Africa

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By Zahed Khan
Mar 17 2016 (The Daily Star, Bangladesh)

In any country, one has to be an adult to qualify as a driver. But in Bangladesh, one does not have to obey that law to become a driver – and that literally means it is “allowed”.

Monir is 16. He has been driving a human haulier for six months. Underage, he naturally does not have a license. But who cares? You can spot him in the Mohammadpur and Mirpur route. Monir says many of his buddies are also in this same profession.

The Daily Star have also spotted even younger drivers driving minibuses — even on the VIP road right under the nose of the law enforcers.

In most cases, underage drivers are seen driving human hauliers. Drivers say this is because qualified drivers with genuine licenses are not interested to drive these smaller vehicles for prestige issues.

Also, vehicle owners can exploit young and eager-to-please drivers better when it comes to payment.

The most common defence of people who deploy these kids for such risky jobs is that they were very poor and these jobs were providing them with a livelihood.

This story was originally published by The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Jan Oberg is TFF Director & Co-founder, peace studies professor. PhD in sociology, peace and future researcher. Associate professor (Docent) at Lund University, thereafter visiting or guest professor at various universities. Former director of the Lund University Peace Research Institute (LUPRI); former secretary-general of the Danish Peace Foundation; former member of the Danish government’s Committee on security and disarmament.

By Jan Oberg
Lund, Sweden, Mar 17 2016 (IPS)

The EUropean Union – a criminal?

The EU that has peace as its top goal and received Nobel’s Peace Prize?

The EU with Schengen and Dublin?

Jan Oberg

The EU with “European” values, humanism and mission civilisatrice that tells others how to live in accordance with international law and in respect for human rights?

We live in times where little shall surprise us anymore. The answer to the question – will EU become a criminal in international law terms? – will be answered on March 17 and 18 when the EU Council meets to decide whether or not to carry through the agreement with Turkey about how to handle refugees.

Amnesty International knows what it is all about. AI uses words such as “alarmingly shortsighted”, “inhumane”, “dehumanising”, “moral and legally flawed” and “EU and Turkish leaders have today sunk to a new low, effectively horse trading away the rights and dignity of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”

And “By no stretch of imagination can Turkey be considered a ‘safe third country’ that the EU can cosily outsource its obligations to,” says Iverna McGowan, Head of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office.

When Amnesty International expresses itself this way, we should listen very very carefully. I do and I’ve signed Amnesty’s Open Letter to Swedish prime minister Löfvén protesting that Sweden too may join this inhuman and law-violating agreement with Turkey.

Hurry up, it is tomorrow!

Behind every refugee stands an arms trade, stands militarism.

A huge majority of the refugees have fled the wars conducted by irresponsible and narrow-minded EU leaders who, thereby, have already violated international law.

They continue to do so – Denmark being the latest to join the tragedy.

EU countries combined make up the largest economy in the world.

How bizarre that the EU has the resources to fight one war after the other, has huge military budgets and nuclear weapons and puts unlimited resources into wars against terror (that is, to a large extent, a response to U.S./NATO/EU foreign policies) but cowardly believes it can’t find the resources to care for 1,2 million seeking refuge among its 500 million, i.e. 0,24%!

Precisely because EU countries have caused a major part of the refugees to flee, we have a special moral obligation to a) receive them and b) learn to not start wars just like that on somebody else’s territory.

Where there is a will, there is a way. Will the EU anything good, the time is now.

There is no refugee crisis in the EU. There are several other crises:

1) A crisis caused by years of militarism;

2) A crisis of crisis management;

3) A crisis of leadership – or, with the exception of Chancellor Merkel – no leadership for common policies at all; and

4) A crisis of solidarity, humanity and ethics.

You may add a 5) the Euro-racism expressed as Islamophobia.

I am pretty sure that the EU would have acted differently if there had been a huge natural catastrophe or a nuclear power plant meltdown in Israel and 1,2 million Jews had come to Europe or if an EU country had experienced something like that in its own midst.

If on March 16-17, 2016, the EU decides to implement this immoral and law-violating agreement with increasingly authoritarian, war-fighting, terror-supporting and refugee-unsafe country Turkey, the moral decay of the Western world will be obvious.

If not to itself, then to the 92% of the world’s people living outside it.

And the EU will deserve nothing better than it own dissolution. Because it wasn’t for a better but for a worse world.

And technically – what is left when the asylum right, the Schengen and Dublin conventions etc. will be violated by the Council itself?

Either the EU is for a better world or it’s time for another Europe after it!

