7 Jan, 2010, Africa

About 140 people have been killed in the ethnic clashes in Southern Sudan as the aid agencies warn that the country faces a return to war. The Deputy Governor of Warrap state, Sabino Makana said that the members of the Nuer group attacked Dinka cattle herders and seized thousands of animals. Most of the violence happened over the weekend in the city of Tonj. The UN says more than 2,000 people have been killed in ethnic violence in the south since last January. More people have died in the Southern Sudan than in Darfur last year.

The north and south fought a 22-year civil war that left some 1.5 million people dead. A 2005 peace deal ended the conflict and created a power-sharing government. But 10 international aid agencies warned on Wednesday that a “lethal cocktail” of rising violence, chronic poverty and political tensions was pushing the accord towards collapse. The Southern politicians accuse President Omar al-Bashir’s allies of arming rival groups in the south to stoke up trouble. They say that Mr. Bashir wants to destabilize the region to sabotage a national election planned for April, and a referendum on southern independence the following year.

The clashes came to light only after a UN security team visited the remote area by aircraft two days ago. The Southern Sudan remains one of the poorest areas of the world and clashes over resources are common.