Africa

May 3, 2016 (RUMBEK) - A family member of the former commissioner of Rumbek Central County Matur Majok Magol is protesting the prolong detention without charges.

Matur Majok Magol former commissioner of Rumbek Central County Lakes state (ST Photo)

Mary Rol Ater, wife of Magol said her husband has been arrested since March 3, 2016 by state government without charges.

Rol said that Magol was taken to Malou military barracks and all his telephone was confiscated and no clear information being provided by state government with regard to his detention.

However, Western Lakes State Minister of Information and Communication Daniel Dut Makuet have denied the arrest of former commissioner of Rumbek Central County, saying that Magol is kept in Panda Hotel as part of precautionary measures because his relatives were suspected to be involved in revenge killings inside Rumbek Central County in March.

“ Matur Majok was not arrested, his relative got involved in march clashes . The security organs were trying to follow up the accused () But Matur was not arrested. He was taken to Panda Hotel to protect him from revenge.”

Meanwhile, former commissioner spouse Mary Rol Ater said Panda Hotel is turned into military secret prison since the time of former governor Matur Chut Dhuol.

She further stressed that he is in jail at that hotel since last March.

The former commissioner was reportedly arrested following inter-communal clashes in March 3, 2016.

(ST)

May 3, 2016 (KHARTOUM/JUBA) - following the formation of the new transitional national unity government in Juba, Sudan and South Sudan expressed hopes to settle the post-separation issues peacefully and to have good cooperation.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (L) and his Sudanese counterpart, Omer Hassan al-Bashir, attend a press conference at Khartoum airport on 4 November 2014 (Photo: AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

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. But only the oil transit deal was implemented.

Sudan and South Sudan still speak about presence of rebel groups in the two countries. Also, Abyei referendum and border disputed areas are still to be resolved as the two countries have to reach an agreement on border demarcation.

In a speech before the parliament in Khartoum Tuesday, Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour said that his government welcomed the transitional government of national unity and expressed hopes to work together for peace and stability in the region.

In Juba the South Sudanese cabinet minister Martin Elia Lomoro,said his government does not need to fight with the government of neighbouring Sudan from which it seceded in 2011 to settle the unresolved issues

South Sudanese cabinet affairs minister Lomoro told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday his government has a clear and unique approach to settling post -secession matters with Sudan.

“We don't need to panic and fight in order to claim our rights. The issues which have not been resolved can be resolved amicably through peaceful dialogue" said Lomoro.

"The Sudanese themselves are rational. They know what is right and wrong. And even if they are tempted to claim what does not belong to them, they will never be secured and they will never feel free psychologically because you know when you have taken something which does not belong to you, you will always remain suspicious and trying to understand the reasons for which the person permitted you to take what does not belong to you”, he further said.

South Sudan, according to Lomoro, is currently in an unstable relations with Sudan but that does not mean the world youngest country and its leadership would compromise on sovereign matters.

“We will continue to dialogue with them because South Sudan and Sudan are not going to make a miracle to avoid being neighbours. We will continue to remain as neighbours in the same region and this is why it is very important to keep good relationship with neighbours because the two countries are going to remain neighbours forever,” he explained.

The minister called on Sudanese government to engage his country in direct negotiations to resolve unresolved post secession issues in the same way the 2005 peace agreement was reached or resort to international arbitration as the best approach to resolve differences related to border.

South Sudan broke out from Sudan in July 2011 after a referendum on self-determination held in January 2011.

In January 2016, Sudan opened border and allowed border trade between the population from the two sides. However two months later, President Omer al-Bashir ordered again to close border, and accused Juba of supporting the rebel groups.

However , the Sudanese foreign minister told the lawmakers that his government welcomes the new coalition government which is formed in line with a peace agreement between the warring parties after two year and a half of violence, adding they hope it would be a "honest partner" and cooperate with Khartoum.

"We welcome the new government, including the appointment of Deng Alor as a Minister of Foreign Affairs" Ghandour said and stressed his readiness to work with him in the interest of the two countries in order to build a model relationships in the region.

Alor, is from the disputed area of Abyei. His appointment was seen by many in Juba as an obstacle for good relations between the two countries, but the G10 insisted he is their candidate for the post in this coalition government.

In response to a question by the legislators, Ghandour said his government would work for the stability support peace in the neighbouring country.

