What's happened
In South Sudan, violence linked to climate and conflict has led to deadly reprisals against rainmakers and mass displacement. Meanwhile, Sudan's ongoing civil war causes widespread atrocities, with civilians fleeing into South Sudan, where aid cuts have worsened the humanitarian crisis. The situation remains volatile.
What's behind the headline?
Deepening Crisis in South Sudan and Sudan
The recent violence against rainmaker Solomon Oture in South Sudan exemplifies how climate-induced stress fuels social unrest. His killing, along with at least five others over four decades, highlights the dangerous scapegoating of traditional rainmakers amid drought and food insecurity.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Sudan, driven by the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces, has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st century. The UN reports over 150,000 deaths and 14 million displaced, with atrocities including mass graves and sexual violence.
The international response remains hampered by aid cuts, notably in South Sudan, where over 9,000 returnees are stranded in Renk due to funding suspensions. This backlog exacerbates suffering, with shortages of food, water, and shelter.
Both crises are interconnected: climate change worsens resource scarcity, fueling violence, while ongoing conflict hampers humanitarian access. The regional instability will likely persist unless comprehensive peace and climate adaptation strategies are implemented.
The situation underscores the urgent need for targeted international intervention, addressing both conflict resolution and climate resilience to prevent further escalation and suffering.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports on the violent killing of Solomon Oture, a rainmaker in South Sudan, illustrating how climate stress and social tensions lead to violence. The Guardian details the brutal impact of Sudan's civil war, including mass displacement and atrocities committed by the RSF. Both articles highlight the regional interconnectedness of conflict, climate change, and humanitarian crises, emphasizing the need for urgent international response. While Al Jazeera focuses on traditional beliefs and local violence, The Guardian provides a broader view of the ongoing war and its devastating effects, illustrating the complex, layered nature of the crisis.
How we got here
South Sudan faces ongoing instability from civil conflict and climate change, which have severely impacted livelihoods. Droughts and floods have destabilized farming communities, leading to social tensions and violence. The Sudanese civil war, erupting in April 2023, has compounded regional instability, causing mass displacement and humanitarian crises across borders.
Go deeper
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South Sudan, officially known as the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa. It is bordered to the east by Ethiopia, to the north by Sudan, to the west by the Central African Republic, to the south-west by Democratic Repub
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Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in North-East Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southe