South Sudan: A nation’s struggle

“The people have suffered so long but they also want to be treated with dignity as a new nation” says Sr. Patricia Murray executive director of the Solidarity with South Sudan organization. In the midst of the current flair-up in tensions between Sudan and South Sudan, she points out that the civilian population are paying the price for a war over oil and borders.Listen to Sr. Patricia’s full interview with Lydia O’ Kane:

Violence on the contested border between Sudan and South Sudan appeared to subside just hours ahead of a UN deadline to cease hostilities or face possible sanctions. Troops from the rival armies are dug into fortified defensive positions along the restive border following weeks of bloody clashes that have pushed them to the brink of all-out war. Both Khartoum and Juba have pledged to seek peace after the UN Security Council passed a resolution Wednesday giving the two countries 48 hours to stop fighting, including air raids. The deadline is set for 1500 GMT.

The UN resolution threatens additional non-military sanctions if either side fails to meet its conditions, and urges Sudan to halt air strikes, which Khartoum has repeatedly denied carrying out. South Sudan became independent last July following an overwhelming referendum vote for secession. But the two countries are still at odds over oil transit fees landlocked South should pay Sudan for using its pipeline and refinery, border demarcation and the status of citizens of either country living in the other's territory.

Solidarity with South Sudan is a project that seeks to promote the Kingdom of God in partnership with the local church and the people of Sudan through the establishment and development of teacher and health training institutes and those pastoral services deemed most urgent.

Sr. Patricia has worked for years in the region with the people on the ground. She told Lydia O’Kane that the Church is appealing for negotiation: “One of my concerns I would have to say is that often I ask does the international media exacerbate or help the situation because I know that some of the information put out initially about the borders and who owned what was actually not accurate. These situations need a lot of study of the context, the history and what has happened in an area in order to be able to say definitely this area belongs to one or other”.

“There are great things at stake and many have suffered for many years and I think that a return to that situation [of war] is unconscionable if every effort hasn’t been made on both a local and international level”.