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In Pictures
Gallery
Drawing new lines: border issues in Sudan
A young girl waits to purchase sweets in the market of Renk, a border town in northern Upper Nile state. Owing to an extensive power grid across the border in northern Sudan, residents in Renk enjoy 24-hour electricity - a stark departure from areas further south where infrastructure is underdeveloped [Pete Muller]
Published On 30 Nov 2010
30 Nov 2010
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An abundant number of mosques and churches in Renk reflect the mixed population. While some say there are tensions between Muslims and Christians in the town, others believe that ideology and politics, rather than religion, are the source of disagreement [Pete Muller]
Men pass through a bustling market in Renk at dusk. Owing to the availability of goods and consistent electricity, Renk boasts a lively nightlife. Scores of outdoor cafes, restaurants and shops line the main street and attract large crowds. Restaurateurs from all regions of Sudan and East Africa offer an array of traditional dishes, sweets and beverages [Pete Muller]
A statue of the late John Garang Renk. Garang commanded forces during the war and was the southern signatory on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. He was killed in a helicopter crash in July of the same year. His death sparked anti-Muslim and anti-northern violence throughout south Sudan, including Renk [Pete Muller]
A northern trader poses for a portrait in the Renk market. Renk is home to many northern and Darfuri traders. Less than 300 miles from Khartoum, Renk receives many essential commodities from the north in deals largely brokered by northern traders. Over the years, many traders intermarried with southerners creating a deeply mixed culture [Pete Muller]
A northern worker performs Islamic ablution before evening prayers in Renk. Some fear that the large Islamic community could become the target of communal violence if hostilities resume between north and south Sudan [Pete Muller]
A woman and her sons at dusk in Renk. Border communities bear a uniquely mixed culture. Forms of dress typically associated with Islam are often donned by Christians who, through years of mixing and intermarriage, adopted many northern attributes [Pete Muller]
A woman waits at a pharmacy in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state. The area is dependent on supplies from northern Sudan that arrive by boat along the Nile River. Much of the Upper Nile state is inaccessible by road from the southern capital of Juba. If conflict closed trade routes, towns like Malakal would experience devastating consequences [Pete Muller]
An Indian soldier serving with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) takes a helicopter flight from Malakal to Melut, a remote outpost in northern Upper Nile. With few roads and adequate airstrips throughout much of this vast region, helicopters are essential for the transportation of goods and people [Pete Muller]
A Dinka man in Melut. While many use terms such as "Arab" and "African" or "Muslim" and "Christian" to describe social dynamics here, in many cases the distinguishing characteristics are more about politics and group identity [Pete Muller]
Abdul Rahim Mustafa, a trader from the north, in his shoe shop in Melut. He has owned the shop for eight years and plans to remain after the referendum. "The business is better here than in the north," he says. "I cannot leave my business. As long as it is safe here, I will remain" [Pete Muller]
Under the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended the civil war between north and south, oil revenues are to be split equally between the signatories. But with nearly 80 per cent of proven oil reserves in the south, some fear that a fight to control the oil fields could erupt along the border [Pete Muller]