Africa

July 28, 2016 (JUBA) -Three supporters of General Taban Deng Gai, newly appointed First Vice President to replace Riek Machar in a controversial process, were seriously tortured and were beaten nearly to death by groups of internally displaced person (IDPs) after discovering their underground campaign and bribery of other members of people staying the United Nations camps.

IGAD chief mediator Seyoum Mesfin (L) and the SPLM In Opposition's lead negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, attend the resumption of South Sudan talks in Addis Ababa on 11 February 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune that the three men were caught by a villante group, known as ‘Nuer Four' or N4 police who have been mandated by the community to put law and order in the protection of civilians site.

He said one man had been reported with serious injuries in the body after the local police in the camp discovered their activities and beat him.

It is unclear why civilians seeking protection at civilians' site resulted in such activities, but officials there said people are deeply divided over recent decision to appoint the SPLM-IO former chief negotiator to replace Machar, with overwhelming majority in the UN camps still supporting Machar.

A close allied to Taban Deng GAi in Juba has confirmed that the incident occurred, but added that “it is a minor case.”

He said most of those seeking protection at civilians' site in Juba and other states are very desperate about the life in the camp.

“You know most of the civilians in the camp are not happy about the recent development of appointing Gen. Taban Deng Gai as the first vice president to replace Dr. Riek Machar Teny in the Transitional Government of National Unity,” he told Sudan Tribune.

He however added that the new first vice president “is progressing well despite all condemnation by the members of supporters of Riek Machar.”

However, residents in the camp told Sudan Tribune that the situation at UN camps in Juba remain tense as supporters of Taban Deng are being targeted. It is confirmed that most people in the UN camp are restricted to get out, but some politicians are accused of fuelling the situation.

They said the recent appointment of Gai is calculated to further divide the Nuer ethnic group into separate rival groups.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - Hundreds of Sudanese staff working for the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) went on an open-ended strike Thursday over alleged non-payment of accumulated benefits.

The head of the UNAMID National Staff Union Khalil Tkras told Sudan Tribune that they resort to the strike as means to pressure on the United Nations and UNAMID to approve the payment of due benefits and to address all the outstanding entitlements, including the risk allowance, to be consistent with the increase in salaries in the period from 2012 even in 2015

Trkas said that their demands include also the medical insurance, overtime pay, sudanization of jobs, payment of pension benefits in a short period, and to pay additional benefits to the staff members who accomplish additional tasks besides their jobs.

He added they demand the implementation of local staff training budget, especially the external training.

In the past UNAMID Sudanese staff staged similar protests, demanding to be paid in dollar or to recalculate their salaries according to the exchange rates in the parallel market.

In 2012, they went on strike for demands related to the benefit entitlements. This year also, the local workers held different protests in El-Fasher, and Zalingei for the same claims.

Last March the mission denied press reports that it had refused to pay the pensions of former Sudanese personnel dismissed for the purpose of internal reorganization

There are some 2,900 local workers in the hybrid peacekeeping mission which is deployed in Darfur since December 2007. There are nearly 22,000 international military and civil personnel with an annual budget of $1.35 billion.

(ST)

July 29, 2016 (JUBA) – Rival South Sudanese leaders' spokespersons have clashed over interpretation of how a “temporary” replacement of Riek Machar, as First Vice President, should have been handled in accordance with the Article 6 of the provision of the August 2015 peace agreement.

Riek Machar, left, first vice president of the Republic of South Sudan, and Salva Kiir, the president, at the first meeting of the new transitional coalition government in Juba, South Sudan, in April, 2016 (Jason Patinkin/AP)

This is after President Salva Kiir replaced Machar and appointed Taban Deng Gai, an ex-official of Machar's faction when a group of senior leaders of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) nominated Gai on 23 July in a process challenged as “illegal” by Machar's faction.

Gai and his group announced publicly that the nomination was “temporary” and that Gai would step down from office if Machar returned to Juba after two weeks of absence when he and his forces were forced out from the capital after clashes with forces loyal to President Kiir.

The process has attracted controversy and counter-interpretations when referred to the provisions in the peace agreement.

Ateny Wek Ateny, President Kiir's spokesperson in a live debate on Turkish TRT World TV with his rival, James Gatdet Dak, Machar's spokesperson, argued that Article 6.4 in the peace deal gives President Kiir the right to appoint a replacement for Machar.

