Africa

Who are the latest militants hitting Nigeria's oil pipelines?

The shops championing Ivory Coast's cocoa at home

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his sadness over the death today of Mohamed Abdelaziz, who had led the Polisario Front independence movement in the Western Sahara as its leader since 1976.

In two separate incidents that took place yesterday in the Gao area of Mali’s restive north, terrorists attacked an outpost of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA), as well as the services of a local provider for the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the most recent in a string of deadly attacks against the UN in the country.

Some 4.6 million people in Burundi are food insecure, with more than 500,000 of them requiring urgent emergency food assistance, the United Nations food relief agency has said, warning that food stocks are stretched as a result of the fragile socio-economic context in the country.

June 1, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's gold revenue has reached over 900 million dollars in the first quarter of this year, said the Minister of Minerals Ahmed Mohamed Sadiq al-Karouri on Tuesday.

A Sudanese merchant weighs gold in al-Shirik, Sudan (AFP)

Speaking before the Sudanese parliament, al-Karouri, told the lawmakers that gold production in the first quarter of the current year reached 22.3 tonnes which generated some 903.13 million dollars.

Sudan plans to produce 100 tonnes of the precious metal during this year.

Near 70% of the country's gold production in 2015 was produced in the River Nile State. The traditional mining represents 90% of gold production in Sudan.

Al-Karuri further said that his ministry has fully met its financial obligations to the ministry of finance for the first quarter of 2016.

The minister pointed to the ongoing efforts to Sudanize the determination of gold content process and announced the completion of the design of gold laboratory services project.

The minister also said they regularized the situations of 28 companies working in the gold mining industry. He added they started to cancel the concession given to the small mining companies that failed to begin exploration activities within the agreed period.

Last April the ministry of minerals said that the country's production of gold has risen by 3 percent compared to 2015, according to the first quarter of 2016 report.

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May 31, 2016 (JUBA) – Deputy governor of South Sudan's newly-created Terekeka state [Central Equatoria state], has resigned, citing poor working relationship with governor, Juma Ali Malou.

File photo showing the then Commissioner of Terekeka County, Juma Ali Malou (L) with Bor County Commissioner, Abraham Jok Aring (ST)

Deputy governor, Clement Maring made the announcement for his resignation in a press statement on Tuesday. He accused the governor of handling the state as his personal asset and undermining his authority as deputy governor.

He claimed that the governor had been delegating powers belonging to the deputy governor to selected ministers, and have been traveling with some ministers, doing nothing.

“It would be wise if you would have left the Ministers and the Secretary General or his deputy with me in Terekeka so that we carry out the work, but you don't want to delegate power, it's a one man's show,” said Maring.

Maring is the second official to quit Terekeka government this month. Information minister Modi Lomindi also resigned early in May, citing what he called widespread corruption within the cabinet.

The former Radio Miraya reporter is a Member of Parliament in the state assembly.

At the time of Modi resignation, governor Malou told reporters that there was no evidence to prove any corrupt practices in the state.

But the latest resignation of deputy governor, Maring, is putting pressure on governor Malou's government.

Former deputy governor, Maring, claimed being humiliated and threatened by governor Malou publicly.

"This is completely unacceptable to work in such a situation," he said. Governor Malou declined to comment when contacted on Tuesday.

President Salva Kiir divided the country into 28 controversial states in October 2015, segmenting the country along ethnic lines. Terekeka is exclusively inhabited by Mundari tribe.

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May 31, 2016 (YEI) - The Governor of South Sudan's Yei River state, David Moses Lokonga on Tuesday met President Salva Kiir to discuss development and security challenges in the region.

Governor David Lokonga Moses speaks to the press in Yei May 31, 2016 (ST)

The state information Stephen Ladu, said Lokonga briefed the president on potentials and strategies in place for the development of the state.

He however said the governor expressed concerns that insecurity was a major threat.

President Kiir was also briefed by Lokonga on border relations with neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Last month, Congo deployed a number of its soldiers in Morobo county of Yei River state, following a land dispute.

“The governor briefed the president on a number of issues among others, including the need for service delivery, security concerns more especially the killing of late sister Veronika and her transportation for burial in Yei,” said Ladu.

