Africa

Ending months of speculation, Joseph Kabila's party backs a former minster to succeed him in December.

Labourers down tools shouting "we are not slaves" days after two crashes killed 16 migrant workers.

Kenya's former 400m hurdles world champion Nicholas Bett dies aged 28 in a car crash.

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Five reasons why breastfeeding is a healthy option for mother and child, from Kenyan nutritionist Jane Napais.

Cameroon centre Joel Embiid says he's aiming to be the world's best basketball player.

Football tournaments in Northern Kenya are helping hundreds of girls break from child marriage, early pregnancy and female genital mutilation.

Photographer Tommy Trenchard captures small details that reflect the lives of refugees who have fled South Sudan.

Brian Hungwe looks at Zimbabwe's election fallout for the opposition as it disputes the presidential poll results.

There was jubilation in the streets of South Sudan’s capital overnight on Sunday, as residents celebrated a new agreement that the top UN official in the country has described as “a big step forward” towards ending nearly five years of brutal conflict.

August 6, 2018 (JUBA) - European Union and Troika diplomats in Juba called on the South Sudanese government to free Peter Biar Ajak, a prominent critic who has been arrested without charges at Juba airport since nine days.

“We are deeply troubled by the arrest and ongoing detention by the South Sudanese National Security Service (NSS) of youth activist Peter Biar Ajak on the morning of Saturday 28 July 2018,” says a joint statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday.

The statement, which was inked by the head of diplomatic missions in Juba of Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, further expressed concern about the harassment and intimidation of civic actors; restrictions on freedom of expression and association; and arbitrary detention in South Sudan.

The western diplomats pointed that all these human rights abuses are in clear violation of the South Sudanese constitution and called the government to release him or to bring him to justice.

"We, therefore, call on the government to either release Peter Biar Ajak or to bring charges against him in a timely manner in accordance with the rule of law and to grant him access to a lawyer," said the joint statement

Ajak family's said he is held at the headquarters of the National Security Service in Jub, adding the agency denied his lawyer to meet him.

BRITISH LAWMAKERS

The UK Parliamentary Group for Sudan and South Sudan on Friday released a strongly worded statement calling on the British Foreign Secretary to do all he can to secure the release of Peter Biar Ajak.

"Peter is a friend of our parliamentary group and a tireless campaigner for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan," said Sir Henry Bellingham, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Sudan and South Sudan.

The British parliamentarians also urged South Sudanese government should ensure freedoms and create a conducive environment for "civil society leaders like Peter, not arbitrarily arresting them without charge".

(ST)

August 6, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Ministry of Defence said the 5th round of the joint Sudanese-Egyptian military talks on the level of experts would kick off on Tuesday in Khartoum.

In a statement on Sunday, the Defence Ministry said the Egyptian Army Chief-of-Staff, Lieut.Gen. Mohamed Farid would arrive in Khartoum on Monday evening to take part in the talks.

Head of the Sudanese team to the talks Lieut. Gen. Hisham Abdel-Mutalab Ahmed, pointed to the need to benefit from the accumulated experience of both armies to enhance joint cooperation and exchange of expertise.

For his part, head of the Egyptian side Maj. Gen. Khaled Labib stressed his country's keenness to promote cooperation with Sudan on all domains.

During a visit of Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to Khartoum last month, the two countries agreed to coordinate efforts to enhance the security of the Red Sea and promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The tumultuous relations between Sudan and Egypt experienced last December a new crisis over media attacks against al-Bashir after a visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudan. Also, Sudan accused Egypt and Eritrea of supporting rebel groups to attack Kassala State on the eastern border.

However, the two countries recently developed a joint security cooperation against the opposition groups from both sides.

The main differences between the two neighbours remain the dispute over the border triangle area of Halayeb and the construction of Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam that Sudan backs.

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August 6, 2018 (ZALINGEI) - Two farmers have been killed and one seriously injured on Sunday in an attack by unknown gunmen against Kambo Di village for voluntary return, 5 kilometres west of Zalingei the capital of Central Darfur State.

In a statement seen by Sudan Tribune, IDPs and Refugees Committee in Central Darfur said 6 gunmen at 2:00 am (local time) on Sunday opened fire at Kambo Di residents killing two and injuring one.

It pointed out that the dead persons are identified as Khadiga Adam Salih and Adam Ibrahim Abdel-Karim while Mariam Adam has sustained serious injuries.

An official source told Sudan Tribune the security organs have immediately deployed troops to the incident scene, saying, 5 suspects, have been captured and transferred to Zalingei prison to conduct criminal proceedings.

Meanwhile, hundreds of IDPs have attended the funeral at Hasahesa camp graveyard amid widespread condemnation of the incident.