Article 6.4 reads: “In the event that the post of the First Vice President falls vacant during the Transitional Persiod, for any reason, including mental infirmity or physical incapacity of the office holder, the replacement shall be nominated by the top leadership body of the South Sudan Armed Opposition as at the signing of this Agreement.”

Ateny argued that Machar had been away for two weeks and his whereabouts was not known, thus giving the right to his faction to nominate someone to take over the SPLM-IO party and the SPLA-IO army, and also gives the President the right appoint his replacement as First Vice President.

Machar's spokesperson, Dak, however counter-argued that the agreement did not give President Kiir to power to appoint Machar's replacement on a “temporary” basis, saying this is not there under the current circumstances.

Dak said it should have been the First Vice President who “may delegate” one of his senior officials in the party to act on his behalf until he returned, referring to Article 6.5 of the agreement.

Article 6.5 reads: “In the event of temporary absence of the First Vice President, the First Vice President may delegate a senior South Sudan Armed Opposition Minister to carry out functions and duties as stipulated in this Agreement.”

While Ateny defended the action of Taban Deng and President Kiir on the basis of Article 6.4, Dak on the other hand condemned their action on the basis of Article 6.5.

Ateny said even if Machar comes back to Juba, he will not be reinstated as First Vice President and will have to first go through reinstatement by the SPLM-IO led by Taban Deng, or else “will not be seen again” if rejected.

Dak argued that Machar was forced out of Juba and asked for deployment of a third party force so that he could return to Juba, from “around Juba”, adding that President Kiir had no power to appoint his replacement per the “temporary” absence as stipulated in the peace agreement.

He also argued that the process to nominate Taban Deng Gai, was “illegal” because Gai was dismissed from party a day before he convened the “illegal meeting” and also there was no SPLM-IO institution that sat and nominated him. He said only five officials of the top leadership nominated him with no required quorum.

“H.E. Dr. Riek Machar is "legally" still the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan. That "illegal" replacement in Juba - which violates the August 2015 peace agreement - will soon be deemed null and void,” Dak posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.

He also accused President Kiir of taking part in the conspiracy with Taban Deng to become the First Vice President so that he could help him “destroy the peace agreement.”

The United Nations also said the replacement of Machar was not consistent with the peace agreement.

Ateny however fired back, saying the United Nations was not “telling the truth” or those who criticized President Kiir's action did not read well the peace deal.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (NEW YORK) – United Nations said it has begun relocating internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Tongping camp, near Juba airport, to Jebel camp, in the outskirts south of the capital.

The decision to relocate people was made due to inadequate humanitarian infrastructure and capacity in Tongping, which currently houses nearly 3,000 who fled to the site in the wake of recent violence in Juba. It is also intended to provide them with better conditions and humanitarian services that are already in place in the Protection of Civilians site.

"I was asked yesterday about the relocation of people from Tomping Compound in South Sudan, and I can inform you that the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports that the initial phase of voluntary relocations of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Tomping Compound to the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site 3 adjacent to UN House in Juba began today,” Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters in New York on Thursday.

He said the relocation is a coordinated effort by UNMISS and humanitarian partners, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is providing logistical support.

Haq added that security forces of the government have been informed of the relocation process and will also assist in providing security on the routes the IDPs will use for the relocation to the Jebel camp.

“I was also asked about escorts from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) yesterday. The Mission says that it had sought security assurances from the Government, National Security Service and the SPLA in order to guarantee the safe passage of the displaced people from Tomping to Protection of Civilians site 3,” he said.

He added that UNMISS will be providing force protection to the convoy from Tomping to the final destination, while the Joint Verification Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM), with support from the South Sudan National Police Service, agreed to deploy in strategic areas along the route to ensure the convoy's timely passage.

Currently, there are about 30,000 IDPs who have taken refuge in a number of UNMISS manned protection camps in the capital, Juba.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (NAIROBI) - The European Commission has released €40 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to South Sudan in the wake of recent clashes in the country.

European flags are seen outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels (Reuters Photo)

The donation, the Commission said in a statement, brings to €103 million its total support for the young nation for 2016.

An outbreak of violence in the young nation early this month has displaced more than 40,000 people, agencies said, as the renewed fighting threatens peace and stability.

"The recent deadly escalation of hostilities in South Sudan is extremely worrying and threatens the very fragile situation in the country. The EU stands by those most in need caught up in the conflict. The emergency aid will address the overall deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, providing crucial supplies such as food and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and healthcare,” Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management said in a statement.