He stressed that "security and stability of the South Sudan means also the security of Sudan" and urged Juba to stop supporting Sudanese rebel groups.

This week, the semi-official news service SMC said that a group of Darfur rebels who returned recently form South Sudan, has provided new evidence of Juba support to the rebels groups and their camps.

(ST)

Egypt's journalists' union demands the dismissal of the interior minister after two journalists were arrested at its headquarters in Cairo overnight.

The owner of a six-storey building which collapsed in Kenya's capital, killing at least 21 people, has been arrested, police tell the BBC.

In early January, Judith Akolo, a journalist with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, found herself in unfamiliar territory when she was summoned and grilled by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for retweeting a Twitter message. The original tweet had been posted on Dec. 31, 2015, advertising jobs within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) whose mandate […]

Thousands of people attend the first day of official commemorations in DR Congo to mark the sudden death of music star Papa Wemba.

By an IPS Correspondent
May 2 2016

The growing partnership between 78 countries of Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and the 28-member European Union (EU) has been described as one of the most successful examples of both South-South and North-South cooperation.

As ACP Secretary-General Dr. Patrick I. Gomes points out: “The ACP-EU partnership has a significant contribution to offer to the global development agenda.”

“Not only does it bring together more than 100 countries in the world in a legally binding partnership based on trade, development cooperation and political dialogue, but it has also made an impact through effective and comprehensive development programmes, as well as valuable collaborations with a wide variety of actors”, he said last week.

A two-day meeting of the Joint Council of Ministers and key officials from the 106 countries concluded April 29 with two key decisions: a pledge to ensure the success of the upcoming summit of Heads of State in Papua New Guinea 30 May- 1 June and an appeal to the EU for flexibility on free trade deals with ACP regions.

The meeting was chaired by the President of Senegal Macky Sall and took place at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Centre in the capital of Dakar.

The Summit is expected to be a watershed event for the ACP Group of States, in terms of providing the necessary political mandate to reorient the organisation, and a basis for more concrete engagement in discussions on the future of ACP-EU relations.

The Foreign Minister of Papua New Guinea Rimbink Pato made a presentation on the state of preparations for the upcoming 8th Summit and urged delegations to ensure high levels of participation.

Among the decisions taken by the Council of Ministers was the need for an urgent response to the outbreak of the Zika virus in Caribbean countries. The virus has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Conscious of its potential economic and social impact, the Council gave instructions for an appropriate financial allocation to be urgently made from the Intra-ACP resources of the 11th European Development Fund to address the crisis.

The ministers also agreed on a resolution on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAS) between the ACP regions and the European Union.

The Caribbean is the only region to have ratified a full regional agreement, which is currently being implemented. Three others – West Africa, East African Community, and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) EPA group – have signed but not ratified.

Amongst several key decisions and resolutions, the ACP Council of Ministers welcomed the report by the Eminent Persons Group, chaired by former President of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, entitled “A New Vision for our Future – A 21st century African, Caribbean and Pacific Group delivering for its Peoples.”

The report, resulting from more than two years of research, consultations and reflection, includes recommendations to reform the organisation and reposition it as a more effective international force on the global scene.

The report will be tabled at the 8th ACP Summit in Papua New Guinea.

The Council also encouraged Member States to participate in the upcoming UNCTAD XIV, (the 14th UN Conference on Trade and Development) on 17-22 July 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The ACP Council of Ministers also adopted a resolution directing the ACP Secretariat to take steps to support Member States in negotiating improved bilateral Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements with the EU.

In a separate resolution, the Council welcomed several developments in the ongoing EU talks on sugar, including assurances that the EU Safeguard Mechanism will not be applied automatically, and that the EU will not impose any mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) for sugar.

Ministers further insisted that no intervention is made to increase the supply of sugar within the EU which could undermine the fragile recovery in sugar prices in some ACP Member States.

Additionally, the Council of Ministers discussed the territorial tensions between Belize and Guatemala, as well as between Guyana and Venezuela, with Ministers confirming their support for the territorial integrity of ACP Member States in these disputes.

(End)

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman wants Senegalese striker Sadio Mane to replicate the form that brought him a hat-trick on Sunday.

May 2, 2016 (JUBA)- A South Sudanese religious leader has asked members of parliament and cabinet ministers to stay close to the people so that they are able to understand their challenges and the needs.

