Movement

SPLA : Sudan People's Liberation Army

SPLM :Sudan People's Liberation Movement

SPDF : Sudan People's Democratic Front

SSOM : South Sudan Operation Mercy

UDSF : United Democratic Salvation Front

UN : United Nations

WUN : Western Upper Nile

Foreword

Massive humanitarian displacement and endless needs of the people of Western Upper Nile region who have been on run from September,1997 to date has encouraged and motivated us to form an indigenous Non-Governmental Organization known as “the Organization for Relief and Community Development (ORCD)” to enable us reach these communities.

ORCD principal objective is to strive to address the needs of the people of South Sudan who are maimed by the on-going civil war in the country in collaboration with the International and UN agencies operating in South Sudan to save the lives of these innocent war affected populations through relief, rehabilitation and community development initiatives.

For this reason, ORCD Executive Committee Members (ECM) composed of the Managing Director and its Field Coordinator had carried out an intensive two weeks assessment mission to Western Upper Nile region of Bul, Leek, Ji kany and Jagei counties, the oil fields areas known as “Oil fields Front Line Counties”.

While conducting this assessment, we had an ample opportunity to witness the most disastrous and aggrieved impact of the oil exploitation by the Government of Sudan (GOS) at the expense of the people of Western Upper Nile region.

Be that as it may, this report will briefly discuss the political complexities and the oil impact on the lives of the people of Western Upper Nile in particular and the people of South Sudan in general.

Brief Historical Background to the conflict in the Sudan

Many historian, writers, conflictologist and scholars do agree that: the historical roots of the present complex political mess in the Sudan go back to more than a hundred years, to the Anglo-Egyptian policies pursued from 1899 to 1956 when Sudan was ruled under the “Condominium Agreement”. These policies were predicated on a segregation of the North and South, ostensibly to protect African cultures from the more powerful Arab and Islamic cultures in the North.

Economically, the British first pacified and then governed and developed the arid North both in order to find a cheap source of cotton for British textile mills as well as to use it as a spring board to access the fertile, swampy and hostile South. Most ominous in terms of present hostilities is that despite the fact that the British administered North and South as a separate territories-with different experiences of administration and development yet a common border was drawn around the two regions at independence. This set a pattern for today’s situation and this led to the isolation of South, preventing it from enjoying the fruits of economic and political development initiated in the North for the benefit of the colonizers.

Consequently, Sudan’s conflict has been transformed. It is a socio-cultural problem wherein violence has become a mode of expression of cultural and social identity and of cultural and social domination. The conflict is also an economic problem because violence has become a means of acquiring, preserving and consolidating wealth and economic power and politically because, violence has become a way of acceding to, preserving and consolidating political power and using the same power to subdue and dominate others.

It was assumed at the independence in 1956 that Sudan would develop an effective central government that could forge a common identity of being ‘Sudanese’. This miserably failed, and there is still a struggle to agree on what ‘Sudanese is’- African, Arab, North, South or what? With no common sense of identity, a perpetual state of civil war and weak and extremely divided political leadership, Sudan as a modern nation state is in profound deep crisis.

Although religion and race have become primary political divisions in the Sudan politics, there are far more reaching profound inequalities to be found in administration, political participation, economic development, distribution and re-distribution of resources and education system in the Sudan and for all these reasons, Sudan remains in deep political mess and perpetual crisis.

3.0. Beginning of political crisis in Western Upper Nile Region

To commence with, it is unfortunate that Western Upper Nile (WUN) region has been racked and torn apart by an aggrieved and dreadful devastating conflicts in this part of the Sudan, which includes the most protracted relentless civil war in the country between South and North and has been further complicated by the on-going internal conflicts among the rebel movements rivaling over control of political power and the exploitation of oil by the (GoS) in Western Upper Nile region.

