Africa

Expressing deep concern about the upsurge in fighting between the Sudanese Government forces and a rebel group in Darfur, United Nations Secretary-General ban Ki-moon today called for freedom of movement for UN peacekeepers and humanitarian actors in their continued efforts to protect and support the affected civilians.

Libya needs to move ahead now or risk division and collapse, the top United Nations official in the country warned the UN Security Council today, while presenting the latest report on political and humanitarian developments.

Three years of conflict and ongoing displacements in the Central African Republic (CAR) continue to disrupt agriculture and severely constrain people&#39s access to food, as they struggle with the effects of multiple poor harvests, disrupted markets and soaring prices for many staple foods, two United Nations agencies warned today.

The United Nations joined the African Union today hailing the inaugural &#39Africa Day of School Feeding,&#39 as part of a key strategy to address the continent&#39s development challenges through home-grown school meal programmes.

Going to the races in unexpected places

With the provisional results being released after a slate of elections in Comoros, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the candidates and all the other actors and institutions involved in the electoral process to play by the rules and refrain from the use of violence.

The United Nations deputy humanitarian chief today called on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to protect civilians and grant safe and unhindered humanitarian access as she wrapped up a two-day visit to the African country.

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UNAMID's Police Advisers from Sortoni, North Darfur, interact with the newly displaced seeking refuge in the vicinity of the Mission's team site On 27 January 2016 (UNAMID Photo)

February 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese foreign ministry reiterated its commitment to allow aid worker to reach affected civilians in Darfur adding that the denial of humanitarian access in Central Darfur state is a temporary measure imposed by the ongoing military operations in Jebel Marr area.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kamal al-Din Ismail, told reporters Sunday that the ban on the movement of aid groups in Central Darfur has been enforced in several areas according to the conditions of the military operations.

"But this ban is linked to a temporary situation on the ground," Ismail further asserted.

"According to our information there is no blockade or restriction on humanitarian groups in the region unless there are (military) operations. And this a safety measure aiming to protect aid workers and their properties," he added.

The ongoing fighting between the Sudanese army and the Abdel Wahid faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM/AW) in Darfur area of Jebel Marra since 15 January displaced over 38.000 civilians from the more than 60 villages, UN agency estimate.

Aid groups have been barred from reaching civilians in the war affected zones in Central Darfur where the government troops are currently concentrating their action on what they call the "latest pockets" of the groups fighters.

Speaking about the humanitarian situation in Central Darfur state, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the number of the IDPs is unclear as they are not allowed to reach war affected areas.

"The most recent government figures indicate that about 1,000 people have arrived in Guldo and Thur towns from Jebel Marra, however, indications suggest that the number of new IDPs may be significantly higher," said OCHA in its weekly bulletin of 14 February.

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An Egyptian centre for treatment and documentation of alleged torture victims vows to continue to work despite an order for it to shut down.

Maryam Yousuf, 50, gently washes her hands under a common tap outside her house in Saida Kadal, a grassy middle-class locale encircled by the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital. She puts on a Pheran, the traditional long loose gown, and holding a large steel bucket walks towards a dimly-lit cowshed, made up of […]

South Sudanese civilians flee fighting in an United Nations base in the northeastern town of Malakal on February 18, 2016, where gunmen opened fire on civilians sheltering inside killing at least five people. (Photo AFP/Justin Lynch)

February 21, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan government on Friday said it will soon dispatch a high profile of investigation team to the oil rich Upper Nile state's capital Malakal and Western Bahr el Ghazal state's capital, Wau, to investigate the recent inter-communal clashes which left dozens killed in the towns.

The announcement came hours after the national council of minister's urgent meeting on Friday over the report of rampant insecurity in the two states when clashes between Shilluk and Dinka displaced persons inside Malakal's United Nations camp was allegedly joined by soldiers from the South Sudanese army (SPLA). Also Dinka armed youth backed by SPLA also target members of Fertit tribe in Wau, killing a number of them.

