Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir addressed a party rally in Khartoum last week, vowing to never compromise with the “poisonous insects” of South Sudan, using frightening rhetoric reminiscent of the Rwanda genocide. 

Although neither Sudan, nor South Sudan, have declared war on the other, Sudan littered its neighbor with eight bombs following these hateful words.  This violence has all been attributed to the disputed borders between the long-rivaling neighbors and unresolved issues over nearby oil reserves.  Since April 10, when South Sudan took control of the oil-rich town of Heglig, the two nations have been, as many describe, on the brink of war.

Prompted by the recent violence that erupted, the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing yesterday to examine the current conflict and discuss possible policy options the United States and other nations should explore in order to avoid an all-out war in the region.

South Sudan and Sudan continue to fight for territory. The regime's target is now the people in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan. More than a 100,000 residents have fled to the south after violence erupted in the contested region of Abyei. The Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has denied international relief for the people, and government military forces continue to move south, encouraged by the lack of response from around the world.

A Kenyan court today issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.  This decision will hopefully put an end to the impunity Bashir had previously enjoyed when he traveled to the country.

As a state party to the ICC, Kenya is legally obligated to turn over Bashir and any other individuals indicted by the Court as soon as they set foot on its soil.  However, in August of 2010 Bashir visited Kenya without being arrested, illustrating the gap in the ICC's ability to enforce cooperation among its member states when it comes to turning over indictees.  ICC judges then reported Kenya to the United Nations Security Council for its failure to turn over Bashir.

Born out of war; that has been the headline from so many journalists concerning South Sudan. The dire circumstances which led to South Sudan's independence, are now causing the international community to work diligently with the South Sudanese to prevent continued violence and tension in the region.

Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing titled "Two New Sudans: A Roadmap Forward."  Princeton Lyman, the United States Special Envoy for Sudan, was the sole witness. Lyman began by announcing how successful the independence celebration was in Juba on the July 9th weekend. The celebration is of course now followed by an abundance of issues that must still be addressed.