Sudan: Top stories of 2012

Sudan’s economy suffered severe set-backs in the year 2012 making it the worst-performing economy in the world. The continuing economic decline coupled with the ongoing border wars were the top developments of the year. The regional crises fed into social unrest and political instability at the core. In its first full year of coverage Radio Tamazuj focused on ground-level events at the state periphery. A selection of the year’s top stories:  War SAF airstrike victim recounts his painful experience (26 October) – Hundreds of Sudanese civilians are maimed, crippled or have perished in the unabating air force campaign in South Kordofan. Top security men perish in Kordofan plane crash (19 August) – The government loses an aircraft and several militia commanders during an effort to organize a holiday war rally. Misseriya say 107 men died fighting in Heglig (27 April) – National leaders on both sides downplay the death toll of the Heglig fighting but local leaders admit to higher losses. SRF take over Nyama base in South Kordofan (17 April) – Darfur-linked rebels play an underreported role in the April oil war, as in the attack on Nyama, a rear base of anti-Juba militias. Deadly fight Dajo-Misseriya in S. Kordofan (10 July) – The war front in the western Nuba Mountains remains relatively quiet throughout the year but the region is not without incident. State official says warplane kills 7 in Mayom (16 April) – During the April oil war the Sudanese air force bombs not only the Unity State capital but a number of other remote towns in South Sudan.    Talodi empty ‘like a ghost town’ (2 April) – The SPLA-N insurgents in South Kordofan fail in repeated assaults to take the garrison town of Talodi. Refugees Jamam clinics see 600+ severely malnourished children from Blue Nile (26 June) – The health situation is a disaster long before refugees even reach the aid sites in Maban County. Mothers and children suffer terribly en route to Doro Camp (5 July) – More than 35,000 refugees cross from Blue Nile in late May and June in an unexpected surge. New refugees in north-east Nuba Mountains (27 November) – Throughout the year major movements of internally displaced people within South Kordofan are indicated but not fully understood owing to access constraints. ‘To join the enemy – or to starve’ (20 July) – Food stocks are exhausted in north-central South Kordofan. Society Dams authority resettles Blue Nile villagers (17 November) – Twenty-thousand families are moved out of the dam reservoir. Abyei leader embraces ‘tamazuj’ concept (4 September) – Edward Lino says Abyei isn’t the only ‘blending’ area. Labor shortage hits farms on White Nile border  (11 September) – The removal from the labour force of most of the ethnically South Sudanese, Blue Nile and South Kordofan workers hits major agricultural schemes hard. Workers continue strikes in El Fula and Babanusa (10 January) – The year opens and closes with major unrest in West Kordofan towns inhabited by the Misseriya Arab tribe. Politics and Diplomacy ‘Plot’ in Khartoum: timeline of events (26 December) – The alleged coup attempt in Khartoum is foiled only a week after President al-Bashir’s throat surgery.  Tripartite agreement dies (15 November) – Sudan lays aside the international agreement on aid access to Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. SPLA deputy chief Paulino Matip dies after long illness (23 August) – A major affair of state. Sudans’ oil deal announced as Bashir returns from Qatar (4 August) – The oil accord begins to take shape after the president’s visit to the Gulf creditor nation. Blue Nile commander: no aid talks, no political talks with Khartoum (27 July) – The north’s revolutionaries remain nominally united. UNMISS dodges border monitoring task (30 May) – Hilde Johnson downplays the mandate of her peacekeepers along the border, hints at a wider role for UNISFA. Crime and Violence Execution site found near Wau in South Sudan (18 December) – The mass murder of six migrant workers later leads to reprisals and fears of wider tribal conflict. Soldiers rape three women in Kadugli (9 November) – Soldiers attack and rape three women by night in the state capital. Police open fire on students at Juba school (31 October) – Two suffer gunshot wounds when security forces break up a mob of secondary students protesting at a construction site near their school. Fayareen in tense standoff commit to pay blood money to Rizeigat (26 August) – Traditional diya payments help reconcile two Arab tribes after costly battles. To contact Radio Tamazuj with news tips or information write to radiotamazuj@gmail.com. For instant updates follow @RadioTamazuj on Twitter.Photo Credit: A Misseriya woman stands in front of a thatched shelter in Goli, Sudan, March 2009 (Tim McKulka/UN)

Sudan’s economy suffered severe set-backs in the year 2012 making it the worst-performing economy in the world. The continuing economic decline coupled with the ongoing border wars were the top developments of the year.

