Africa

November 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese authorities ordered to close down a TV station on Sunday, as the opposition called for a three day civil disobedience to protest the recent austerity measures and the lack of freedoms.

Omdurman TV

In a statement released on Sudan evening the Director General of Omdurman TV, Husseil Khojali said he had received an order from the Director of Sudan's General Authority for Radio and Television Broadcasting to cut its transmission, under the pretext that the private TV didn't yet the administrative authorization to broadcast.

However Khojali denied the explanation of the General Authority saying "This is not true. We got the permission from the former minister of information and another letter from the chief registrar of companies. "

Omdurman TV is a private TV channel that had been broadcasting since six years, its owner Khojali is a known Islamist journalist.

Several journalists from the TV house told Sudan Tribune that the editorial line and the coverage of the news related to the government's decision to lift subsidies on fuel, electricity and drugs.

Khojali said that Omdurman TV would contest the closure's decision and seek resume their activities very soon.

Last Thursday, another new private TV channel Sudaniya 24 was warned by the security services that the content of a political talk show ''exceeded the red line''.

Freedom of the press and expression is very restricted by the security service which censors printed newspapers and confiscates.

(ST)

November 27, 2016 (YIROL) - More than 5,000 people cheered on Thursday as wrestlers representing Yirol and Awerial communities battled during a competition organized to enhance peace efforts.

Friendly wrestling in Yirol West County of Lakes state on Sunday 21 Nov, 2010 (ST)

The event, one of the first of its kind in the area since South Sudan's independence, was organized by Solidarity Ministries Africa for Reconciliation and Development (SMARD) with support from the United Nations Development Programme's Community Security and Small Arms project.

“We are here for promoting peace and peaceful coexistence,” said Gabriel Modol, the Awerial county wrestling committee member and lead referee of the competition, further adding that, “At this event you will see community, you will see love and socialization.”

The contest consisted of 21 matches, each lasting for three minutes.

The first wrestler to force their opponent onto the ground is often declared the winner. If neither wrestler submitted after three minutes the match was a draw. The teams were divided between the “home” community of Awerial and “visitors” from Yirol East and West.

“This event is important as it brings people from Yirol and Awerial together, to meet and interact in a place that allows understanding. Now when [the spectators and wrestlers] return to their homes, they will remember the people they met here. If, say, a member of this group gets in trouble in an opposing community, it doesn't need to turn into a bigger problem. They will know each other. They will have understanding,” said Sibet Jenena, a Yirol wrestling manager.

The security and small arms project, funded by UNDP, supports the wrestling competition as part of its initiatives to encourage social cohesion and strengthen ties between neighboring communities.

“The role that sports can play in bringing communities together and building peace is often underestimated,” said UNDP Country Director Kamil Kamaluddeen.

“This initiative is community-led, supports an area which has seen many challenges in the past few years, and we are pleased to see the competition organized well, providing the community with a reason to celebrate themselves and promoting cooperation and understanding between the groups,” he added.

Events like wrestling tend to encourage positive behavior changes in youth, solidify inter-community cooperation, and provide an attractive alternative to violent or criminal activities in South Sudan.

(ST)

November 27, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Students at four high schools in El-Fasher, North Darfur capital on Sunday have staged a demonstration to protest against the high cost of living and recent increase in drug price.

A police source told Sudan Tribune under the condition of anonymity that the students of El-Fasher, Darfur, Al-Sharqia and Al-Namozagia high schools demonstrated on Sunday against high price level, saying “the police have dispersed them in order to avoid acts of vandalism”.

Also, an eyewitness told Sudan Tribune that the police used tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse the demonstrators, pointing to cases of fainting and light injuries among the students.

He added that some of the students were arrested by the police and security services.
For its part, the pro-government North Darfur Students Union (NDSU) said the protesters sought to destabilize the security situation.

In a statement seen by the Sudan Tribune, the NDSU said it developed a plan to address the situation, saying the students have been deceived and given false information in order to create a crisis.

It is noteworthy that the Sudanese capital, Khartoum on Sunday saw the first day of a three-day civil disobedience against the recent government austerity measures that led to a significant increase in general price level especially fuel, electricity and drugs.

(ST)

November 27, 2016 (YAMBIO) – Unknown armed groups attacked Nabiapai, a border market located in South Sudan's Gbudue state on Saturday, looting goods and burning vehicles.

The map of Western Equatoria in red

An eyewitness said the group first surrounded the market, prior to the eruption of sporadic gunfire forcing people to flee to nearby bushes.

