SPLA-IO Accused of Detaining Civilian Boats, Demanding $4,000 Along Sobat River ‎

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‎ Boat ferrying civilians  Nasir, Upper Nile State  ‎Authorities in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, have accused forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) of detaining civilian riverboats and demanding ransom-like payments of up to $4,000 from traders and passengers along the Sobat River. ‎ ‎According to Nasir County Commissioner James Gatwech Joak, several boats traveling from Matar in Nasir County to Malakal were intercepted by SPLA-IO soldiers in Yakuach, an area in Nyirol County, Jonglei State. ‎ ‎“Our traders paid local taxes to SPLA-IO in Mandeng before setting off. But on reaching Yakuach, they were detained again and told to pay an additional four thousand U.S. dollars,” Commissioner Gatwech said. ‎ ‎He explained that the detained boat operators and traders were reportedly held for four days while armed men demanded more payments.  ‎ Some of the passengers were women, children, and patients traveling for medical treatment in Malaka...

United Kingdom Rallies Support For South Sudan Peace Process


Mr. Christopher Trott The Special Envoy to South Sudan

Mr. Christopher Trott the special envoy form the United Kingdom to South Sudan and Sudan is urging the regional countries to keep pressure on the warring parties in Sudan and South Sudan.
An excerpt of his comments taken from The Times Newspaper In Rwanda follows. “We cannot allow the killing that we have seen in South Sudan over the last three years to continue any longer and I think that Rwanda can in some ways teach a lesson to those that are involved in conflicts because you can speak from experience about the impact of this kind of fighting,” Trott told Rwanda’s The New Times newspaper.

He further urged the Rwandan President Paul Kagame who, will from 28 January, take over the AU chairmanship to keep a closer eye on the peace process in South Sudan.

“He [Kagame] is going to be the head of the continental organization that has oversight over everything that is happening on this continent and I hope that he can use that to encourage IGAD to work further towards peace and to encourage the parties themselves to commit to peace,” said the UK official.

Lastly he urged the warring factions in South Sudan to honor the cessation of hostilities agreement they signed before the mediators in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on 21 December.

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