South Sudanese MPs stand during a parliamentary session in Juba on 31 August 2011 (AFP)

“People are living like abandoned orphans because of members of parliament don't find time to stay in their constituencies," said episcopal Bishop of Akot diocese, Isaac Dhieu.

“There is a gap between the grassroots and leaders because leaders are not among the people. The focus this time should in the community where change is supposed to start from. Change does not start with the president; change starts with the grassroots and it is the reason why MPs run away and go for positions of minister, deputy minister and abandon the people like the way they are [doing] right now”, he added.

He said politicians were busy running after their own interest and changing allegiance from one political group to the other in pursuit for their own interests and not that of the common person.

“Everyone who failed in the government is running to the SPLM-IO, so what kind of change are we crying for? Every day you are crying but there's no one to listen to you. People are being attacked at night by the unknown gunmen because there's no leadership to protect them. I know people know people who are more than capable to deliver services to the people but they have been given the opportunity to serve," said Dhieu.

People should be allowed to remove garbage in their constituencies and ensure each household has clean and running water on prepaid basis. They will provide basic needs for all the people and help people have title deeds and own decent shelter”, he added.

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Sunday accused the armed and political opposition groups of bringing violence from the peripheral conflict areas to the Sudanese universities, particularly in Khartoum.

Leaders of the opposition "Sudan Call" sign an agreement on the alliance's structures in Paris on 22 April 2016

The Sudanese capital witnessed recently a wave of student protests where two students were killed in Omdurman and El Obied. The bloody incidents came after calls by the opposition groups to overthrow the regime through peaceful means.

In a meeting headed by the Presidential Assistant and Deputy NCP Chairman Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid on Sunday, the political sector of the ruling party condemned what is called attempts by the armed groups to export violence to universities campuses.

"The Political Sector expressed its indignation over the use by the (opposition) Sudan Call of political tactics including attempts to export war to the universities campuses and to involve students in it," said the NCP spokesperson, Yasir Youssef on Sunday.

"We condemn violence, whether in the Two Areas or attempts to export it to the universities," Youssef further said.

He said the extraordinary meeting discussed the political and security situations in the universities, adding that it returned to normal in the capital and the other states.

Also, he called on the armed groups to sign the Roadmap Agreement, adding it is the "Only way out to stop the war and to promote peace in the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile".

Pointing to a recent meeting held in Paris, he said "opposition rushing to Europe and holding a meeting in Paris or elsewhere will not lead to a solution" adding it is inside the country and in the Two Areas.

The opposition Sudan Call forces held a meeting in Paris from 18 to 21 April where it reiterated its rejection of the Roadmap Agreement and called on the African Union to review its plan for peace in Sudan, in a way to dissociate the ongoing dialogue conference inside the country from the national dialogue process proposed by the African Union in its initial plan of the decision 539.

Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the opposition National Umma Party, told Sudan Tribune last Thursday they plan to meet the African Union mediators to discuss the roadmap to demand the inclusion of more opposition groups in the process and to take into account the need to release political freedoms.

(ST)

May 2, 2016 (JUBA) - The African Center for Transitional Justice (ACT-J) has welcomed the formation of Transitional Government of National Unity by the parties to the Agreement on the Resolution of the conflict in South Sudan.

President Salva kiir(C) FVP; Riek Machar (L), and VP, Marilyn, raise their hands after swearing in ceremony of Machar on April 26, 2016. (Photo Lomayat Moses)

In a statement issued on Saturday, ACT-J's executive director, Peter Gai Manyuon, stressed the need for justice and accountability in the young nation.

“It is therefore, very crucial for the parties who caused the conflict to account for the crimes they have committed beginning from 2013 to 2016, in order for the peaceful co-existence of South Sudanese people in Country,” said Gai.

“The culprits who have killed innocent civilians should be brought to book and answers what lead to massacre, cannibalism, tortured, raped, killings of the civil population in the country,” he added.

South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar was last week sworn in as the country's first vice president as part of a peace deal that ended 21 months of South Sudan conflict.

Tens of thousands of people were killed and over two million displaced during the conflict, which broke out in December 2013 following disputes in the country's ruling party.

According to ACT-J, the warring party leaders must strive to identify the culprits who were responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and cases related to genocide, in order to achieve reconciliation, truth seeking, tranquillity, reforms and democratization processes in South Sudan.