“I went to sell my second hand clothes and surprisingly I found many armed group coming to the market and immediately gunshots were heard. Local shops and vehicles were burnt,” said the eyewitness.

Those who carried out the attack reportedly took several minutes before they withdrew from the market after looting motor bikes, bicycles and several items, heading towards neighboring Congo.

Immediate response came from the army who exchanged fire with the group that abducted civilians and looting items from the market.

Although no group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack, residents suspect armed elements loyal to Alfred Futuyo carried out the raid.

Meanwhile, Gbudue state spokesperson, Gibson Bullen Wande condemned the attack, which he blamed on followers of the armed opposition faction led by South Sudan's former First Vice-President, Riek Machar.

Wande urged residents who fled their homes to return, while reiterating government's commitment to protect innocent civilians.

(ST)

November 27, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) - The head of the African Union Commission Sunday welcomed the South Sudanese government's decision to authorize the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF) without condition.

On Saturday, the South Sudan's Council of Ministers, "unanimously accepted the full implementation of the UN Security Council resolution number 2304," said Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Peter Bandi in statements broadcasted on the official TV SSBC.

"All the discussions that ensued between UNMISS and the technical working groups the government resulted with the full acceptance and immediate deployment of the RPF so that we are able to address some the security challenges that are facing us," he added.

"Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomes the agreement reached between the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) of South Sudan and the United Nations on all outstanding issues concerning the (RPF) deployment".

Zuma further said the deployment of the 4000 troops will create a conducive political environment for the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCISS) of August 2015.

"In this regard, the Chairperson urges all South Sudanese stakeholders to fully cooperate with the RPF and desist from engaging in activities that may set back the progress made," she said.

Also, she urged the transitional government to ensure the full implementation of the security arrangement, and renewed its support for the African Union envoy for South Sudan Oumar Konare.

Zuma praised the tireless efforts exerted by IIGAD and the international community to bring stability to the young nation.

Last week, US envoy to the United Nations Samantha Power slammed Juba government for delaying the deployment of the regional force. She further called for arm embargo on the country and targeted sanction against the SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong and Information Minister Michael Makuei.

(ST)

November 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese from different walks of life on Sunday have started a three-day civil disobedience with varying proportions of response among the residents in the capital Khartoum.

On Thursday, political activists launched social media campaign calling on the Sudanese people to engage in civil obedience from 27 to 29 November to resist recent government decision to lift fuel, electricity and drug price.

Several opposition parties and rebel movements declared support for the civil disobedience and said directives have been issued to their members to join the call.

On the first day of the strike, Sunday, some neighbourhoods in the capital saw limited movement of vehicles and pedestrians which is unusual while normal crowding on public transport in down town Khartoum stayed the same.

On the other hand, universities and schools were largely impacted by the strike as the majority of students stayed at home forcing some schools to cancel the school day.

A teacher at a public school located in southern Khartoum said some parents prevented their kids from coming to school but pointed that 80% of the students attended their classes on Sunday.

Also, a college student at the Sudan University of Science and Technology told Sudan Tribune that rumours of the civil disobedience have circulated outside the university and “that is why the students didn't attend their classes”.

A driver at Khartoum's largest public transportation station said “the streets are empty as if the country is on a holiday”.

“I drove from down town Khartoum to Omdurman [Khartoum's twin capital city] and came back in 10 minutes while it usually takes one hour to go on the same trip,” he added.

It was also evident that the majority of the commercial shops, pharmacies and kiosks in and around down town Khartoum were closed but the majority of groceries and vegetables and fruits stores have been working as normal.

For its part, state TV channels showed live pictures of the streets to prove the failure of the strike and called on the residents to go about their lives as normally as possible.

Earlier this month, the government lifted fuel and drug subsidies and increased electricity price in a bid to stop the surge in inflation and control the fall of Sudanese pound in the black market.

The move stirred a large wave of protests across Sudan. Also, some two hundred private pharmacies in Khartoum went on partial strike and closed their doors from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm last week in protest against the move.

The government decision led to significant increase in the general price level and exacerbated the already dire living conditions.

Sudan's economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country's oil output.

(ST)

At least 14 die in a battle between police and militia allegedly linked to a traditional king.

November 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – There is a massive influx of South Sudanese refugees into Sudan, with large numbers of them in Sudan's East Darfur state, since late January 2016.

South Sudanese refugees perform a traditional dance as President Omer Hassan al-Bashir addresses a crowd a rally held in Ed Daein, East Darfur, April 5, 2016. April 5, 2016. (Photo Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said the population in the state increased from 164 individuals in December 2015 to over 54,000 refugees in 30 September.

