J.B. Russell

Reportage: South Sudan: Between War and Referendum

Sudan's civil war, fueled by a mixture of religion, ideology, oil and ethnicity, was one of the longest lasting and deadliest wars of the later 20th century. January 9, 2010 will mark the five-year anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the war. It also marks the countdown to the 2011 referendum on self-determination for South Sudan, a key provision in the CPA. Life in South Sudan is suspended between the consequences of the conflict and the wait for the vote that will determine the future of the region. The war decimated the population, infrastructure, economy and social fabric of South Sudan. The region is currently plagued by spiraling inter-tribal violence that has killed more people in 2009 than in troubled Darfur. Drought has compounded the violence as the pastoralist tribes compete for scarce water and pasturage. Landmines and other unexploded remnants of the war continue to kill and maim civilians, prevent land from being used for agriculture, impede refugees from returning to their homes, block reconstruction projects and inhibit economic development. Given the current tensions between Khartoum and the Government of South Sudan over the referendum and other issues, and the fact that both sides have been observed to be re-arming, a return to conflict is an all too real possibility.

A young boy from the Mundari tribe walks amoung livestock at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safe grazing land. Continuing violence in the region is forcing ever greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Warriors from the Mundari tribe at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines left over from the long civil war. Drought and continued violence and in the region is causing every greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Youths from the Mundari tribe dance at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines left over from the long civil war. Drought and continued violence and in the region is causing every greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Warriors from the Mundari tribe at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines left over from the long civil war. Drought and continued violence and in the region is causing every greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Members of the Toposa tribe gather in the shade of a tree. The village lies near a former SPLA strong hold and logistics base which was heavily mined during the country's long civil war. The site is widely used for grazing and transit of animals by local residents and is much needed due to drought in the region.Lomongole, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Warriors from the Mundari tribe at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines left over from the long civil war. Drought and continued violence and in the region is causing every greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A young boy from the Mundari tribe carrying an AK 47 Kalashnikov used to protect livestock at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines left over from the long civil war. Drought and continued violence and in the region is causing every greater numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A member of the Toposa tribe looks up at the sun near a family compound. The pastoralist village lies near a former SPLA strong hold and logistics base which was heavily mined during the country's long civil war. The site is widely used for grazing and transit of animals by local residents and is much needed due to drought in the region.Lomongole, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Toposa pastoralists gather with their livestock at a watering hole in Eastern Equatoria province. The area where they live and graze their livestock was contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordinance during the country's long civil war, reducing much needed grazing land in a region being affected by drought.Longanyat, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Young girls living in the Locheler/Lodingding community. The area, on the outskirts of Kapoeta, was constructed on a defensive barrior minefield that was laid during the country's long civil war. Mines Advisory Group (MAG) cleared the area to allow the town to expand and to rebuild following the end of the conflict.Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Members of the pastoralist Toposa tribe in a family compound. Drought has caused the pastoralists to travel great distances in order to find grazing areas and water for their livestock. The village lies near a former SPLA strong hold and logistics base which was heavily mined during the country's long civil war. The site is widely used for grazing and transit of animals by local residents and is much needed by the community.Lomongole, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Toposa tribe women draw water from a hole dug in the dry bed of the Singaita River in Eastern Equatoria province. Failed rainy seasons have severely affected several East African countries.Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A Mundari herdsmen guards livestock with a Kalashnikov at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move south in search of safe grazing land.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Mundari herdsmen at a cattle camp in Central Equatoria Province. Inter-tribal conflicts and cattle russling in the northern part of the province forced the tribe to move further south in search of safer grazing land. The area where they settled is contaminated with unexploded ordinance and landmines. Continuing tribal violence is forcing ever increasing numbers of people to be displaced.Kuruki, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Butchers prepare meat at a stall in the Kapoeta Barak Market (New Market). The area of the market lies on land that was a defensive barrior mine field during the war. Mines Advisory Group (MAG) cleared the land to allow the expansion and economic development of the town.Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A man wearing a cross in the Kapoeta Barak Market (New Market). Southern Sudan is largely Christian and Animistic while Northern Sudan is primarily Muslim. Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
The Djinima community is situated just next to a large minefield near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Equatoria province.Morobo, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Overturned and stuck transport trucks along a road washed out by rains in Central Equatoria province. Decades of civil war have left the infrastructure of South Sudan in ruins.Liggi, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
A fisherman casts his net early in the morning on the White Nile.Juba, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A benchmark from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) indicating a suspected hazardous area painted on a tree in the Djimina community. The village is situated just next to an area heavily contaminated with landmines near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Equatoria province.Morobo, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A de-miner from Mines Advisory Group (MAG) clears a large area contaminated by landmines that is desperately needed by seven families to cultivate food and cash crops.Morobo, South Sudan. 09/10/2009.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
   
Angelo Lokidor found an anti-personnel landmine on a road when he was a young man. When he attempted to move the mine off the road to prevent others from stepping on it, his hands caught on a trip wire and the mine exploded. He lost both hands, had serious injury to his skull, lost sight in one eye and has hearing problems.Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
A stockpile of disused ammunition in Central Equatoria province awaiting demolition.Juba Road 55 mile, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
William Soro (background) and one of his sons on their land that is heavily contaminated with landmines left over from decades of civil war. William Soro is the head of a clan of seven families that are in desperate need of their land to cultivate food and cash crops in order to survive.Morobo, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
People walk along a main boulevard in the town center of Yei in Central Equatoria province.Yei, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
Emmanuel Oching is headmaster of the Kuleu Lights Academy, a nursery and primary school supported by an Anglican Church mission. He was educated in Uganda where he was a refugee during Sudan's long civil war. The conflict ruined the education system in South Sudan and caused a generation of South Sudanese to miss basic schooling. Lack of infrastructure and qualified teachers risks to prolong the situation.Kapoeta, South Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell
     
  
Students attend class at the Kanyara Secondary School. Sudan's long civil war ruined the education system in the South and caused a generation of South Sudanese to miss basic schooling. Lack of infrastructure, materials and qualified teachers risks to prolong the situation.Morobo, South Sudan. 09/10/2009.Photo © J.B. Russell
   
An Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldier along the road between Torit and Kapoeta.Eastern Equatoria Province, Southern Sudan.Photo © J.B. Russell