Speaking to media in the national capital, Juba, on Friday, South Sudanese government's spokesperson, Michael Makuei Lueth, said the council of ministers meeting came up with a discussion of sending investigation committees to the two states to investigate the incidents.

“As the government is waiting for the UN report on how the clashes started inside Malakal UN IDPs protection site, yet there [is] an investigation delegation dedicated to go on the ground to investigate these problems,” Makuei told journalists in Juba.

“We are now waiting for the UN report because the fighting took place inside their civilian's protection camp of which government was incapable to intervene, therefore we need to have a clear report on the matter,” said Lueth.

For Wau town, he added, it was worth mentioning that the incident happened while the state governor was in Juba, “therefore, the national government is ready to go and investigate the matter.”

Fighting erupted on Wednesday night and continued on Thursday between Dinka members and Shilluk inside Malakal civilians protection site of UN camp calming 18 lives while 90 wounded. Members of the Nuer were later on involved in the clashes when their members were also killed by the Dinka and their tents burned.

While on Thursday morning in Wau town clashes occurred between armed youth of the Dinka ethnic group and youth from Fertit ethnic group. The national army (SPLA) was accused of shooting dead two young girls as they allegedly sided with the Dinka youth who attacked the Fertit tribesmen.

WAU DEPUTY GOVERNOR ACCUSED

In the connection to Wau incident, state deputy governor, Major General Andrea Dominic was arrested by national security on Thursday and transferred to Juba on Friday for investigation.

According to Lueth, Andrea was arrested in connection to disagreement over the SPLM-IO members who were wounded in battles last week and were admitted to Wau teaching hospital “illegally.”

“The wounded of [SPLM]IO were brought to Wau hospital by some citizens. From there, the army got information that the wounded people from IO were at the hospital. The army went to the hospital and moved them to the army hospital,” Lueth explained.

“But the deputy governor went to the army hospital and brought the wounded people from the IO to the Wau hospital again and also admitted some into his house for treatments,” he said.

Depending on the tone Lueth was using, it seemed the government charged the deputy governor of their newly created state of Wau as supporter of the SPLM-IO.

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February 21, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The main armed opposition faction led by the first vice president designate, Riek Machar, said the country will revert to the 10 states as provided for in the August 2015 peace agreement should the South Sudanese parties not agree on a number of states to be created, an official said.

Counting officers, who were part of a referendum commission, count votes in Abyei on 30 October 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

Government's spokesman, Michael Makuei Lueth, on Sunday said the government wants a referendum to be conducted by the people of South Sudan in order to determine the number of states, adding that Juba will not revoke the presidential decree for creating the 28 states until the outcome of the referendum.

In reaction to the proposal by the government, the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) said the proposal was not necessary and had no legal backing.

“The peace agreement has been signed based on the constitutionally recognized 10 states at the time of signing in August 2015,” said James Gatdet Dak, opposition leader's press secretary, when contacted on Sunday whether or not the SPLM-IO would approve the referendum proposal from the government.

“Also the recent IGAD communiqué has called for establishment of an inclusive boundary commission with membership of all the parties to the peace agreement. The commission will determine the number of states and basis for their creation within one month from formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity. In case of disagreement the parties will revert to the 10 states as simple as that,” Dak added.

He said the peace agreement has not provided for referendum to be conducted in determining the states, challenging the government for what he said had been their “fluctuating positions” in their approach to the states of the country.

Dak further reminded that the government rejected their proposal to create 21 states based on colonial districts when the parties were negotiating in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and never came up with a counter-proposal of the number of states. They never mentioned their desire to create 28 states so that the parties could discuss it during the negotiations, he added.

He also said the government did not consult the people or ask for a referendum first when it suddenly decreed 28 states in the name of “popular demand” five weeks later after President Salva Kiir signed the peace agreement based on the 10 states.

The opposition official further said it was unnecessary to hold an expensive nationwide referendum in the face of the political and economic crisis in the country, adding it would not only be a misplaced priority or further obstacle to the implementation of the peace agreement, but also an “unnecessary burden” on the people of the country with collapsing economy.