The South Sudanese arrivals, it added, are highly mobile and spread out across East Darfur, living in areas including the newly established Kario camp, Khor Omer, El Ferdous Raja old camp, Abu Jabra, Adila, and Assalaya.

“These areas are underserved and often difficult to access, making the provision of assistance by humanitarian partners challenging,” the agency said in a recent fact-sheet.

Continuing conflict and food insecurity in South Sudan are two of the main drivers of the displacement, with emergency levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition in the states of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Unity and Warrap.

With the continuing insecurity in South Sudan, said UNHCR, a steady influx of refugees into Sudan is expected to continue.

Meanwhile, Sudan has maintained an open border policy, allowing safe and unrestricted access to its territory for those fleeing the conflict in South Sudan, and has ensured their immediate protection and safety within its borders.

The Four Freedoms Agreement, supported by the President of Sudan, allows South Sudanese to move, reside, work and own property in Sudan.

On 1 September, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between UNHCR and Sudan's Commissioner of Refugees (COR) as a framework on protection and assistance for South Sudanese refugees, which clarifies their status as refugees and COR's role in coordinating the response on behalf of the government.

UNHCR and partners supported the relocation of South Sudanese refugees living in Khor Omer camp in Ed Daein locality to the new camp in Kario town.

The influx in East Darfur has critically stretched available resources and operational capacity of partners. Additional funds are required in order to meet the needs of the growing refugee population and mobilize a full-scale emergency response across the state, according to UNHCR.

“The influx of South Sudanese refugees that began in late January 2016 continues, driven by deteriorating food security and continuing violence in South Sudan. Between January and September 2016, over 54,000 refugees have arrived in East Darfur,” further stressed the UN agency.

It added, “The majority of them are women and children who have arrived with poor nutritional and health status, with very few opportunities for livelihood and subsistence activities”.

(ST)

November 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) -A Swedish humanitarian group announced this week it would gradually end its activities in the troubled South Kordofan State where they provide nutrition and health assistance to some 200,000 people.

New arrivals wait in line to register with the UNHCR at the Yida refugee camp along the Sudan-South Sudan border on 3 July 2012 (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Save the Children Sweden (SCS) is operating 20 health centres in South Kordofan in different areas including Dalami (1 centre), Al Goz (1), and Abu Kershola (1), Habila (2) and Kadugli (2), Kalogi (3), Diling (5) and Al Reif Ashargi (5).

With the support of USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), the group provides health and nutrition services for more than 58,000 displaced persons and 142,000 people from the host community.

The SCS " announced that it is phasing out health and nutrition services in 20 centres in South Kordofan State due to funding constraints," reported UNOCHA in its weekly bulletin last Thursday.

The announcement comes as over 27,000 Sudanese refugees have returned to South Kordofan from Yida camp in South Sudan due to the increasing insecurity in the neighbouring country.

The returnees are hosted in the government and SPLM-N controlled areas.

In a separate development, South Kordofan Humanitarian Commissioner Kamal Ahmed Rahama Saturday said the government humanitarian body is ready to receive the civilians who arrive from the rebel held areas and to provide them with humanitarian services.

Rahama further pointed to the good coordination between the state humanitarian authorities, UN agencies and local and international groups on this respect.

The government and the SPLM-N last August failed to reach an agreement over humanitarian access to the civilians in the war affected areas.

The African Union mediators did not yet announce a new round of peace talks as the two parties stick to their positions and refuse to make any concessions.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 26, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan opposition group, the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), condemned a recent massacres allegedly carried out by the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU) in Equatoria region under President Salva Kiir's leadership.

Soldiers from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) jump off the back of a truck while on patrol in the capital, Juba, following the December 2013 outbreak of violence (Photo: Reuters)

The group in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune said the recent wave of massacres carried out against innocent civilians in Equatoria's Kalipapa village, Pukuka village and the armed clashes in Mogi and Salori areas surrounding Torit town were perpetrated by SPLA soldiers.

“We hold President Salva Kiir responsible for the recent massacres in Equatoria” said Hakim Dario, the PDM chairperson.

Dario said the massacres follow the inflammatory speech of the President against Equatorians, made on the 19th of September 2016 in Juba.

The group urged the international community and the US Government to condemn TGONU, President Kiir and his tribal backers of the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE).

“We call on Salva Kiir to resign to allow a more inclusive TGONU to be formed in a more inclusive ARCISS implementation” Dario added.

