Africa

September 30, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Joint Border Commission (JBC) between Sudan and South Sudan on Thursday has endorsed a number of documents pertaining to the border demarcation, said Sudan's official news agency SUNA on Friday.

South Sudanese refugees wait at a border gate in Joda, in the Jableen locality in Sudan's White Nile State, after arriving from the South Sudanese war zones of Malakal and al-Rank, January 16, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The JBC has held its sixth meeting in Addis Ababa from 26 to 29 September under the auspices of the African Union.

The Sudanese side was headed by the State Minister at the Presidency and JBC Co-chair Al-Rasheed Haroun while the South Sudanese side was chaired by the Minister of Information and JBC Co-chair Michael Makuei.

Sudan's official news agency SUNA said the JBC on Thursday has endorsed a number of documents including the list of procedural provisions of the JBC, list of the terms of reference of the joint technical team, the border line demarcation budget and work plan and the report of the outcome of the sixth meeting.

According to SUNA, the JBC decided to hold its seventh meeting in Addis Ababa in November.

Claimed and disputed areas of the Sudan and South Sudan border include Abyei, 14-Mile area, Joudat Al-Fakhar, Jebel al-Migainais, Kaka, and Kafia Kingi enclave (Hofrat al-Nahas).

Since South Sudan's independence the agreed border between the two countries is not yet demarcated (marked on the ground). Also, talks between the two sides continue to delimit the remaining 20% disputed boundary.

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.

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.

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September 30, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has pleaded with foreign diplomats to influence their governments and citizens to help him and his administration secure assurances of the global community that the country would not be placed under sanctions, saying he was committed to implementing the peace agreement he signed in August last year with his ousted deputy, Riek Machar.

President Kiir also appeased the incoming diplomats he received as replacements to their predecessors, telling them that they were welcome in his country.

“You are welcome, feel at ease and feel at home. As the government, we appreciate and welcome and commend the support of your various countries and we look forward to continuing to cooperate with each and every country you represent to strengthen and enhance our cooperation in various areas with mutual respect,” said President Kiir at the reception function of seven foreign diplomats on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Juba.

Kiir asked the diplomats that he would like them, as they take over from their predecessors to send back to their governments a message of peace, reconciliation and a desired support to implement the peace agreement instead of pushing for sanctions which he said hurts the common people more than those for which they are proposed.

“As you take up your roles, I expect you to play a very important role in strengthening our relations with your governments and the people. I would like you to send back to your people and governments you represent here a message of hope, peace, reconciliation and our commitment to implementing the peace agreement, and for which we need the support of everybody in the family of nations of the world instead of sanctions, which affect the common people, not those for which they are proposed,” said Kiir.

He made the remarks after receiving credentials of foreign diplomats, who were presenting their credentials to him for approval as a practice in the diplomatic system.

The system requires that foreign ambassadors present their credentials to the president of the host government before commencing their work. The credential documents, according to Joseph Ayok Anei, the undersecretary of the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, follow a standard text covering academic and other necessary qualifications required for diplomats to qualify him or her as representatives of the nominating governments on whose behalf they empowered to speak.

Ambassadors, according to Ayok, cannot assume their diplomatic functions by way of representation of the sending governments or organizations before getting clearance from the ministry of foreign affairs of the receiving government until their credentials have been formally presented in person and have been accepted by the president of the host government as the chief diplomat.

He explained that diplomats whose credentials are accepted are subsequently considered as accredited to the host government and considered representatives of the sending government or organizations.

The president received the credentials in the presence of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Elia Lomuro, Minister of National Security, Isaac Mabuto Mamur Mete, and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Joseph Ayok Anei.

The ambassadors for which the president received their credentials include, Mette Thygesen, Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Royal Danish to the Republic of South Sudan with resident in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Alan Hamson, Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Republic of South Sudan resident in Juba, South Sudan.

He Xiandong was the ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of South Sudan resident in Juba, South Sudan. Geert Spike Geut was ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Netherlands to the Republic of South Sudan resident in Juba, South Sudan.

Others include Gunar A. Holm as Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Royal Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of South Sudan resident in Juba, South Sudan and Maj. Gen. Frank Mugambage, Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to the Republic of South Sudan with resident in Kampala, Uganda.