Western Upper Nile region has been and still remains in turmoil and bloodshed since September,1997 to the present day, simply because of Mal-administration of the former SSIM/A leadership under Dr. Riek Machar, in that, the former Governor and military commander of South Sudan Independence Movement (SSIM) and South Sudan Independence Army (SSIA) collectively known as SSIM/A (Cdr) Paulino Matiep Nhial of Liech state capital (Bentiu) had differed with his Chairman and commander-in-chief

(c-in-c) Dr. Riek Machar Teny, over political and administrative changes in Liech state and most importantly because of the nomination and appointment wrangling over the new Governor of Liech state ( Unity state according to Government of Sudan administrative divisions) mainly after the signing of the so-called Khartoum peace agreement.

These nomination differences were mainly based on conflicting interests between Dr. Riek Machar who had in mind Cdr. Taban Deng Gai who later on became the first -elected Governor of Liech or Unity state, whereas, Cdr. Paulino Matiep had different person in mind his kin men Mr. Paul Liyly Mathot who was heavily backed up by the GoS. Subsequently, the Chairman Dr. Riek Machar did not wisely handle those differences and went out of hand into full-scale war between his forces and forces loyal to Cdr. Paulino Matiep.

As a result, SSIM/SSIA split and Cdr. Paulino formed his own Movement which became known as South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) and South Sudan United Army (SSUA) collectively as SSUM/SSUA. Since then the two movements remained divided and fighting among each others which force them to create alliances with other Southern Sudanese movements such as the SPLA on one hand and the Government of Sudan on the other hand.

The Chief of Staffs (COS) of SSUM/A Cdr. Peter Gatdeat Yakah had staged a coup against his chairman Cdr. Paulino Matiep on September 5^th , 1999, because Matiep wanted SSUA forces become part or militias of the GOS and Gatdeat wanted to pursue the cause of the liberation struggle with any other Southern Sudanese rebels who are fighting the GOS . For this reason, Gatdeat with the bulk forces of SSUM/SSUA decided to joint SPLM/SPLA in February,2000. Matiep remain with the GoS as its militias General.

SSIM/SSIA was transformed into United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF) mainly after the signing of the defunct Khartoum peace agreement and was later on changed into what is now known as Sudan People’s Democratic Front (SPDF) when its leader Dr. Riek

Machar, defected from the so-called Khartoum peace agreement in December,1999 and decided to change UDSF into SPDF.

SPDF have maintained a tied and close military collaboration with Paulino Matiep GoS militias and heavily sponsored with arms and ammunitions by the Government against SPLA forces of Cdr. Peter Gatdeat in WUN.

Such dubious scenarios has caused enormous suffering on the people of Western Upper Nile Bentiu.

Impact of political crisis on civil population in Western Upper Nile Region

Fighting and shifting of allegiances became the order of the day as long as there is no unified command and central leadership among these different forces in Western Upper Nile region.

In June,2000, relationships between these forces namely SPLA, SPDF, GOS and GOS sponsored militia group of General Paulino Matip Nhial began to deteriorate. Lynching and military attacks became remarkable and therefore, tension raised high and higher. In July,2000 SPDF and GOS sponsored militias of General Matip created dubious alliance and collectively being armed and facilitated by the GOS, had combined their forces to fight together against the SPLA force of Cdr. Peter Gatdeat out of WUN, so that SPDF remain in control of the liberated areas of WUN without the SPLA, but of course, maintaining their relationship with the government of Sudan and its militias.

By July, August and September,2000 there was full-scale fighting almost every where in these four counties of Bul ,Leek, Jikany and Jagei against the SPLA of Cdr. Gatdeat which eventually at the end of September forced him to tactically withdrew his forces and all his affiliated civil population from these counties up to Twic and Gogrial counties in Bhar-el-Ghazal region.

According to Cdr. Gatdeat they had withdrawn their forces out of these counties because they had run-short of ammunitions and have to evacuate the civil population as well because they were also being killed and looted by the SPDF and GOS militias allied forces, however, despite this attempt to evacuate every body in their area of control up to Bhar -el-Ghazal region yet the destruction was enormous as indicated below:

There was massive displacement of civil population in WUN, huge loss of life, disruption of livelihood and coping mechanism, looting of livestock and personal properties, destruction of crops and burning of dwellings/houses such as Luaks (byres), Tukuls or huts, extensive violation of human rights, abduction of women and children into servitude and coercive conscription of child soldier into rebel, government and government militias armies in WUN.