He said the best course of action is for the government to abide by the peace agreement and the recent IGAD communiqué.

The alliance of 18 South Sudanese political parties led by Lam Akol, the former detainees and the international community have also called on President Kiir to suspend the creation of the states until the parties come to a consensus, saying the decision has contributed to the inter-communal violence in the country.

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February 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government is considering whether to attend a “strategic consultative meeting” that seeks to end war and achieve democratic reforms in Sudan with some opposition and armed forces next month, said the government spokesperson.

A group photo after the signing of the agreement on national dialogue and constitutional process on 5 September 2014 (Photo courtesy of the AUHIP)

Several days ago, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) and the Sudanese ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said that the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) had extended an invitation for a meeting to discuss issue of peace and constitutional reforms in Addis Ababa between 16 to 18 March.

In statement to the semi-official Sudanese Media Center (SMC) Sunday, Information minister and government spokesperson Ahmed al-Balal Osman said that his government had received the invitation and is studying the matter before to take a decision .

Osman further said it is agreed that the "government will participate if the meeting was about (peace) negotiations but if it is for the national dialogue, the 7+7 mechanism will take part in it, stressing" that the government's position and its agenda for the negotiations remain unchanged.

On Wednesday, the NCP had issued a statement welcoming the invitation but withdrew it several hours later. Sources said, the statement had not been approved by presidential aide and government chief negotiator Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid who is also the NCP deputy chairman.

Hamid in a press conference Thursday referred to the SPLM-N's statement about the meeting saying the armed group is not willing to discuss peace. The rebel group had called to mobilize the Sudanese street to bring the government to accept a comprehensive and inclusive peace.

In October 2015 President Omer al-Bashir who is also the chairman of the dialogue committee directed the 7+7 committee to meet with the signatories of Addis Ababa agreement on the national dialogue on 5 September 2014.

Sudan Tribune has learnt that the invitation was extended to the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), National Umma Party (NUP) and Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM).

The three forces didn't yet issue a formal decision on their participation but they are discussing some points about the nature of the meeting and its purpose with the mediation.

The NUP which is a political opposition party does not see why to be involved in discussions about security arrangements. Also some rebel groups want their political partners being involved in the meeting.

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Febuary 21, 2016 (JUBA) – The governor of South Sudan's Wau state, Elias Waya Nyipuoch announced on Sunday his long-awaited list of cabinet members.

Nyipuoch, in gubernatorial order number 17, appointed six ministers and three advisors.

The governor appointed Kon Victor Dimo minister for Finance, Maka Bushra Mohamed (Information, Communication and Technology), Angelina Anthony Ubur (Local Government) and Awadhia Yacub Munsur (Education Science and Technology).

Others appointed were Pasquale Dongo (Physical Infrastructure), Santino Uyu (Agriculture), while the health ministry has been reserved for the armed opposition.

Meanwhile, the governor appoined Taban John Gou as his advisor on political affairs, Bibaina Mario on peace and reconciliation and Madut Ngu Akuek as advisor on security.

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February 21, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese peace partners have agreed to suspend the work of the national constitutional amendment committee until when the transitional government of national unity is formed without constitution, asserting it would use the peace agreement as the basis for running a new government.

SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, leader of advance team, with David Deng Athorbei, chairman of national committee, hold a press conference in Juba airport upon arrival on Monday, 21 December 2015 (ST Photo)

The constitutional amendment committee, according to a statement released for public information with the approval of representatives of the stakeholders, has unanimously decided to suspend its activities after disagreements emerged when the key stakeholders failed to reach a consensus on the outstanding issues in the constitutional amendment process.

The national constitutional committee is one of the institutions mandated by the August 2015 peace agreement which president Salva Kiir and the leader of armed opposition, Riek Machar, as well as other stakeholders have signed and agreed to review the 2011 transitional constitution of South Sudan. The parties would incorporate the provisions of the deal so that it becomes the legally binding supreme law of the country during the transitional period of thirty months as stipulated in the peace deal.

