SOUTH SUDAN/FILE: South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei says a ceasefire will not hold if it is exploited by the rebels to continue killing civilians

Record ID: 344369

  • Title: SOUTH SUDAN/FILE: South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei says a ceasefire will not hold if it is exploited by the rebels to continue killing civilians
  • Date: 28th December 2013
  • Summary: UPPER NILE STATE, SOUTH SUDAN (FILE) (REUTERS) OIL INSTALLATIONS IN UPPER NILE STATE PIPELINES AT OIL FIELD OIL ENGINEERS WORKING ON OIL FIELD VARIOUS OF OIL PIPELINES AND OIL TANKS OIL VALVE PIPELINE VARIOUS OF SOUTH SUDAN OFFICIALS AT OIL FIELDS VARIOUS OF PIPELINES AND TANKS, PEOPLE WALKING AROUND OIL INSTALLATION SIGN IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE WORKERS ON OIL FIELD
  • Embargoed: 12th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Sudan
  • Country: South Sudan
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8JRA5LKXITTX6X789MM3V3PQE
  • Story Text: South Sudan's neighbours threw their weight behind President Salva Kiir on Friday (December 27) in an ethnic-based conflict ravaging the world's newest state, saying they would not accept any bid to overthrow his democratically elected government.
    Kiir also received a boost in Malakal, capital of South Sudan's major oil producing state of Upper Nile, where government forces defeated rebels loyal to Kiir's former deputy Riek Machar after four days of intense fighting.
    Information Minister Michael Makuei told journalists in the capital Juba that Upper Nile state and its oil fields were under government control.
    "The oil fields of northern part of Upper Nile are safe. The oil fields of Unity state are partially closed because of the presence of the rebels in those areas and the killing of personnel in the oil fields. So that has affected in a way or the other the flow of the oil in the Unity state."
    Makuei also repeated that Kiir's government was ready for a ceasefire as long as this would not be exploited by the rebels.
    "We are committed to peace and for that matter we have accepted the cessation of hostilities - if it will not be exploited. But if it is exploited, definitely we will not allow them to continue killing the citizens of the Republic of South Sudan. This government, the government of the Republic of South Sudan is under duty, it is under duty to protect, protect the lives of its citizens."
    The violence erupted in South Sudan on Dec. 15 and quickly spread, dividing the landlocked country of 10.8 million along ethnic lines between the Nuer - Machar's people - and the Dinka, to whom Kiir belongs.
    Western powers and regional governments fear the ethnic bloodletting could lead to a civil war.
    The head of the U.N. mission in Sudan has said well over 1,000 people have already been killed.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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