Africa

January 9, 2017 (LEER) – Humanitarian operation in Southern Liech, one of South Sudan's new states is on the decline, with aid workers accusing the country's two main rival forces of blocking their work.

A group of displaced women wait registration under mango tree in Nzara county, 2010 (ST Photo)

James Andrew, an area aid worker, told Sudan Tribune Monday that security in Leer town and its surrounding villages is on the decline.

“It has not been easy for us to reach the victims in several places. Both pro-government forces and armed rebels harass us as we take assistance to the vulnerable civilians displaced by war,” he said.

Mary, a 28-year humanitarian worker on ground also echoed the mistreatments of non-governmental organization workers in the area.

“We have been facing hardships while giving assistance to the committees affected by the conflicts, whether in areas held by government or SPLM-IO [South Sudan armed opposition faction. It had never been an easy task to reach those in need,” she said.

The government chief whip, Khan Nin Yieh, claims the dismissal of the deputy governor has affected the achievement of peace and unity.

He said the removal of Simon Chuol Biel at this particular time, will be more difficult for the operation, describing the former deputy governor as the most understanding leader on the government side.

“The deputy governor remains the simplest man, who always stands with everybody in Southern Liech state in particular his cooperation with several aid workers, making their work easy on ground,” he said.

Southern Liech remains one of the areas currently being contested between the armed opposition forces and South Sudan army (SPLA).

Leer town had been a scene of fierce battles between South Sudan's warring factions, with Human Right Watch documenting what it says are some of the worst human rights abuses in the country.

(ST)

January 09, 2017 (JUBA) - A South Sudanese blogger is on the run after receiving life threats for criticizing President Salva Kiir's decision to appoint his brother in-law as the new Governor of Gogrial state.

President Salva Kiir adresses a joint press conference on 9 July 2016 (Reuters Photo)

Writing in the South Sudanese Blogger forum, paanluel.com, Emmanuel Ariech Deng labeled President Kiir's choice for Gen. Deng Kwach Aduol as "nepotism" and not a merit-based appointment.

"Major-General Gregory [Vassills Dmintry] rise in military ranks has never been about battles won, it has never been real military service delivery but mere consideration given due to the position held by the husband of his sister," wrote Ariech last week.

"Dmitry appointment has largely portrayed the President as nepotistic and added more harm on the deteriorating legacy of President of his rule after the controversial constitutional extension election period," he added.

Dmintry was, prior to his appointment, the director of the fire brigade.

In the decree, the new governor is mentioned by the name, Deng Kwach Aduol, which was equally criticized by the outspoken Ariech.

Deng took oath of office last week and is due to travel to Gogrial.

"So if you don't see me, they [unknown callers] might have arrested me. But now, I am hiding," Ariech told a friend on Monday.

Meanwhile, Deng criticized the opinion as attack on his personality in a rally at Juba University on weekend and pledged a stance response. He did not specify what exact he will do.

In the article, Ariech also attacked Governor Deng's private life including sexual abuses, allegations which Sudan Tribune could not independently verify.

South Sudanese writers are often threatened and some journalists have lost their lives for being critical to President Kiir's government.

Deng is a brother to the South Sudanese Frist Lady, Ayen Mayardit.

(ST)

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January 8, 2017 (BOR) – An estimated 12,000 heads of cattle that had been confiscated from two different attacks in Jonglei state by suspected Murle raiders, have been found in Likuangole village.

Jonglei State Governor Philip Aguer (AFP Photo)

Speaking at a public rally held in the Jonglei state capital, Bor Governor Philip Aguer said the South Sudanese army (SPLA) would be sent to the area to recover the stolen cattle to give its owners.

The army, he added, have been tasked to forcefully collect the confiscated cattle and arrest criminals who carried out the attack.

“As the government, we have agreed with the governor of Boma state that all our heads of cattle currently in Likuangole-that were raided in various places, including Gadiang and Jalle-must be brought by force”, said Aguer.

The governor said his administration rejected claims made by people in Pibor, stressing that military intervention will be the solution.

“The government in Juba has accepted this, the army will be sent to Likuangole. People in Boma state said they will collect and bring back these heads of cattle without military intervention, but this is not true, the army must be sent”, he added.

However, there was no clear time line stated by the governor as to when the army would leave for Boma state to undertake this operation.