All civil structures and institutions such as schools, churches and court centers are completely destroyed, all national, international and UN agencies compounds were burnt to ashes and have withdrawn their personnel and resources from this counties with the start of violence in September, 1997. Thus, these areas were left without humanitarian services as far as humanitarian situation is concern in Southern Sudan.

Commander Peter Gatdeat with his army and affiliated civil population returned to their counties in Bul, Leek, Jikany and Jagei in early October, 2000 when the SPLA assisted them with few rounds of ammunitions.

Impact of Oil exploitation on civil population in Western Upper Nile Region

The oil exploitation in Western Upper Nile region by the government of Sudan (GoS) in close collaboration with the international oil companies headed by the Talisman oil corporations, has become the most disastrous factor in the current war efforts between North and South Sudan conflict. Oil is also considered as one of the fundamental element that will prolong the civil war in the country and that will be used by the government of Sudan under the pretext of developing Sudan to enable them exterminate the people of Western Upper Nile region as planned by the Government of Sudan.

Benefits of oil exploitation by the Government of Sudan

• It has strengthen GoS military capacity and capability in acquiring more arms and ammunitions in its efforts to win the war in Southern Sudan.
• Manufacturing of heavy and light machine guns, rockets launchers , mortars and anti tanks gunners in Khartoum Shari, Shegera, Bageer and Kalaklak in Khartoum Sudan unlike buying them abroad as in the past.
• Assembling of military armors and tanks in Khartoum Sudan.
• Strengthening of military air power, such as purchasing of more Russian high altitude antonov bombers from Iraq, Libya, Iran and the Arab world. Purchasing of different helicopter gun ships and production of its bombs and shells within the country.
• Boosting up of National Islamic Front government political control in the country.
• Human rights a buses and terrorist activities become more pronounce as the NIF government is entrenching itself with the oil money in the Sudan.
• More recruitment to military armed forces and an increment of armies wages to raise their moral and win the war in the South.

How the Talisman Oil Companies Help the Government of Sudan in its war efforts

According to eye witness information from the front line, we have received from the Oil fields workers in Hegleg and Unity oil fields, government officials inside Unity state and from different sources in the oil fields front line counties have revealed to us that the Oil companies does indeed help the government of Sudan in its war efforts in several ways which includes the followings:

• Construction of roads from Northern Bentiu where there is Hegleg and Unity oil fields to Southern Bentiu where there is oil reserves to open them up and include them in the refinery.
• The oil companies are clearing the roads and the government is providing the protection by re-deploying its forces in every one kilometer along the road to clear away with local natives and any suspected present of the rebels in the area.
• Oil companies are helping the government of Sudan in construction of army bridges in Naam river what is known as Bhar-el-Ghazal river with the expertise of Chinese military engineers, Malaysians and Arabs engineers, this is the river which divided Bentiu into North and South parts to enables them have access to the oil reserves in the Southern parts. Three big military crossing bridges have already been completed by November,2000 and more are coming up.
• Construction of military air fields or airstrips almost in every five kilometers for government war planes.
• Provision of air bases and air crafts refueling stations by the oil companies in the oil fields locations such as now the case in Hegleg, Unity and Rub-kona bases to facilitate government bombing operations by antonov's and helicopter gun ships not like before when it use to operate from El-Obied in Western Kordofan to Western Upper Nile which give the population a chance to ran to trenches.
• Opening up of a huge military air base in Unity oil fields pipelines which contained 10 Russian antonov bombers and (37) helicopter gun ships in interval with El-Obied.
• provision of intelligent experts services sponsored by the Talisman company like the British Rapport company whose duties is to provide accurate information to the companies and the government of Sudan. They have bases in Bentiu town, Mayom, Rub-kona, Leer and Adok port. They use sophisticated helicopters and have access to travel to any where in WUN under pretext of oil exploration.

