Africa

January 3, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - In response to statements by the South Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor, his Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Ghandour said that the disputed Abyei area belongs to Sudan.

A man waves a South Sudanese flag as he celebrates the results of the referendum in Abyei on 31 October 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Ghandour was responding to press statements by South Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor who was in Khartoum during the week end.

During a visit to Khartoum during the week end Alor who is a son of Abyei told Al-Jareeda that Abyei belongs to South Sudan.

"Abyei is a Sudanese territory and the issue is resolved by the decisions of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the African Union," Ghandour said in statements to the press at the National Assembly in Omdurman.

He further pointed to the protocol of Abyei in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which paved the way for the South Sudan independence.

The CPA provides that the contested territory remains part of the north until the organization of a referendum determine its fate.

The difference over who will participate in the referendum prevents the two countries from holding the agreed referendum.

However, the Dinka Ngok organized a three-day unilateral referendum from 27-29 October 2013 to say they want to join the Republic of South Sudan.

Khartoum, Juba, the African Union and the international community refused to recognize the outcome of the vote.

During the electoral campaign for the presidential election in March 2015, the candidate of the ruling National Congress Party (President Omer al-Bashir told a rally in Al-Foula, capital of West Kordofan State that Abyei area belongs to Sudan and will remain a Sudanese territory.

(ST)

January 3, 2017 (BOR) - The Governor of South Sudan's Jonglei state has appealed to the army and police to ensure the safe return nearly 12,000 herds of cattle stolen from the Jalle community during a raid conducted last year.

SPLA soldiers standing near the cattle near Bor, Jonglei, South Sudan, September 26, 2012 (ST)

Speaking during a rally held in the capital, Bor, Philip Aguer, said his government agreed with the central government on how to bring back the stolen of heads of cattle from suspected Murle raiders who attacked and killed 17 people.

The government is planning to use the army and the organized forces to bring back all the stolen heads of cattle.

“We have reported all heads of cattle we lost in December 2016 to the central government and the government has agreed to return all these heads of cattle,” said Aguer.

He added, “And the government that will bring them is the police and the army, if you are a registered police or army officer, you must be ready 100 per cent”.

Boma and Jonglei state had signed a peace deal that was meant to curve down criminal activities between Dinka and Murle ethnic tribes in earlier in December last year.

But this seemed not holding as Jonglei state experienced a lot of attacks just few days after the accord was signed.

Despite all these, the governor was still hopeful that this New Year will be a year of peace in the world's youngest nation.

“2017 will be a year of peace. With peace, you cannot leave your rights to someone, so we will bring back anything that was taken away from us. Criminals in Boma state must be searched for, this year. There is nobody who is a criminal when we know where he lives”, explained Aguer.

“I hope the bad things we faced last year will not be experienced this year, we hope for good things,” he added.

The state government, the governor admitted, faced several challenges in relations to limited services delivery to, but stressed that they managed to develop plans and polices, although not much was actually implemented.

“As the government, we did not do much last year. We managed to develop our master plan and policies and objectives of what to be done in every ministry, but we did not go far in implementation,” stressed Aguer.

He added, “You see the hospital is very weak, all roads are not good, and we have not managed security either”.

On his part, the Bishop of Bor, Rubben Akurdit, blamed the people of South Sudan for creating insecurity to themselves.

(ST)

January 3, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Egyptian government has proposed to hold a meeting among Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt Foreign Ministers to complete discussions on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) ahead of the African Union summit this month.

Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (L), Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir (C) and Ethiopian prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn shake hands during a meeting in Khartoum on 23 March 2015 on the planned Grand Renaissance dam (Photo: Ashraf Shazly/AFP)

The 28th African summit will be held in Addis Ababa from 22 to 31 January.

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry made the proposal during a telephone conversation with his Ethiopian counterpart Tedros Adhanom on Tuesday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the meeting is intended to provide the necessary political support for the technical talks pertaining to the GERD.

In March 2015, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia signed a declaration of principles on the dam project that tacitly approves the dam construction but calls for technical studies aimed at safeguarding the water quotas of the three riparian states.