The youth of Likuangole have been accused on several occasions of involvement in criminal activities within South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Last year, hundreds of children and heads of cattle from Ethiopian villages were taken by the youth of Likuangole, an issue that nearly brought cross border tension between South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Through the Ethiopian military intervention, several of the abducted children were rescued and returned to re-unite with their families.

(ST)

January 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Sunday opened a military clothing factory, a joint venture between Sudanese and Qatari ministries of defence and Turkish businessmen.

Founded in 2003 by the Sudanese Ministry of Defence and Turkish investors, SUR International Investment Company Ltd., was initially designed to fabricate the uniforms of the Sudanese army.

In June 2013, the Qatari Armed forces joined the project and provided the needed funds to transform the factory into an integrated military textile company able to produce all textile products of the military and police forces in Africa besides Middle East countries.

The Qatari State Minister for Defence Affairs Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah, and the inauguration of the new facilities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Omer al-Bashir vowed to continue providing all the needed support for SUR factory in order to achieve its goals and to cover the need of national armies in the region.

New production lines are scheduled to open next May. Besides covering the needs of the Sudanese army the SUR will export its production to Qatar, Turkey, Kenya and Somalia.

The visiting Qatari minister held a series of meetings with the Sudanese military officials. He was also received by President al-Bashir.

(ST)

January 9, 2017 (JUBA) - The Archbishop of the Catholic Church Diocese of Juba, Loro Lokudu has urged South Sudan President, Salva Kiir to make forgivenes key in the national dialogue initiative.

The Archbishop of Juba Diocese Lokudu Loro

The cleric made these remark during a prayer service he conducted at his residence of the South Sudanese leader in Juba on Saturday.

According to Bishop Lokudu, for reconciliation to commence and for people to have faith in the national dialogue process declared by the president, people must prioritize forgiveness as a starting point.

“I ask the president to pardon and forgive all political prisoners as well as others arrested for minor offenses, other who may have been arrested because of rumors mongering and propaganda,” he said.

Meanwhile, president Kiir appealed to all South Sudanese in and out of the world's youngest nation to reconcile among themselves.

“I am determined to make the year 2017 a year of peace and reconciliation. I need all your support,” said the South Sudan leader.

He lauded the security service for playing cardinal roles that enabled South Sudanese celebrate Christmas and New Year peacefully.

“I want to thank my younger brother, General Michael Chiengjiek, the Minister of Interior and all the security sector ministers for the job well done,” president Kiir further told the gathering.

The prayers were for the New Year and for the president to have personal contact with people from different walks of life in the young nation.

A number of presidential advisors, ministers, community leaders, members of parliament and council of states, diplomats and representatives from the various United Nation agencies, attended the gathering.

(ST)

January 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sadiq al-Mahdi, the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) has called on the United Nations to pass a resolution requiring the Sudanese government to implement the confidence building measures included in the African Union Roadmap Agreement.

FILE - The leader of Umma Party and former prime minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi speaks to the media after meeting with Sudan's President Omer Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum March 24, 2011 (Reuters)

The government and Paris Call forces (the armed group s and the NUP) signed in March and August 2016 the Roadmap Agreement brokered by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) including several steps towards their participation in a national constitutional process inside Sudan.

However, the parties failed to sign a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian agreements that are seen crucial before to move forward in the roadmap implementation process. However, the government maintained its plans and held a dialogue conference and adopted a National Document including constitutional reforms and release of freedoms.

Sudanese government and allies pointed that the holdout groups can sign the outcome of the dialogue process (National Document) and participate in its implementation through the National Concordance Government and transitional parliament. The move is seen by the opposition group as clear violation of the Roadmap.

In a message of congratulations to the new United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres released on Sunday, NUP leader said Sudanese people look forward to a just and comprehensive peace and democratic reforms.

The former prime minister who is preparing to return to Sudan on 26 January after a two-year self-imposed exile in Cairo added that some stakeholders are deliberately blocking the path towards peace and democratic transformation.

"We look forward for the United Nations in coordination with the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to issue a resolution calling on the Sudanese stakeholders to commit themselves to implement the confidence building measures which are the cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, guarantee of fundamental freedoms and the release of political detainees and prisoners," he said.

During the past two years, al-Mahdi worked tirelessly to win the confidence of the armed groups and to bring them together with the other opposition groups in the Sudan Call alliance to accept the idea of a comprehensive national solution.