Jan Oberg’s article was published on 16 March 2016 in: TFF – Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research. Go to Original.

And how close are their links to President Jacob Zuma?

March 16, 2016 (MUNDRI) – Military media officials of armed opposition faction based in the South Sudan's greater Mundri of Amadi state (former Western Equatoria state) have accused the government of planning to attack their positions in further violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in August last year.

South Sudanese SPLA soldiers are pictured in Pageri in Eastern Equatoria state on August 20, 2015 (Photo AFP/Samir Bol)

“The Governor of Amadi State has this morning demanded the commander of SPLA-Juba in Mundri Barracks to issue an order to despatch three trucks full of SPLA Juba military from Mundri towards Bari to fight the SPLA\M IO forces in their assembly area and to proceed to Medewu, Ladingwa and up to Bangolo,” alleged a press statement signed by Baya Kayidri, the official Reporter of SPLA-IO, Division 9, Sector 5 in Western Equatoria state.

Kayidri said the aim of the government was to dislodge the opposition forces from their assembly point and have a permanent military deployment at Bari and areas far beyond Medewu.

“These are very unfortunate situations as it indicates that he [governor] is perusing war instead of focusing on the implementation of the signed peace agreement,” he said in the statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

He warned that the action will cause more humanitarian suffering among the civilian populations in these areas of targets.

“We therefore urge the JMEC and the CTSAMM to take note of these planned violation and advise the governor to stop all military activities in Greater Mundri counties and focus on the implementation of the signed peace agreement.”

He said the forces in Greater Mundri, originally Arrow Boys, are officially part and parcel of the SPLM-IO under the leadership of the first vice president designate, Riek Machar, and therefore have been covered by the ceasefire agreement.

He however added that it is unfortunate that civilians in these areas have suffered when the SPLA-Juba attacked the cantonment sites of the SPLA-IO early last month which resulted into cases like houses burnt and properties looted with majority of the populations remained displaced.

“Therefore, these second operation by SPLA Juba forces on SPLA IO is going to result to more looting of civilian properties, burning of houses, killing of innocent civilians and more displacement, which will affect more women, children and elderly men and women as they will be forced to run to bush again and suffer just as they have started suffering,” he further lamented.

JMEC and the UN, he said, should note that the current military operation by the government will hinder delivery of humanitarian aid to the suffering populations in those areas, adding the governor must be stopped from his “aggressive actions.”

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, also the South Sudanese first vice president designate, has issued a message of condolences to the family of late Professor Bari Wani, who passed on in the national capital, Addis Ababa.

Prof Arkangelo Bari Wanji (ST File Photo)

“On behalf of the SPLM/SPLA-IO and my own behalf, I am sending my deepest condolences to you for the loss of my long time comrade in struggle, friend and humble citizen of our beloved country, Prof Bari Wanji,” partly reads the message signed by Machar and extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

“Words cannot express my sorrow and grief in this hour of morning,” he said, adding “Our thoughts and prayers shall be with you in this difficult time.”

Wanji, a member of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and a former chairman of specialized Committee for Finance and Economic affairs in the National Legislative Assembly, died on Monday in the national capital, Juba.

He was also a chairman of Public Accounts Committee in Sudanese government in Khartoum before South Sudan broke away and established an independent state in July 2011.

Late Wanji who was born in 1936 died at the age of 80, according to his family sources.

Wanji hails from Golo ethnic community in Wau county of Western Bahr el Ghazal state. He was elected to the parliament in Juba in 2010.

The late has been suffering from illness for a long time which resulted to his demise.

A family member told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the South Sudan national parliament administration was in contact with them for arrangements over the preparations for his burial in Wau, his home town.

Meanwhile, South Sudan president, Salva Kiir, has described Wanji's death as a great loss to the people of South Sudan, “not only the people of Wau state.”

CONDOLENCES FOR IVORY COAST ATTACK

The South Sudanese first vice president designate also sent a condolence message to the President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, for the recent terrorist attack in his country which left at least 16 people dead, when terrorist suspected to be affiliated to the Al-Qaeda bombed Bassam Grand Resort.

“Your Excellency, it is with deep sorrow and sadness that I am sending you this message of condolences for the victims of the terror attack on the Bassam Grand Resort that has left 16 people dead,” reads the message from Machar.

“We condemn in the strongest term possible this horrific and terrible act by the terrorists Al-Qaeda affiliated group…My thoughts and prayers are with the families of victims and the entire population of the peace loving people of Ivory Coast,” he said.

