[JURIST] The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos [official profile] on Friday expressed concern [statement, PDF; press release] about deteriorating conditions in Sudan due to continued violent conflict in the country. Amos noted a recent increase in Sudanese refugees crossing into neighboring countries because of the conflict. In her statement, she noted that although the government successfully partnered with the World Food Program (WFP) [official website] to provide aid to government-controlled areas of the country, efforts to provide food and aid for individuals in rebel-controlled regions have failed. Amos called on the Sudanese authorities to honor its commitment to providing food to all Sudanese people and allow neutral parties to enter rebel-controlled regions.

On Monday the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) urged South Sudan to adopt a plan to prevent further inter-communal violence [JURIST report] in Jonglei State. The report was completed based on information gathered through 20 field missions by UNMISS with the support of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The report revealed that there were 612 fatalities during the armed conflict between Lou Nuer and Murle ethnic groups between December 23 and January 4. In February Human Rights Watch (HRW) had called on South Sudan to investigate the ethnic conflict [JURIST report] sparked by the attacks made on Murle villages and to prosecute those responsible for the violence. In December around 6,000 to 8,000 armed Lou Nuer youths calling themselves “White Army” invaded the Murle villages for 12 days, robbing and burning houses and killing thousands of people. In response, the Murles groups initiated retaliatory attacks on Lou Nuer and Bor Dinka areas which lasted until February 4.