In his message, al-Mahdi pointed on the need to encourage the peace and democratic transformation process by recommending to write off Sudan's debt, lift of sanctions and to review ways to achieve accountability in Sudan.

"In order to reach this successful outcome, the United Nations can recommend a foreign debt exemption, lifting of all sanctions, and a flexible approach to accountability as I proposed in 2011 to Mr. Hervé Ladsous the United Nations Under-Secretary-General in New York. His response then we will deal positively with the Sudanese people demands," he said.

(ST)

January 8, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan rival forces have issued separate statements in which both claimed to have captured areas initially controlled by each of the two opposing factions.

Arms and light weapons have been used by both warring parties in South Sudan to commit abuses (Photo courtesy of SSANSA)

Key government officials and military officers in Upper Nile told Sudan Tribune in a series of interview that their forces repulsed attempted attacks on their positions by the armed opposition fighters allied to rebel leader, Riek Machar in around Nasir town.

Gajiok territories under Latjor state, according to a government official, have taken from armed opposition fighters he described as anti-peace elements. The SPLM-IO forces loyal to FVP, Gen. Taban Deng Gai, he said, captured Nordeng, Dhuoreding, Torpuot, Ketbek, Nyariew and Mandeng on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

These operations, he further explained, were carried out under the command of one Gen. Nasir Ruot Geng for whom he called for congratulations “for the job well done”.

“I want to declare today that the entire Gajiok area is free from Riek Machar," said Gordon Buay, one of South Sudanese diplomats to its mission in Washington.

Meanwhile South Sudanese rebels under the command and leadership of Machar announced that they had captured Morobo county in Yei River state in Equatoria region.

The armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO) military spokesman, William Gatjiath Deng said in a statement issued on Saturday that the SPLA-IO forces managed to capture Morobo county after an attack on their positions by pro-government troops in the area.

"Now, the gallant SPLA-IO forces are in full control of Morobo county,” said Deng.

(ST)

January 8, 2017 (CAIRO) - Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani Sunday has formed a liaison committee to negotiate with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on arrangements for the new era in the country.

Al-Mirghani, who left Sudan in 2013 to London for medical treatment, arrived in Cairo last August following controversial reports over his health conditions and that his doctors advised him to give up public work.

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune Sunday, liaison committee rapporteur Hatim al-Sir Sikingo said the committee is composed of Ahmed Saad Omer, Al-Fatih Tag al-Sir, Gaafar Ahmed Abdalla, Hassan Mohamed Musaad, Magzoub Abu Musa and Abdel-Magid Abdel-Rahim.

According to Sikingo, the committee was sworn before Al-Mirghani in Cairo, saying the party's leader handed over the members the guidelines for negotiations with the NCP including the commitment to the DUP constitution and the democratic values besides staying away from the aggressive alliances against the government.

He added the committee was also directed to layout demands for stopping the war, enhancing the democratic transition, allowing freedoms, promoting human rights, reforming the economic situation and establishing balanced foreign relations.

Sikingo pointed that al-Mirghani expressed confidence that the committee would achieve positive results that overcome previous political mistakes.

“Al-Mirghani told the committee members that all [political forces] have no option but dialogue and to establish new basis to serve the future?” said Sikingo.

He said the committee would meet with the NCP soon, pointing it would submit the outcome of its meetings to al-Mirghani to take the suitable decisions.

Sikingo pointed the move is not directly linked to the formation of the upcoming government, saying their political agenda is not confined to the distribution of cabinet posts but they seek to restore democracy.

It is noteworthy that the DUP was among the political parties that participated in the government-led national dialogue conference and approved the National Document.

The DUP left opposition ranks and joined the “broad-based” government of the NCP in December 2011, citing the “need to save the country,” in the words of al-Mirghani himself.

The decision of one of Sudan's biggest opposition parties to join the government has triggered a party crisis, which has seen many DUP members tendering their resignations and others protesting in their home areas.

The party received three ministries in the federal cabinet and continues to serve under this allocation.

(ST)

January 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday said it has intercepted the smuggling of 1500 illegal migrants on the Sudanese-Libyan border during the last seven months.