Several villages of voluntary return have been attacked by gunmen who refuse to allow farmers return to their original areas and use their farmland.

Last June, 8 people were killed and 7 others injured seriously by unidentified gunmen at Higair Tunu village for voluntary return, 29 kilometres south-east of South Darfur capital, Nyala.

Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.

However, the displaced complain that the security situation remains the same pointing to the government militia saying they continue to attack them and grab their land.

Last August, the Sudanese government launched a campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan.

The Sudanese authorities say the spread of weapons among the rival tribes in the region is one of the main causes of Darfur's instability.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

(ST)

By Adeeb Yousif

This article is intended to address the topic of mistrust, to enable scholars, practitioners, peace-builders, policy-makers and actors operating in South Sudan to better understand the dilemma, and find the best methods, needs, to deal with mistrust. Moreover, the article aims to draw the attention of the mediation and facilitation teams such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Troika, the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) need to play a positive role in trying to build trust and confidence among South Sudanese. This might help South Sudan avoid a continued future of chaos, anarchy and lawlessness. It is the way to stop the ongoing disastrous conflicts and mitigate latent under-the-surface future conflicts. And indeed it is the possible avenue to stop the bloodshed and stop the miseries of innocent civilians in South Sudan.

The mistrust and stereotyping about other ethnic group is an ever green-subject has usually being distributed and disseminated before or during and after conflict. When conflict turns to violence, it goes far beyond human causalities, it destroys interpersonal trust, and erodes confidence among and between groups. In their article Trusting the Enemy: Confidence in the state among ex-combatants, Enzo Nussio and Ben Oppenheim provide insights on the fundamental need for trust between former ‘enemies', they argue that: “Trust is critical for economic development and prosperity, as well as the successful management of political conflict”. The ground reality is more complex and goes far beyond former combatants. The challenges in war-torn societies are often racked with generalized distrust, both among some ethnic groups and between some citizens and the state; even long after the conflict ends.

The fact that lack of trust has never received some attention during the South Sudan peace talks and the resultant agreement was based on it, no clear mechanism on how to overcome this phenomenon was developed despite its importance to these issues. This article suggests how to build and increase trust, confidence, and peacebuilding in South Sudan. The project will be targeting parties to the South Sudanese conflict, the opposition alliance, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), religious actors, high school teachers, local and community leaders, and women and youth leaders. This initiative is aimed at building the capacity of conflict-affected communities to participate in problem-solving rather than leaving them out of remote conflict resolution formalities. Moreover, the initiative is aimed at creating harmonious co-existence, sustainable peace and reconciliation.

There is no greater challenge facing South Sudan today than dealing with the scourge of negative ethnicity and tribalism. I have always wondered how such issues develop and are allowed to escalate, especially where negative tribalism is concerned. How does mutual tolerance, respect and even love transform into deep hatred? How can elites use their power and capacity to change negative ethnicity into a positive one? Every day, it seems that South Sudan is marred deeper into conflicts and tensions; socially and politically things are getting worse. One of the largest conflicts I have witnessed and lived within its environment is an ethnic dispute in South Sudan. A day does not go by where there is not a new development to this conflict. On Wednesday, June 27th 2018, the warring parties in South Sudan signed a permanent ceasefire agreement following the peace talks held in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.

Later on Saturday, July 8th 2018 Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni hosted a continuation of the same peace talks at State House, Entebbe in Uganda. The leaders of the parties to the conflict in South Sudan, President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his former deputy, Dr Riek Machar, have agreed to form a unity government and signed a framework of power-sharing. On Sunday, August 5 2018, a final power-sharing agreement was signed the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) in neighbouring Sudan. The agreement has been characterized by many including South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) as having no integrity, no accountability, no transparency, no professionalism, no inclusivity and no objectivity, the negotiations had come to an agreement. But, it is difficult, if not impossible, for the Peace Arrangement in its current situation and under the current circumstance, to bring lasting peace to South Sudan, without substantial additional help and effort from the international community to build trust and confidence between South Sudanese political parties and bring the SSOA on board.

Moreover, in order to achieve lasting peace, the conflict-affected civilian population needs to be involved and included at all levels of the peace process and the role of the military must be reduced. In a protracted conflict such as that in South Sudan in which there is little to no trust or confidence among the conflicting parties, the civilian role takes on the utmost importance and is essential to reaching a lasting peace. When the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-In-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) engage in peace talks, or when two political opposition groups enter into a negotiation, it is vital to remember that a final agreement marks only the beginning of the peace process. While it is a “final” agreement accompanied by formal handshakes that provides a temporary reduction in violence, it does not, however, in and of itself guarantee peace. Rather, it is the masses of ordinary people and how they engage with one another on a daily basis that determines either the long-term successful implementation of a peace agreement or its demise. This project will be targeted at local communities and key stakeholders in the region.

