South Sudan army loses control of Unity State capital as refugees flee fighting

[Redfairen]

Source: Deutsche Welle

South Sudan's army has admitted to losing control of the capital of the country's oil-rich Unity State to the armed opposition. More than 60,000 people have fled their homes to escape the spreading unrest.

Forces loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar have taken control of Bentiu, capital of Unity State, the oil-producing region of the country, South Sudan's military spokesman Colonel Philip Aguer announced on Sunday.

"Bentiu is in the hands of a commander who has declared support for Machar," Aguer said. "Bentiu is not in our hands."

South Sudan gets nearly 99 percent of its government budget from oil revenues, and the country reportedly earned $1.3 billion (950 million euros) in oil sales in just five months this year, according to the London-based watchdog group Global Witness.


Read more: http://m.dw.de/english/mobile.A-17316823-9097.html

[Jesus Malverde]

1. The first I had heard of south sudan

Was when a hedge fund was raising money to invest there before it even became a state. I suspect there is a little neo-colonialism at work.

The largest land deal in South Sudan, where as much as 9% of the land is said by Norwegian analysts to have been bought in the last few years, was negotiated between a Texas-based firm, Nile Trading and Development and a local co-operative run by absent chiefs. The 49-year lease of 400,000 hectares of central Equatoria for around $25,000 (£15,000) allows the company to exploit all natural resources including oil and timber. The company, headed by former US Ambassador Howard Eugene Douglas, says it intends to apply for UN-backed carbon credits that could provide it with millions of pounds a year in revenues.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jun/08/us-universities-africa-land-grab

[LeftyMom]

3. American fundies descended as missionaries almost immediately.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them did some investing while they were there, because colonialism is how they roll.

[Jesus Malverde]

2. U.S. will intervene in South Sudan: Obama

United States has deployed 46 additional military personnel in South Sudan and may take further military action to support the security of its citizens in the violence-wracked country, President Barack Obama has said.

“As I monitor the situation in South Sudan, I may take further action to support the security of US citizens, personnel, and property, including our Embassy, in South Sudan,” Mr. Obama said in a communique to the Congress as released by the White House.

Mr. Obama said on December 21, 46 US military personnel deployed by military aircraft to the area of Bor, South Sudan, to conduct an operation to evacuate US citizens and personnel.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-will-intervene-in-south-sudan-obama/article5492138.ece

[dipsydoodle]

4. Brits, Canadians still in South Sudan city - US evacuated .

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Civilian helicopters evacuated U.S. citizens from a violent South Sudan city seeing bouts of heavy machine gun fire, but 3,000 citizens from countries like Canada, Britain and Kenya remain trapped there, a top U.N. official said Monday.

Toby Lanzer, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator, said Australians, Ugandans and Ethiopians are also among 15,000 total people seeking protection at a U.N. base in Bor, a city that could see increasing violence in coming days.

The death toll from a week of violence in South Sudan has likely surpassed 1,000 people, though there are no firm numbers available, he said. The number of internal refugees has likely surpassed 100,000, said Lanzer, who is seeking urgent financial assistance from the international community.

"I can't afford any delays from donor capitals right now," he told The Associated Press in a phone call. "Never has there been a greater time of need in South Sudan."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_SOUTH_SUDAN_VIOLENCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-12-23-03-30-49