The peace implementation without proper accountability and national reconciliation is meaningless, the entity said.

It said there is need to form a hybrid tribunal, which will boost efforts to uplift national justice systems in South Sudan.

“Otherwise if the parties who committed crimes against humanity are not question by the world, then peace and reconciliation initiatives might not go as many people wishes,” stressed the human rights body.

A non-political, non-governmental organization, formed by professional South Sudanese Journalists and Lawyers in 2014, ACT-J works to address issues of transitional justice mechanisms, advocacy on accountability, human rights monitoring and documentation, democracy, governance and peace-building in South Sudan.

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan on Sunday expressed hopes to attract more Saudi investments in mineral sector, and expected that the revenue of the two countries from Atlantis II mining project in the Red Sea reach 20 billion.

Saudi Arabia Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, will pay a one-day visit to Khartoum on Wednesday to discuss joint collaboration in a project to extract metals from hydro-thermal basins some 2,000 meters deep in the Red Sea known as Atlantis II project.

Sudan Authority for Geological Research Director, Mohamed Abu Fatma, revealed that Red Sea bed is rich in minerals. Estimates for minerals in the common area between Sudan and Saudi Arabia show that there are over 47 tons of gold, 2 million tons of zinc, 500,000 tons of copper, 3,000 tons of sliver and huge amounts of other valuable minerals.

“Sudan, Saudi Arabia are expected to earn $ 20 billion from Atlantis II project. The two parties will discuss utilization of these minerals in their imminent meeting in Khartoum,” Abu Fatma told the official news agency (SUNA), calling for creating smart partnership in minerals exploitation.

Sudanese Minister of Minerals, Mohamed Sadiq al-Karori, on his part, said that Sudan has allocated 100 mining blocks for both local and international investors.

Al-Karori discussed with the Saudi Ambassador to Sudan, Fisal al-Mala, the final arrangements for al-Naimi visit to Khartoum to attend the meeting of Sudanese-Saudi Standing Committee on Joint Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Red Sea.

“Sudan is interested to attract more Saudi investments in minerals sector” said al-Karori, while Saudi Arabia aims to diversify income resources and to end oil dependency,.

The Saudi ambassador said his country is keen to invest in all sectors in Sudan including minerals. Al-Mala further said that he hopes Sudan and Saudi Arabia to focus on accelerating efforts to utilize Red Sea bed minerals.

Since the secession of South Sudan in July 2011 and the loss of two thirds of its oil reserves, Sudan has developed mining industry to increase its national revenue.

In February 2012, Khartoum and Riyadh signed an agreement on exploring minerals in the joint territorial water in the Red Sea. Atlantis II goes back to 1970s, when Sudanese government had plans to exploit the Red Sea bed with Preussag AG, a German mining company. But the project was abandoned due to the lack of suitable exploration technologies at the time.

In 2010, the Canadian Diamond Fields International and Saudi Manafa International Ltd. were licensed by the Saudi Sudanese Committee to conduct exploration activities in Red Sea rift valley.

In a feasibility study conducted in 2012, Diamond Fields International expected that Saudi Arabia and Sudan will make big profits from the extraction of copper, silver and zinc from Red Sea bed. At the time, it expected to start production in 2014 once technical studies are terminated.

Sudan and Saudi Arabia relations have recently improved after years of tension caused by Sudan-Iran connections. The development of bilateral relation was crowned by Sudan's participation in the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi militants in Yemen and in the military exercises “Thunder of the North” in Saudi Arabia.

(ST)

May 2, 2016 (JUBA) - The U.S. aid arm (USAID) has earmarked $3.18 million over the next three years to train smallholder farmers in the coffee sector within South Sudan.

A woman handpicking Arabica cofee (restorethebean)

The funding, officials say, is part of a public-private partnership with Swiss coffee maker Nespresso and international development consultancy TechnoServe.

The introduction of coffee as South Sudan's export commodity will reduce the nation's dependency on oil resources, given the declining prices of crude oil in world markets.

In October last year, Nespresso reportedly shipped its first volumes of coffee production from South Sudan, marking the first non-oil exports to come out of the country in over a generation.

Since it started revive coffee production in the war-torn nation in 2011, around 1,000 smallholder farmers have reportedly been trained in agribusiness techniques and about three-quarters of them now commercially-engaged.

At least six coffee cooperatives have been established, in addition to having in place the first wet mill processing unit.