Disadvantages of oil exploitation on civil population in Western Upper Nile Region

• De-population of Western Upper Nile civil population from their original birth places to no where without re-locating them to new alternative locations within WUN nor compensating their lost lands to the oil companies nor the government.
• Occupation of the native lands of the people of Western Upper Nile by the Arab Bagarra from Western Sudan with the consent of the GoS which does actually help them to get re-settled on the land.
• Immediate changes of natives Nuer names of the Oil fields areas into an Arabic names such as Barkuor for Hegleg in Arabic, Nyinatoor for Unity oil fields and Chotjok for Thalah etc.
• Coercive re-location of civilian from WUN to Habilla farms areas in Southern Kordofan. This is done by the government in conjunction with the local militias of General Paulino Matip against all vulnerable civilian who run to Bentiu, Mayom and Rub-kona towns in search of protection. The government and its militias do take the livestock and daughters of these poor civilians as war booties and packed the people on trucks empty handed to Habilla rich farm lands for cheap labor.
• Destruction of local population techniques of survival or coping mechanism and kinship ties.
• People in WUN are subjected to constant movements and internal displacement.
• Continuous random heavy aerial bombardments has seriously affected the modes of livelihood of this people, they can not cultivate as normal as before, they can not herds their cattle in rich pastures areas to get more grass and clean water to have more milk for their children because it make them targets of antonov bombers.
• These random GoS bombardments have fatal and disastrous impact on both human and animal with suspicion of poison in drinking water for both animals and human, fatal burns on body, poisonous cuts on foots by bombs fragments and eye infections without treatment.
• Wild food and fruits became poisonous as a result of poison bombs and it can not be accessed any longer by the population as part of coping mechanism.
• hunting is also abandoned.
• Exchange and trade among communities is no longer there as people are on constant move.

The future of the people of Western Upper Nile Region

The future of the people of WUN lies in the hands of the people of WUN as they told us in several meetings with the local community leaders and rebel commanders, but unfortunately, the fundamental problem for the people of WUN alone is disunity among themselves as every one of them including children knows this negative aspect of disunity and internal fighting.

They were all asking for peace and reconciliation among the people of WUN warring parties and to heal the wounds of the last four years of internal violence in order to face the common enemy (the government of Sudan), however, they were at the same time very skeptical and pessimistic on the ability and acceptance of SPDF leader Dr. Riek Machar and GoS sponsored militia commander General Paulino Matip to either opt for peace among the people of WUN nor opt to maintain their malicious relationships with the government of Sudan to continue supply them with arms and ammunitions to justify their political existence in WUN.

As a result, the future of this people remain bleak and uncertain, however, the only hope is that let the people of WUN unite on common goal to defend themselves from Arab occupation of their ancestral lands and human extermination, otherwise, they will toil and suffer a lot for a long time.

Recommendations and Conclusions

As far as WUN still enjoys a lull in fighting for the last three months between the conflicting parties in the area and as far as the conflicting parties in the field in WUN are willing to allow other bodies to mediate them irrespective of those leaders who may not be ready for peace and reconciliation at this particular moment, therefore, I do suggest that peace and reconciliation between the people of WUN should be encouraged and motivated by all the peace loving people of the world to enable us save thousands of lives of these people if peace is achieved.

• We do hereby recommend that local peace initiatives should be strengthen and empowered to have practical impact on the local communities on the ground to make peace among themselves.

• Local Sudanese indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations working in this volatile areas such as the Organization for Relief and Community Development (ORCD) and South Sudan Operation Mercy (SSOM) should take the challenge of a peace mobilizer's in these areas to achieve peace in WUN.

• You are highly welcome to share with us your views, sentiments and contributions to this report whenever you are in reach of us through the above address.

Thank you

With Peace & God blessings