The regional crises fed into social unrest and political instability at the core. In its first full year of coverage Radio Tamazuj focused on ground-level events at the state periphery. A selection of the year’s top stories: 

War

SAF airstrike victim recounts his painful experience (26 October) – Hundreds of Sudanese civilians are maimed, crippled or have perished in the unabating air force campaign in South Kordofan.

Top security men perish in Kordofan plane crash (19 August) – The government loses an aircraft and several militia commanders during an effort to organize a holiday war rally.

Misseriya say 107 men died fighting in Heglig (27 April) – National leaders on both sides downplay the death toll of the Heglig fighting but local leaders admit to higher losses.

SRF take over Nyama base in South Kordofan (17 April) – Darfur-linked rebels play an underreported role in the April oil war, as in the attack on Nyama, a rear base of anti-Juba militias.

Deadly fight Dajo-Misseriya in S. Kordofan (10 July) – The war front in the western Nuba Mountains remains relatively quiet throughout the year but the region is not without incident.

State official says warplane kills 7 in Mayom (16 April) – During the April oil war the Sudanese air force bombs not only the Unity State capital but a number of other remote towns in South Sudan.   

Talodi empty ‘like a ghost town’ (2 April) – The SPLA-N insurgents in South Kordofan fail in repeated assaults to take the garrison town of Talodi.

Refugees

Jamam clinics see 600+ severely malnourished children from Blue Nile (26 June) – The health situation is a disaster long before refugees even reach the aid sites in Maban County.

Mothers and children suffer terribly en route to Doro Camp (5 July) – More than 35,000 refugees cross from Blue Nile in late May and June in an unexpected surge.

New refugees in north-east Nuba Mountains (27 November) – Throughout the year major movements of internally displaced people within South Kordofan are indicated but not fully understood owing to access constraints.

‘To join the enemy – or to starve’ (20 July) – Food stocks are exhausted in north-central South Kordofan.

Society

Dams authority resettles Blue Nile villagers (17 November) – Twenty-thousand families are moved out of the dam reservoir.

Abyei leader embraces ‘tamazuj’ concept (4 September) – Edward Lino says Abyei isn’t the only ‘blending’ area.

Labor shortage hits farms on White Nile border  (11 September) – The removal from the labour force of most of the ethnically South Sudanese, Blue Nile and South Kordofan workers hits major agricultural schemes hard.

Workers continue strikes in El Fula and Babanusa (10 January) – The year opens and closes with major unrest in West Kordofan towns inhabited by the Misseriya Arab tribe.

Politics and Diplomacy

‘Plot’ in Khartoum: timeline of events (26 December) – The alleged coup attempt in Khartoum is foiled only a week after President al-Bashir’s throat surgery. 

Tripartite agreement dies (15 November) – Sudan lays aside the international agreement on aid access to Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

SPLA deputy chief Paulino Matip dies after long illness (23 August) – A major affair of state.

Sudans’ oil deal announced as Bashir returns from Qatar (4 August) – The oil accord begins to take shape after the president’s visit to the Gulf creditor nation.

Blue Nile commander: no aid talks, no political talks with Khartoum (27 July) – The north’s revolutionaries remain nominally united.

UNMISS dodges border monitoring task (30 May) – Hilde Johnson downplays the mandate of her peacekeepers along the border, hints at a wider role for UNISFA.

Crime and Violence

Execution site found near Wau in South Sudan (18 December) – The mass murder of six migrant workers later leads to reprisals and fears of wider tribal conflict.

Soldiers rape three women in Kadugli (9 November) – Soldiers attack and rape three women by night in the state capital.

Police open fire on students at Juba school (31 October) – Two suffer gunshot wounds when security forces break up a mob of secondary students protesting at a construction site near their school.

Fayareen in tense standoff commit to pay blood money to Rizeigat (26 August) – Traditional diya payments help reconcile two Arab tribes after costly battles.

To contact Radio Tamazuj with news tips or information write to radiotamazuj@gmail.com. For instant updates follow @RadioTamazuj on Twitter.

Photo Credit: A Misseriya woman stands in front of a thatched shelter in Goli, Sudan, March 2009 (Tim McKulka/UN)