Farmers receive premium prices from Nespresso for their beans as part of a shared value strategy by the company to invest in farmer training in exchange for top dollar crops.

Ambrose Lokodi, a South Sudanese farmer, admits that involvement in coffee production would reduce farmers' dependency on other crops.

“Poverty is reducing and most farmers have a better life. We advise everyone to plant coffee to uplift our nation,” he says.

According to Nespresso, the company's investment of over US$ 2.5 million in reviving the production of high-quality South Sudanese coffee since 2011 demonstrates the potential for commercial coffee production in the country.

As part of the expansion of its sustainably quality program in African, however, Nespresso says its aim is to ensure it has invested over US$ 3.4 million in the project by end of 2016. The program focuses on improving yields and coffee quality through establishment of central wet mills and by providing training to farmers to improve agricultural practices.

“With this ambitious project, we wish to bring our consumers a new exceptional coffee experience, directly from the cradle of coffee,” said Nespresson's Jean-Marc Duvoicin.

“The high quality Robusta we have found in South Sudan had truly unique aromas. South Sudan is the only place in the world where Arabica and Robusta grows,” he added.

By 2019, Nespresso says it aim is to train 1,500 local farmers. The company has a goal of training 10,000 coffee farmers.

Although South Sudan has vast and largely untapped natural resources, beyond a few oil enclaves, it remains relatively undeveloped, characterized by a subsistence economy. South Sudan is the most oil-dependent country in the world, with oil accounting for almost the totality of exports, and around 60% of its gross domestic product.

On current reserve estimates, oil production is expected to reduce steadily in future years and become negligible by 2035. According to the World Bank statistics, livelihoods in South Sudan are mainly concentrated in low productive, unpaid agriculture and pastoralists work, accounting for around 15% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Constitutional Court on Sunday has ordered to allow Al-Tayyar newspaper to resume publishing following more than four-month suspension by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

Al-Tayyar editor in chief Osman Merghani (L) speaks in a press conference with his lawyer Nabil Adeeb on Wednesday December 16, 2015 (ST Photo)

In June 2012, NISS suspended al-Tayyar indefinitely and allowed it to reopen in March 2014 upon a ruling of the Constitutional Court. However, it suspended the newspaper again on December 15, 2015.

Following the recent suspension, the newspaper's legal advisor Nabil Adeeb said the ruling of the Constitutional Court underscored that the NISS doesn't have the power to suspend newspapers.

He pointed that article (24) of the Constitutional Court Act prohibits resorting to any other law following its decision not to use it, adding that NISS has repeated its action by suspending al-Tayyar in clear defiance of the law and the court.

Adeeb added that he submitted a claim for the protection of a constitutional right to the Constitutional Court, saying he would use the court's ruling about the unconstitutionality of the suspension decision as a precedent.

On Sunday, publisher and Chief Editor of Al-Tayyar Osman Merghani said the Constitutional Court informed them of its decision to lift the ban on the newspaper, pointing the court ruling was based on the 2014 precedent.

“The publishing of the newspaper has now become legal but we have [internal] administrative and professional arrangements. We would meet to determine the date for resuming publishing within a couple of days,” he said.

Merghani added that the court ruling is considered a resounding victory for the justice and a bright spot for the Sudanese judiciary, describing the ruling as the second “historic decision” by the Constitutional Court.

He described the ruling as a victory for the Sudanese state, pointing they would move forward without holding a grudge against anybody.

For his part, Adeeb described the Constitutional Court's decision as a victory for the concept of the freedom of press, saying however the decision should have been made five months ago.

He stressed that the NISS must respect the court's rulings and refrain from suspending the newspaper again, pointing to the previous court decision which clearly stated that the NISS don't have the power to suspend newspapers.

Last February, Al-Tayyar launched a campaign to collect one million signatures to demand the lift of ban on the newspaper.

Also, in March, the journalists at Al-Tayyar went on a hunger strike to protest against the suspension of the newspaper.

However, a mediation committee comprising members of the Sudanese Journalist Union met with the strikers committee and proposed end the strike in exchange for a pledge that the case be referred to the Constitutional Court.

The mediators who said they are mandated by "official bodies" vowed that the government would be bound by the judge's decision whatever it may be.

Legally, Sudanese press is protected under the provisions of the 2005 interim constitution but in fact the press is harshly controlled by the NISS which censure, confiscate and ban newspapers.

