Africa

August 1, 2016 (JUBA) - Alfred Taban, a prominent journalist and chief editor of the daily English newspaper, Juba Monitor, has been released on bail but still faces charges.

Alfred Taban (Time-UA Photo)

Taban was arrested two weeks ago and detained by security personnel but was transferred from the National Security Service (NSS) headquarters on 22 July to police custody in Juba town.

He has been charged with ‘publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to South Sudan' and ‘undermining the authority of or insulting president Salva Kiir.

The veteran journalist prior to his arrest wrote an article which called for resignation of both President Kiir and his former first deputy, Riek Machar, for returning the country to war on 8 July.

He was released on bail in response to his request so that he could receive medical treatment for a previously existing health condition.

It is not clear whether or not he will be dragged to court to answer for the charges against the president.

(ST)

Some 60,000 people have fled South Sudan&#39s recent violence in the capital city of Juba, bringing the overall number of South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries since December 2013 to nearly 900,000, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

August 1, 2016 (ZALINGEI) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Monday has arrested at least 21leaders of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the locality of Nirtiti, Central Darfur state following a meeting with the United States Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, said IDPs official

On July 26, the American envoy started a visit to Darfur states to assess the security and humanitarian situation on the ground particularly in Jebel Marra area.

Deputy Chairman of IDPs and Refugees Association Adam Abdalla Idris told Sudan Tribune that the NISS is now making intensive efforts to arrest dozens of IDPs leaders after it accused them of providing Booth with misleading information pertaining to the security and humanitarian situation in the region particularly in areas of east Jebel Marra.

He added that several IDPs leaders have disappeared from sight for fear of being arrested by the NISS, pointing the latter has a list including names of all IDPs who met with the American envoy.

According to Idris, a security source disguised as an IDP has attended the meeting with Booth and submitted a report including details of the meeting to the NISS.

Idris pointed that the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), human rights groups operating in the area and the IDPs have provided identical reports to the American envoy including numbers of those killed in the recent clashes in Jebel Marra besides numbers of the newly displaced persons and the rape incidents.

“The humanitarian situation is at its worst particularly after food and drug supply have stopped besides the lack of blankets and other basic necessities” he said

He added that the American envoy will likely delay his visit to South Darfur state in fear of subjecting dozens of IDPs to harassment and detention by the NISS.

UN agencies estimate that more than 120,000 people have been displaced by the fierce clashes which occurred since last January between the government army and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abel-Wahid al-Nur.

Jebel Marra, which spans over three states including North, Central and South Darfur, is located at a water-rich area that is characterized by mild climate.

On 12 April, the Sudanese army declared Darfur a region free of rebellion following the capture of Srounq area, the last SLM-AW stronghold in Jebel Marra.

JEM CONDEMNS IDPs DETENTION

Meanwhile, the rebel Justice and NEW Equality Movement (NJEM) has denounced the detention of the IDPs in Central Darfur state, demanding the international community and the UNAMID to defend the civilians against what it called “the brutality of the Sudanese security authorities”.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, NJEM spokesperson Adam Abdel-Rahman Yahia said that five IDPs leaders have been detained by the NISS from Jadid market in the locality of Nirtiti following their meeting with Booth.

“The IDPs and the families of the detainees are in a state of acute anxiety and horror in fear of the continued pursuit [by the NISS] against the IDPs leaders and some individuals inside the IDPs camps” the statement read

NJEM warned against the dire humanitarian situation in light of the absence of the humanitarian aid groups, calling on the U.S. government, Amnesty International and all rights group to immediately interfere to locate the detained IDPs and ensure their safety.

It described NISS's move as a dangerous sign that affirms the continued government violations in Darfur, pointing to the suspicious silence of the international community.

The statement further held the UNAMID responsible for the ongoing events in Darfur, accusing the mission of failing to protect civilians.

(ST)

August 1, 2016 (JUBA) – The United Nations has expressed concerns over the renewed clashes between South Sudan's warring factions in the Equatorian and parts of Upper Nile areas, saying these continued actions are in violation of the peace agreement, which the country's main rivals and other parties signed in August last year.

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

“The UNMISS [UN mission in South Sudan] calls on all parties to return to their bases and allow the movement of humanitarian aid to affected areas,” it said in a statement.

