SPLM-DC denies association with Upper Nile clashes

According to officials of the SPLA, the fights took place on Sunday 6 March 2011 claiming dozens of lives. Upper Nile State is therefore the third flash point in Southern Sudan, after heavy fighting was reported from Abyei and Jonglei areas last week.

Click here for the SPLM-DC press release

Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, who heads the SPLM-DC, has expressed great concern about this development, although denying that the fights have any political reasons. He reasons that the fights broke out due to land issues, stressing that the widespread possession of arms increased the number of casualties.

Analysis of the \"SPLM/A-Shilluk conflict in Upper Nile\" by the Small Arms Survey

The SPLA, on the other side, claims that Lam Akol\'s Shilluk tribe has been involved in the fighting, thus accusing both Lam Akol and the SPLM-DC of being the orchestrators of the attacks. Marvis Birungi has the details of these latest clashes, which seem to further weaken the stability of Southern Sudan: