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	World needs to act now to prevent new Sudan war, aid agencies warn by ReliefWeb / Oxfam & agencies Sudan   Jan 2010   Major conflict could return to southern Sudan unless there is urgent international action to save the peace agreement that ended one of Africa''s longest and deadliest wars, ten aid agencies have warned.   In a new report "Rescuing the Peace in Southern Sudan" – released ahead of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People"s Liberation Movement – the agencies said a lethal cocktail of rising violence, chronic poverty and political tensions has left the peace deal on the brink of collapse.   "It is not yet too late to avert disaster, but the next 12 months are a crossroads for Africa"s largest country. Last year saw a surge in violence in southern Sudan. This could escalate even further and become one of the biggest emergencies in Africa in 2010," said co-author of the report Maya Mailer, Policy Advisor for Oxfam.   In 2009 some 2,500 people were killed and 350,000 fled their homes. Communities say that women and children have increasingly been targeted in attacks on villages and the Government of Southern Sudan and international peacekeepers have not been able to protect them.   To safeguard civilians at this fragile juncture, the agencies urged the UN Security Council to ensure that protecting civilians becomes a core priority for the UN peacekeeping force, UNMIS. The agencies also called on the international community to help mediate between the northern and southern parties, to reduce the likelihood of conflict, and to support the government in the south to provide security.   The agencies also warned that growing frustration over the lack of development in southern Sudan is harming the chances of peace. Less than half the population has access to clean water and maternal mortality rates are among the worst in the world. There are fewer than 50kms of tarmac road in the entire region, an area the size of France, and during heavy rains many areas are cut off for months at a time, making the delivery of humanitarian aid almost impossible. Some 80 percent of adults cannot read or write and one in seven children die before their fifth birthday.   "After five years of peace, southern Sudan remains one of the poorest regions on earth. People hoped the peace would bring economic benefits and development, but this has happened far too slowly and in some areas not at all. We are very worried about children who seem to be increasingly targeted in attacks on villages. International donors and the government must urgently improve aid to these areas," said Francisco Roque, Country Director of Save the Children in South Sudan.   A return to conflict would have devastating consequences that extend far beyond southern Sudan, the agencies said. The civil war was responsible for the deaths of 2 million people and forced around 4 million people to flee their homes, many into neighbouring countries. The war destabilised the entire region, fuelling conflicts and suffering across central and eastern Africa.   The crisis in southern Sudan is escalating at a time when the situation in Darfur, in western Sudan, remains one of the world"s biggest humanitarian emergencies. The agencies warned that there can not be sustainable peace in Darfur if the peace between north and south is allowed to fail.   "Sustained diplomatic engagement from the international community, including Sudan"s neighbours, is what is needed. This helped achieve what many thought was impossible and secure the peace agreement in the first place. Now engagement is needed again to ensure all that effort does not go to waste. A return to war is by no means inevitable, but it depends whether the world heeds the warning signs of the past year and has the political will to save the peace," said Paul Valentin, International Director of Christian Aid.   Notes to editors: The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed on 9 January 2005. It ended a war between northern and southern Sudan that cost two million lives. The ten agencies backing the report are: Christian Aid, Cordaid, Handicap International, ICCO, International Rescue Committee, Oxfam International, Save the Children Sudan, Caritas France/ Secours Catholique, TearFund and World Vision.
	The African Union should improve its strategies for civilian protection by Human Rights Watch   The African Union (AU) should improve its strategies for civilian protection and accountability in its efforts to end ongoing crises on the continent, Human Rights Watch has told AU heads of states.   "African heads of state declared 2010 the ‘Year of Peace and Security in Africa for compelling reasons," said Aloys Habimana, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Now they need to act, by coming up with long-term solutions for armed conflicts and stronger measures to protect civilians and ensure justice for victims of atrocities."   Human Rights Watch highlighted the worsening human rights crises in Sudan and Somalia and urged African leaders to take concrete steps to advance both civilian protection and accountability for victims of serious human rights violations throughout Africa.   In Southern Sudan, increasing violence has heightened the risk of attacks on civilians in the absence of adequate protection from the southern government or the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). African leaders should press the peacekeeping forces in Sudan to give top priority to protecting civilians, a crucial aspect of their mandates."   In Somalia, the situation continues to worsen, despite important efforts by the African Union to tackle massive security problems. Thousands of civilians have been killed and wounded since fighting between a weak interim government and insurgent forces trying to control the country began in 2007. Mogadishu remains a war zone, with an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis throughout the country. In parts of southern Somalia controlled by the militant group Al Shabaab, women routinely endure human rights violations.   Human Rights Watch called on African leaders to ensure that all allegations of indiscriminate bombardment of civilian neighbourhoods of Mogadishu are promptly, transparently, and impartially investigated by independent experts operating under the mandate of the AU"s Peace and Security Council. The AU should take the first step in requesting a UN Commission of Inquiry, which could contribute to accountability for abuses and stability in the region.   "The African Union has an important role to play in improving the situation in Somalia," Habimana said. "But as impunity is a key catalyst for the abuses committed there, it"s crucial that African leaders focus more on accountability and the human rights consequences of the conflict."   Human Rights Watch called on African leaders to increase their attention to justice for victims of serious crimes. The AU should also focus on making the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights a more robust institution.   "The AU has a tremendous opportunity to further the cause of justice on the African continent," Habimana said. "Only by taking steps to ensure accountability for human rights violations can African states contribute effectively to justice, lasting peace, and long-term stability." Visit the related web page
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