SRF field commander Mohamed Hamdan (Hametti) speaks in a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday May 14, 2014 (ST)

Sudan is considered as a country of origin and transit for the illegal migration and human trafficking. Thousands of people from Eritrea and Ethiopia are monthly crossing the border into the Sudanese territories on their way to Europe through Libya or Egypt.

In June 2016, hundreds of RSF elements have been deployed in the remote desert of the Northern State shortly after complaint by the governor of drug and human trafficking by the criminal networks.

On Sunday, 115 illegal immigrants captured by the SRF at Sudan's northern border have arrived in Khartoum.

Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum Sunday, SRF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, (aka Hametti), said the victims would be handed over to the Ministry of Interior.

He pointed that Sudan is amongst countries who fight ruthlessly against human trafficking, illegal migration, arms smuggling and terrorism, saying the SRF troops were deployed along the borders with all neighboring countries.

Dagolo added that the SRF is making large efforts to combat human trafficking and illegal migration especially as the operations are being conducted in rough terrain within the desert, saying several of his men were killed and injured during these operations.

He demanded the international community to lift the sanctions imposed on Sudan in order to allow it to combat human trafficking, pointing to the adverse impact of sanctions on all segments of the Sudanese society.

Sudan has been under US economic sanctions since 1997 and remains on the US list of state sponsors of terror.

Washington admitted Sudan's cooperation in the anti-terror war but now points that it wouldn't remove Sudan from the list of states sponsor of terrorism or left economic sanctions before the end of armed conflicts in Darfur region and Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

Last year, the European Union granted a €100m development package to address the root causes of irregular migration in Sudan. The financial support came after pledge by the Sudanese government to cooperate with Brussels to stop human trafficking to Europe.

In January 2014, the Sudanese parliament approved an anti-human trafficking law which punishes those involved with human trafficking with up to 20 years imprisonment.

The RSF, which is widely known as the Janjaweed militias, were originally mobilized by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2003.

The militia was reactivated and restructured again in August 2013 under the command of NISS to fight the alliance of rebel groups from Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states following joint attacks in North and South Kordofan in April 2013.

January 8, 2017 (JUBA)- A former South Sudanese official has warned President Salva Kiir of a looming "revolution" should he fail to step aside from the helm or change the way he runs the country's affairs.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir speaks at a public rally in Juba on 18 March 2015 (Photo: AP/Jason Patinkin)

“The people's revolution is coming. You're dividing our society .You're killing your own legacy and our fallen heroes legacy. If you can't run it, step aside”, Suzanne Jambo, a former secretary for external affairs at South Sudan's ruling party secretariat, said.

Jambo, a supporter of the president while in office, said South Sudanese were fed up after being pushed too far since President Kiir got into the centre of national affairs.

“You've pushed us too far and we are now fed up! You've only a few months to act or get out of that seat! Make sure you take with you all your Incompetent relatives, expired old guards & corrupt colleagues," Jambo wrote on her Facebook page on 3 January.

The former party official warned that change was coming and nothing would stop it.

“We are coming and nothing will stop us, the patriots, the youth, the won and the competent", she further wrote.

It is unclear what prompted Jambo to openly criticise the ruling party.

Critics of the former South Sudan ruling party official, however, argued that it could have been an attempt to draw the attention of the president to get into negotiation through middlemen and colleagues at the secretariat or in the government to offer her a job.

(ST)

Earthworms help South Africa's farmers - Nicholas Ing tells the BBC about his agribusiness.

January 7, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir is scheduled to visit the restive Yei town in February to consolidate peace and reconciliation, following report about attacks on local population by the government army and growing tensions on tribal lines.

Minister of Information and Government Spokeperson Michael Makuei Lueth said the visit comes in response to an invitation of the people of Yei and church leaders, who have asked him to visit them.

“The people of Yei and especially the churches had invited President Salva Kiir to visit them in February, and the President has accepted to visit Yei and attend the celebrations of the ECS church in Yei in a date to be determined in February,” said Lueth in a statement broadcast by the official South Sudan television after a regular cabinet meeting.

The minister said the cabinet had approved the visit.

Representatives of the government, opposition and civil society groups in Yei plan to meet with him during his first visit to the restive area since the resumption of the conflict in July 2016, when government forces and soldiers allied to his former First Vice President, Riek Machar, clashed at presidential palace.

His first deputy Taban Deng Gai was recently in the area with a number of key government ministers. Also, another delegation was in Yei last October.