He said the “SPLM/SPLA-IO and the South Sudanese in general” stood with the country in the terrible tragedy.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki Wednesday has invited a newly formed opposition coalition to take part in an informal and inclusive consultations meeting with the government on the national dialogue process.

AUHIP's Thabo Mbeki talks to reporters after a meeting with Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir on national dialogue in Khartoum on 10 September 2014 (SUNA)

As scheduled, Mbeki arrived to Khartoum on Wednesday where he met with the national dialogue body known as (7+7) committee. Also, he met with the opposition Futures Forces of Change (FFC) that was established on 24 February

The former South African president is expected to meet with President Omer al-Bashir and the government negotiating delegation on Thursday before to fly to Addis Ababa where he organizes a meeting between the government and some holdout armed and political opposition groups on Friday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the FFC, which is mainly composed of dissident members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), said they accepted to take part in this meeting to discuss the confidence building measures necessary for an equal dialogue.

"The African mechanism delegation proposed to the alliance of the Futures Forces of Change to hold a meeting, organized by the AUHIP, with the government side to discuss and find solutions to the issues raised (with him)".

"The Futures Forces of Change accepted the AUHIP proposal, in support of the peace efforts," it further added.

The FFC delegation led by Ghazi Salah al-Din Attabani discussed with Mbeki ''The failure to create a conducive environment for the dialogue, the absence of key players, the lack of commitment to the road map, which was endorsed by the (National Dialogue) General Assembly and the Addis Ababa agreement; and the government's attempts to divide the opposition and creating more than a (parallel) negotiation track".

Based on an initiative launched by al-Bashir two years ago for a national dialogue, Mebki seeks to bring all the Sudanese parties to the negotiating table to discuss an agreement ending armed conflicts and paves the road for democratic reforms.

Up to date, the warring parties failed to reach a cessation of hostilities agreement. In addition, The government and the opposition groups didn't strike a deal on how to organize the national dialogue or to define its goals.

Following their meeting with the AUHIP chief, the government spokesperson Ahmed Balal Osman said they briefed the chief mediator about the ongoing dialogue conference in Khartoum and told him that they endorsed many measures aiming to ensure freedoms and create a suitable atmosphere in the country.

A 7+7 member Osman Abu Almajd stated that Mbeki promised to organize a meeting between the holdout opposition groups and the dialogue coordination mechanism.

After the FFC meeting, Attabani told reporters that the consultations will be convened inside the country and without previous agenda.

He further said the meeting will include all the Sudanese parties, but no date has yet been determined.

The former presidential adviser said they informed Mbeki that they want a "dialogue that does not exclude anybody".

MBEKI DIDN'T MEET NCF

However, the leader of left opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) Farouk Abu Issa Wednesday said the African Union mediator didn't ask to meet them.

"Mbeki kept saying that the National Consensus Forces are not willing to participate in the dialogue. But this is not true because the NCF met him more than ten times during his frequent visits to Sudan and gave him about six memos in which the NCF clearly stated they are willing to participate in a genuine and productive dialogue," Abu Issa said.

"(Such dialogue) requires the creation of a conducive environment by stopping war, allowing humanitarian access, and the release of political detainees and prisoners. Furthermore, the dialogue should lead to a transitional government and the dismantling of one-party state," he stressed.

The African Union mediators believe that the NCF forces have a radical stance against the regime and want to dictate some preconditions before to join the process.

However, the SPLM-N sees the NCF as its strategic ally and repeats they will refuse a dialogue excluding the left parties.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (WAU) – Lawmakers in South Sudan's Western Bahr el Ghazal state assembly, at its third sitting on Tuesday, elected Anyar Anyar Dor and Viola Omely as speaker and the deputy respectively.

Dor, who hails from Marial Bai payam of Jur River county, replaces Mario Nyibang John. Nyibang was controversially-elected two years.

On the other hand, the deputy speaker from Wau county, replaces Mary Emilio Bafuka.

Speaking during the swearing in ceremony in Wau town on Tuesday, Anyar said the state assembly would mainly focus on the state's security situation as well as the implementation of last year's peace deal between government and the armed opposition.

“Our country is going through hard time and facing gigantic confronts on the issue of insecurity," said Anyar.

“We need work to guarantee that the security situation is stabile, peace is implemented throughout the region and that the warring parties recently restore trust between ourselves, and fabricate the social framework," he stressed.

Meanwhile, all the 32 members of the newly established Wau state parliament took oath on Tuesday in the presence of the state chief justice and Governor Elias Waya Nyipuoch.