According to the world body, tensions persisted in the capital, Juba, but no firearms were found in a search operation conducted at its protection of civilian site over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the United States has warned those taking actions threatening the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan, and those responsible for attacks on civilians or United Nations premises, saying they may be subjected to sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 2206 (2015).

The US, in a statement issued Saturday, also condemned in the “strongest” terms the continued fighting in Equatorian region and other areas of South Sudan in recent days.

“We call for an immediate halt to combat operations and full compliance with the ceasefire declared on July 11 and in the peace agreement,” said Mark Toner, the deputy spokesperson of the Department of State.

The Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the African Union issued similar concerns on the matter.

According to the U.S, the “short-sighted” actions of South Sudan's leaders in recent weeks have exacerbated an already intolerable humanitarian crisis as large portions of the country are facing emergency levels of food insecurity.

“The people of South Sudan should have the opportunity to build their country and pursue their aspirations in peace,” said Toner, further adding, “Instead they are facing the further untold suffering of continued conflict”.

A recent report from the UN gave horrific accounts of civilian killings and a rise in the number of government soldiers in uniform raping and gang raping women and girls who have taken refuge in UN protection of civilian sites.

The world body, for instance, documented about120 cases of sexual violence in South Sudan in the last two weeks.

“Those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international humanitarian law - including those who order or incite violence, or encourage or contribute to the commission of crimes - will be held accountable,” said Toner.

Washington, in a statement, also reminded all parties that the peace agreement provides that the Hybrid Court for South Sudan will have jurisdiction over violations of international law committed during the transitional period, including those committed during the ongoing violence.

Last month, skirmishes between force loyal to President Salva Kiir and those allied to ex-rebel leader Riek Machar in the capital, Juba left over 270 soldiers dead.

The recent wave of violence, the UN says, has displaced over 40,000 civilians.

(ST)

July 31, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The governor of Gbudue, one of South Sudan's new states has reappointed the former commissioner of Tombura county, months after his sacking.

Gbudue state governor Patrick Zamoi speaking to journalists at in Nzara airstrip March 4, 2016 (ST)

Patrick Raphael Zamoi's decree re-appointing Charles Babiro Gbamisi as the new county commissioner was read on the state-owned Yambio Fm over the weekend.

Babiro was appointed by former governor, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro after the 2010 general elections, serving as commissioner of Tombura county for five years before his removal by the current governor in January this year to the dismay of the masses,

Simon Gbiafuko, a youth from Tombura, lauded Babiro's re-appointment, describing the latter as developmental-oriented.

According to Gbiafuko, Babiro did a lot of developmental activities more than any other previous commissioners of Tombura county during his term which includes water network supplying the residential, local electricity using generators to light the town and above all he cooperated and worked together with the community.

“I am very happy to hear the breaking news that our commissioner Charles Babiro has been reappointed to assume his office again because people of Tombura county were not happy for his removal,” he told Sudan Tribune over phone from Tombura.

The re-appointment Babiro, sources say, did not come as a surprise the people owing to his record on effective service delivery in the community, while others claimed the community declined to propose names for the post and wanted Babiro re-appointed.

(ST)

Lam Akol, chairman of South Sudan's main opposition party (AFP/Samir Bol Photo)

August 1, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Leader of the South Sudan's National Alliance parties and chairman of the Democratic Party (DC), Lam Akol Ajawin, said he has resigned from all his party and government positions to protest government's lack of commitment to the peace agreement.

Akol said the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) is “dead” and will, from now on, join with the “like-minded” to “broaden” an opposition “outside Juba” to tackle the ongoing situation in the country.

“This is to inform the public that I have on the 28th of July tendered my resignation to the National Alliance as Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the Transitional Government of National Unity (TgoNU) and also as their representative in the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC),” said Ajawin in a press statement he issued on Monday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

He was nominated to the positions by the alliance of 17 political parties in the country.

“These positions were necessitated by the implementation of the Agreement for Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan signed in August 2015. There is no more a peace agreement to implement in Juba. President Salva Kiir has dealt it a final blow with his actions since the first week of jolly culminating in the military attack on the first vice president, dislodging him from Juba and invoking his absence to fill his position with a person of his choice in the name of SPLM-IO. One cannot with a clear conscience serve under such a regime,” he said.

He said he could no longer work with the party of president Kiir in the unity government, charging that President Kiir and his acolytes did not hide their rejections of peace agreement.