The committee comprising representatives of the government, armed opposition, civil society organisations, faith based groups and other political forces who are the stakeholders in the agreement have unanimously agreed to suspend its work after several disagreements.

The committee said they completed phase one of its work and activities which were about reviewing all the articles of the entire constitution to assess compatibility with the peace agreement.

They were unable to reach consensus on a number of issues including the fate of 28 states, number of presidential advisers which are not in the peace agreement as well as who should chair the first session of the transitional parliament to allow members to elect parliamentary leadership.

Other issues include how a parliamentary seat should be filled in the event it falls vacant due to any circumstances.

The members of armed opposition and other stakeholders prefer filling of parliamentary seats which had fallen vacant through election but the government preferred direct appointment by the president.

These four issues, according to the statement, would be addressed by the transitional government of national unity based on the spirit and directives spelt out in the recent communique of the council of ministers of the member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

“Once the four matters are resolved, the committee shall be directed by the new government to proceed to incorporate the agreed versions of the then contested provisions. That will take only half a day,” the statement extended to Sudan Tribune by the committee reads in part.

Formation of transitional government is expected to be done in mid-March due to the delays in the implementation of the security arrangements in Juba, a priority preceding phase in the peace deal.

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February 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan Liberation Movement- Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) condemned a statement by the U.S. State Department saying that the rebel group initiated attacks on the government troops in Darfur area of Jebel Marra.

SLM-AW rebels look on during a visit by former joint special representative Ibrahim Gambari to West Darfur's Fanga Suk village in East Jebel Marra on 18 March 2011 (Photo: Reuters)

In a press statement Thursday, the US States Department spokesperson, John Kirby, said the “United States is deeply concerned about the increased violence against civilians and the grave humanitarian situation in and around Jebel Marra, Darfur”.

''Initial attacks by the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid opposition group on Sudanese armed forces prompted a response by Sudan's military that included aerial bombardments despite the UN Security Council demand that Sudan cease offensive military flights over Darfur,''. Kibry further said.

In a communiqué issued on Saturday, the rebel group strongly rejected the "the baseless and unfounded accusations" saying it is "clear and unambiguous act" of “give the victim a bad name and victimize him more policy”.

The SLM-AW "did not initiated the attacks on Jebel Marra," further stressed the statement, pointing that Washington seeks normalize relations with the Sudanese government.

"U.S State Department wants to find an excuse to its administration's dealing with a pariah state like Sudan and therefore; it must criminalize SLM/A".

Since last January, the government forces launched a large scale offensive on the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) positions in Jebel Marra, accusing the rebels of looting and attacking civilian, military and commercial convoys in the area.

The Sudanese officials also refused to stop the military operation saying the group is not part of the peace process.

The U.S. statement Department said the attacks have forced “73,000 people to flee their homes, and thousands more are trapped in the conflict zone of Jebel Marra without access to aid”.

In addition it called on both the Government of Sudan and the armed movements of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) to re-commit to their cessation of hostilities declarations for Darfur and in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Sudanese government this week announced the extension of the national dialogue and called on the political and armed opposition groups to join the process.

SLM-AW rebels, refuse to join the African Union brokered peace talks. They demand the government to repair first the consequences the 13-year armed conflict unilaterally, after what peace talks can discuss the root causes of the crisis.

The State Department said that there is no military solution to Sudan's internal conflicts and urged the Sudanese parties to work with the African Union mediators to end the hostilities and allow humanitarian access to civilians in the war affected areas in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile.

Washington also urged the Sudanese government to create an environment conducive to the participation of armed groups and other political opposition parties in “a comprehensive and inclusive national dialogue that addresses systemic governance issues in Sudan”.

Last October, the Sudanese government has inaugurated an internal dialogue conference but main opposition groups and armed movements refuse to take part in it before the creation of a conducive environment and the implementation of specific confidence-building measures provided in a roadmap proposed by the African Union mediation.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

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February 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) said its fighters repulsed the nineteenth government attack against the strategic area of Jebel Kolgo, 30km south west of the Blue Nile state capital of Ed-Damazin.

