11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Fighting between Dinka, Murle and Nuer or among Nuer tribes resulted in killing of several hundred persons ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 24208]

"In August fighting between Murle and Nuer groups resulted in over 80 deaths. [...]

Fighting between ethnic groups, such as between Dinka and Nuer or among Nuer tribes resulted in the killings of several hundred persons during the year."

Document(s): Open document

12.2007 - Source: ReliefWeb

Information on Nuer "White Army"; clashes between Nuer and Murle in Jonglei State ("Violence and victimization after civilian disarmament:The case of Jonglei"), Autor: Small Arms Survey [ID 24209]

"During the civil war, a variety of armed tribal groups competed for power and control of resources in Jonglei.

One such armed entity was the "White Army", an umbrella term for semi-organized militias comprising young armed Nuer men (aged 14 - 35).

The original purpose of the White Army at village level was to protect communities from attacks, many of which are related to cattle-raiding, water sources, grazing rights, and revenge feuds as well as undisciplined acts by disgruntled soldiers (UNSC, 2007, para. 4; Young, 2007a).

Though never fully organized, the White Army became increasingly enmeshed in the civil war as both Khartoum and the SPLA supplied it with small arms at different times.

[...] This increase in firepower has contributed to a rise in confrontations and interethnic rivalries in Jonglei (Young, 2007a) as well as to an increase in the deadliness of these conflicts (Small Arms Survey, 2007).

Persistent civil insecurity and unrelenting cattle raids and inter-clan/inter-tribal attacks remain ongoing threats to human security.

In late July and early August 2007, for example, reported clashes between Murle and Nuer left 60 - 80 people dead."

Document(s): Open document

23.10.2007 - Source: UN Security Council

Jonglei State: Clashes between Nuer and Murle left over 80 dead ("Report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan [S/2007/624]") [ID 24210]

"In southern Sudan, scattered incidents of inter-ethnic violence were reported in Eastern Equatoria and Warrab States, as well as in Jonglei, where clashes in August between Murle and Nuer fighters reportedly left over 80 dead.

Most incidents were linked to cattle rustling, private feuds and/or undisciplined acts by disgruntled soldiers."

Document(s): Open document

19.10.2007 - Source: ReliefWeb

Information on clashes between "White Army" and SPLA in Jonglei State; on animosity between Nuer and Dinka ("Responses to pastoral wars"), Autor: Small Arms Survey [ID 24211]

"Between December 2005 and May 2006 the SPLA administered a coercive civilian disarmament campaign in northern Jonglei State.

The campaign was initiated at the request of communities who needed to negotiate access to cattle camps.

It sought to remove weapons from local pastoralist groups, primarily the Lou Nuer, many of whom perceived it as a political crackdown.

The history of animosity between the Nuer and the Dinka, who have dominated the ranks of the SPLA, may have compounded this suspicion.

From the beginning, the initiative encountered resistance from the Lou Nuer "White Army" militias - semiorganized groupings of armed young men who protect cattle and conduct raids on neighbouring tribes.

In the course of the disarmament programme more than 3,000 weapons were collected, and an estimated 1,600 White Army and SPLA soldiers were killed - approximately one death for every two weapons seized.

The bloodshed was attributed to poor planning and implementation, and limited buy-in from local chiefs and communities."

Document(s): Report