On September 22, 2014, a tripartite committee from the three countries proposed the conduction of two additional studies on the dam project, the first one on the effect of the dam on the water quota of Sudan and Egypt and the second one to examine the dam's ecological, economic and social impacts of the dam on Sudan and Egypt.

The French engineering consultancy Artelia and BRL groups have been selected to undertake the dam impact studies. The U.K.-based law firm Corbett & Co was selected to manage the legal affairs of the tripartite committee.

Last Septmebr, the three countries signed the final contracts for the consultation offices appointed to conduct technical studies.

The multi-billion dollar dam is being constructed on the Blue Nile, about 20 kilometres from the Sudanese border, and has a capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, and is expected to generate electrical power of up to 6,000 megawatts.

Egypt is concerned that the dam could reduce its quota of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile water, while the Ethiopian side maintains that the dam is primarily built to produce electricity and will not harm Sudan and Egypt.

Last May, Ethiopia's Minister of Information and Communication Getachew Reda said the GERD is almost 70% complete.

(ST)

January 3, 2017 (JUBA) – Several of seals and stamps were found at the premises of Click Technologies Ltd by the security personnel from the General Intelligence Bureau (GIB) during searches conducted as part of inquiries into the alleged theft of huge sums of money from the office of the South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, new details have emerged.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (AFP)

The contentious case involved the $500 million allegedly stolen from the president's office and transferred to the account of John Agou in Nairobi, Kenya in favor of Mayen Wol Jong, the Chief Administrator and Executive Director Yel Luol Koor.

According to the report released by Legal Watch Associates South Sudan, Koor and Agou were tasked by the investigations committee to explain how seals and stamps from government institutions ended up at Click Technologies Ltd, owned by the latter.

“This particular seal was requested by the Executive Director in the Office of the President, Yel Luol from Click Technologies Ltd. The seal was made bearing writing for the “Office of the President''. When the seal was delivered to the Executive Director, the Executive Director rejected it because they only need the seal with writing ‘'The President'' and not the one for the “Office of the President”, said Agou in his statement before the High Court.

He further added, “The Company made the correct seal and delivered it to the Office of the President and took back the incorrect seal with intention to destroy it. That's how the seal ended up being found in the premises of Click Technologies Ltd”.

However, when asked to also explain how the seal for the army chief of general staff ended up at his Click Technologies Ltd, Agou, who owns the company, claimed the seal was requested by the personal assistant of the chief of general staff, identified as Captain Dut Yai.

“The seal was produced by Click Technologies Ltd with the writings “The Republic of South Sudan – Office of the Chief of General Staff-SPLA/SPLM” and also bearing the “Coat of Arms for the Republic of South Sudan”. When the seal was ready, the company called Capt. Dut Yai to pick it and he picked it up. A few days later, he came back and said that the seal has some errors and that he need a new seal bearing “Coat of Arms of SPLA” and writings, “The Republic of South Sudan - Chief of General staff-SPLA”, Agou told the court.

“The correct seal was made and delivered to him and the company took back the incorrect seal with intention of destroying it. This is how the security personnel ended up impounded it at the premises of Click Technologies Ltd,” he added.

Testimonies contained in court documents Sudan Tribune obtained further showed that the scanned signature of the president that was found in one of the computers impounded at the premises of Click Technologies Ltd by GIB security personnel was only used for the process of producing executive portraits of the South Sudan leader.

“The sample of the signature was provided by the Executive Director in the Office of the President and its usage on the portrait photos of H.E. the President was approved in 2012 by a committee composed of former Legal Advisor to the President, Telar Ring Deng, former Minister in the Office of the President, Emmanuel Lowilla and former Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Barnaba Marial Benjamin,” partly reads a section of testimonies contained in court documents.

“The above mentioned Seals and the Signature of the President were NOT used on any financial documents requesting for payments from the Ministry of Finance and Economic planning or the Central Bank of South Sudan, neither were they used by the anybody for any official or unofficial purpose,” it adds.