UN officials and rights groups say civilians continue to flee the area massively, indicating that the government forces carry out indiscriminate attacks on civilians as result of the presence of local rebel fighters in the Central Equatoria area.

In a report released last November, HRW said unidentified attackers, in the government controlled areas entered a house and killed a mother and her 4-year-old daughter with machetes, then dumped their bodies in a river. "The 4-month-old baby was cut on the neck but survived," the group said.

The rights group further reported that the local SPLM-IO rebel fighters ambushed cars from the area and killed mostly Dinka, the same tribal group of President Salva Kiir.

(ST)

Ivory Coast is reported calm after a two-day mutiny which saw soldiers seize the defence minister.

January 7, 2017 (KHARTOUM) -The government militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has dismissed statements by the minister of interior about the presence of armed militias at Jebel Amir gold mines in North Darfur State.

Fighters from the Rapid Support Forces sit in an armed vehicle in Nyala, south Darfur, displaying weapons they say they captured from the Justice and Equality Movement rebels on May 13, 2015 (AFP Photo/Ashraf Shazly)

Interior Minister, Ismat Abdel Rahman Zein al-Abdin, on Wednesday 5 January has called for the intervention of the army to end the control of foreign militias over gold mines in North Darfur State.

"They are more than 3,000 heavily armed foreigners riding four-wheel-drive vehicles in the gold rich area, in addition to other foreigners the interior ministry was not able to count because of the 'overlapping tribal ties in Jebel Amir," said Minister Zein al-Abdin.

However, in statements to the official news agency SUNA on Saturday, RSF spokesperson Adam Saleh ruled out the presence of foreign militia in Jebel Amir.

"The Rapid Support Forces and the Sudan Armed Forces are present in Jebel Amir performing their national duties, and there is no foreign presence in the area," he told SUNA.

The spokesperson further said the RSF "managed to capture four vehicles loaded with gold and two trucks transporting illegal migrants in the desert, north-west of Dongola, on their way to Libya."

He added that the trucks were transporting 140 migrants.

The minister who was briefing the parliament about the security situation in Jebel Amir spoke about an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the matter, and pointed that they have no presence in the largest gold artisanal production area.

(ST)

January 7, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North agreed to develop joint actions and to escalate peaceful struggle to achieve regime change in Sudan.

A photo extended to Sudan Tribune by the SPLM-N showing the group's chairman Malik Agar (C), its secretary general, Yasser Arman (L), and Gen. Gagod Mukwar in Stockholm on 23 May 2015.

The agreement between the two left opposition groups comes a month after a positive impact of an electronic campaign by Sudanese youth activists for a civil disobedience to overthrow the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.

"The two parties and other forces will work to unite all the different segments of the opposition in a flexible center able to cope with the daily activities and the escalation of the struggle to overthrow the regime and strengthen relations between all opposition forces," said a joint statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday.

The two disobedience campaigns of November and December 2016 have shown that the country was ready to support calls for regime change.

However, very quickly it was marred by the lack of unified and visible leadership and accusations that opposition groups taking part in the African Union mediated process want to take advantage of the campaign to get more concessions on the negotiating table.

The holdout groups said they seek a regime change not a negotiated solution leading to maintain the regime in place.

"The balance of power is heading for the benefit of our people and its active forces. Also (the civil disobedience) has shown that the regime lost its legitimacy and created the necessary conditions to bring about change and overthrow the regime," emphasised the SPLM-N and SCP in their statement.

The SPLM-N which is under international pressure to reach a political agreement with Khartoum, also recently signed a similar agreement with the Broad National Front (BNF) of Ali Mahmoud Hassanein which refuses negotiations and calls to topple down the regime, like the SCP.

On 30 December 2016, the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) led by Malik Agar who is also the leader of the SPLM-N adopted a five-step plan to create a unified center for the opposition groups saying it also aims to convince the international community to support the aspiration of Sudanese people for a regime change.

Following the adoption of the National Document at the end of the National Dialogue Conference in Khartoum, the Sudanese government blamed the rebels, the National Umma Party and other Sudan Call factions for not joining the process.

The government says the Sudan Call groups and other holdout groups can join the National Document and participate in the elaboration of a new constitution through the transitional parliament and government that it is preparing to announce soon.

(ST)