Peace Documents Articles

The road cuts through thick bush - hiding one of the last known populations
of elephants in Southern Sudan - and has been repaired and de-mined by international
agencies. A steady flow of coaches, trucks, pick-ups and motorbikes moves during
the day, mainly carrying products and people to and from Juba.

Addressing a news conference in Nairobi, South Sudan Regional Cooperation Minister
Barnaba Marial Benjamin called on regional countries, which spearheaded the
peace process to move to intervene and ensure specific aspects of the deal are
implemented to make unity attractive.

A peace deal, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, ended Africa’s longest
war in Jan. 2005. Analysts agree that the 21 year conflict between the Islamic
north and largely Christian south was fuelled by reservoirs of oil.

“The cessation of hostilities has been extended to the end of June,”
said James Gadet, a press representative for the Government of Southern Sudan’s
mediation team for the peace talks, “on the 26th the talks will resume
in Juba.”



In February the LRA who have been fighting for 20 years in a bloody insurgency
vowed not to return to peace talks in the south Sudan capital of Juba, citing
fears for their own security after Sudan’s president said he would “get
rid of the LRA”.