Hussein Hagi Ahmed Mahmoud was also accredited as the Ambassador Extra-ordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

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September 30, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan army (SPLA) on Friday said it is unaware of the media reports quoting residents and local officials, saying there have been clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to his former deputy, Riek Machar, in Morobo county.

Opposition officials also told Sudan Tribune that the town of Morobo actually felt under the full control of the SPLA-IO forces and their local allies on Friday.

The armed clashes involving the two rival forces in Morobo area pushed hundreds of civilians, majority of whom are innocent women and children, into neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But the government's military spokesman, Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang, said he had not received an official report about the fighting or whether Morobo has been captured by the opposition forces.

“I am not aware of these developments. I have not been briefed,” army spokesman Brigadier Koang told reporters when asked to comment on reports about the fate of Morobo.

Koang said the security situation was generally under control despite what he referred to as isolated cases by criminals involved in banditry acts in some parts of the country where government forces have limited presence.

“We heard of the UN report about clashes in Lasu but we don't [know] who were involved in that because we have no presence there. Our forces are not present in Lasu. So we don't know who was fighting who,” said Koang.

Unconfirmed reports have in the past few days suggested that fighting to maintain and capture Morobo has intensified between government forces and the armed opposition forces. According to some reports both sides have brought in more reinforcements to maintain their positions and stronghold.

“There have been clashes in and around Morobo border town, but it has intensified on Monday morning and resumed on Wednesday and Thursday when the government forces clashed with gunmen in the area in two separate locations in northwest and southwest of the town,” a resident said on Friday.

A member of parliament representing Morobo at the national legislative assembly in Juba also confirmed the reports in an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Friday and said some people from the area left Morobo town heading to Kaya, a border town between Uganda and South Sudan.

The legislator said the fighting intensified after the armed men managed to overrun a military base and pushed away the government forces, he said, have burnt all the buildings in Morobo military base.

Other local administrative officers visiting Juba confirmed that a military outpost guarding Morobo town was captured at dawn on Thursday by the heavily armed men, mostly suspected or believed to be the local youth who have taken up arms against the government after members of their families were either killed or arbitrarily being kept in detention by government security forces in the area.

“Those were angry youth acting out of emotions because their family members were either killed by the soldiers commanded by some rogue elements in our army or those whose parents and relatives were targeted and detained because they failed to report the activities of their sons or where they have gone. These acts have forced many civilians to flee their homes,” a local administrative officer said on Friday.

He claimed that some government forces who could not withstand the fight launched by the local youth have joined the civilian exodus. Some have melted among civilians in plain civilian clothes and are now heading towards Kaya on the Uganda border.

Many civilians as well have vacated the area in fear for their lives, because government security forces are targeting civilians in the area based on their ethnicities.

In similar development, Amadi area in Western Equatoria is reported to have seen heavy fighting between government forces and gunmen. Local officials have called for reinforcement of the presence of government forces, warning that the area could fall under the control of armed men because their activities have increased over the past few days on major supplying and strategic routes.

Meanwhile fighting was reported around Benitu town, the state capital of oil-rich Unity State. Local and state officials and armed opposition sources have traded accusations depicting the other to have initiated the attack on the position held by other in an attempt to derail the implementation of peace deal.

Renewed civil war has erupted after the 8 July violence at the presidential palace between the rival forces in the country.

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September 30, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) on Friday said it is considering to suspend participation in the peace talks with the Sudanese government over accusations about the use of chemical weapons by Sudanese army in Darfur.

A SPLA-N rebel soldier, in South Kordofan (AFP)

In a report released on Thursday, Amnesty International accused the Sudanese government forces of using chemical weapons repeatedly against civilians, including babies and young children, in one of the most remote regions of Darfur over the past eight months.

The alleged chemical attacks, believed to have killed up to 250 people, mostly children, represent a “new low” in the catalogue of serious abuses perpetrated by government forces in the region, said the human rights group.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday, SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman said his movement is considering to stop talks with the government and demand the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council to conduct an impartial inquiry on the use of chemical and internationally banned weapons by the Sudanese army in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

He said the SPLM-N would consult with its allies in the opposition umbrella Sudan Call in this regard, calling for the need to issue international resolutions to protect civilians in Darfur and the Two Areas.