Meanwhile, auditors and investigators denied that the seals and signatures found were used for any illegal activities when asked by the defense lawyers during the trial into the alleged corruption case.

An aide to the president, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the South Sudanese leader's signature is only used for specific functions, citing appointment of government officials, dismissal of the same government officials, correspondence with other heads of state, confirmed death sentences and grant pardons to people convicted, promote army and other organized forces officers and retired them also according to the law, among other official matters.

“But no such function was done without the knowledge of the president that was shown to the court as evidence, despite the high propaganda that was said by security personnel that the signature of the president was used to request money from the central bank by John Agou,” the official told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

He added, “The president does not sign cheques, and neither does he have sample signatures in any bank to use his signature to withdraw money,”

A report released by Legal Watch Associates South Sudan on the alleged corruption in the office of the South Sudanese President's office poked holes in the process of administration of justice starting from the time of arrests detention, investigation, trial, and sentencing up to conviction.

The case involved 16 people from different institutions including the President's office, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Bank of South Sudan and staff of Click Technologies Ltd.

(ST)

Expressing concern at escalating tensions and threat of renewed conflict following developments in central Libya, the United Nations envoy for the country urged all parties to work together on reconciliation and to refrain from any rhetoric that could inflame the situation.

January 3, 2017 (JUBA) - The South Sudan's First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai has urged citizens, particularly those with grievances towards each other and government to forgive, forget and open new chapters in life for the sake of peace.

Taban Deng Gai addresses delegates after he was sworn-in as South Sudan FVP inside the Presidential Palace in the capital of Juba, July 26, 2016 (Photo Reuters/ Jok Solomun)

Gai, who replaced rebel leader Riek Machar last year, made these remarks while speaking at a rally held in Yei River state on Tuesday.

“When two people do not talk to each other, God does not touch their files until they reconcile, though one must be on the right, they will not receive God's blessing if they do not compromise”, he said.

The official said he was in the state to assess the general situation as part of his peace plan and programs to sensitize the population and members of the armed opposition faction, who are yet to respond to calls for cessation of hostilities and move to the cantonment sites.

“This year, how do we want it to be? We want it to be the year of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness and unity,” Gai said in a statement, broadcast on the state-owned South Sudan television (SSBC).

He added, “If you have a problem within the family, reconcile, tell the person who offended you that I have forgiven you. If you have grievances you want to be addressed by the government, come out and tell the president and I am sure he will listen to you and the problem will be solved. This is what we should do and this is what the New Year should be. We need to forgive and reconcile”.

Yei state is one of the states in Equatoria region which have been experiencing insecurity for the last five months since the renewed violence that erupted in the national capital Juba in July last year.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes following the insecurity in the area. Observers have, however, doubted the extent to which Gail controls the armed opposition fighters.

Also although Gai claims to control rebel fighters in the area, he has shown no authority to end atrocities in Yei and its neighboring areas.

A few hours after the First Vice-President's heavily guarded visit to Yei where he spent two nights and after he flew out of Yei, a bus was ambushed on Juba-Nimule road and civilians were killed.

Despite insecurity in the region, Gai is expected to visit Torit and Yambio in Equatoria region before touring Wau in Bahr el Ghazal region.

(ST)

January 3, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan rebel leader, currently in South Africa, ordered for the release of the Tanzanian pilot who landed in a rebel-controlled area within Unity state last week, an official said.

South Sudan's opposition leader Riek Machar speaks during a briefing in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa April 9, 2016 (Photo Reuters/ Tiksa Negeri)

The armed opposition's chairman of the national committee for information, Mabior Garang said Riek Machar, directed the pilot's release after he was contacted and the latter flown back to Juba.

The plane, a Cessna 208B-Caravan-Registration: 5H.MZA was operated by Mohammed Nassur Saleh. On board was the government-appointed commissioner of Panyinjiar county, Peter Gatkoi.

Carrying a 12-member crew, the plane landed at Ganyliel airstrip, an area controlled by the Machar-led armed opposition fighters sparking concerns and investigations behind the circumstances under which the plane could have landed in a rebel held territory.