Over the years there have been many peace agreements that have been signed in South Sudan. Regrettably, not one of these agreements has brought peace, security, stability or development to the newest country on earth. Rather, these unfulfilled agreements have served to increase the level of insecurity in South Sudan and have created numerous fragmentations. As a result, the social fabric of ethnic groups in the conflicted areas is being destroyed. The concerns of displaced populations, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and demobilized soldiers must be addressed if the goal of lasting peace is to be achieved. Refugees, for example, may know no home outside of the camp. With the signing of a peace agreement, they must find new homes and learn new skills. Displaced populations and the broader civilian population alike expect peace to bring increased prosperity and security, but with a poor economy, a broken justice system, and lingering hatreds, factions often come to see the peace process as a failure and resume fighting as it is believed to be their only option for survival.

The risk of Ethno-political agreement: In an ethnopolitical conflict such as South Sudan, power sharing is not the only solution because Ethno-power sharing is like a wound plaster, it won't heal a broken bone. An employing individual of an ethnic group or signing an agreement with another group can not a solve ethnic conflict. The Government of Sudan has long experienced in singing ethno-political peace agreements, particularly in Darfur. The GoS has been signing peace agreements with groups from various ethnic groups that have no presence or legitimacy in Sudan. This allows that actors to continue to ignore the actual needs of the people and what should be involved in peace discussions, including, political reform, constitutional amendment, economic changes, and the development of infrastructure.

In a bloody ethnic conflict such as South Sudan, conflicting parties need to learn from their present and past mistakes. Fragmented group need to develop ideas of living “unity of purpose ” and pursuing the ideal for resolving political violence and managing conflict. Sharing divisiveness, when people are ready to look at their own personal journey of non-violence and peaceful co-existence. Dealing with their past through truth and reconciliation. When people chose to publicly acknowledge what happens rather than dealing and generating with private memory. Then the fragmented group can apply what is known as liberal peace is emphasizes, democracy, human rights, free market economy and individual political liberty. Whatever the causes, these internal dynamics of opposition movements have clear policy implications.

The Need for PEACE in South Sudan: The children of South Sudan only know their homeland as a place of conflict. For some, the conflict means that they have had to leave their home. All of South Sudan's children are suffering the consequences of a war into which they were born, but are ill-equipped to understand. These children have also been born without the burden of hatred and seeing those that are different from them as the “other”. As a result, they live their lives with love, curiosity, and courage. It is critical that the environment in which they live encourages this climate of tolerance and hope and that it is also shared by their parents and communities. Peace education is the best way in which to foster and nurture this type of environment. Education is vital to maintaining a livelihood with dignity. It also serves as the main gateway to development, security, prosperity, understanding, acceptance, respect, and peaceful coexistence. This trust building project is aimed at changing the paradigm in order to promote a culture of peace through the building of personal relationships. People-to-people peace processes need to take place from the bottom up. It suggests that the public must be involved, included, and informed. Moreover, the project would address the fact that peace cannot be achieved alone, in isolation, but rather through cooperation among former opponents, which requires a great deal of assistance.

Dr. Adeeb Yousif is conflict analysis and resolution scholar and practitioner a human rights activist. he can be reached at: aabdela2@gmu.edu

August 6, 2018 (JUBA) - The National Salvation Front (NAS) which is part of the opposition umbrella South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) Monday distanced itself from the agreement on outstanding issues of governance.

Thomas Cirillo Swaka (Photo Reuters)

SSOA leader Gabriel Changson Chang and SPLM-FDs leading member Deng Alor on Sunday signed the governance deal with President Salva Kiir and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar after a meeting with the IGAD leaders where they were informed that the talks will continue in Khartoum and they can continue to discuss their concerns with the Sudanese mediation.

NAS is the second opposition group to mark its disapproval of the deal and confirmed the growing rift within the opposition alliance. Already, the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), another SSOA member rejected the agreement on the outstanding issues of governance.

In a statement made public on Monday, the group recalled its position on the governance deal of 2 August and reiterated it NAS has not authorized any individual or any group of individuals to act on its behalf, to represent it in Khartoum or to sign the deal on its behalf.

"The Leadership of NAS is aware that some of its members have been compromised and are under extraordinary pressure to sign the Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Governance. While NAS' leadership is handling this unfortunate Incidence internally," reads the statement signed by its leader Thomas Cirillo Swaka.

In a statement issued on 2 August, NAS regretted that the initialled governance deal does not meet its aspiration for a strong federal system.