“I urge all parties to respect their obligation to grant unhindered and safe humanitarian access to those in need. Furthermore, the systematic looting of humanitarian facilities is unacceptable and must stop immediately," added the official.

Recent violence has affected food supply and the nutrition situation in South Sudan has reportedly reached critical levels in many areas. Access to medicine throughout the country is limited, with humanitarian organizations providing the majority of healthcare, according to the Commission.

Meanwhile, together the European Commission and Member States are reportedly providing more than 43 per cent of the overall humanitarian response in the country.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese capital Khartoum will host next Sunday a meeting for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Partners Group to discuss implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) and the recent developments in Juba,.

Botswana's former president Festus Mogae (Photo File AFP)

The meeting which will be co-chaired by Sudan and China, includes representatives of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Chad, China, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union Commission, the European Union, the IGAD Partners Forum and the United Nations.

In a press statement on Thursday Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Garib Allah Khidir, said that Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour will co-chair the meeting with the Chinese Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Zhong Jianhua.

China which has energy interest in South Sudan has always been actively involved in the regional and international efforts to end the South Sudanese conflict.

The meeting will be briefed by the Chair of JMEC, former President Festus Mogae.

The first meeting of the JMEC partners group held in Nairobi in February 2016 had been co-chaired by Kenya and the United States, the second held in Addis Ababa last May.

Since the clashes in Juba between the troops of President Salva Kiir and the former First Vice President Riek Machar and his replacement by Taban Deng Gai, observers agree that the peace process is on the verge of collapse.

Some diplomats express hope that a Machar would return to Juba and be reappointed in his position. But it is not clear how such scenario can be achieved.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 17 people have died from recent Cholera outbreaks in South Sudan and 340 cases of the disease registered in recent weeks, the health ministry said.

A child receives an oral cholera vaccine dose in the South Sudan capital, Juba (Medair Photo)

A World Health Organization (WHO) statement issued on Wednesday also confirmed the early suspected cases of Cholera in different parts of the young nation, saying 10 samples from patients tested positive for Vibrio Cholera Ivana in a public health laboratory.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Its symptoms may be mild or moderate, with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration notable. It can lead to death if untreated.

46 cholera patients were reportedly been hospitalized in Duk county of Jonglei state, while seven died. Also five people, out of the 12 registered cases, died in Terekeka county of Central Equatoria state.

On Wednesday, the medical charity, MSF, and the health ministry launched a vaccination campaign that, it said, targets 4,000 people in Juba, particularly in the epidemic suburbs of Gorom, Khor William and Giada as well as in other parts of the country's capital.

Only a quarter of people living South Sudan's towns have access to clean drinking water, worsening any spread of water borne diseases.

Researchers have estimated that every year, there are roughly 1.4 to 4.3 million cases, and 28 000 to 142 000 deaths per year worldwide due to cholera. The short incubation period of two hours to five days, is factor that triggers the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's President, Salva Kiir on Thursday met his two deputies in the coalition government, during which he expressed willingness to expedite implementation of the peace deal.

President Salva Kiir meets SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, in Juba, December 22, 2015 (ST Photo)

The three leaders, a statement from the presidency noted, agreed to undertake measures to "strengthen the protection of civilians”.

“The President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, today met with his two deputies, to discuss some of the issues on peace implementation and some current developments in the country. The three leaders have agreed to undertake measures to expedite the implementation process of the peace agreement so that the country can move forward with reconciliation, healing and forgiveness”, partly reads the statement Sudan Tribune obtained.

“The president has made it clear that he will cooperate with the new first vice president and the vice president to ensure that priority would be given to resolving key problems that have caused strong protests by the people. A new spirit is emerging from the presidency, the spirit of cooperation, consensus and willingness to implement the agreement so that the country can move forward,” it added.

President Kiir on Monday appointed the armed opposition's former chief mediator, Taban Deng Gai as the country's First Vice-President replacing Riek Machar, who left the capital following recent clashes.

More than 270 soldiers, officials said, died when forces loyal to Kiir clashed with pro-Machar soldiers before a ceasefire was declared.

According to the statement from the presidency, a number of things have been agreed to be resolved, including accepting that the deputy speaker's position be nominated by the armed opposition.

“These nominations will speed-up the establishment of a new parliament incorporating members of the SPLM/A-IO, and enabling the parliament to function as normal, enacting laws and aiding in the establishment of institutions prescribed by the Compromise Peace Agreement 2015, including approving the new Constitution of the Republic, leading to the next census and elections”, it stressed.