Local officials in the area, Mabior said, contacted the higher leadership after the plane landed and spotted the presence of the county commissioner and his entourage after they disembarked.

“The movement's civil administration, the local authorities in Panyijiar county immediately alerted the top leadership of the movement. The Chairman and Commander in Chief of the SPLM/SPLA Dr. Riek Machar Teny then ordered for the release of the said pilot”, he said in a statement also extended to Sudan Tribune.

The Tanzanian pilot, according to Mabior, was allowed to fly away on humanitarian grounds and he has since returned to Juba.

“The movement has since decided to release both the pilot and the plane on humanitarian grounds and the Pilot have since safely left our liberated territories back to Juba. The innocent pilot, who carried no legal documents and had no access to any embassy in the country, blames Juba government for lying to him that Panyinjiar was under government control”, he stressed.

The armed opposition official, however, expressed regrets and surprise at how saying their opponents in Juba would send an innocent pilot into a rebel controlled area as a bait for propaganda.

“The SPLM/SPLA (IO) regrets that the regime in Juba would send an innocent pilot into our liberated territories without information and then fabricate a story alleging the pilot is being held by the “IO” in exchange for their spokesperson James Gadet; who was kidnapped with the help of Kenya authorities last year,” said Mabior.

He further added, “These allegations are pure propaganda”.

The rebels denied reports that they detained the pilot and demanded ransom.

“In reference to the above subject, the leadership of the SPLM/SPLA In Opposition would like to refute the negative propaganda fabricated by the Salva Kiir administration regarding a Tanzanian pilot, allegedly held for ransom by the SPLM/SPLA (IO) security personnel,” clarified Mabior.

He described the rebel faction as a mass popular movement with civil administration in its liberated territories and that the entire movement commends the leadership shown by the commissioner of Panyijiar Brig. General John Tap Puot and his entire staff, officers and all those who reacted quickly to resolve the situation.

In the past, he said, the rebel had previously released foreign planes which landed without their permissions in Pagak, Uror and Jiech as good gestures to encourage humanitarian services in their territories.

(ST)

January 3, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan's First Vice-President, Taban Deng Gai has advised rebel leader, Riek Machar to denounce armed rebellion and return to the young nation.

Riek Machar sits in his field office in a rebel controlled territory in Jonglei State February 1, 2014. (Photo/Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Speaking during a visit to Yei River state on Sunday, Gai said regional countries denied Machar safe entry into their territories and would be locked out for a foreseeable future.

“Riek Machar has been parked [in South Africa] like a car without wheels,” Gai told a crowd gathered in Yei town.

“Time for conflict in South Sudan had ended. Time for conflict in the region has ended in all regions,” he told the Juba Monitor newspaper adding, “This is time for peace”.

This was the First Vice-President's first visit to Yei River state since his controversial appointment to replace Machar.

“This year, for the sake of peace, [we] should talk to our relatives to join peace. Let them [rebels] know what happened to Riek Machar. Now Riek Machar is a trouble maker and he has been parked in South Africa. They will be parked like Machar,” said Gai.

“Riek Machar will not be seen again. He would be seen again in elections if there is peace. If there is no peace, Riek Machar will not be seen again,” he added.

Meanwhile, Agel Machar, a youthful member of armed opposition faction said Gai's peaceful approach to the South Sudanese ongoing conflict would work.

“I believe in the leadership of Gen Taban Deng Gai, because he is working for peace, not war. My leaders in the IO-Riek are for war, which I protest,” Agel told The Dawn newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday.

Agel, who hails from Bahr el-Ghazal region, initially backed the Machar-led rebel faction.

(ST)

A law that gives women in Zambia the right to take a day off work if they're on their period is finally being discussed openly.