PDM welcomed the visit and confirmation by the United Nations Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng of an eminent genocide in South Sudan. The group supported recommendations Dieng forwarded to the Security Council.

Recommendations include imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan, establishing a hybrid court, strengthen UNMISS capacity to protect, monitor, investigate, document and report incidences against civilians, widen targeted sanctions against South Sudanese individuals inciting ethnic hatred and pressure the TGONU to provide necessary humanitarian access.

It also request the UN panel of experts to report on individuals inciting ethnic violence on social media and use its leverage to stop the international and regional banks facilitating financial incentives that are driving the conflict.

REFUGEE INFLUX

The group further expressed concern over reports of renewed waves of people fleeing Eastern and Central Equatoria to camps in Kenya and Uganda.

UNHCR recent reports recorded 44,000 new refugees in the first two weeks of November 2016 alone.

PDM expressed dismay over reports that internally displaced persons and refugees who have managed to get to relative safety in refugee camps across the border are now facing food shortages, lack of clean water, inadequate shelter and non- food items.

“They are being robbed a second time, of a right to life with dignity,” it said.

Of the USD 649 Million budget for the UNHCR 2016 South Sudan Regional Situation appeal, only 26% has been funded.

It requested urgent donation towards the deficit UNHCR South Sudan Regional situation appeal budget for life saving support to the 1.25 million South Sudanese refugees, and 1.73 million internally displaced persons.

Since South Sudan slide back into conflict in December 2013 tens of thousands have died and over 2.6 million South Sudanese displaced, of which over 1 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

Some 1.4 million are internally displaced, and of them 200,000 civilians are taking refuge in UNMISS protection-of-civilian sites (PoC) across the country, including in Juba, the capital city.

Furthermore, a total of 5.1 million people in the country are in need of assistance.

DEPLOYMENT OF JAPANESE TROOPS

PDM said it is encouraged by the response of the Japanese government in strengthening the mandate of their contingency joining the UN peace keepers in South Sudan.

Japan in a prompt response has deployed 130 Japanese troops who arrived Juba on the 21st of November, with the remaining of the 350 to follow soon.

It further called for a speedy deployment of the agreed 4,000 protection force with a strengthened mandate, increased capacity and revised deployment locations, given the increase in ethnically motivated atrocities in Central, Eastern and Western Equatoria.

PDM also urged the SPLA-IG, SPLA-IO and other military groups on the ground to cooperate with the regional protection force in the planning and implementation of a successful cantonment strategy, as part of their contribution to avert genocide.

It appealed for immediate engagement with all heads of military forces on the ground to agree on a cantonment strategy and facilitation of its implementation.

PDM further called on the UNSC, AU, TROIKA, IGAD and the International Community that they ‘can and must' do more than report on and condemn the increasing wave of ethnically incited atrocities in South Sudan that are building up into a genocide.

“We call on all South Sudanese communities inside the country to reject President Kiir and his government's ethnically divisive incitement and atrocities, and join us in calling for their resignation with immediate effect”.

It urged all military groups to cease hostilities and give chance to a political solution that speaks to all people of South Sudan.

The People's Democratic Movement (PDM) says it is a popular grassroots Movement formed by concerned South Sudanese in the country and the Diaspora; in response to the political crisis and fast deteriorating economic, humanitarian and security situation in South Sudan, amid heightened ethnic polarization and devastating conflict in the country, encouraged and abated primarily by President Salva Kiir's divisive Government policy, incompetent, oppressive and corrupt leadership.

(ST)

November 26, 2016 (JUBA) - The Governor of the Central Bank of South Sudan (CBoSS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that the bank was printing new notes with the denominations of 200, 500 and 1,000.

Men from South Sudan display new currency notes outside the Central Bank of South Sudan in Juba July 18, 2011 (Reuters)

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Governor, Kornelio Koriom Mayiik, described these reports as “baseless and misleading”. He urged the public to not take the reports as credible.

He says the bank has no plans to print, replace or change the current banknotes.

“It's therefore unequivocally evident that these rumors are aimed at destabilizing the economy and create unnecessary panic among the population,” he said.

The bank, he explained, is only injecting new notes into the market to replace the damaged ones and those that are worn out.

“The CBoSS is therefore requesting the general public not to get misled by these rumours,” he continued, “as we reiterate our commitment to keep the population informed about any possible changes on banknotes,” he stressed.

Last July, the National Bureau of Statistics said the inflation in the five-year old country reached an annual rate of 661.3 percent.