Officials at the presidency told Sudan Tribune that many of the details of the peace proposal were already known, including, among others, commitment to observing a permanent ceasefire, implementing the security arrangement by disbanding and integrating members of armed opposition into different institutions of government under one command and protecting the civilians.

Observers, however, say it is unclear how the leaders intend to implement the deal and how members of armed opposition and the international community would react, if the accord is compromised.

It is also unclear what exactly the leaders have agreed to do as the first thing in the implementation of the peace agreement and how long they have collectively intended to achieve their objectives.

(ST)

While welcoming recent political developments recently observed in West Africa, the United Nations Security Council today stressed the need to increase military cooperation between the States in the region and Sahel to fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram.

Citing persisting instability in number of African countries – from South Sudan to Mali and Libya, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that building peace and restoring institutions in post-conflict settings are long-term processes that must be rooted in a country’s historical, political, social, cultural and economic contexts.

Some 23 million people in southern Africa are in need of urgent support to be able to produce enough food to feed themselves and avoid being dependent on humanitarian assistance until mid-2018, the United Nations agricultural agency has warned.

July 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The visit of United States Special Envoy, Donald Booth, aims to assess the situation of displaced people in Darfur and to brief the government officials on the outcome of his contacts with the opposition holdout groups, said the Sudanese foreign ministry on Wednesday

U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth, speaks at the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, on April 28, 2016 (ST Photo)

On Tuesday, Booth has started a visit to North Darfur state where he visites the newly displaced people to assess the security and humanitarian situation. Also he he will meet with the state authorities and UNAMID officials.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Garib Allah Khidir, told reporters that the ministry is organizing Booth's visit and his meetings with the different officials, in coordination with the relevant authorities .

Khidir added the U.S. diplomat would brief the government officials tasked with the file of peace in Darfur on the outcome of his visit to the region and his observations.

"Booth is very concerned by the conditions of displaced civilians who fled their villages following the latest fighting in Jebel Marra," further said the newly appointed spokesperson.

He went further to say that the visiting envoy would discuss with the Sudanese officials the outcome of his discussions in Paris with the holdout opposition groups on the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement.

Both and his aides recently met with the opposition groups in Addis Ababa and Paris in a bid to convince them to join Roadmap Agreement.

Also, he and the joint chief mediator for peace in Darfur Martin Uhomoibhi met recently in Paris with Abdel Wahid al-Nur, the leader of a Sudan Liberation Movement faction to persuade him to join the peace process.

Last week, the opposition Sudan Call groups disclosed that Booth encouraged them to reconsider their position from the roadmap, adding he also reached the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki and helped to soften his position towards their demand for additional confidence building measures before to sign it.

His visit to Sudan comes before a series of meetings Mbeki would held in Khartoum with the Sudanese officials and the opposition groups in Addis Ababa next month.

The Sudan Call forces said they are willing to join the roadmap after guarantees that the peace plan would lead to an inclusive process that would be conducted in a conducive environment where freedoms are not restricted and political prisoners are freed.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (KAMPALA) - The Ugandan Chapter of South Sudan's armed opposition (SPLM-IO) say they do not recognize Taban Deng Gai as the nation's First Vice President.

SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, speaking to journalists at Juba airport upon his return from Pagak with his team, 22 January 2016 (ST Photo)

President Salva Kiir replaced SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar with Gai, a move said to be contrary to terms of the peace agreement signed in August last year.

The SPLM-IO chairman in Uganda, Buay Keake described as “unacceptable” the decision to appoint Gai, saying it was a violation of peace accord and against the will of South Sudanese.

“Gen. Taban Deng Gai's appointment is illegal and it has been condemned by the members, the entire leadership in Uganda and the entire members of the SPLM –IO chapter in Uganda,” said Keake.

“On my own behalf as national coordination and the acting principal representative of Uganda , I would like to bring it into the attention of the general public that our office in Uganda strongly condemns the conspiracy plan,” added.

The official claimed the 8 July shootings, which occurred at the presidential palace in Juba was conspiracy allegedly to kill Machar.

Stephen Wat Bipal, the humanitarian liaison officer in Kampala said Gai's elevation violates provisions of South Sudan's peace accord.

Bipal said Gai was no longer an armed opposition movement member.

“Our office remains unshakable and will continue to hold onto the movement's objectives and vision. The chapter urges all members, supporters, and sympathizers to maintain their continued strong commitment to the democratic movement under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar,” he told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

On Monday, the South Sudanese leader took a unilateral decision after he gave his first deputy Machar an ultimatum 48 hours to report to Juba or else risk being sacked from his vice-presidency position.