By Elwathig Kameir

Since the launch of the "civil disobedience" initiative in November 2016, called for by several non-partisan Sudanese youth groups using cyber space, the leadership of the SPLM/A-N has not ceased its incessant chain of press statements in support of, and expressing solidarity with the peaceful youth movement, as a viable way, to reach its final aim of overthrowing Al-Bashir's ruling regime. There is no doubt, that the reader of these frequent pronouncements would not have second thoughts that the SPLM-North emanate from a political organization that favours the adoption of peaceful political means and civil action to achieve its legitimate political objectives. In a previous piece, I had strongly argued that the “civil disobedience” experience is a lesson, for the armed movements, to learn from, more specifically to review the feasibility of armed struggle in accomplishing the very same goals. The viability of armed resistance should be at the top of the SPLMN's agenda. (The Aftershocks of the Disobedience: What will the Government Do? Sudantribune.net (Arabic edition), 18 December, 2016). It is true that the armed movements have the right to support any peaceful movement for change, and to build ties with all political activists. However, it remains that the meaningful contribution, of an armed movement for exerting pressures on the ruling regime, rests on achieving military victories and occupying and/or liberating territories. Indeed, that was the "value added" of the SPLM/A, under the leadership of late Dr. John Garang, during the 1980s and 1990s. Tilting the balance of forces in favour of the “peaceful revolutionaries” in Khartoum eventually paved the way for toppling Nimeiri's regime.

However, in a statement issued on the first of January 2017 the SPLM-N transcended its earlier stance of lending mere moral support to the civil resistance, to advancing specific practical proposals in the arena of peaceful political struggle. Thus, in this press statement, the Secretary-General of the Movement called on “Sudanese nationals who hold foreign passports to organize a campaign for collective return to Sudan and challenge the regime, according to a specific agreed-upon program that aims at consolidating the escalation of popular activity. If the regime took any action against them, it would then face both internal, and external condemnation from countries, from which the returnees hold travel documents and passports (because these countries) are obliged to protect them according to their internal laws. This would cause dual pressures (on the regime)”. This sounds great.

However, the call of the SPLM-N might not find a consensus or a broad-based response among the targeted population group. The Sudanese in the diaspora do not in any way represent a holistic mass, rather they profess heterogeneous doctrines and varied political beliefs. Therefore, why doesn't the SPLM-N develop its own initiative further? This could be approached by specifically addressing, during this first phase, the Movement's external constituency, members and close supporters. The SPLM-N has dozens of chapters and offices abroad, particularly in Europe and North America, which are supposed to be prepared to mobilize and organize on a large scale. Why doesn't the SPLM-N, as long as it is convinced of the viability and feasibility of peaceful means of struggle, take the lead in challenging the regime on this score, while seeking to expand the proposed campaign by reaching out progressively to the rest of the Sudanese in the diaspora? Perhaps, such an approach might prove rewarding on a number of counts. First, it would bestow credibility on the Movement by being able to translate political slogans into reality, a lacking attribute among Sudanese politicians. Second, it would furnish a test of the degree of people's embracing of, and popularity of the SPLM-N, following a long stagnation of engagement in civil political action, dating back to June 2011. Third, it would be an exercise in assessing the degree of effectiveness of this method of peaceful resistance. Fourth, it is an opportunity for providing practical training for the cadres of the Movement in the sphere of peaceful action and political networking. Above all, opting for the accomplishment of “change” through the mechanisms of peaceful political struggle, the SPLM-N would accumulate an appreciable political capital, which God Knows is desperately needed at this critical juncture.

Dr. Elwathig Kameir is a former university professor of Sociology and consultant with numerous regional and international organizations. He is also a former member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) . He is reachable at kameir@yahoo.com

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Sudan Democracy First Group Nirtiti massacre in Central Darfur exposes the criminal nature of Bashir's regime

2 January 2017

On the first day of 2016, and only one day after President Bashir's announcement of a one-month cease fire in the three conflict zones, the Sudanese Army and its allied militias attacked the area of Nirtiti in Central Darfur state. Wearing the uniform of the Sudanese Army, the attackers took over the area for several hours, assaulting people in their homes and neighborhoods, killing and wounding tens of civilians with the death toll continuing to climb.

The raid on Nirtiti took place within the area of operation of United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) forces: UNAMID did nothing to stop the attack or protect civilians as per their mandate.