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) said that a Sudanese security agent has facilitated the escape of government prisoners of war (POWs) in South Kordofan.

SPLM-N spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi (ST Photo)

On Saturday, the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) said that a special force from the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has freed seven oil workers who have been kidnapped by the SPLM-N while they were returning from work.

However, SPLM-N spokesperson, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, denied that the POWs were freed by a special rescue operation as the NISS claimed, saying the latter doesn't have the capacity to carry out such operation.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, Lodi said the NISS prisoners escaped from Julud area in Dilling County with the help of their night guard Abdel-Haq Mohammed Saeed who joined SPLM/N in 2011 and was a NISS agent.

He stressed that the prisoners have released very confidential information pertaining to the NISS, saying the latter offered to pay 5 billion pounds (SDG) (about $370,000) ransom to secure their release but the movement rejected the offer because it violates its policies and laws in dealing with the POWs.

On Saturday night, the official news agency (SUNA) said the hostages have arrived in the capital, Khartoum.

Meanwhile, Lodi said that his movement was responsible for the crash of a Sudanese army aircraft on Saturday in the capital of North Kordofan state, El-Obied, 588 km south of Khartoum.

In a brief statement on Saturday, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) spokesperson Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami, said that a military plane Antonov 26 crashed while landing in El Obied airport due to a technical failure.

“All the crew members including three officers and two soldiers were killed in the accident,” said the statement.

However, Lodi said their air defences heavily opened fire at the Antonov plane which was bombing civilians and destroying civilian institutions in SPLM/N controlled areas.

He pointed out that the shooting caused a significant damage to the plane and the crew failed to carry out an emergency landing at El-Obied military airport.

Fierce fighting is taking place in the Nuba Mountains area of South Kordofan following a large-scale campaign launched by the government army against rebel positions.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile state have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011.

Last December, negotiations between Khartoum and the SPLM-N stalled after the government delegation insisted that the objective of talks is to settle the conflict in the Two Areas, while the SPLM-N team has called for a holistic approach to resolve ongoing conflicts across Sudan.

May 1, 2016 (JUBA) - Authorities in the newly created Northern Liech state have issued a statement expressing sympathies and condolences to family members and relatives of the departed spiritual leader, Dhiador Turoal Thaibany.

Nuer traditional cultural dancers on Sunday at Bentiu Indepedent stadium in Unity state. 10 November 2013 (ST)

The spiritual leader, according to the official statement by Northern Liech government, died on 30 April in his home village of Turakiel. Officials attributed the cause of his death to a long-time illness.

“The Government under the leadership of Governor Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil sent out the state's heartfelt condolences to the Greater Bentiu and particularly the family of Dhiador Turoal Thaibany, who passed away yesterday in his home village had called Turakiel. It is very untimely death and unwelcomed by the entire people of Bentiu and its authority,” the official statement from Northern Liech government extended to Sudan Tribune reads in part.

Late Dhiador Turoal, according to the official government statement, had been the centre piece that glues together the communities of Bentiu and as a visionary leader with wisdom greater beyond any measurable term.

“We the Bentiu communities have learned everything that the late had taught us in tough times and in good times. He had played his role as a responsible man surrounded by not only Leek People but the entire people from South Sudan.”

His home area in Turkiel, the statement added, is home to every person in our country, adding the Leek people in particular regret and mourn the loss of their paramount spiritual leader, who had been in number of years performed miracles that had seen people staying alive and communities staying in peace.

The statement further stated that not only Leek community will be in pain for losing a spiritual leader but the entire state and even the country.

The departed spiritual leader loved and had been survived by a number of children, wives, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and relatives. He lived his life as a hero among his community and his generation.

“He is a symbol of hope to unity among the people. He fed the hungry and shelters the needy in his home village. He is a selfless person with a heart of love and humility. Dhiador had been leading the Leek community and even the neighbouring communities.

The spiritual leader, according to information minister, Lam Tungwar, died at the same time when the transitional government of national unity was being sworn and at the time peace was returning to the country.

Peace has come to our dear State; I am sure because of his bright heart, he dies after seeing peace is finally here,” explained minister Tungwar.

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has denied United States officials visa in a tit for tat move against Washington because it had previously refused to grant an entry visa to senior Sudanese officials to participate in international meetings.