(ST)

Dr Maung Zarni is a non-resident research scholar, Sleuth Rith Institute, (A permanent Documentation Centre of Cambodia) & former visiting lecturer, Harvard Medical School, USA

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that &#8211 for the first time &#8211 it would not suspend relief operations to vulnerable people in Zimbabwe during the spring and summer but continue food and cash assistance throughout the year.

March 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Vice-President Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Wednesday discussed with the British Ambassador to Khartoum Michael Aron bilateral ties between the two countries besides Sudan's dialogue and peace processes.

Vice-president Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman

Abdel-Rahman urged the United Kingdom government to take positive stances during the upcoming round of talks with the rebel groups in order to achieve peace and stability in Sudan.

For his part, Aron told reporters following the meeting that the head of the African department at the British Foreign and Commonwealth office would visit Sudan on Sunday to initiate a new strategic dialogue with Khartoum.

He added the British official will meet with Sudan's foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour besides other Sudanese officials.

The British ambassador expressed his country's readiness to support efforts to achieve peace in Sudan, pointing to the visit of the African mediation Thabo Mbeki to Khartoum on Wednesday.

He stressed the importance for holding a comprehensive national dialogue, expressing optimism over the results of the upcoming talks between the government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Addis Ababa.

The Sudanese army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since 201.

Last November the two warring parties failed to reach cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements, as the five-day talks showed that important gaps persist in the positions of the two sides.

A Strategic Consultations Meeting between the two parties under the auspices of the African mediation would kick off on Friday in Addis Ababa to resume negotiations for peace and democratic reforms.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

March 15, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Two international right groups have urged the United Nations Human Rights Council, to pay very close attention to the human right violations allegedly committed in Eritrea.

A general view of participants during the 29th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 3 July 2015 - (UN Photo)

While delivering a statement on Monday before the UN Human Rights Council, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights situations and on the conditions of political prisoners.

The UN's report says the Eritrean regime continues to commit systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations that may constitute crimes against humanity.

In 2014, the UN established a Commission of Inquiry to investigate rights abuses in the secretive East African nation and assigned Sheila Keetharuth of Mauritius as its Special Rapporteur.

The Commission of Inquiry was meant to pave the way to establish accountability for the gross rights violations however that was difficult as Eritrea closed its doors and authorities decline to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur.

The UN council's special Rapporteur then accused the Eritrean government of ignoring the Council's demand for the government to facilitate unrestricted access to visit the country and provide information necessary for the fulfillment of its mandates.

The two rights group said, large numbers of Eritreans are fleeing the country to escape life-long military service and denial of their fundamental rights.

According to the groups, authorities in Eritrea tolerate no independent media outlets and have been holding dozens of journalists and activists incommunicado for years.

A the occasion, RSF stressed the importance of renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and the Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea, which has been gathering valuable information on the situation in the country.

The two non-governmental entities also urged the Council to demand that the Eritrean government provide proof of life of those detained and that it free all journalists, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

“We also urge the Council to renew the Special Rapporteur's mandate, and to demand that the Government provide proof of life of those arrested and release all journalists, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience” said a joint statement of the right groups.

Recently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Eritrea assured the UN Council of his country's commitment to human rights and human dignity as a "top priority" and of its full engagement in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process which offers the international community an opportunity to inspect how well individual states are complying with international human rights law.

Despite the pledge, however, it was disclosed that there exists lack of commitment from regime in Asmara.

“Reporters Without Borders and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project further express concern by the gap between His Excellency's description of the situation in his country and the systemic, widespread and grave human rights violations documented by the Special Rapporteur and the Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea” the groups said.

Referred by right groups as the North Korea of Africa, the reclusive Red Sea nation is one of the world's most repressive nations.

Currently there are some 10,000 political prisoners in atrocious conditions in different prison facilities across the country where they remain subjected to different forms of abuses. The government uses arbitrary arrest and detention without charge to crush all opposition and to silence any sort of dissent.

Opposition parties are banned and there is no single opposition party which functions in the country. Moreover, anyone who attempts to challenge President Isaias Afeworki or criticises his government will be jailed without trial in the most harsh conditions.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has issued a republican order appointing members of legislative assembly for a newly created Latjor state in implementation of the new 28 states he created in October last year.

South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, says regional leaders are not doing enough to quell rebellion in the country, which erupted in mid-December last year

This comes after the unilateral decision to divide up the country and expand the constitutionally recognized 10 states to 28, despite signing a peace agreement to end 21 months of war with armed opposition and other stakeholders on the basis of 10 states in August 2015.