The raid on Nirtiti is understood to be a reprisal by the army for the killing a solider whose body was found in the outskirts of the city the previous day.

This latest massacre confirms several important facts about the conflict in Darfur.

First, the war in Darfur is still ongoing. The government's discourse about the “end of conflict” in Darfur is a baseless assertion which the international community has swallowed, allowing a blind eye to be turned to the crimes and victims in Darfur.
Second, there is a complete lack of genuine political will on the part of the government to achieve peace. The attack on Niriti took place one day after the announcement of a cease fire by the Head of Sate. That announcement had no meaning for the Army and pro government militias which have had a constant license from the government to commit atrocities and crimes as part of the conflict strategy, regardless of the political situation.
Third, the event confirmed that despite the political rhetoric of the national dialogue, the real government policy is that declared by President Bashir in his speech to the army on 25 December in which he pledged to continue to pursue a military “solution” to the crisis in the three areas.
Fourth, this massacre exposed once again the infectiveness of UNAMID in exercising its mandate to protect civilians. Not only are bureaucratic procedures impeding its ability to act decisively, but it has repeatedly shown that it cannot act without the consent of Khartoum, most recently reflected in the Mission's cowardly response to the allegations of the use of chemical weapons in Jebel Mara.

The army's criminal offensive on the citizens of Nirtiti is not a standalone incident: it is part of the norm in Darfur. Similar raids took place on several cities last year and before. No political solution can be achieved in the conflict without addressing this practice of government sanctioned attacks on civilians and looting cities and villages. Sudanese citizens in the conflict zones deserve justice and protection. Accountability (both political and legal) for these crimes must be at the top of the agenda of any attempt to achieve a lasting peace in Darfur and the rest of Sudan.

International mediators and actors in the Sudanese crisis must not ignore the spilled blood of Sudanese citizens. It is insulting, cruel and inhumane to ignore the realities of such crimes while proposing Pro forma deals that ultimately help no one but the criminals to escape accountability and reap the benefits of the cycle of impunity.

Sudan Democracy First Group
2 January 2016

January 3, 2017 (ZALINGEI) - Central Darfur Governor Jaafar Abdel-Hakam Monday blamed the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement-Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) for the bloody attack in Nertiti, while the opposition forces pointed accusing fingers at the government saying its troops committed "the massacre".

Central Darfur governor, Jaafar Abdel Hakam (Photo SUNA)

"Preliminary investigations conducted by the security authorities in Central of Darfur State show involvement of the SLM-AW elements in the riots that broke out yesterday in the city of Nertiti - in western Jebel Marra," said Abdel Hakam in a press conference held in Zalingei on Monday.

He explained that on Friday they received a note that a soldier had been murdered in Campo forest and transported from the murder scene to Al-Jabal neighbourhood in order to mislead the investigation. The day after, he added, they learnt that doctor had been beaten and his money was looted.

The governor further said they received intelligence saying that six SLM-AW fighters infiltrated the neighborhood, killed the soldier and attacked the doctor. Following what a joint forces from the police, the army and the national security service was dispatched on Sunday morning to arrest the six rebels, the governor said, adding that the culprits opened fires on the government forces and instigated the crowed to attack the forces.

"The group intended to provoke the armed forces and cause chaos," he stressed.

From his part, the commander of 21st infantry division, Gen. Aboud Mansour said the Sudanese army forces were keen to avoid shooting when they arrived to the area. But the inhabitants of the neighbourhood were angered and attacked the troops with sticks and knives when two children were killed by stray bullets fired from unknown sources.

Abdallah Saleh al-Shafie, an IDPs representative in the area on Sunday told Sudan Tribune that the government forces in Nertiti launched an indiscriminate revenge attack on the civilians using heavy and light weapons after a soldier was found dead in the area.

Al-Shafie said that nine people were killed and 60 wounded, some of them are seriously hurt. He added that government troops looted civilian property and broke into shops in Nertiti markets.

The governor said 28 men were wounded, including four policemen and 19 women, adding they were treated from their minor wounds at Zalingei Hospital and discharged on the same day.