The rebel leader pointed they would underline to the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) which is organizing unofficial consultations among Sudan's warring parties in Addis Ababa on Saturday the need to conduct an African investigation on those accusations.

He urged the Sudanese inside the country and abroad to launch a wide campaign to press the government and the African and international community to conduct an impartial investigation on those allegations, protect civilian populations and stop the war and war crimes in Sudan.

Arman further pointed that the government is preparing to launch a large military attack in the Two Areas during the summer which indicates that the regime is not keen to achieve peace.

He described Amnesty's report as “courageous”, saying it broke the silence of the international community toward the violations committed by the Sudanese government in conflict zones, saying the rights group had previously shown evidence that the government uses cluster bombs in Darfur and the Two Areas.

The Sudanese army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

After a series of talks in Addis Ababa between 9 to 14 August, the Sudanese government, SPLM-N, Sudan Liberation Movement–Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) failed to sign cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements.

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Journalist Didi Akinyelure looks at a fresh crop of young, enterprising men and women who have more reason than most to celebrate Nigeria's 56th year of independence.

South African tattoo artist Sibusiso Nkabinde talks about the challenges he faced setting up his studio in Soweto.

The UN refugee agency and delegations from African countries as well as the African Union (AU) agreed today on final steps to end the protracted Rwandan refugee situation after seven years of negotiations.

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Malcoal mine in Kayelekera. The open-pit coal mine is among the four largest coal mines in the country and is located on the back of a mountain, close to a river. Malcoal was reported to have closed down operations at the end of 2015, but the mine was still operational as of July 2016. 

© 2016 Lauren Clifford-Holmes for Human Rights Watch

Malita had high hopes when she first heard that foreign and domestic companies would start mining in her area of Malawi. The government and the companies promised jobs, better schools and improved access to healthcare in her village. They didn’t tell people about the risks mining can bring.

She only learnt that it can involve relocation when representatives of a coal mining company ordered her to leave her home in Kayelekera, on the northwestern shores of Lake Malawi.

“We just saw the bulldozer coming,” she said. “I did not know anything. They made me move at noon when they came to demolish our houses. They just left me outside.”

They didn’t compensate her. Stories like hers are all too common in Malawi.

Over the past 10 years, the government has promoted private investment in resource extraction as a way to diversify its economy. The Karonga district, in which Kayelekera falls, is the country’s test case. Malawi’s only uranium mine opened there in 2009 and two of the country’s four biggest coal mines are there.

Villagers in Kayelekera say that in September 2013 the coal mining company forced at least 10 other households to move from their homes, which were near the company’s office building.

The mining company disputes this.

Malita is a widow who has five children and people like her were left in particularly difficult circumstances. “I had no husband to build a new house for me [and] all my children were young. I didn’t know what to do. I just built a shack under the tree.”

Today, three years later, her house still doesn’t have a door. “I have no one to make a door for me,” she said.

As multinational companies, including those from Australia and Cyprus, have started to prospect and mine in the Karonga and neighbouring districts around the lake, residents and nongovernmental organisations have voiced serious concerns about potential environmental damage and the effect on their health, water, food and housing.

While Malita spoke about her eviction several trucks from the nearby mines passed by, coating the primary school, children and fields in coal dust. It’s this dust that has fuelled anxiety about health risks such as respiratory diseases.

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Young girl washing dishes at a borehole near Eland coal mine in Mwabulambo, Karonga district. Women and girls who are largely responsible for fetching water often have to walk longer distances—as a result of mining activity that has affected usual water sources—to fetch water from what they believe are less contaminated sources, farther away from the mines, risking danger and losing time to attend school, earn money, and rest.

© 2016 Lauren Clifford-Holmes for Human Rights Watch

Another concern is that the coal and uranium mines might have contaminated local drinking water.

Women and girls, who are largely responsible for fetching water, said they often walk longer distances to reach what they believe is a safer water source.

Villagers say they have never seen any results of water testing. And they also do not have the adequate access to healthcare facilities promised to them where they could be assessed and treated for any mining-related health conditions.

The government and companies operating in the Karonga district say they monitor the effects of mining. But they don’t release the results. Last year the government officer in charge of environmental inspections in the district left his post.

Malawi does not have adequate legal standards and safeguards to ensure that the mining industry does not compromise the rights of citizens. Weak government oversight and a lack of information leave people unprotected and uninformed about the risks and opportunities associated with mining.