"The current governance proposal prioritizes power-sharing over devolution of powers, strengthens and further entrenches the current rotten system in Juba rather than transforming it and defers the question of federalism to a permanent constitution-making process that the parties cannot guarantee when this will eventually happen," stressed the statement of 2 August.

The opposition group in its statement of 6 August also condemned the intimidation exercised on the opposition groups by the Sudanese mediation to bring them to ink the governance deal on Sunday, without elaborating.

"NAS' leadership is deeply shocked by and condemn in the strongest terms possible the coercive, intimidating and divide-and-conquer, tactics being deployed by the Mediation in this regard".

(ST)

August 6, 2018 (JUBA) - The opposition People's Democratic Movement (PDM) rejected the agreement on the outstanding issues on governance and power-sharing signed by the South Sudanese parties including the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).

In an email sent to Sudan Tribune late on 5 August after the signing ceremony, PDM leader Hakim Dario recalled their position of 18 July on the governance agreement and stressed that the “PDM did not sign the agreement on 5th August 2018”.

In its statement of 18 July, the opposition group stressed they call for a “Federal Governance during the transitional period, based on three (3) autonomous regions with their borders of the three provinces of Upper Nile, Equatoria and Bahr al-Ghazal as they stood on 1st January 1956”.

The PDM further stressed that the power-sharing should allocate 33.33% for each of the three regions and do not allot power to “to political elites and their movements by a stroke of a pen”.

The SSOA which had rejected the deal on the outstanding issues of governance changed its mind and signed the agreement “for the sake of peace” as it was stated by its leaders.

Their main reservations were on the power-sharing at the state and local governance level and the organization of a referendum to resolve the issue of the contested 32 states.

For the SSOA, the reestablishment of the three old regions was one among three options they proposed as an alternative for the referendum.

In addition, the PDM said the SSOA has no authority to sign on behalf of the Movement pointing that every group should sign the deal on their own behalf individually.

“Mr Gabriel Changson Chang has no authority of SSOA to sign the Khartoum Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Governance on behalf of SSOA,” said the PDM.

August 5, 2018 (JUBA) - The National Salvation Front (NAS) leader Thomas Cirlllo Swaka sacked six leading members of his group after accusing them of "subversive activities" to overthrow him.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the ex-SPLA deputy chief of general staff for training (youtube photo)

The rebel Equatorian group which is part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance on 2 August made public its position on the power-sharing deal saying it did not fit with its aspirations on federalism.

Two days after a group of officers led by Maj. Gen. Julius Tabuley said they were disappointed by the decision saying it had been taken without consultation with the movement's leadership. They also relieved Swaka from the chairmanship of the group.

Swaka in return issued on the 5th of August issued a statement relieving the six putschists saying they "undertook dubious activities with third parties intended to undermine the position of NAS and sabotage the search of our people for Just and viable peace".

The split was the first sign of agitation and what would happen in the holdout groups in the event they maintain their rejection of the power-sharing deal and governance issues.

Some analysts went to compare the situation with the holdout Darfur armed groups which experienced a series of divisions after their rejection of the 2006 peace agreement.

Now as the NAS has split into two factions it is not clear if the splinters will continue to oppose the leader who eventually signed the agreement or the two factions will reconcile and end the rift.

SSOA leader Gabriel Changson Chang surprised the public on Sunday when he appended his signature on the power-sharing deal.

(ST)

August 5, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Darfur Commission for Voluntary Return and Resettlement (CVRR) has briefed the European Union (EU) delegation to Sudan on its ongoing projects, programmes and future plans.

CVRR commissioner, Taj al-din Ibrahim al-Tahir, on Sunday met with the head of political, press and information section at the EU delegation in Khartoum Nadia Lichtenberger.

Al-Tahir told the official news agency SUNA that the meeting discussed voluntary return programmes and how could the EU contribute to the CVRR projects.

He added the meeting also discussed the role of international community in supporting the development projects in Darfur as well as extending the services to host communities and nomads gathering areas.

For her part, Lichtenberger thanked the commissioner and praised the CVRR plans, saying it is in line with the United Nations vision regarding the sustainable solutions for IDPs and refugees.

She also expressed readiness to cooperate with the CVRR to ensure the success of the voluntary return programmes and contribute to sustainable development projects in the voluntary return villages and towns.

Last June, Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam stated that the government has no plan to forcibly evicting the IDPs camps, but has set a number of options for IDPs, including resettlement in the area where they are, or in another area according to their desire.

Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.

However, IDPs representatives in several camps say they refuse to return to their areas before the disarmament of the armed militias and the evacuation of their land from the newcomers.

In a report released on 5 February, UNOCHA estimates there are about 386,000 returnees in Sudan conflict areas including Darfur and the Two Areas.

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)