Sudan's foreign ministry building in Khartoum (SUNA)

Sudan State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kamal Ismail, told reporters on Sunday, that Khartoum's embassy in Washington received visa applications from U.S. officials and decided to implement reciprocal measures.

However, the minister did not disclose the names of the U.S. official whose visa requests were denied or their reasons to visit Sudan.

Last Tuesday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the acting chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum Benjamin Moeling.

The Deputy Under-secretary of Foreign Ministry, Sirraj Eddin Hamid, conveyed Sudan's protests against delay and denial of visa to enter the United States to Sudanese officials attend United Nations, World Bank and other international forums meetings.

Last week, Ambassador Kamal Ismail, warned that Sudan will deny U.S. officials visa to Sudan.

“Sudan will treat U.S. the same way if Sudanese official further denied visa or their applications delayed” said Ambassador Kamal Ismail, confirming that Sudan has its own measures as well and will give visa only to those who safeguard Sudan's interest.

Recently, Washington refused visas to senior Sudanese officials, including the ministers of interior, education and the state minister for health.

(ST)

May 1, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan President, Salva Kiir, has reiterated his calls for cooperation among new cabinet ministers in the newly formed unity government, saying the ministers should now see themselves as colleagues and work together as one unit to deliver basic services to the people.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir (C) poses for a picture after the government swearing in with his first deputy Riek Machar (R) and second deputy James Wani on 29 April 2016 (Photo Moses Lomayat)

President Kiir also said he would recognize those ministers who perform in their jobs.

“It will not be a usual business. Things will have to change. This time I will be watching closely because people need services and with this government they are expecting a lot. The expectations are high,” said Kiir on Sunday.

The president also encouraged competition in performance among the ministers but warned that it should be a healthy competition with the intention to deliver.

“There is nothing wrong with competition. What is wrong is rivalry that ends in hatred and undermining each other. But I would prefer to have a cabinet that is competing. If one is praised today you will say tomorrow I want to be praised more; this is what teamwork is all about and this is how we will achieve our objectives in a shorter period of time,” he said.

He told the cabinet ministers to always remember that they are one family and as a family team and as patriots, they should always remember that if one team member is down, all of them have failed the person.

He again stressed the need to work as a team saying nobody has the solution to everything except the God.

“Only the Almighty God knows all the problems and all the solutions as he has everything. Therefore, we need to work together as a team basing our hope, faith and destiny in the capable hands of the Almighty God,” he said.

Well, all areas are challenging and if the team captain thinks that work is difficult, what about the coach who would have to bear the responsibility for the performance of the team? But, where there is faith in God there is bound to be success[ful] and I have no doubt that we will succeed as a nation and we will build a type of great nation that we all yearn for and make this nation a better reference point in all positive human endeavours for the rest of mankind.”

The former rebel commander turned politician and became the president of the young country averred that he has more confidence in government than ever before.

“Because, the country has the resources that it takes to bring about an economic superpower status. But the resources have to be suited and used for the purpose. What are the resources I am talking about? I am talking about the human resources, human capacity,” he added.

President Kiir also informed the gathering that the country had the requisite natural resources that if used properly could propel the country into a greater nation.

He also stressed the need for attitudinal change and for people to be sincere and honest to themselves as well as the country.

“Many a time you see people castigate others that are honest and hardworking patriots of this country. Oh! That's the president's friend! Is it a taboo to be the friend of the President? If you are delivering you will be my friend,” he further remarked.

The South Sudanese leader went on to stress that whoever is hardworking and loyal to the nation is his friend, reiterating that his objective is to develop the country.

“So let us work as a team. The most important thing is that as a leader in your department and ministry you are the role model. The under-secretary is watching you and the director general is watching the under-secretary and the minister and everybody is watching. When the minister suffers from such negative attitude, the under-secretary, director general and all other people to the last person including the driver all become affected. What does that translate into? Nothing is done on time in that ministry. Undue favouritism is unacceptable too,” he stated.

The president made it clear that undue favouritism will have no place in his government this time around, decrying instances when people are treated nicely no matter what they do, while others are treated badly no matter what they do.

He also stressed the fact that people should remember that one day everyone will be judged by the performance, where there will be no driver and everyone will be treated according to their performance.

Speaking at the same getting together lunch, the vice president, James Wani Igga, also thanked the president for his foresight in the appointment of the new ministers, who he noted, are not new faces in cabinet as they have served previously.