Abdel Hakam reiterated his accusation against the SLM-AW saying that the rebel group was involved in the events.

The Deputy Governor Mohamed Musa Ahmed said that calm had returned to Nertiti and pledged to pay the blood-prince to the victims' families, treat the wounded and compensate the affected people.

CONDEMNATIONS

Sudanese opposition groups condemned the killing of civilians pointing to the lack of security and the chaos in the western Sudan region.

"The Sudanese regime inaugurated the new year with this heinous massacre against unarmed civilians, which led to the deaths of dozens of martyrs, besides the wounded and detainees and missing persons," said Abdel-Wahid al-Nur in a statement he issued on Monday.

He further denounced the inertia of the UNAMID peacekeepers who didn't intervene to protect civilians describing their attitude as the "The worst form of collusion with the Khartoum regime".

The rebel leader called on the Sudanese opposition forces to support the action of Sudanese youth who work to achieve a civilian disobedience to topple the regime.

The SLM-AW is not part of the African Union brokered peace process to end Darfur crisis. During the year 2016, the group fought against the government forces in the western area of Jebel Marra for several months.

However, the government failed to clear the region from the rebel group. The governor in the past months admitted the existence of "some pockets" in the state.

The National Umma Party of Sadiq al-Mahdi condemned the killing of civilians saying it constitutes a "full-fledged crime" and condemned the silence of the international community.

(ST)

January 2, 2017 (YAMBIO) – Police in Gbudue, one of South Sudan's newly created states, arrested dozens of people who allegedly fired gunshots, creating fear and panic during New Year celebrations.

New police recruits during a parade in Yambio June 27, 2016 (ST)

The state minister for information, Gibson Wande confirmed the arrests, but said the organized forces acted within their jurisdiction.

State authorities, he added, laid security arrangements to deploy the organized forces to different areas in the state and warned those holding gun not to celebrate the Christmas by shooting guns in air.

“During Christmas, there was no gunshot until the night of 31 December,” said Wande.

He however stressed that those in police custody would be taken to face the court of law to explain why they violated the order from the government, which created panic and fear among the people.

“Those found guilty will be fined or jailed according to the law,” said the minister, adding that no casualties were recorded during the sporadic gunshots.

Yambio and other areas in Gbudue state have been experiencing fighting between armed men and government forces, resulting into loss of lives, looting of properties and displacement of people.

(ST)

January 2, 2017 (JUBA) – The Tanzanian pilot initially detained by South Sudanese rebels after the plane he flew landed in the armed opposition area, has been freed.

The chattered plane detained by rebels (courtesy photo)

A rebel official said Mohammed Nasser and the Payinjiar county commissioner, Peter Gatkoi, who was aboard the chartered plane, were freed on “humanitarian” grounds.

“The Tanzanian Pilot who was sent by Juba regime to the SPLM-IO liberated territories without his knowledge, believing he would be harmed for their propaganda purposes, has been released today with his plane on humanitarian grounds,” Garang Mabior, the armed opposition's director for public relations, said in a statement.

Mabior also dismissed as untrue reports that they had demanded the release of Tanzanian national with the hope that he would be exchanged for rebel leader, Riek Machar's spokesman, James Dak, who is being detained.

“There was never such a demand. This is just usual propaganda of Juba to think that The United Republic of Tanzania is supporting our movement, when no such thing exists,” the statement further added.

Mabior said the government under President Salva Kiir wanted to create a diplomatic incident. The rebel official did not elaborate on the fate of Panyijiar county Commissioner, Peter Gatkoi, who was on the same plane.

The pilot had, in an earlier interview with Sudan Tribune, blamed the country's authorities for his woes, saying he was duped to believe Payinjiar county was under the control of government.

(ST)

January 1, 2017 (JUBA) – Officials from Southern Liech, one of South Sudan's new states, have condemned the removal of deputy governor, Simon Chuol Biel.

The map of Unity state

The government chief whip, Khan Nin Yieh said removal by the governor of his deputy was unacceptable and will weaken the state administration.

Yieh described Biel as a very “dedicated” and “selfless” state civil servant.