“He has been putting obstacle after obstacle on the way of its implementation and violating it with impunity. He cited creation of 28 states, refusing to implement security arrangements, stalling reconstitution of the transitional legislative assembly, preventing the ceasefire and transitional security arrangement monitoring mechanism from carrying out its duty to observe and report on ceasefire violation,” he added.

The opposition leader accused President Salva Kiir of abrogating the August 2015 peace deal, adding that appointing Taban Deng Gai to replace Riek Machar, leader of the armed oppositon faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), was meant to destroy the peace accord.

“The violent events that took place in Juba in the first week of July were pre-meditated and well planned. The SPLM-IO's small force was provoked into an uneven confrontation,” he said.

“While Kiir's forces hunt for Dr. Riek Machar to get him “dead or alive” they should be reminded that that will not be the end of the story. The genie is out of the bottle and the last laugh will not be theirs. The people of South Sudan will not stand more of a callous, totalitarian and ethno-centric regime that seems to thrive on the suffering of its people,” he added, with the statement he signed as “former” chairman of the DC party.

It is not clear whether or not the leader of the country's largest non-armed opposition party will forge an opposition alliance with the Machar against President Kiir.

(ST)

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July 31, 2016 (JUBA) – The United States has warned those taking actions threatening the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan, and those responsible for attacks on civilians or United Nations premises, saying they may be subjected to sanctions under the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSC) 2206 (2015).

US president Barack Obama meets with South Sudanese president Salva Kiir Mayardit in New York on 21 September 2011 (Photo: AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The U.S., in a statement, condemned in the “strongest” terms the continued fighting in Equatoria region and other areas of South Sudan in recent days.

“We call for an immediate halt to combat operations and full compliance with the ceasefire declared on July 11 and in the peace agreement,” said Mark Toner, the deputy spokesperson of the Department of State said in a 30 July statement.

The Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the African Union issued similar concerns over the fighting, which has continued, despite a declared ceasefire.

According to the U.S, the “short-sighted” actions of South Sudan's leaders in recent weeks have exacerbated an already intolerable humanitarian crisis as large portions of the country are facing emergency levels of food insecurity.

“The people of South Sudan should have the opportunity to build their country and pursue their aspirations in peace,” said Toner, further adding, “Instead they are facing the further untold suffering of continued conflict”.

A recent report from the UN gave horrific accounts of civilian killings and a rise in the number of government soldiers in uniform raping and gang raping women and girls who have taken refuge in UN protection of civilian sites. The world body documented at least 120 cases of sexual violence in South Sudan in the last two weeks.

“Those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international humanitarian law - including those who order or incite violence, or encourage or contribute to the commission of crimes - will be held accountable,” stressed the US official.

The US reminded all parties that the peace agreement provides that the Hybrid Court for South Sudan will have jurisdiction over violations of international law committed during the transitional period, including those committed during the ongoing violence.

Last month, skirmishes between force loyal to President Salva Kiir and those allied to ex-rebel leader Riek Machar in the capital, Juba left over 270 soldiers dead. The recent outbreak of violence, the UN says, has displaced more than 40,000 civilians.

(ST)

July 31, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) on Sunday has kicked off its sixth convention renewing its rejection for the ongoing government-led national dialogue and the political settlement.

The sixth convention is being held amid sharp divisions within the SCP following the recent decision of the party's Central Committee to suspend and dismiss 27 leading figures.

In his address during the opening session, SCP Political Secretary Mohamed Mukhtar al-Khatib appeared to have deliberately avoided mentioning the internal differences and the reasons for the dismissal of prominent figures.

He stressed that the SCP sticks to the popular uprising as means to overthrow the regime, saying they would “continue to engage in the common struggle to restore democracy, stop the war, achieve just peace and balanced development, pay reparations and return IDPs and refugees to their original villages”.

Al-Khatib underlined that his party seeks to establish the rules of good governance and apply the principle of non-impunity, saying they would hold accountable all those who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity and bring the corrupt before justice.

He added that the SCP also seeks to hold a national constitutional conference during the four-year interim period which would follow the removal of the regime, underscoring his party's rejection for the military coups as means to gain power.

The SCP political secretary further stressed that his party struggles to consolidate the peaceful transfer of power, accusing some political parties, which he didn't name, of seeking hinder the popular uprising.