Machar, however, insisted he would only return to Juba after regional forces have been deployed in South Sudan to create a buffer zone between his forces and those allied to the President Kiir.

But members of the armed opposition chapter in Uganda are urging the African Union, regional bloc (IGAD) and United Nation Security Council to deploy regional troops and pressure to desist from attacking their forces or risk igniting full scale war in the country.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudan security operatives prevented a newspaper editor from leaving court premises, despite being granted bail, journalists and family members said

Alfred Taban (Time-UA Photo)

Alfred Taban, the founding editor of Juba Monitor was arrested on 16 July by national security agents, a day after the paper's editorial called for the removal of South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, and the first vice president, Riek Machar, for allegedly failing to successfully implement the August 2015 peace agreement.

However, family members and journalists said on Tuesday that Taban has been denied bail again after he was charged under Article 75 and 76 of the Penal Code 2008 and cannot now be granted bail.

“Alfred has been transferred from the national security premises where he was held for more than a week to Juba north police station where the charges against were read out. He is charged under article 75 and article 76, which are irrelevant articles in this case”, a family member told Sudan Tribune.

He has been charged with "publishing or communicating false statement prejudicial to Southern Sudan” under Article 75 and Article 76 deals with "undermining authority of and insulting the President".

In South Sudan, journalists like Taban, still face constant harassment.

The head of union of journalists in South Sudan, Oliver Modi said in a separate interview he was concerned that the health condition of the detained editor would deteriorate if he is not granted bail.

“They have refused him bail [Taban] which is provided for in the constitution. I appeal to the authorities to listen to those appealing for his release on bail”, said Modi.

Last week, Michael Christopher, the editor of Al-Watan newspaper was arrested and detained after the paper misquoted the information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has fired the country's finance minister, David Deng Athorbei amid the worsening economic crisis in the nation.

South Sudanese preasident Salva Kiir (AFP)

In a Republican decree 288, read on State-owned SSBC on Monday, the South Sudanese leader relieved Athorbei without providing any reason.

Kiir, in the same decree also relieved Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau and his Mining counterpart, Taban Deng Gai.

Gai was appointed the country's First Vice President to replace armed opposition (SPLM-IO) leader, Riek Machar by decree 289. A separate decree 290 appointed Dhieu as the new finance minister.

South Sudan economy has deteriorated since December 2015 when the government floated exchange rates for local South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the US dollar.

Inflation in the country, economists say, has risen by 300% in the last seven months.

Observers say despite being oil-rich, South Sudan is likely to record negative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2016 after growing by 30.7 percent two years ago, largely due its ongoing conflict, decline in oil production and the global fall in oil prices.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) -Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across South Sudan at United Nations protection of civilians (PoCs) sites, have protested against the appointment of General Taban Deng Gai as first vice president to replace Riek Machar, saying the action is threatening the peace deal in the country signed in August last year.

Wiyual Machar Gany, chairman of the IDPs community living in the POCs at Jebel in Juba told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that civilians in the UN camp are against the decision of president Kiir to illegally sack Machar and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai who “faked” a nomination in a hotel room.

He said such a decision will hamper the implementation of the peace agreement between Kiir and Machar and urged the government to withdraw the appointment of Taban Deng Gai and continue with the implementation of the agreement.

“We civilians at the UN camps have gone to the street today against the decision of president Kiir to replace Machar. We reject the nomination of Gen. Taban Deng and we see this as threats to the peace which was signed last year,” Gany said.

The group said they only recognize Riek Machar as the legitimate leader of the armed opposition faction who also inked the peace deal with president Kiir to end two years of violent conflict.

A similar demonstration witnessed in Malakal, Upper Nile state and Bentiu, Unity state at the United Nations protection sites with residents calling on world leaders to take immediate action before a “full-scale war” could erupt again between South Sudanese rivals forces.

The groups called on the international community to put pressure on both parties to restore peace in the country as per the provisions in the August 2015 peace agreement.

The demonstrators who were carrying placards and leaflets told UN officials that Taban Deng Gai was allegedly working to scrap the peace deal for his person benefits rather than ending the war.

Maruot Changath Payinjiar, a youth leader of Payinjiar county in Unity state, has condemned the appointment of Taban Deng to replace what he called the “legitimate first vice president Machar.”

He said the move is seen to be destroying the peace agreement, despite many signatures from both international and regional leaders.

Changath adding that Taban Deng Gai had already defected to President Kiir's faction and had been removed from the party and should not have been appointed to represent the opposition faction.

The youth leader also claimed that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has failed to protect civilians after several internal displaced persons were “mistreated and killed in front of them.”

“The youths condemn UNMISS for failure to protect the peace agreement even when they knew Machar was transported with few soldiers from Pagak as if they were in the conspiracy which almost cost Machar's life. UNMISS also failed to protect the IDPs as many were killed in intentional firing by Salva Kiir's soldiers,” he added.

Changath has urged the African Union (AU) to send in third forces to protect the peace agreement and called on them to condemn and dismiss Taban Deng Gai's appointment by president Kiir.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (NEW YORK) – South Sudanese soldiers in the capital, Juba, have been accused by the United Nations (UN) of resorting to raping of women, including underage young girls who have taken refuge at the United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoCs) sites in the outskirt of the capital.

The renewed accusation was made in a briefing to reporters in New York on Wednesday.

"Regarding South Sudan, the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) continues to receive deeply disturbing reports of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, by soldiers in uniform and men in plain clothes against civilians, including minors, around UN House and in other areas of Juba,” said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

Since the start of the current violence in Juba, the UN Mission has documented at least 120 cases of sexual violence and rape against civilians.

UN peace keepers have reportedly stepped up their patrols in and around the Protection of Civilians sites, as well as in Juba city in response to the increasing sexual violence against women and underage girls.

It added that in trying to mitigate the problem, measures are in place where UNMISS force provides protection at designated times to women when they want to go out of the Protection of Civilians sites to collect firewoods and procure other non-food items.

“We have called on all parties to the conflict to take personal responsibility for the immediate sanctioning of their soldiers involved in these unspeakable acts of violence," says UN.

South Sudanese soldiers have been repeatedly accused of resorting to raping women whom they were supposed to protect as duty of a national army, with reports alleging that their commanders tell them to rape women as compensation for lack of salary payments.

The soldiers have also been accused of their habit to loot properties of civilians and relief organizations, with the recent incidence in Juba in which a food store for the World Food Program (WFP) was looted by soldiers two weeks ago in the heart of the capital.

(ST)

Many African elephants continued to face serious threats to their survival in 2015 from the illegal trade in ivory and unacceptably high levels of poaching, although the sharp upward trends in poaching since 2006 have started to level off, according to the Secretariat of the United Nations-backed treaty regulating wildlife trade.

African migrants remain as determined as ever to reach Europe from Libya despite the growing number of deaths at sea.

July 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Wednesday has confiscated copies of Al-Saiha and Al-Taghyeer daily newspapers from the printing house without stating any reasons.

A Sudanese man reads a newspaper as he waits to pay at a kiosk in the capital Khartoum (AFP)

Chief-Editor of Al-Saiha newspaper Al-Nour Ahmed Al-Nour said NISS agents came to the printing house and seized 14,500 print copies, pointing the financial loss is estimated at 30,000 pounds (SDG) (about $5000).

He added that the newspaper hasn't violated the law or crossed the red lines stated by the government, saying they can't predict any reason for the NISS's move.

For her part, the Chief-Editor of Al-Taghyeer Sumai Sayed said the newspaper was likely seized due to an Op-ed written by Hayder al-Mukashfi in which he made a comparison between the failed military coup in Turkey and the 1989 coup which brought President Omer al-Bashir to power.

She stressed that al-Mukashfi wrote a professional article and has neither violated the law nor crossed the red lines.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of Al-Tagyeer, late on Wednesday decided to suspend the publishing to protest against the repeated confiscations of the newspaper.

In statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the chairman of the board Hafiz Humaida said they felt that the newspaper was targeted by the frequent and unjustified confiscations and decided to suspend publication.

It is noteworthy that Al-Taghyeer is owned by the famous Islamist and health minister of Khartoum state Mamoun Humaida while Al-Saiha is owned by the chairman of the Just Peace Forum (JPF) party and president Omer Hassan al-Bashir's maternal uncle Al-Tayeb Mustafa.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) said the information department at the NISS on Tuesday has summoned producer and presenter of a sports programme at Radio Hala, Hassan Farouq.

According to the SJN, Farouq has discussed in his programme the government interference in the elections of the Sudanese Football Association (SFA).

It added that Farouq was interrogated at the NISS office from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (local time) before he was allowed to leave.

The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

It uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

(ST)