Biel was a member of the red army who joined the liberation struggle in the earlier ages,” he said, stressing that the deputy governor's commitment to the country and its people was always beyond individual aspirations.

The chief whip claimed the governor surrounds himself with “notorious” individuals to continue running the state with “lies, greed and selfishness”.

The officials have urged the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) under South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir Mayardit and first vice president Taban Deng Gai to undertake urgent measures to address the Southern Liech state political situation.

(ST)

January 2, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Panic has gripped residents following repeated armed robberies along the road linking North Darfur capital, El-Fasher to the locality of Tawila, some 60 kilometer to the west.

A UNAMID peacekeeper during a routine patrol in Tawila, North Darfur.(Photo UNAMID/Hamid Abdelsalam)

Ali Adam Mohamed, a bus driver told Sudan Tribune Monday that gunmen continued to ambush and vehicles and loot passenger possessions at Jebel Kousa area.

“On Sunday, an armed group robbed passenger luggage and possessions at gunpoint in Jebel Kousa area at the locality of Tawila,” he said.

For his part, Mohamed Ibrahim, a bus operator, told Sudan Tribune that gunmen riding four-wheel drive vehicles or motorcycles threaten bus drivers at Jebel Kousa, 30 kilometer west of el-Fasher.

“They loot whatever they want and we, the buses drivers, have notified the local authorities however the phenomenon continues to occur,” he said .

“In the past, gunmen used to kill [passengers] and block the roads to and from the locality of Tawila. This phenomenon has disappeared during the past period but it has returned these days,” he dded.

Last June, North Darfur governor Abdel-Wahid Youssef accused unnamed parties of seeking to keep the “insecurity and instability” situation in Darfur, pointing to “hidden hands that prompt the security chaos in all Darfur's five states not only North Darfur”.

He declared a state of maximum readiness among regular forces to control the lawlessness situation in the state and prevented riding of motorcycles, wearing of Kadamool (a turban which covers the face) and holding arms inside the capital, El-Fasher.

(ST)

January 2, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit would visit Khartoum during the coming days to meet President Omer al-Bashir to discuss outstanding issues between the two countries, said Foreign Minister Deng Alor.

South Sudan former cabinet affairs minister Deng Alor Koul(Photo: Moses Lomoyat)

Last November, al-Bashir and Salva Kiir met on the sidelines of the 4th Africa-Arab Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The two presidents agreed to communicate directly to solve problems the joint committees encounter in their discussions to implement the signed agreements between the two neighbouring countries.

Alor, who conveyed a verbal message from Salva Kiir to al-Bashir on Monday, said he had good discussions with al-Bashir, announcing that Salva Kiir would visit Sudan to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties.

Responding to a question about Khartoum's recent demand from Juba to expel Sudanese rebel who are still in its territory, Alor said he discussed the issue with al-Bashir and the Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour.

He pointed they agreed that al-Bashir would invite Salva Kiir to visit Khartoum to end this problem, saying the mutual accusations on harbor and support of rebels have adversely impacted on the provision of services in both nations especially South Sudan.

On Sunday, Khartoum urged South Sudan to implement its pledges and to expel Sudanese rebel who are still in the troubled country.

South Sudan's top diplomat added that he came to Khartoum to participate at the commemoration of 61st anniversary of Sudan's Independence Day, saying he also met with Ghandour.

For his part, Ghandour said Salva Kiir's message pertains to bilateral ties and ways to implement the cooperation agreement in accordance with the outcome of the two presidents meeting in Malabo.

He pointed that Salva Kiir's visit to Khartoum aims to complete discussions on the outstanding issues, saying the Joint Political and Security Committee (JPSC) is following up on the implementation of these issues.

Ghandour further said he discussed with Alor issues of mutual interest and in particular ways to coordinate positions on regional and international issues especially with regard to East African nations.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan's independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues including mutual allegations pertaining to harbor and support of rebels.

In September 2012, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others.

In March 2013, the two countries signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements. However, the execution of the agreements didn't go according to the plan.

(ST)