Lokonga also met and held discussions with vice president, James Wani Igga on the presence of armed cattle keepers operating within Kajo-Keji and Lainya counties.

“It's time for farming and these cattle keepers have to move to their state so that farmers in the rural area can concentrate on food production,” said the minister.

The governor also held talks with South Sudan's roads and transport minister, Rebecca Joshua Okwaci, finance and economic minister, David Deng Athorbei and his internal affairs counterpart, Alfred Ladu Gore, centered on economy, roads and insecurity.

(ST)

May 31, 2016 (YAMBIO) – A high level government delegation from the newly created state of Amadi [Western Equatoria state], visited Yambio on Monday to claim from another newly created successor Gbudue state, government assets allocated for Amadi state.

Bicycle riders and two women carrying pots in Yambio town March 28, 2016 (ST)

During the distribution discussions earlier some assets were not properly handed over to the authority of Amadi state.

Secretary General of Amadi state, Commander Gaius, said the purpose of their coming to Yambio was to claim the remaining assets which were allocated for them by the committee formed to distribute all the government assets which includes vehicles, and office equipment in Western Equatoria.

Gaius stated that there are still a number of vehicles which Gbudue state authorities were supposed to release them but they found it that some government officials are still using them, adding that generators and most of office equipment are yet to be released.

“It is unfortunate that until now Gbudue State continues to keep assets which were supposed to be given to us which includes vehicles, Generators and Office equipment they should release it to us without any problem,” Gaius said.

Meanwhile the acting governor for Gbudue state, Victor Edward Kpiawandu, said he is new in the office and he is not well informed about how the assets were distributed among the three new created states of Western Equatoria.

The acting governor suggested that they should meet with the committee which was formed to assess and distribute the assets equally.

Kpiawandu further asserted that distribution of assets should not create any tension among the people of Western Equatoria but they should peacefully follow the right procedure to claim what belongs to them.

Also speaking to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity, one of the government's officials who was among the committee formed for the assessment of the assets and the distributions mentioned that Gbudue state are left with few vehicles which are on good condition and most of them grounded and therefore needed a lot of money to put on road again.

He claimed that other vehicles which were in good condition were allocated to other states and even staff Van for Yambio FM was also taken which could be left to help the only radio in Western Equatoria.

“I have seen the way the vehicles were distributed is not good because only few cars in good condition were given to Gbudue State and most of [them] are grounded and will need big money to put it again on road,” he said.

Few weeks ago one of the top government officials complained over the Yambio fm radio, accusing the people of Gbudue state of allegedly chasing away indigenous people from other states to go back to their state, which he described as discrimination and tribalism.

(ST)

May 31, 2016 (NEW YORK) - The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday voted to renew sanctions on a number of individuals allegedly obstructing a peace deal in South Sudan, weeks after formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

A UN Security Council session in New York (Photo courtesy of the UN)

The Council's resolution, which welcomed the recent formation of a unity government, extended sanctions for a year, saying much was yet to be done to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over two million.

The 15-member body's decision comes after an agreement to pursue the sanctions was reached with Russia on Friday, 27 May, in which the draft resolution followed two technical rollovers (resolution 2280 of 7 April and resolution 2271 of 2 March) that briefly extended the sanctions regime.

The sanction's renewal was delayed due to the return to Juba of the opposition leader and current First Vice President, Riek Machar, and the formation of the transitional government of national unity in late April.

However, some members of the UN Security Council believed that the Council required more time to consider an appropriate approach to sanctions, including a potential arms embargo, while the political situation was in considerable flux and the threat of additional sanctions could affect the calculations of the key decision-makers.

Also members were of the view that the additional time might allow the Council to formulate a more unified strategy, given the divergent views on sanctions. Hence, brief technical rollover resolutions were adopted.

There is general recognition that enormous difficulties still lie ahead in the implementation of South Sudan's peace deal.

These hurdles include, among others the lack of political will by the parties in the country's transitional government of national unity to resolve on the controversial 28 states which the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and UN wanted suspended, but has not done till now.