He challenged them to continue their hard work, while praying that God continues to guide them to enable them to excel in their respective duties. He further remarked that with the accumulated experience they have different area, he is confident they will live up to the tasks.

“As I mentioned earlier, the work is more urgent now than before and under the leadership of comrade President we need to double our efforts. It's a very turbulent but peace and stability reigns in the country, because of the guidance and protection of God Almighty and the sort of leadership we have,” he said.

The president told the ministers that their coming on board will help the country maintain that peace and stability to concentrate on more development.

We are here as one family trying to meet the objectives and the vision of the SPLM ,” he said.

(ST)

A British Army team arrives in Somalia as part of a United Nations mission to counter Islamist militants.

By Charo Rojas
Cauca, COLOMBIA, May 1 2016 (IPS)

While Colombia’s peace talks continue in Havana, Cuba, back home in the region of North Cauca, Black Colombians have found their cries for access to their ancestral lands met with tear-gas and rubber bullets.

We saw them approach, the ESMAD, the dreaded special police unit called out to squelch popular mobilizations against the government. We pressed even closer together to maintain our lines on one of the main highways that connects Colombia’s north and south. Over a thousand of us, black Colombians from one of the poorest regions of the country, gathered to demonstrate to the government that we would not be silenced while our territories are taken away. Suddenly, without warning, the ESMAD began their assault and soon elders, children, women and our young people were choking from the tear-gas and holding parts of their bodies stinging from rubber bullets indiscriminately fired at us.

The ESMAD’s assault took place on April 25 in the region of North Cauca, Colombia. The next day, the ESMAD sabotaged conversations between the community councils and the authorities, their renewed attacks this time also effecting some of the government officials. A three month-old baby and several children were hurt by a tear-gas grenade that exploded inside their house. We black Colombians are more or less held hostage by the ESMAD, while the national government had promised a meeting at the Mayor’s office in the nearest town.

The Afrodescendant Women’s Mobilization has received numerous death threats due to our actions to protect our community’s rights and territories. However, the government fails to find the responsible persons for the illegal mining or the death threats.

The Northern Cauca region, located in the department of Cauca, is a critical area in the negotiations between the Colombian government and FARC that are currently taking place in Havana, Cuba. Yet Black communities and our interests have not been considered during these discussions, even though our ancestral territories will be compromised by at least one of the agreements: the 63 so-called campesino reserves. Most of the areas the FARC wants to settle or continue to control are in the middle of or close to black and Indigenous lands.

The main national Black organizations have been concentrated in the National Afro-Colombian Peace Council (CONPA by its acronym in Spanish), which with the Interethnic Commission of Peace, has demanded and lobbied the Colombian government to bring our voice and interests to the table in Havana. But since our demands have been ignored we have had to find new ways to make our voices heard.

As has often been the case in our long history of struggle and resistance in Colombia we have again had to turn to protest. In November 2014, eighty Afro-descendant women mobilized and walked across the country to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, where we seized the building of the Ministry of Interior to demand a stop to the increase in illegal mining in our territories. These mining activities have brought death, violence and tragedy. In one mine collapse alone, over 40 of our people were killed.

These mobilizations have often been led by Black women, increasingly so in recent years. We have made the government sign agreements to remove illegal mining and admit that granting mining rights to multinationals violates its own laws. We have also made the government acknowledge that these agreement violate the right to prior and informed consultation and consent, as recognized by the International Labour Organization’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention. Yet those admissions and agreements have not translated into respect for our rights or any change in government’s actions or approach. In fact, despite the agreements, and the laws and the constitutional mandate to consult, to respect, promote and protect the rights of Black people, the Colombian government has granted mining concessions that cover seventy percent of the Cauca lands to multinationals such as Anglo Gold Ashanti.

The Afrodescendant Women’s Mobilization has received numerous death threats due to our actions to protect our community’s rights and territories. However, the government seems incapable of finding those responsible for the illegal mining or the death threats.

That is why we must continue to resist. The Community Councils will continue blocking the road until the national authorities commit to a renewed dialogue that will lead to substantive changes in how the interests of our communities are protected. It is clear for us that our Black lives matter only through our own efforts.

Charo Mina Rojas is an activist with the Black Communities’ Process in Colombia.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of IPS.