Tension between South Sudan, Sudan "seems to be easing": UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN secretary-general's special representative for South Sudan, Hilde Johnson, said on Monday that tension between the two nations of Sudan and South Sudan "seems to be easing" while violence in the new country's state of Jonglei are intensifying.

"The secretary-general's special representative for South Sudan said today that the tension between Sudan and South Sudan seems to be easing," deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said at a daily briefing here.

In her statement, Johnson "congratulated both countries with their agreements on the expected cross-border opening of the transfer of oil later this week" and "voiced hope that this will open up a new chapter for the two countries," del Buey said.

In January 2012, South Sudan decided to halt its oil pumping and exportation via Sudan's pipeline after Khartoum reportedly deducted some crude oil for what it said was a fee issue.

On March 8, Khartoum and Juba agreed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to implement cooperation and security arrangements reached last September, which included resumption of South Sudan's oil exportation through Sudan's pipeline in two weeks' time.

In spite of this achievement, the South Sudanese state of Jonglei is facing "considerable security challenges," he said.

Jonglei State, Sudan's largest state which borders Ethiopia to the east, also has "the two biggest threats to stability and security of civilians" which is "inter-communal violence and insurgency by armed groups," he said.

Consequently, the UN envoy "called for restraint and said that it is critical that all levels of government take measures to stop the ongoing attacks," he said.

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) will "continue to maintain a significant military and civilian presence across Jonglei" and believes in "acting with impartiality to assist the Government in protecting communities," he said.

Jonglei state in South Sudan has been witnessing clashes for about two weeks between Nuer and Murley, the biggest tribes at the area, due to disputes over cattle ownership.

The South Sudanese government has earlier declared Jonglei state a "disaster area" and sent around 3,000 soldiers to try to avoid tribal violence in the state. Around 1,000 UN troops are also deployed in the area.

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