The fall of oil prices and the armed crisis since three years have ruined the country and stopped development plans.

UN agencies say 4.8 million people in South Sudan are affected by the food insecurity.

(ST)

November 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Saturday has arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a several-day visit to discuss ways to promote bilateral ties between the two nations in the various fields.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) shakes hands with UAE vice-president and prime minister Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in Abu Dhabi on 22 February 2015 (WAM)

He was received upon his arrival at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi by the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Al Nahyan welcomed al-Bashir and his accompanying delegation at the VIP hall and discussed with them importance to enhance bilateral relations to serve the common interests of both countries.

Al-Bashir's accompanying delegation included Minister of the Presidency Fadl Abdullah, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, Minister of Electricity and Water Resources Muataz Musa, Governor of Khartoum State Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein and Director of the Office of the President Taha osman al-Hussein.

It is noteworthy that al-Bashir's visit to the UAE comes amid popular unrest and calls for civil disobedience following the announcement of several austerity measures that led to significant increase in general price level.

The East African nation managed to achieve a breakthrough in ties with UAE after a long period of strained relations over Khartoum's close ties with Tehran.

UAE is in a long-standing territorial dispute with Iran over the three Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb.

Iran refuses international arbitration over the dispute and insists that its sovereignty over the islands is non-negotiable.

In 2014 , Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of Iranian cultural centre in the capital Khartoum, and other states in a move which was seen as gesture to the Arab Gulf states.

The estimated size of UAE investments in Sudan is approximately $11 billion of which about $5 billion are projects in progress while the rest are still in pre-execution phase.
In May 2015, Sudan said it offered UAE's companies $59 billion investment opportunities mainly in agricultural projects.

November 26, 2016 (JUBA) - Joint Monitor ping and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) has welcome swift approval for deployment of United Nations Security Council authorized forces.

JMEC Chairman, Festus Mogae, briefs the UN Security Council, on the implementation of the peace agreement on 31 March 2016 (ST Photo)

"The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission welcomes the decision taken today (Saturday) by the Council of Ministers of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) on the issue of the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF) pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 2304 (2016)," JMEC said in a statement on Saturday.

UN Security Council approved deployment of 4,000 troops for Juba, the South Sudanese capital in August. The government of President Salva Kiir has been hesitant to accept the arrival of the regional forces.

On Friday, the government decided swift deployment of the strong UN troopers to join 12,000 blue helmet forces already serving in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro Minister communicated government approval to JMEC on Saturday. UNMISS, a move Peace Monitor applauded.

"Minister Lomuro stated that all outstanding issues related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations and that deployment of the RPF could commence with immediate effect," JMEC added.

"The decision to move forward with immediate deployment of the RPF is critical to providing a secure and safe environment in Juba and creating an enabling environment for the implementation of the peace agreement," the peace monitors said.

(ST)

November 26, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government has relinquished conditions it previously attached to the deployment of the regional protection force, declaring readiness to accept the deployment of the force at any time.

The circumstances under which the government changed its position remain unclear. Although it previously said it consented in principle to the protection force in September, officials said at the time that details still needed to be worked out.

Observers associate the decision to the international pressure to accept the force, which will help the existing United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to stabilise the five-year-old nation, where a civil conflict erupted in December 2013 and a peace deal in 2015 failed to hold, despite the issuance of repeated messages of assurances to implement it.

Speaking to reporters after the regular cabinet meeting on Friday, Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit the cabinet chaired by President Salva Kiir himself and attended by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai and ministers of the unity government, agreed unanimously on outstanding issues to allow deployment of the regional protection force anytime.

He did not say what the contentious matters were. But Government Spokesperson and Information Minister Michael Makuei said in September that the outstanding matters relates to nationality and number of soldiers, type of weaponry and exact role of the new force.

“The council of ministers in its regular meeting today chaired by his excellency the President of the Republic, General Salva Kiir Mayardit, resolved and agreed unanimously to accept and allow the deployment of the regional protection force.

There are no conditions attached. We have agreed without preconditions, because the resolution is clear and we want the country to move forward," said Kordit in a statement broadcast by the state owned South Sudan television on Friday.

"So our committee is going to finalise the deployment process, he added"

After deadly clashes erupted in Juba in July, between troops loyal to President Kiir and soldiers backing his main political rival and leader of armed opposition, Riek Machar, who returned to the country to take up his position as the First Vice President in accordance with the August 2015 peace agreement, the Security Council authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force to enhance the fighting capacity of the existing 12,000 of the United Nations mission peacekeeping troops in the country.

