BACKGROUND ON UNREST ALONG SOUTH SUDAN'S BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 001191

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/USSES, AF, AF/E
NSC FOR MGAVIN
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2011
TAGS: MARR PBTS PREL SOCI SU KE
SUBJECT: BACKGROUND ON UNREST ALONG SOUTH SUDAN'S BORDER
WITH KENYA

Classified By: CDA Robert E. Whitehead for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (sbu) During a meeting with Kenyan Ambassador Robert
Ngesu on IGAD issues, Charge raised reported clashes between
Sudanese Toposa, Kenyan Turkana and Kenyan security forces in
the border area not far from Lokichoggio. Local press
reports reported the death of 16 Kenyan soldiers in one
recent engagement; a subsequent press release from the Kenyan
Ministry of Defense denied that the Kenyan military had
suffered any casualties. Ngesu insisted that the latter was
accurate, and explained that the current problems stemmed
from long-standing tribal rivalries as well as past Kenyan
support for the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) during
its armed struggle against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).


2. (c) Ngesu said that the 30 kilometer-wide swath of
territory between Lokichoggio and the historical border
crossing with Sudan at Nadapal has long been a bone of
contention between Toposa and Turkana tribesmen, who each
claim the area's rich grazing and water rights. This rivalry
intensified during the conflict between the SPLA and
Khartoum's forces during the 22 year-long civil war. With
Kenyan approval, SPLA leader John Garang established his
headquarters at New Site along with two other SPLA bases
located on the Kenyan side of the border. Ngesu said this
was by design to prevent a SAF offensive from overrunning or
bombing Garang's garrison without the risk of a Kenyan
reaction. Because of the large number of armed fighters
present and inherent security risks, the Kenyan population of
the area pulled back, and Toposa herders from South Sudan
moved in.


3. (c) After the 2005 establishment of the Government of
South Sudan (GoSS),Ngesu continued, Kenya sought to
re-establish the old border and develop the area in order to
take advantage of growing commercial ties between Kenya and
South Sudan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed the
re-opening of the traditional border crossing with
immigration, customs and security facilities at Nadapal. The
Toposa, who were using the territory area and who had already
begun to raid and skirmish with Turkana herders who were
moving back into the strip, rejected the Kenyan position.
They insisted that the territory was South Sudan's and thus
rightfully theirs. SPLA forces supported the claim: when the
Kenyan Minister of Immigration attempted to approach a
contested SPLA border post two months ago, he was turned back
at gun point


4. (c) Ngesu said that the GOK is taking steps to address
the problem. After recent clashes, Kenya has stationed
additional security forces nearby. A Kenyan security team
will meet with counterparts from South Sudan to discuss how
to maintain peace along the border, and next month the Kenyan
Minister of Interior is scheduled to travel to Juba for
talks. Ngesu said that it was important to avoid
confrontation between Kenyan security forces and the SPLA,
and he conceded that it was possible that there might have
been casualties from the most recent clash after all.


5. (c) Comment. Kenya may have provided the SPLA safe
havens in Kenyan territory during the Sudan civil war, but
our research indicates that New Site is located on Sudanese
territory and was not one of those. Border points along the
Ugandan frontier with South Sudan have experienced problems
over territorial claims similar to those near Nadapal.


WHITEHEAD