Malawi shouldn’t repeat the mistakes made by mining in other countries in Southern Africa, including in neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe. Malawi is still new to mining. There are opportunities for the government and investors to respect the rights of and minimise the risks for residents and natural ecosystems, even as they push for economic development.

It is not enough to create a fertile investment climate for mining companies. The government urgently needs to protect and respect the rights of people.

Malita’s experience shows how important it is for the government, investors and mining companies to develop their industry in a way that benefits the country and respects the rights of the people.

A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

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Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed for some 100,000 people trapped in the South Sudanese town of Yei, where the security situation deteriorated rapidly after renewed conflict broke out in Juba, the capital, in early July, the United Nations refugee agency warned today.

More than 100 families trapped in a Benghazi neighbourhood in Libya are at risk of starving to death, Amnesty International has said.

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South African students refuse to end their protests against the proposed increase of up to 8% for tuition fees.

September 29, 2016 (JUBA) – The African Union has stressed on the necessity of reaching an enhanced coordination between the its Peace and Security Council, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), regional bloc (IGAD) and the African non-permanent Members of the UNSC to reach consensus on details and measures of deploying the Regional Protection Forces (RPF) in South Sudan.

A general view of a meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (Photo courtesy of the African Union)

The AUPSC made the call at the end of its 626th meeting, held on 19 September.

Members of the AUPSC underlined the importance of deploying the RPF, pursuant to UNSC resolution 2304 (2016) of 12 August 2016, and in total coordination with the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), with a view to reaching a consensus on all the details related to forming the RPF, as well as its deployment, mandate and areas of operation, within the framework of the ruling principles of peacekeeping, and enabling the RPF fulfill its mandate;

It further urged the TGoNU to avail the revised matrix on the implementation of its 2015 peace deal to all relevant stakeholders to assess its implications.

The continental body called upon all regional and international stakeholders to support the implementation of the accord and to encourage all efforts to ensure peace in conflict-hit South Sudan.

African leaders, in July, backed plans to deploy RPF to South Sudan after recent fighting between rival forces left hundreds dead.

The force was expected from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda. These troops are expected to boost the 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force is already in the world youngest nation, but the AU force would have a stronger mandate.

South Sudan government had opposed the deployment of the force, despite evidence that its peace deal remains under threat.

Meanwhile, the AUPSC said it welcomes the readiness of Arab Republic of Egypt to actively participate in the regional protection force in South Sudan.

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September 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese diplomat and military Thursday denied the use of chemical weapons in Darfur region following a report by Amnesty accusing the army of using it in the mountainous area of Jebel Marra in Darfur.

In this photo released by Amnesty, the skin of this victim's back shows multiple circular wounds that appear to be from freshly popped blisters revealing fresh pink skin. According to the group, these circular wounds are consistent with exposure to a chemical warfare blister agent such as sulphur mustard. (Amnesty Photo)

However, the armed groups in Darfur praised the efforts of the rights groups, saying it confirms what they were repeating during the past years and called on the international community to probe the situation and to arrest those who are wanted by the war crimes court in the Hague.

"An Amnesty International investigation has gathered horrific evidence of the repeated use of what are believed to be chemical weapons against civilians, including very young children, by Sudanese government forces in one of the most remote regions of Darfur over the past eight months," says a report released by the group.

According to the report, between 200 and 250 people (including many children) probably died due to exposure to the chemical weapons.

“The scale and brutality of these attacks is hard to put into words. The images and videos we have seen in the course of our research are truly shocking; in one a young child is screaming with pain before dying; many photos show young children covered in lesions and blisters. Some were unable to breathe and vomiting blood,” said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's Director of Crisis Research.

However, in Khartoum the Sudanese army spokesperson Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami Amnesty accusation and described it as false.

"Amnesty's report is incorrect because the situation on the ground does not need intensive bombing as there is no real presence of rebels anymore," Sudanese army spokesperson Ahmed Khalifa a-Shami told the AFP.

"There is also a clear order to our troops not to target rebels if they happen to be in villages or in areas inhabited by civilians," he further said.

Also, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir, denounced the "fabricated and unfounded accusations", pointing that it aims to obstruct "the pioneering efforts" to achieve peace and stability and to promote reconciliation in Sudan.