He pointed to several schemes for resolving the Sudanese crisis including the government-led national dialogue and the “soft landing” plan advocated by the international community.

“We absolutely reject the imperialistic settlement through soft landing because it threatens Sudan's unity,” he said

Al-Khatib said the international community and the African Union seek to push the opposition to sign the Roadmap Agreement and join the national dialogue without giving any guarantees to meet and implement the dialogue's requirements.

Last March, the Sudanese government signed a Roadmap Agreement for peace and dialogue proposed by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP).

Some political parties and armed groups from the opposition umbrella “Sudan Call” and the opposition alliance of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) said they will likely sign the peace roadmap after a meeting that would be held with the chief African mediator Thabo Mbeki in Addis Ababa on August 7th.

However, some NCF parties including the SCP, Arab Ba'ath Party (ABP), the Unified Democratic Unionist Party and the Nasserite Socialist Party refuse to endorse the peace plan, saying it wouldn't make a real change in the structure of the regime.

Al-Khatib further called on SCP leaders and cadres to work among the Sudanese people to reach the desired change and establish the national democratic state, vowing to achieve the social justice and enable the effective participation of citizens in the decision-making.

It is noteworthy that representatives from the French Communist Party, Iraqi Communist Party and South Sudanese Communist Party have attended the opening session.

Also, representatives from the Sudanese opposition parties including the National Umma Party (NUP), Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) and the Nasserite Socialist Party (NSP) have attended the opening session while the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) didn't participate in the session.

The sixth convention is expected to elect a Politburo and Central Committee besides naming a new political secretary.

The SCP was established in 1946 under the name of the “Anti Colonialism Front” and it was later known as the “Sudanese Movement for National Liberation” before its final name was adopted in 1956.

(ST)

July 31, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - In a meeting held in the Sudanese capital on Sunday, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Partners Group has called on the South Sudanese parties to stop hostilities around Juba and to put the peace process back on track.

The JMEC partners held their third meeting on the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), discussed the current situation in the country and what can be done to convince the warring parties to re-commit themselves to stop hostilities.

Co-chaired by Sudan and China, the meeting was attended by JMEC chairperson Festus Mogae, UN secretary general representative in South Sudan, U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth and a number of representatives of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Chad, Norway, the United Kingdom, the African Union Commission, the European Union, the IGAD Partners Forum and the United Nations.

In a statement released after the meeting, the group said they received from the ceasefire monitoring mechanism reports about renewed clashes in the areas around Juba, the Equatoria states and other parts of southern Sudan.

The JMEC partners added that the resumption of hostilities represents a violation of the peace agreement, and expressed deep concern about the situation saying it might deteriorate further.

The Group "condemns in the strongest terms the recent armed clashes that have erupted between the parties. It believes that operations targeting opposition leaders expose the country to unprecedented levels of violence and must be stopped immediately," stressed the text of the statement received by Sudan Tribune in Arabic.

In press statements, Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour who co-chaired the meeting the Chinese Special Envoy Zhong Jianhua pointed that the meeting came amid critical conditions after the recent renewal of fighting in Juba

Ghandour said the meeting was briefed by Mogae and the head of UNMISS Ellen Margrethe Loj who agreed on the need to put the implementation of the peace agreement back on track, and to stop hunting Machar and his forces in the conflict areas particularly, Western and Central Equatoria and to join the negotiating table.

The Sudanese foreign minister said his country is deeply concerned about the renewal of fighting in Juba, and attempts to foil regional and international efforts to achieve peace between warring parties.

He stressed the need to abide by the decisions of IGAD meeting in Nairobi and the African Union summit in Kigali.

The Sudanese top diplomat said the participants agreed on the need for more efforts from the ARCSS sponsors to end the fighting between the warring factions.

Regarding the appointment of Taban Deng Gai as First Vice President, Ghandour said the meeting called on president Salva Kiir to stick to the peace agreement as the main reference in the peace implementation.

JMEC statement said deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in the South Sudan and called on the government to allow and facilitate unfettered humanitarian access throughout the country.

It further condemned in the strongest terms the continued restrictions hindering the movement of the ceasefire monitoring teams and UNMISS personnel, and called on the South Sudanese government to take the necessary measures to clear these hindrances.

Also meeting pointed to the killing of UNMISS personnel and called for a thorough investigation and to hold accountable those involved in ceasefire violations and recent abuses.

(ST)

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