President Kiir issued order number 130 on 25 February, 2016, appointing 21 members of parliament after several months of consultations among communities members and party officials in the area about criteria to be followed for the selection and which of the parties to be represented in the parliament.

13 members of parliament, according to the order, are nominees of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) faction allied to President Salva Kiir and 7 other members from come from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) faction allied to the First Vice President designate, Riek Machar.

One member, bringing the total number of legislators to 21 members, was appointed to represent natives of the area residing abroad in recognition of their contributions in various ways in the area.

Governor Peter Lam Both, speaking at the swearing in ceremony during election of speaker of the new state parliament on Wednesday, said his state welcomes any citizen from any corner of the country to stay and live in the area, regardless of whether they are from West and Eastern Nile states or from other states in the country.

Latjor State Information Minister, Peter Hoth Tuach, commended Governor Both for exhibiting exceptional leadership and said he expressed optimism that the parliament and the executive would harmoniously work together to sensitize citizens about the significance of peace, unity and reconciliation.

LATJOR PARLIAMENT ELECTS ITS FIRST SPEAKER

Parliament of a newly created state of Latjor, curved from Upper Nile state, Wednesday has elected its first speaker of parliament.

Tuach has revealed that members of the Latjor State Legislative Assembly have elected Chuol Dep Kier as the speaker of the newly established parliament.

“South Sudan's Latjor State Legislative Assembly members have unanimously elected Hon. Chuol Dep Kier as Speaker of The House and Hon. Tut Simon Kor as Deputy Speaker as well,” Tuach revealed on Wednesday.

He congratulated the two top parliamentary leaders on their elections. Tuach however did not say where the elections took place, either in the national capital, Juba, or in Nasir, the new capital of the state.

Kier previously served as deputy speaker of Upper Nile state parliament before the 2013 crisis in the country.

Latjor state is inhabited by the Jikany Nuer section in Upper Nile region. Its capital, Nasir, has been a contested town between government troops and forces of the armed opposition faction led by the first vice president designate, Riek Machar.

The new state, according to the August 2015 peace agreement between president Kiir and opposition leader Machar, will be governed by the opposition faction along with another oil rich Unity state.

President Kiir, when appointing governors for the new 28 states, however told the governors of the states curved from Upper Nile and Unity to be ready to vacate their seats once the opposition group nominate their governors for the states.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's national army, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), has distanced itself from reports charging that some of its soldiers and officers have been grabbing land in and around Juba in a manner indicative of the practice having become an official policy of the government and the army.

SPLA soldiers in Malakal, capital of the battleground oil-state of Upper Nile on 15 May 2014 (Photo AFP/Ivan Lieman)

Deputy chief of general staff for operations, Lieutenant General James Ajonga Mawut, said on Wednesday that land grabbing, either by any officer or soldier, was not a policy of the general command of the SPLA or the government of the republic of South Sudan since inception as regional government in 2005.

“We have said time and again that these allegations of land grabbing, which some people have been trying to associate with SPLA has not been our practice. It is not the policy of the SPLA as the army of South Sudan to grab land. If there are individual soldiers and officers involving in this practice, we ask members of the general public and particularly those affected by the unruly and unfriendly behaviour to quickly bring up the matter to the attention of our relevant offices at the general headquarters,” General Mawut said in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

“I am sure the deputy chief of general staff for administration and finance would be able to handle it. I am sure he would work to find an appropriate office to look into these allegations and take appropriate measures to address the matter if it is established that those involved are active SPLA members,” he assured.

Mawut also confirmed reports that a joint military command from the Republican Guards known as Tiger Division, under the overall command of Major General Marial Chanuong, together with the guards of General Thomas Cirillo, have forcefully recovered land previously and illegally grabbed by some SPLA elements in Buduge village located east of Rejaf at the outskirts of the national capital, Juba.

The village is a home to the deputy chief of general staff for training, Lieutenant General Thomas Cirillo.

The commander of presidential guards force division, General Chanuong, last week visited the area and reportedly ordered the arrest of the ring leaders for what he described as irresponsible act that would have nearly caused an eruption of a bloody conflict between the members of ethnic Bari from the area and those from Dinka ethnic group who illegally attempted to acquire and own the land in the area.

It remains unclear how the issue developed and escalated to a high level tension between the two communities. Sources have been giving conflicting accounts. Military sources say the problem surfaced after General Thomas Cirillo, himself an ethnic Bari, reportedly protested the act at a meeting with the top SPLA generals, including the chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, at the general headquarters in Bilpham, north of Juba town.

It was reportedly in this meeting where General Cirillo was allegedly seen displaying his anger at the manner in which people have moved into his village and warned he would leave the army and go to the bush to fight against land grabbing.

As a result of his anger and threats, the army command instead decided to launch an operation against the land grabbers, who reportedly come from the Dinka ethnic groups of Bor and Padang.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on security cooperation between the two countries.

Director General of the Sudanese Police First Lieu. Gen. Hashim Osman al-Hussein (SUNA Photo)

The MoU, which was signed on the sidelines of the seventh edition of the International Exhibition for National Security and Resilience (ISNR) in Abu Dhabi, aims to promote cooperation in the fight against crime besides exchange of experiences in areas of training, information and best police practices.

The MoU was signed by the Director General of the Sudanese Police First Lieu. Gen. Hashim Osman al-Hussein and the UAE's Under-secretary of the Ministry of Interior Lt. Gen. Saif Abdallah Al-Sha'far.

Sudan appears to have managed to achieve a breakthrough in ties with UAE after a long period of strained relations over Khartoum's close ties with Tehran.

UAE is in a long-standing territorial dispute with Iran over the three Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb.

Iran refuses international arbitration over the dispute and insists that its sovereignty over the islands is non-negotiable.

Last year, Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of Iranian cultural centre in the capital Khartoum, and other states in a move which was seen as gesture to the Arab Gulf states.

Earlier this week, the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir expressed hope that Sudan could join the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), describing Sudan's relationship with all leaders and peoples of the Gulf States without exception is excellent.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (EL - GENEINA) - Unidentified armed group has killed a Chadian commander from the Joint Sudanese-Chadian border patrol forces late night on Tuesday in West Darfur state.

Chadian army officer Maj. al-Nur Abdel-Karim (ST Photo)

A security source in West Darfur state capital, El-Geneina Wednesday told Sudan Tribune that Maj. al-Nur Abdel-Karim, commander of Baida area, 70 km. south west of El-Geneina was killed by masked gunmen while on patrol in Al-Duh area, 3 km. west of Baida.

He added that the gunmen seized the commander's Land Cruiser vehicle, saying the stolen car broke down in Rigl Al-Harazaya area between the localities of Baida and El-Geneina.

The same source stressed that the joint force failed to capture the culprits due to poor weather conditions but later apprehended five suspects and they are currently under investigation.

Sudan and Chad established a joint force in January 2010 to monitor their borders within the framework of a normalisation process after long years of proxy war in Darfur and eastern Chad.

The joint force faced immense difficulties particularly with regard to actions of rebel groups and carjacking bands from both countries.

Also, the conflicting Misseriya and Salamat tribes in the bordering town of Um Dokhon accuse some Chadian soldiers within the joint force of being biased toward one of the parties which led to the killing of a Chadian soldier and injury of two others in November 2013.

(ST)

March 16, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan government troops and its armed opposition forces violated the permanent ceasefire five times, between 28 December 2015 and early March, the Ceasefire and Transitional Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), said.

Government's top negotiator Nhial Deng Nhial (L) exchanges a signed ceasefire agreement with the head of the rebel delegation Taban Deng Gai Addis Ababa, ((Photo Reuters-Birahnu Sebsibe)

The country's main warring parties had reported eight incidents of clashes between them, but the CTSAMM could not confirm three cases.

“But both parties were implicated in the violation reports that were tabled today in the meeting,” Ruth Feeney, CTSAMM's strategic communications officer told reporters in Juba after a meeting attended by representatives from both sides.

The CTSAMM, Feeney said, confirmed that the warring factions have clashed in Western Equatoria, Western Bahr El Ghazal and in the Greater Upper Nile region.

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), the body mandated to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement, will name the party responsible for the ceasefire violations, she said.

Feeney also observed that the CTSAMM was facing some problems, specifically hinged on the restrictions imposed on their movement.

“Every day, the MVT faces restriction on the freedom of movement. So it is actually an ongoing thing, we are not having difficulties in one area or another. Across the board, we are facing restrictions on our movement, which does not comply with chapter two stipulations,” she said.

The official was optimistic that the parties' continued disagreement on cantonment areas will not frustrate implementation of the peace deal.

“I don't think so,” said Feeney, adding “But the groups [government and opposition] should declare the numbers of soldiers and weaponry to help in monitoring and verification of ceasefire violations”.

The peace agreement aimed to end the 21 months of war in the South Sudan conflict and to form a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), which will run the country for two and a half years at the end of which a general election shall be conducted.

(ST)

The United Nations is sending a very strong signal that the days of silence and compromission with behaviour related to sexual exploitation and abuse by its troops are over, according to the UN envoy in the Central African Republic (CAR).