"The Foreign Ministry is confident that all regional and international partners are aware and informed of the stability in Darfur and that Sudan is witnessing comprehensive efforts to achieve security, stability and peace and national reconciliation," he added.

The nearly 109-page report contains photographs of children suffering from apparent chemical burns, satellite images of destroyed villages and displaced people, interviews with more than 200 survivors, and analysis by chemical weapons experts.

The assumed chemical attacks took place during a large-scale military campaign launched in January 2016 by the government forces in Jebel Marra against the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLA/AW).

"Amnesty International can confirm that 171 villages have been destroyed or damaged in the last eight months of the military campaign," said the group.

Different Sudanese opposition groups issued statements, calling to probe the accusations and to dispatch fact-finding mission to Jebel Marra.

The Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi condemned the "heinous crimes" committed by the Sudanese government troops and stressed that it had already tired to draw the attention of the international community to the use of chemical weapons in Darfur since 2003.

"The Sudan Liberation Movement(-Minni Minnawi) strongly condemns the inaction of the International Community in prosecuting the criminals committing atrocities in Darfur," said Minnawi in a statement issued on Thursday.

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) spokesperson Gibril Adam Bilal, from his part said they can confirm that the Sudanese government used the internationally prohibited chemical weapons in Darfur. It regretted that its use has been extended to the Nuba Montains of south Kordofan state and Blue Nile state.

"JEM renews its demand to the international community to activate the principle of non-impunity especially after more than enough time has passed to arrest those who are wanted by the International Criminal Court," Bilal stressed.

Sudanese officials recently repeated that the situation in Jebel Marra is stable but admitted that the army still carrying limited operations in the western part of Jebel Marr to wipe it up from rebel elements.

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September 28, 2016 (KAMPALA) – At least 26 supporters of South Sudanese former vice president, Riek Machar in Kampala, Uganda said they have defected to the faction headed by his successor, Taban Deng Gai.

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 defectors included former members of the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) office in the Ugandan capital.

Those who abandoned Machar's faction included ex-Mayom county commissioner Charles Kuol.

Malek Cook, a defector, described Gai as the only leader capable of restoring peace and stability.

“Taban's [Deng] faction is pursuing peaceful means using non-violence that is why we have defected to support peace. The compromise peace agreement is to be implemented in later and spirit whereby Taban now is [implementing]. There are so many milestones that we can see the positive part compromise peace agreement two is moving on very well,” Malek told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

He said those who joined the country's new first vice president were due to traverse the various camps accommodating South Sudanese refugees in Uganda to rally support for the ex-rebel chief negotiator.

“Our strategy [is] to bring the community on board. We are very soon to launch some conferences peace conferences here in Kampala whereby we should encourage debate and dialogue and preaching the message of peace to the community,” further stressed Malek.

James Magok Chuol, a member of the Machar-led faction, however, said they were undeterred by the alleged defection of some youth to Gai's group, stressing that the defectors supported the Juba regime.

“They are none SPLM [South Sudan's ruling party] members since the incident of 2013 and if you look at some of them is government supporters, some of them came to Uganda for school. They are not even participating in the SPLM activities in Uganda,” Chuol told Sudan Tribune in an interview.

He said the economic crisis in the country forced many South Sudanese students to drop out of school.

Those claiming to be Gai's supporters were simply seeking financial gains having dropped out of school.

“Some of the students drop out from school if there is any opportunity for them to get mean then because they are too desperate, because if you look at Taban group, they are after money,” he added.

Stephen Waat Bipal, who supports Machar, says he too believes his colleagues who defected to Deng's faction are expecting to receive funds from the South Sudanese government under President Salva Kiir.

“I think those members they are the members who want to manipulate the community and I know that even they know themselves and their chairman comrade Taban when he defected from the SPLM-IO to the government and then the decision we know the chairman dismissed general Taban from the membership of the SPLM-IO and all the positions he held in the SPLM-IO,” he said.

Machar fled the South Sudan capital, Juba in July after his residence was attacked prompting his immediate replacement from the coalition government. The armed opposition leader has vowed not to return to Juba unless a protection force has been deployed, along the United Nations peacekeepers to restore calm in Juba city.

(ST)