A SPLA-N rebel soldier, in South Kordofan (AFP)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Sunday, SPLM-N official spokesperson, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, said their fighters in the second front in the Blue Nile Saturday repelled a major government attack against Jebel Kolgo, pointing that the battle between the two sides continued from 6:30 am to 5:00 pm.

He added that the government forces suffered huge losses in lives and military equipments, stressing the attacking forces have been dispersed.

According to Lodi, 200 government soldiers and officers were killed in the clashes including a brigadier general, a major and two second lieutenants, pointing that nine Land Cruiser vehicles and a tank have been destroyed.

He added that the SPLM-N also seized 3 RPG-7, 7 PKM and 24 Kalashnikov rifles besides a vehicle loaded with supplies and weaponry, saying one SPLM-N fighter was killed and two others injured.

The Sudanese army spokesperson was not reachable for comment.

Jebel Kolgo lies in a rough terrain and is considered an important location for the SPLM-N.

The fighting between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N fighters in Blue Nile started in September 2011 three months after the start of hostilities in South Kordofan state.

In November of last year, the warring parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal.

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February 21, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government has come out with a proposal seeking to conduct a referendum to determine the number of states through which the country should be governed in a move which is not provided for in the peace agreement it signed with opposition factions in August last year.

A man (L) poses for photographs after voting, inside a polling station located in a school during a referendum in the town of Abyei October 28, 2013 (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Speaking at a public briefing organized by Alwatan Arabic daily newspaper over the weekend in the national capital, Juba, information and broadcasting minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, said the government would not revoke the decision of the president to create more states unless a nationwide referendum is conducted to determine the number of states.

The government official spokesperson was reacting to a criticism at the Sunday occasion by the secretary general of the communist party in South Sudan, who questioned the basis of the creation of 28 states.

Ismail Suleiman, secretary general of communist party challenged the government, saying there was no criteria by the government to create more states and that it should be revoked and return the country to be governed through 10 states which are constitutionally recognized by the agreement and 2011 transitional constitution.

“If you look at how this issue of 28 states came out, you see that nothing was followed. There were no criteria used. Some people just decided to go to the president and told him to create more states and he did it because these are the people who are close to him,” said Suleiman.

“But that is not how the country should be run. He is not the president of individuals. He is the president of the whole country and when there is something to be done for the country, the whole nation should be consulted so that the views of the people are heard because this is about their affairs. It is not about individuals,” he further charged.

In an attempt to defend the decision of the president, minister Lueth claimed the decision was made because it was a popular desire and the government was now ready to allow the people to decide on the number of states they wanted.

The minister claimed that the government led by President Salva Kiir and armed opposition of SPLM-IO led by Riek Machar were on the same page on creation of more states but differed on the number of states to be created.

“We have to be very clear. The SPLM-IO had not dropped its proposed [of] 21 states as it is claimed by others. When the SPLM-IO members of the advance team came to Juba, they sent the list of 21 members going to 21 states. If the SPLM-IO talks of 21 states and the government created 28 states, then all of us have agreed on the creation of states,” Lueth explained.

“We only differ on the number but opened for increment and this can be done through participation of the people. There will need to be a referendum so that the people themselves decide at the referendum the number of states they want,” he said.

Lueth added that if they decide to increase the number or reduce then that will be decided by the outcome of the referendum,” said Lueth.
He said he believes the people will demand more states instead of reduction.

During the peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, SPLM-IO proposed creation of 21 states based on 21 old colonial districts with their historical boundaries. The government however refused creation of more states, saying it was not time to create more states or to establish federal system of governance.

However, 39 days after signing the August 2015 peace agreement based on the 10 states, the government unilaterally decreed creation of 28 states. The decision attracted condemnation from opposition and international community which called for the government to suspend their operationalization until a boundary commission agrees on the number of states and their boundaries.

According to a communiqué released by IGAD, which mediated the peace agreement, if the parties will not agree on the number of states, they will revert to the 10 states.

However, there is no provision for a referendum in the peace agreement.

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