By Baher Kamal
MADRID, Mar 16 2016 (IPS)

Besieged by US, UK, French, Russian and Syrian war crafts and ground intelligence, both in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Daesh from its original acronym in Arabic) has reportedly been searching for a new base in the North of Africa, specifically in Libya, in what has been called the “Colombian Triangle.”

A map of Libya with major cities and settlements. Credit: United Nations

Located in the South-Western region, the new base would be installed on the borders of Algeria, Niger and Libya itself.

The area is currently controlled by extremist groups, drug dealers and weapons traffickers. This kind of operations represents a strong source of funding for Daesh, but not the only one — oil would be another huge source.

According to Libyan sources, the “Colombian Triangle” was not, however, Daesh’ first choice. In fact, the story began last year, with Daesh expanding its influence in the Northern Libyan region of Sirte, which hosts the largest oil reserves in the country.

There, Daesh carried out several military attacks and even occupied and controlled refineries and huge oil deposits, there and in other producing areas.

Daesh had, nevertheless, to re-think its initial plans which aimed at installing its new base in the Northern oil rich regions in Libya, due to a series of rapid developments, such as the efforts carried out by the UN former Special Envoy, Bernardino Leon, and continued later on by the new one, Martin Kobler, to form a new, national unity government headed by Libyan businessman Fayyez al Sarraj.

This new unity government has been in fact formed as a result of a UN sponsored agreement in Skhirat (Morocco) on mid December 2015.

Daesh’s fears that the new national unity government would be strongly supported, intelligence and militarily wise, by foreign powers, mainly the US-led NATO, especially in Derna, Sirte, Tripoli and Sabratha areas, forced the terrorist group to change plans.

The skies in these regions have been monitored by drones. Local sources could not confirm whether these surveillance operations are controlled the Libyan Armed Forces led by General Khalifa Haftar, or by other states monitoring the activity of extremists in the country.

Some voices spoke also of subsidiary control operations by the United Nations.

Libyan oil fields, pipelines, refineries and storage. Credit: NordNordWest, Yug | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Anyway, since the end of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the successive new rulers failed to form a strong, stable central authority. Consequently the country was split between the army and several militias.

Sources of the first Libyan government installed in Tripoli after the 2011 military intervention led by NATO forces, estimated that there would be up to 25 million weapons out of state control in the country.

The increasing fragility of Libyan central authorities allowed extremist organizations, including Daesh, to seize control in several cities.

According to a Libyan retired military commander, the Southern town of Traghan already serves as the centre for the «Colombian Triangle”, being surrounded by mountains and sand dunes from almost all sides.

The area has been chosen by the smugglers because of the ease drug shipments across the border, according to this source, away from the eyes of neighbouring countries’ authorities, whether these are Algeria or Niger, with Mali as a first destination.

Mali itself became in recent years a safe haven for extremist groups, including the reportedly pro- Daesh Boko Haram in Nigeria. That area became an arsenal of military equipment, weapons and missiles that had been looted from Gaddafi’s regime military stores.

The retired military commander explained that this mountainous and rugged region, and is now the new headquarters for the pool of extremist groups from Libya and Africa.

Meanwhile, different well-informed sources have been speculating with the expected developments that should come from now on.

Some talk insistingly about an US-NATO-led military coalition’s intervention in Libya against Daesh. Others speak instead of “surgical” military operations against specific targets.

In the last days, a new version has circulated, citing “reports of Libyan intelligence services confirm the presence of intelligence officers from some countries supporting militias and liaising with terrorism in Libya.” In this sense, Dominique Sinclair on March 15, 2016 wrote http://dominiquesinclair.blog.lemonde.fr/on the French paper Le Monde, a post in which the author asks: “What hides the UN proposal for the establishment of safe corridors to Benghazi?”

According to Sinclair’s post, the UN envoy to Libya [Martin Kobler] had called several times to take into account the need to put an end to military operations in Benghazi with the aim to create safe corridors to allow the exit of the families [trapped] in the fighting zones.

The UN has also spoken in the same direction since combat zones and military operations have been abandoned by all their inhabitants and their families from the beginning of military operations in May 2014, Sinclair adds.

And asks why then Kobler and the Nations United were interested in this question recently by multiplying calls to open safe corridors for the departure of family [trapped] in conflict zones?

According to these versions, other objectives motivate such requirements “such as the existence of reports by Libyan intelligence indicating the presence of intelligence officers from some countries supporting the militias and are in liaison with terrorism in Libya. There would probably be other Western states involved in this case.”