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body of international officials and experts set up in 2015 to monitor the shaky peace deal, welcomed the cabinet's decision and said the deployment could start with "immediate effect".

South Sudanese Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro told diplomats on Friday during a briefing that “all outstanding issues" related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations.

(ST)

November 26, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Several opposition parties and rebel movements have declared support for the civil disobedience call initiated by political activists on social media saying directives have been issued to their members to join the call.

On Thursday, political activists launched social media campaign calling on the Sudanese people to engage in civil obedience from 27 to 29 November to resist recent government decision to lift fuel, electricity and drug price.

Also, opposition members and activists held open-air addresses at marketplaces, transportation stations and mosques in the capital Khartoum during the past couple of days urging the residents to join the civil disobedience.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, the Politburo of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said 27 November would represent “the beginning of the end for the regime that governed the country by the force of arms destroyed its resources and looted its bounties”.

The statement pointed that a decision was issued to all DUP's bodies and sectors to join the civil disobedience, saying the legal sector is ready to defend all Sudanese who face threats from the employers.

“Sunday must be the beginning, not the end of resistance and we must organize ourselves at all levels in order to cause a complete paralysis at all the country's facilities,” read the statement.

For its part, the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) said the call for civil disobedience by activists comes in line with its efforts to overthrow the regime.

“SCoP praises the call for civil disobedience and considers it unrivaled success and an initiative worthy of support and we would work with our people to ensure the success of this giant move in order to overthrow the regime,” said SCoP in a statement on Saturday.

The statement described the civil disobedience as an effective tool to resist the totalitarian regimes, saying the Sudanese people have used it during the revolutions of October 1964 and April 1985.

On Friday, Sudan's Health Minister Bahar Idris Abu Garda had downplayed the call for civil disobedience, expecting it would fail because the Sudanese people appreciate the recent economic measures taken by the government.

It is noteworthy that more than seven web pages on the social media sites have been launched to circulate the civil disobedience call. The most trending was the #Sudan_Civil_Disobedience_27Nov hashtag on Twitter which reached more than 132,130 participants.

Also, the preliminary committee of the civil disobedience issued a statement containing instructions on how the residents could participate in the campaign and ensure its success.

On the other hand, the Sudanese armed opposition also announced support for the civil disobedience call urging the Sudanese to line up in order to uproot the regime.

In a statement on Saturday, the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi called for overthrowing the regime through peaceful, civil or military means, stressing support for the civil disobedience call.

Also, the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim said the movement's base would join the civil disobedience to topple the regime, calling for the unity of the opposition forces to achieve the desired goals.

For its part, the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) expressed unlimited support for the escalation against government austerity measures, demanding the regular forces not to engage in a confrontation with the Sudanese people.

“Your duty [as regular forces] is to maintain the safety and security of the people, not to repress them through the use of excessive violence in order to appease an unjust and despot ruler” said the SRF in a statement on Saturday

Meanwhile, the independent teachers committee said the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Saturday has arrested three teachers including Al-Shazali Mohamed Adam, Munir Mohamed Osman and Abdel-Magid Bashir.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Saturday, the committee pointed the NISS continues to detain its executive office's member Amar Youssef, saying it has also summoned three teachers including Hamdan Bolad, Tarig Maman and Ismail.

On Friday, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir sacked the secretary general of the Sudan Pharmacy Council (SPC), Mohamed Hassan Imam, and cancelled a new list of drug price issued by the latter.

Earlier this month, Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) announced it will no longer provide US dollar for drug importation at rate of 7,5 Sudanese pounds (SDG) forcing pharmaceutical companies to buy the dollar from the black market at 17,5 pounds.
Following the CBoS's decision, the SPC issued a new list showing the drug price has drastically increased by 100 to 300 percent.

The decision stirred a large wave of protests across Sudan. Also, some two hundred private pharmacies in Khartoum went on partial strike and closed their doors from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm last week in protest against the government's move.

Also, the government, earlier this month, lifted fuel subsidies and increased electricity price in a bid to stop the surge in inflation and control the fall of Sudanese pound in the black market.

The government decision led to significant increase in the general price level and exacerbated the already dire living conditions.

Sudan's economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country's oil output.

(ST)

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Taps seize to flow as water shortage hits Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

Condemning the recent outbreak of ethnic violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) that has killed scores of people, the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide has called for an immediate end to the hostilities and urged the authorities to take urgent measures to protect the population from further violence, regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliation.