Africa

June 15, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan government has grudgingly admitted falling short of cash to pay civil servants and for essential services, raising fears that such an open admission may lead to uncertainty and insolvency.

South Sudanese information minister Michael Makuei Lueth attends a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 5 January 2014 (Photo: AP/Elias Asmara)

Information Minister and government's official spokesperson, Michael Makuei Lueth, announced on Friday in a statement broadcasted by the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) that the government has no money to make prompt payments to the employees, claiming he himself has not been paid for the last three months and “did not complain.”

Lueth argued that people should not demand payments for months which were not paid but rather wait for the months ahead, asserting the government has no money to pay for accumulated and unpaid months.

“There is no money, even myself I have not been paid for the last three months,” said minister Lueth, in a statement broadcasted by the state-owned media.

He was answering a question put to him by a reporter about payment of the civil servants after attending a regular cabinet meeting in which the council resolved to ask the leadership of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the First Vice President, Riek Machar, to talk to one of his senior commanders, General Johnson Olony, to permit the use of river transport to move grains from Renk to Juba and other parts of the country in order to help the situation.

General Olony is the commander of Sector One in Upper Nile state in the areas under the control of the SPLA-IO. His forces have closed the river Nile route between Renk and Malakal in Upper Nile state.

But minister Lueth's open admission of lack of funds to make payments has received mixed reactions from the general public and from the government, with some officials describing it as “inappropriate statement.”

Others argued that the remarks were part of a political ploy to convince the civil servants to exercise patience as the government is seeking ways out to make payments.

Critics of the government have also interpreted the statement to mean attempt by the government to elicit sympathy and support from the international community.

Many in government, including President Salva Kiir, were persuaded to accept the signing of the peace agreement as a way to receive support to improve the currently struggling economic situation and to avoid sanctions and other measures as incentive for blocking peace efforts.

However, international support has not yet come forth, owing to the lack of political will to implement the peace agreement by the parties.

Among many issues that need to be tackled include the status of the controversial 28 states unilaterally created against the 10 states stipulated in the August 2015 peace deal and cantonment of opposition forces across the country.

International financial experts and institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have warned of further economic deterioration in South Sudan.

(ST)

June 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese police have freed five children from a child trafficking network in the eastern Sudan state of Kassala. Also, the Police arrested suspects in Khartoum in connection with this network, which smuggles children into Libya

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

On Wednesday Police in Kassala announced that five children at the age of 15 years were on their way to Libya via Khartoum.

The Family and Child Unit Director, Colonel Amad Ahmed al-Tayeb, and the members of security committee in Kassla State attended the police press conference.

The children were attempting to leave Kassala without informing their families, according to Colonel Amad Ahmed al-Tayeb.

Colonel al-Tayeb added that the police managed to foil their plan after being informed by the Bus Association about the presence of several children seeking to quit the state.

He said interrogation revealed that the traffickers were in contact with a child trafficking network in Khartoum which was arrested as well.

The police official further said that the suspect had previously trafficked children below 18 years old.

Eastern Sudan in particular is believed to be serving as a passage for illegal immigration to Europe for Eritrean, Ethiopian and Somali nationals with the help of human smugglers.

Last week, Sudan, Italy and the United Kingdom said they arrested in Khartoum an Eritrean man suspected of controlling one of the world's four largest criminal immigration trafficking organizations.

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

(ST)

June 15 (YAMBIO) - A reintegration project targeting conflict affected communities has been launched in Yambio by the governor of the newly created Gbudue state. The three-year project, supported by UNICEF, targets women, children and youth who have been demobilized from the armed groups operating in Western Equatoria state.

Governor Patrick Zamoi said the youth and community in general will be empowered with skills on peace building; while the returning armed youth will be provided with vocational training to enable them earn money to sustain their families.

“We really completely forget about vocational schools to provide skills to our people and we had been so busy with IT as the computer come as new way to us but not vocational training. We need to provide skills to these people so that they will be in position to provide jobs for themselves and take care of their families,” Governor Zamoi said.

He also said Boda-boda [motor bikes business] cannot lead the youth anywhere, saying it is the obligation of the government with the partners from the international non-governmental organizations to find the best solution to the youth who are idle and creating problems in the state.

Following the signing of peace agreement between the government and the South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM) on 2 April, 2016, in Yambio, the government through its relevant structures has embarked on peace building and reintegration activities as an effort to restore hope, peace and security of the conflict affected people.

State minister of education, gender, child and social welfare, Pia Philip, said his ministry will champion the three years project, adding it has secured funds from UNICEF to organize workshops on conflict resolution and peace building in the five counties of Gbudue state.

Pia stated that the objective of the project is to create conducive environment for the proper reintegration into the society of the children, youth and women associated with conflict.

“The stakeholders need to understand the different paradigms of conflict, acceptance and forgiveness, forge a local mechanism of managing conflict at the Payam levels,” he said.

He added that realities for the youth are changing including the loss of traditional livelihoods and widespread urbanization.

Jobs are being created in urban areas but these are offered to foreigners who have the requisite skills.

“With no jobs or skills, he added, the marginalized youth choose violence and that means coming together based on shared tribal and political interests and poverty also contribute to the conflict [and] gangs on the roads in South Sudan,” he said.

The opening ceremony started with a three-day workshop which drew participants from various payams in Yambio county. The project will be extended to other counties and in schools to inculcate peace into the community and youth in particular.

(ST)

June 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Minister of Information Ahmed Bilal said the opposition Sudan Call forces are divided and fragmented and wouldn't unite and pointed they are waiting for the outcome of the pressures to compel them to sign the Roadmap Agreement.

Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed al-Balal Osman speaks during a press conference in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 9, 2013. ( Photo AFP/ASHRAF SHAZLY)

Last March, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and the Sudanese government signed a framework agreement calling to stop war in Blue Nile, Darfur, and South Kordofan and to engage in the national dialogue process.

However, four of the Sudan Call forces refused to sign the peace plan saying it excludes important opposition groups, acknowledges the internal dialogue process and ignores important confidence building measures such as ensuring political freedoms and release of political prisoners and detainees.

On Monday, leaders of the Sudan Call forces issued conflicting statements regarding a proposed meeting of the alliance to decide whether or not to meet the chief African mediator Thabo Mbeki to discuss the peace deal.

The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) accused several quarters including the Sudanese government of obfuscating on the Sudan Call meeting.
However, Osman described the SPLM-N accusations as an “attempt to justify the opposition failure”, saying the government has nothing to do with the opposition meeting.

Osman, who is also the government spokesperson, told the pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) that the SPLM-N and the Sudan Call forces failed to achieve unity in several meetings including in Paris and Berlin, adding the opposition parties can't agree with each other.

He pointed that the government didn't receive any official notification from any party that the opposition has agreed to sign the Roadmap Agreement despite the pressures that have been exerted on them, saying “we are waiting for the results [of these pressures]”.

Sudan Call forces had earlier disclosed that international parties including the United States (US) are making efforts to convince them to endorse the Roadmap Agreement.

MAHDI'S COMMENTS ON THE DIALOGUE OUTCOME

Meanwhile, the ruling political secretary of the National Congress Party (NCP) Hamid Mumtaz has described the recent remarks of the National Umma Party (NUP) leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi on the outcome of the dialogue conference as proof of the inclusivity of the national dialogue.

Last week, al-Mahdi disclosed he got a copy of the recommendations that the internal dialogue conference has reached and stressed they are surprisingly identical with so many agendas that the opposition forces are calling for.

Mumtaz also told SMC that the ongoing dialogue's arrangements were meant to approve the recommendations according to the desires of the Sudanese people and the political forces.

He said that fixing the date of the general assembly has sent a message for those who doubted the feasibility of the dialogue initiative, adding that the dialogue is currently in its third phase and the general assembly would approve the final recommendations.

Following its meeting with President Omer al-Bashir on Sunday, Sudan's dialogue body known as 7+7 committee said that the national dialogue's general assembly would be held on August 6th.

Mumtaz stressed that his party would go forward to complete the political consensus and implement its outcome in order to achieve the national objectives that aim to unify the internal front to confront the challenges facing the country and on top of which realizing security and stability.

He praised the efforts of the African mediation to convince the opposition holdout groups to join the dialogue.

The internal dialogue conference was inaugurated in Khartoum on October 10th, 2015 amid large boycott from the major political and armed opposition.

(ST)

June 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood has split following differences between the Shura (Consultative) Council and the Controller General Ali Jawish on decisions made by the latter to postpone the General Conference and disband group's offices.

Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood Controller General Ali Jawish (SUNA file photo)

The Sudanese branch of the Brotherhood has undergone two famous splits over the last four decades. The first split occurred in 1969 when a group led by the late Hassan al-Turabi founded the Islamic Charter Front (ICF) while the second spilt was led by the late Suleiman Abu Naru in 1991.

An emergency meeting of the Shura Council on Wednesday has decided to relieve Jawish and appoint the former Controller General Al-Hibir Youssif Nour al-Daem in his place on a temporary basis and until the General Conference is being held.

Member of Shura Council Omer al-Hibir told Sudan Tribune that the emergency meeting followed a series of decisions taken by Jawish to disband the group's organs including the Executive Office and the Shura Council as well as postponing the General Conference which was scheduled to take place in July and appointing a committee to run the group's affairs temporarily.

He described Jawish's decisions as an “unjustified coup” to impose a new reality within the group in order to maintain the interests of specific members before holding the General Conference.

Al-Hibir stressed that the meeting Nour al-Daeam was assigned to carry out the tasks of the Controller General until holding the General Conference in mid-October.

He pointed that the emergency meeting, which Jawish didn't attend despite his membership in the Shura Council, also decided to suspend membership of all those whose names appeared on the list of the committee which was appointed by Jawish to run the group's affairs and to replace them by other members in the Executive Office.

Al-Hibir further described the move as “a de facto split”, saying it was caused by an old difference regarding a decision to merge with the group that had split in 1991.

Last January, the two groups signed an agreement to merge in one group under the name of the Muslim Brotherhood.

It is noteworthy that the Muslim Brotherhood led by Jawish had abandoned its partnership with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) following the latter's recognition of the Egyptian President Abde-Fatah al-Sisi who overthrow the regime of the former President Mohamed Morsi.

For his part, Jawish said his decisions were aimed to make the group avoid serious risks that could lead to a third split as has occurred in 1969 and 1991.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune

Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood Controller General Ali Jawish (SUNA file photo)

Wednesday, he said that a small group has been meeting since four years ago to control the Muslim Brotherhood and change its course during the upcoming General Conference.

He said that he was forced to make those decisions in order to maintain the unity, history and future of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“The General Conference has been delayed and the existing organs [of the group] including the Shura Council, the Executive Offices and its subcommittees within measures that seek to maintain the unity and coherence of the group,” he said.

Jawish further called upon the members to name a group of secretaries to run the work alongside the Controller General, pointing that a new Shura Commission has been formed from the states' officials to approve a temporary plan until the General Conference elects new leadership and develop a comprehensive work plan.

(ST)

June 15, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's national army, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), said they have repulsed “bandits” who had earlier on overrun Raja, the administrative capital of the newly-established Lol state in Greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

A SPLA soldier stands in front of a vehicle in Juba on December 20, 2013. (Photo Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

The SPLA spokesperson, Brig. Lul Ruai Koang, acknowledged that fighting erupted inside Raja town on Wednesday morning when fighters he described as “criminals” and “bandits” overran the town and chased out of the town senior government officials, including the state governor, Rizik Zachariah Hassan who fled in disarray.

“In the early hours of Wednesday, June 15, 2016, armed criminals and bandits attacked SPLA's defensive position in Raga town. The attackers have been repulsed and mopping operations is going,” Koang said.

“More updates will follow,” he added, in a press statement he issued on Wednesday evening, nearly 12 hours after the state capital was seized by the unknown gunmen.

Koang also assured the citizens of the SPLA's ability to defend them, despite the fall of the state capital under the control of the gunmen on Wednesday morning.

“SPLA would like to assure the people of South Sudan that it has ability and capability to defeat armed criminals/bandits against the implement of peace agreement and reconciliation,” he said.

It was unclear why it took the whole day delay for the army's official spokesperson to inform the nation about the incident. He did not also explain how the attackers entered the state capital and what were the casualties involved.

In the attack, which occurred while governor Rizik Zechariah Hassen and his cabinet were in a meeting in Raga, the unknown gunmen stormed the state capital, forcing the cabinet members to flee from the town and run in different directions for their safety.

While governor Hassan was reported to have successfully escaped up to Aweil West county, some of his officials' whereabouts, including the deputy governor, were not known during the day.

Koang, in his statement, also called on their partner's co-national army, the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), to help the SPLA fight the attackers.

SPLA-IO is under the command of the First Vice President, Riek Machar, while SPLA is under the command of President Salva Kiir. The two are co-national armies per the August 2015 peace agreement until they will be reunified in the years to come.

Although no group has declared responsibility for the assault on Raga, chiefs of the area had earlier voiced their rejection to the creation of the new Lol state which combines Raja county with parts of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

The area also witnessed presence of the SPLA-IO forces that have not yet been cantoned or assembled.

Residents of Raja said the gunmen were seen in the town, suggesting they had taken control of the state capital Wednesday morning.

Fighting continued in the afternoon when SPLA sent in reinforcements to recapture Raja.

(ST)

Why have people been sharing a story about Garissa from 2015?

Zimbabwean farmer and beekeeper Nyovane Ndlovu with some of the honey produced under his own label. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

By Busani Bafana
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Jun 15 2016 (IPS)

“It is everything” is how smallholder farmer Nyovane Ndlovu describes beekeeping, which has long been an alternative sweet source of income for drought-beaten farmers in Zimbabwe.

A drought worsened by the El Nino phenomenon – which has now eased – led to a write-off of crops in many parts of Zimbabwe and across the Southern Africa region where more than 28 million people will need food aid this year. More than four million people need assistance in Zimbabwe, which has made an international appeal for 1.6 billion dollars to cover grain and other food needs. The drought, the worst in 30 years, has destroyed crops and livestock.

Ndlovu, 57, from a village in the Lupane District, a dry area prone to drought and hunger, is one of the country’s growing number of honey heroes, using forest resources to cope with a changing climate and complement his farming income.

But even beekeeping has not been immune to the latest severe drought , and many farmers who have depended on honey to make ends meet are reporting major losses this year.“Last year I got three 25-litre buckets of honey and this year not even one bucket. The weather changed so that the bees lacked enough flowers for food." -- Nyovane Ndlovu

“Honey is my food and my children love it because they know each time I harvest they never go hungry,” says Ndlovu, who trained in beekeeping more than 10 years ago.

Beekeeping, practiced by more than 16,000 farmers in Zimbabwe, generally complements maize and grain crops. Last season, Ndlovu harvested a tonne of maize and 0.5 tonnes of sorghum, low numbers even for a drought year.

“Even in times of drought I have realized something from the field, especially small grains, but this past season has been terrible for many farmers,” says Ndlovu, who won a scotch cart and a plough in 2012 for emerging as the top farmer in an agriculture competition. “I turned to beekeeping when I realized the benefits. The proceeds from my honey sales have allowed me to pay school fees for my children and cover other household needs. I am getting more from honey than I do from cropping.”

Lupane District located 172km North West of Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo is home to more than 90,000 people, many who get by through limited cropping and extensive cattle rearing. The area is also home to state-owned indigenous hardwood forests, on which communities depend for fuel and food.

More honey, more money

Ndlovu has more than 20 Kenya Top Bar hives and two Langstroth hives – considered the best technology for apiculture because they give a higher production and quality honey. In a good season Ndlovu earns more than 500 dollars from honey sales. He even has his own label, Maguswini Honey, which he plans to commercialize once his honey has received a standard mark. A 375ml bottle of honey sells for four dollars in the village but five dollars when he delivers it to customers in Bulawayo and beyond.

Last year, Ndlovu and his neighbours, who belong to Bumbanani, a 30-member local beekeepers association, sold 900 dollars worth of honey within three days of exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, an annual business showcase hosted in the city of Bulawayo. This year, they did not even make half the amount because they harvested less honey because of the drought.

“Last year I got three 25-litre buckets of honey and this year not even one bucket. The weather changed so that the bees lacked enough flowers for food and the water was also scarce and the hives did not have a lot of honey,” Ndlovu told IPS.

Another farmer, Nqobani Sibanda from Gomoza village in Ward 12 in Lupane, this year harvested one 20-litre bucket of honey compared to 60 litres last year.

“This year the flowers withered early and we think the bees did not have enough food, hence the honey harvest was low. I have four hives and each hive can give me up to 20 litres of honey on a good season and I can get 300 dollars or more, but not this year,” Sibanda said.

Development researcher with the Institute of Development Studies at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Everson Ndlovu, told IPS that income-generating projects such as beekeeping are an easy way for farmers to earn extra income in times of poor or no harvests and these projects can be up scaled into viable commercial enterprises.

“There is need for more training in business management, linking such small scale businesses to the market and business associations to get them properly registered and empowered,” said Ndlovu adding that, “the impact of drought has made it strategic for smallholder farmers to diversity their livelihoods but they need to receive weather information on time and in a manner they understand for them to make right decisions.”

Honey is traded globally and last year’s sales of natural honey were worth 2.3 billion dollars, according the World Top Exports website that tracks key exports. The sales were led by Europe with 35.2 percent of international honey sales, with Africa accounting for just 0.4 percent of the exports.

Bees which provide honey, propolis, Queen Jelly and beeswax among other products, help boost food security for some two billion smallholder farmers worldwide at no cost, a February 2016 study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found. The FAO has called for the protection of bees and insects that play a vital role of pollination thereby sustainably increasing food supply. However, climate change is affecting global bee colonies.

A drought of many things

“Farmers have been affected by the drought and beekeeping was not spared, as seen by the low amount of honey they realized this year compared to last year in Lupane, a dry area,” said Clifford Maunze, a beekeeping trainer and Project Officer with Environment Africa under the Forestry Forces Programme supported by the FAO.

“We have trained farmers on beekeeping and helped them counteract the effects of the drought by planting more trees that bees like such as Moringa Oleifera, commonly known as the drumstick tree, which flowers constantly and have promoted the development of homestead orchard where they can have citrus trees to provide forage for the bees,” Maunze said.

Environment Africa, working with the Department of Agriculture Extension Services (Agritex), has trained 1,382 farmers in Lupane District and over 800 in Hwange District on beekeeping under a programme started in 2011. Lupane was chosen for apiculture projects because of its indigenous forests, some of which are threatened by expanding agricultural land, veld fires and deforestation.

“While the drought has affected farmers in Lupane, apiculture is the way to go providing income and jobs because it is cost-effective,” Maunze said.

In drier regions like Matabeleland North Province, farmers can harvest honey twice a season and with at least five hives a farmer can get 100 litres of honey. This can be even more in regions with higher rainfall and forage, where farmers can harvest up to four times a season.

Figures from the national statistical agency Zimstats and Agritex show that Zimbabwe produces over 427,000 kg of honey annually against a local demand of 447,000 kg. The deficit of nearly 20,000 metric tonnes is made up through imports, a situation that farmers like Ndlovu are seeking to change through intensive investment in apiculture.

Zimbabwe is aiming to raise honey production to a target 500,000 litres by 2018, according to Zim-Asset, a national strategy to revive the country’s battered economy, currently facing a cash crisis.

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June 14, 2016 (JUBA) – Juba University students of the ruling party of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) have won the students leadership election against the SPLM-IO and other political parties in a “fair” election, a senior staff of Juba University has revealed.

University of Juba (File photo )

Also no bullets were fired in the air by security personnel to disperse the students during the election as reported on Monday.

John Akec, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that the alliance group of the SPLM and the African National Congress (ANC) party in South Sudan won the students election by 51% on Monday.

He said the students of the SPLM-IO with their alliance with the Democratic Party (DC) of Lam Akol and other political parties came second with 33% of votes. Independent students got 8% of the votes.

Akec further narrated that of 3,000 eligible votes, 2,000 were cast, but 8% of the votes were disqualified across all the three competing groups.

The polling stations, he added, were well organized and two observers from every party competing was present at each station.

“There were three polling stations and elections started around 9am closed around 6pm. At every polling station there [were] two student observers from every political party contesting the elections,” he said.

“An Election Committee was headed by the Dean of Students in which all political parties have a representative as well as representative of independent candidates. There was also an Oversight Committee comprising three senior professors/academics,” he added.

He further said that counting of the votes began immediately around 6pm and finished around 11pm, stressing that all political parties' observers approved the results of the election.

“All political parties observers at each of the three polling stations were asked to sign the counting results as fair.”

NO BULLETS FIRED

Akec dismissed the allegation reported on Monday that security personnel fired bullets into the air in the University premises to disperse the students and abort the election.

“I am writing to dispel what has featured in this ST [Sudan Tribune] news report as baseless. There has never been such incident at the University of Juba. The whole election process happened on Monday and was very peaceful,” Akec said in an email sent to the Sudan tribune.

He however confirmed that there was a minor incident when an “individual” tried to enter the Juba University compound armed with weapons during the elections, but added that security personnel arrested him immediately.

“There was a security report that security apprehended an individual from outside University trying to drive into the campus with numbers of machetes (and probably some riffle into the campus - I have not been informed how many),” Akec revealed.

“The details are sketchy. Otherwise, the election was very transparent and no guns were fired in air or at any student or staff and three groups contested the student union elections,” he said.

He maintained that the election was fair and the results were accepted by all the parties that contested the top leadership position of the university students, adding no complaints were raised by any party.

“All the information was supplied to the contesting parties the same night as preliminary results any complains were invited from 9 am to 4 pm today. No issues were raised and the results were announced by the joint committees (election committee and oversight committee) at 4:30 pm.”

He also said media houses were invited to witness the election and the Minister of Higher Education, Peter Adwok Nyaba, visited the campus on Monday and Tuesday to ensure things were going on smoothly.

Akec however acknowledged that rumours spread throughout Juba on Monday, alleging that there was violence between students during the elections which prompted the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to visit the university campus.

“Unknown elements in Juba wanted discredit the elections at any cost by circulating wild rumours of violence between students groups, but when authorities rushed to the campus (including the IGP) they found that things were calm and peaceful and no basis for those rumours,” he said.

(ST)

June 15, 2016 (JUBA) - Armed men in South Sudan have overrun Raja town, the administrative headquarters of the newly created Lol state, forcing the area governor and his cabinet to flee in disarray amid heavy gunfire.

Rizik Zachariah Hassan, Governor of Lol state (UN photo)

Lol state Governor Rizik Zachariah Hassan and his deputy Sumeiya Adut have fled the town and have not been able to communicate with each other since heavy gunfire erupted at dawn.

The whereabouts of the deputy governor remains unclear, raising concern for her safety.

The exact identities of the armed gunmen remains unclear and no specific groups have come out to claim any responsibility for attacking the strategic border town.

The details of casualties remains unclear, though military sources and local government officials told Sudan Tribune in series of interviews that Rizik narrowly escaped an attempt on his life, but his driver and body guard were injured as they tried to flee the area.

Governor Rizik is presently in Majok Dengdit village in Aweil West area.

(ST)

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June 14, 2016 (BOR) - A World Food Program-chattered plane, registration EK32120, crashed landed in Jonglei state capital on Tuesday, but no casualties were involved.

The photo of WFP aircraft, that crashed in Bor on June 14, 2016 ST.

The aircraft that came from the South Sudan capital, Juba landed in Bor at 8:19 A.M, when one of its wheels failed, rolled on the runway before it crashed landed.

Bor airport director, Kuot John Akech, said the crash was due to a mechanical failure.

“The antonov 32, was coming from Juba, around 8:19 a.m,. When it landed in Bor , it touched down well, but unfortunately, the left gear, on one side, was not rolling , so the plane got out of the runway to the side, and it got crashed”, he told reporters Tuesday.

Three crew members, who included two pilots and an engineer, survived with minor injuries.

“We sent them for drug and alcohol tests to know what exactly happened”, said Akech.

The aircraft, belonging to COCO Aviation Limited, was taking food from Bor to Malakal.

"The plane is damaged totally. The pilot has more than 30 years experienced," further said Akech, added that the problem was caused by a technical error in the system.

The second crash occurred in Bor less than two months ago, official records indicate.

(ST)

The first-ever United Nations-sponsored regional forum for Action on Albinism in Africa will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 17 to 19 June to develop specific measures to tackle the attacks and discrimination faced by persons with albinism in several countries in the region.

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June 14, 2016 (NYALA) – On Monday night law enforcement forces in the capital of south Darfur state, Nyala, clashed with armed men who stole a vehicle belonging to a leading member of ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and attempted to flee the town in vain.

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

A security source in Nyala told Sudan Tribune that a joint force from the police, the army and the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) managed to arrest the three gunmen who stole the vehicle of the NCP Deputy Youth Secretary in the state, which was parked in front of his home in Nyala.

The joint security team forced the carjackers to surrender after heavy clashes, according to the security source.

The heavy clashes that lasted from more than 30 minutes caused panic among the resident of the city. But, the security official asserted that the regular forces are capable to curb the criminal gang activities.

"There are many outlaws who are still undermining the security situation after the significant stability in the state," he said stressing that ''the law enforcement agencies are able to deal with any trouble despite the succession of security incidents since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan''.

In a separate security incident, five masked gunmen stormed “Al Madina” Pharmacy, which is at 200 meters from the premises of South Darfur government.

A pharmacist working in the pharmacy told Sudan Tribune that five armed men of whom 4 were in military uniform stormed the pharmacy and stole cash money and mobile phones before fleeing.

A number of residents have expressed concern over the return of the lawlessness situation which had prevailed in Nyala before imposing the emergency situation, pointing that the looting of a pharmacy in downtown is a serious indicator that the state could return to the previous situation.

Since July 2014, the governor of South Darfur Adam Mahmoud Jar al-Nabi, declared an indefinite emergency situation in the state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am (local time) in Nyala.

The decision also banned riding of motorcycles by more than one person, holding weapons while wearing civilian clothes, vehicles driving around without license plates, and wearing a kadamool (a turban which covers the face).

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

June 14, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia and Eritrea on Tuesday traded blame over who triggered Sunday's fresh border fighting that took place in their disputed border area.

Eritrean president, Isias Afewerki (AFP Photo)

The two rival forces fought around Tserona central front, an area about 75 kilometres south of the Eritrean capital, Asmara raising fears of a renewed all-out war.

Following the incident, Eritrea ministry of information immediately accused arch-rival Ethiopia of launching the attack first.

In an updated statement issued today, Asmara denied launching the attack first instead said it has repulsed the attack with Ethiopian troops sustaining heavy causalities.

Ethiopia on its part on Tuesday confirmed its military had taken "proportional measures" against Eritrea in response to an attempted attack in the Tsorona area on Sunday.

“The retaliatory measure against Eritrean forces seriously weakened the attacking capacity of the Eritrean army” said Ethiopia's communications affairs office.

The Ethiopian government further warned Eritrea that it will take further retaliatory actions if Asmara fails to stop its “mundane acts”.

At a press conference held Tuesday, communication minister, Getachew Reda said the decision on whether Ethiopia should take further military action or not depends on the future acts of the regime in Asmara.

The minister said the latest attack was an offensive plan by Eritrea and Ethiopian forces defended themselves and further took counter offensive measures to neutralize the threat.

Recently, the United Nations human rights investigators accused Eritrean leaders of crimes against humanity including torture, rape and murder and called on the Security Council to impose sanctions and refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

According to the Ethiopian government, the latest UN accusation has put Eritrea under pressure.

“Eritrea's attempted attack was targeted at diverting the attention of Eritrean people and the international community” the statement added.

The Government of Eritrea today further said it will issue detailed statement on the purpose, scope and implications of the latest violence.

“It is nonetheless clear that mounting opposition from popular movements of the Ethiopian people, endemic corruption and associated economic crisis, as well as the desire to stem promising progress in Eritrea are indeed some of the factors prompting Ethiopian regime to indulge in reckless military adventures” it said.

LEVEL OF CASUALITIES

With regard to level of causalities on the Ethiopian side the Ethiopian minister said it was too early to reveal the number at this point.

He said officials are receiving from the ground on level of the general damage.

The official however hinted it could be a serious number.

“The actual offensive was a serious one not just a simple skirmish so I would expect a significant damage mainly on the Eritrean side” Getachew said.

CIVILIAN EVACUATION

Sudan Tribune has learnt that Ethiopian authorities around the battle area have ordered civilians to evacuate ahead of the “counter attack”
Ethiopian officials said they had to evacuate civilians as Eritrean forces were bombarding the area using artilleries.

“We had to take precautionary measures to avoid civilian causalities” Getachew added.

He admitted Ethiopian forces has used a full on mechanized defensive including using Tanks, and RPGs.

In 1993, Eritrea, gained independence from Ethiopia but five years later it engaged in a two-year long war with its larger neighbour over their disputed border.

The war has claimed the lives of at least 70,000.

Although a peace deal signed in 2000 ended the bloody war, terms of the agreement haven't yet been implemented as Addis Ababa demanded further talks on implementation process.

As a result, the two neighbours remain in a no-war no-peace situation and forces of both sides regularly engage in lower-scale skirmishes however the extent of the latest clashes are said to be larger.

Sources told Sudan Tribune that people residing along the common border have been fleeing the area following the fighting which has involved heavy artillery.

Ethiopia and Eritrea routinely exchange accusations of backing rebels trying to destabilize and overthrow the other's government

Eritrea is also under UN sanctions over accusations of arming training and financing al-Qaida allied terrorist group in Somalia, Al-Shabab.

(ST)