Anyway, should Daesh manage to install its base in the “Colombian Triangle” in Libya, who could ever prevent it from further liaising with Boko Haram in Nigeria and other terrorist groups?

(End)

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By Bjørn Lomborg
Mar 16 2016 (The Daily Star, Bangladesh)

When it comes to cooking indoors over open fires, the harmful health effects can be equal to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. This indoor air pollution plagues nearly nine out of every 10 Bangladeshi households, which use wood and other biofuels to cook inside.

Over time, exposure to smoke from indoor cooking leads to deadly diseases such as lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. This is why it’s the most deadly environmental problem in the world. In Bangladesh, such indoor air pollution is responsible for 10-15 percent of all deaths.

It may seem obvious to say that we need to focus on cutting household air pollution. But such policies compete with many other potentially beneficial proposals for how to use scarce resources from the national budget or international stakeholders.

So what are the very best policies? This is what the Bangladesh Priorities – a cooperation with BRAC and dozens of the world’s top economists – promises to help answer.

Our research suggests two principal ways to help decrease deadly air pollution inside the home: People could either burn the same biofuels that most Bangladeshi households currently use, but with smarter cook stoves that emit much less pollution, or they could change to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which burns much more cleanly.

The cheapest way to quality indoor air is to get widespread investment in an improved biomass cook stove. This is simply an enclosed stove, often with a chimney, that reduces heat loss, protects against the wind, and transfers heat to a cooking pot more efficiently than traditional stoves or open fires. It burns the fuel – often biomass – more effectively and hence with less pollution. In Bangladesh, the cost of such a stove with two burners and a chimney that will last three years is about Tk. 1,000 per year. This is both to cover the aggregate that needs replacement every third year, as well as some maintenance. And almost a third of the cost goes to promoting awareness of the opportunity in the first place.

But the benefits are many. If all 30 million households switched to improved cook stoves, it would save more than 33,000 lives each year. Each life will live on average another 28 years, which is worth about Tk. 79 billion or Tk. 2,600 per household each year. Moreover, each family will get slightly fewer sick days, worth another Tk. 260.

But the families would also save 15 minutes per day in cooking time, because the improved cook stoves are faster, and because less fuel is needed, it will reduce fuel collection time by half each day. In total, that benefit is worth another Tk. 2,000. For each Tk. 1,000 spent on a better cook stove, a family will get almost Tk. 5,000 in health and time savings benefits: every taka spent will do Tk. 5 of good.

This is an important step to improve household air quality. But it still leaves most of the problem in place – we will “only” save 33,000 of 150,000 deaths each year.

That is why we could consider a more thorough option. LPG burns very clean – almost like an electric stove. Adoption of these stoves would produce much higher benefits: it would save 91,000 lives, a total value of Tk. 218 billion, or Tk. 7,300 per household. It would also avoid some Tk. 700 of disease per household, speed up cooking by 40 minutes, and save all fuel collection time, at a net worth of Tk. 5,200.

But, the cost of LPG is also significantly higher. It would cost about Tk. 10,000 each year, plus Tk. 2,000 in cooking fuel costs. In total, you would pay about Tk. 12,000 for about Tk.13,200 in benefits. So spending on LPG stoves would not be a loss.

This shows that the most expensive option is not necessarily the best option. Cheaper options, despite helping less, can be a much better way to help everyone. In the long term, however, the more expensive options can be solutions. Many countries at similar income levels as Bangladesh have adopted modern cooking fuels such as LPG at substantially higher rates.

But there are challenges to implementing smarter stoves. With some prior efforts, it has proven difficult to get households to adopt new stoves. And widespread adoption is crucial given the community-based nature of fighting air pollution. If not everyone in a community adopt improved cook stoves, there would be more local air pollution leading to fewer benefits.

Well-targeted information campaigns about the benefits of cleaner cook stoves could help spread the message about their benefits, and projects should also tailor stoves to customers’ preferences. And, ideally, households would be allowed to pay for stoves over the course of multiple installments, making them more affordable.

Last week you saw how poverty policies can help do Tk. 2 of good for each taka spent. Making cook stoves cleaner can help fight household air pollution with about Tk. 5 of good for every taka spent. Are these some of the best investments for Bangladesh? Let your voice be heard on https://copenhagen.fbapp.io/indoorairpriorities. Let’s start the conversation about where Bangladesh can do the most good.

The writer is president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, ranking the smartest solutions to the world’s biggest problems by cost-benefit. He was ranked one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine.

This story was originally published by The Daily Star, Bangladesh