The Council is also concerned about the ongoing threats in South Sudan to humanitarian organizations and workers as well as non-cooperation with the UN mission in the country. A draft South Sudan's Non-Governmental Organization Bill, now in Parliament, is considered an obstacle to operations of international and national non-governmental entities.

South Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Joseph Malok, however, said he was “disappointed” by the Security Council's resolution, reiterating government's commitment to implement the accord signed with the armed opposition in August last year.

(ST)

May 31, 2016 (WAU) – A South Sudanese army officer, identified as Justin Bakhit Bambur, blew up himself in Wau state on Tuesday, for reasons yet to be established.

The incident occurred at Mad-Mayo vocational training centre at about 5:00pm [local time].

Eyewitnesses said the deceased was seen moving near the centre's fence prior to his death.

“We just heard a bomb sound, but when we reached the site of the blast, we found a dead body lying on the ground while we did not know why the person killed himself,” a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer, who preferred anonymity said Tuesday.

None of the deceased's relatives was willing to be interviewed by Sudan Tribune.

(ST)

Are Zimbabweans learning to voice their anger?

About two million people, or half the population, in the Sahelian belt of Chad face hunger and more than a quarter of them are in severe need of external assistance to meet their minimum daily food needs, the United Nations food relief agency said today.

You have probably never heard of Bekoji, but this small town in the highlands of Ethiopia has had a huge impact on athletics.

Concluding a three-day visit to Côte d&#39Ivoire, the United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict has welcomed progress made thus far by the Government, and in particular by the national armed forces, in addressing sexual violence crimes in the country.

The verdict announced by a special court in Senegal on the conviction of the former President of Chad, Hissène Habré, of crimes against humanity sent “a strong signal” to those who perpetrate serious crimes of international concern, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.

May 31, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim said the Sudanese government isn't a party to the ongoing Doha consultations pointing the two-day meeting aims to reach a common vision with the Qatari mediation on the Darfur peace process.

Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed bin Abdalla al-Mahmoud (CL) and the Joint Chief Mediator Martin Uhomoibhi meet in Doha with JEM and SLM-MM delegations on 30 May 2016 (QNA Photo)

On Monday, the Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed bin Abdalla al-Mahmoud and the Joint Chief Mediator Martin Uhomoibhi started discussions in Doha with the JEM and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi on ways to join the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

"Talks with the two movements focused on the possibility of joining the peace process on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and the views of the two movements in this regard," said a short statement released by the official Qatari News Agency (QNA).

In a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday, the chairman of JEM's legislative council El-Tahir al-Faki declined to describe the consultations as “negotiations with the Sudanese government”, saying the aim of their visit to Doha is to explore the Qatari stance on the Darfur peace process and to arrive at a joint view.

He pointed that his movement and the SLM-MM met with al-Mahmoud in Paris last January at the request of the Qatari government to discuss Darfur's peace, saying the two movements presented a joint position paper to the Qatari mediator on ways to achieve peace in Darfur.

Al-Faki said the paper pointed that the two movements are looking forward to finding “a serious partner to achieve comprehensive peace in Sudan and to help the Sudanese people avoid wars and realize stability and development”.

“The DDPD mustn't be considered the reference for the talks whatever and Qatar mustn't stick to the Doha forum and should become part of the African Union [mediation]” the position paper stated.

Last month, JEM leader told Sudan Tribune that they intend to ask Qatar for joining the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) led by Thabo Mbeki in order to have a united framework for negotiating a number of issues on Darfur and the comprehensive peace in Sudan.

However, the Sudanese presidency quickly rejected the armed movements' proposal describing it as “an attempt to circumvent the (AUHIP-proposed) roadmap which was not signed by the two armed movements”.

According to al-Faki, the position paper pointed that Qatar had monopolized the previous talks which led to the signing of the DDPD despite the presence of the former Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassolé.

The DDPD was signed on 11 July 2011 between the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) of Tijani al-Sissi and the Justice and Equality Movement splinter faction led by Bakheit Abdel- Karim Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo) joined the deal on 6 April 2013.

He added that the position paper also rejected the participation of movements which have no weight on the ground besides “not allowing the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to make use of the forum”.

“We are advocates of peace and if it wasn't for us, the Doha forum wouldn't have been created. We have offered valuable and precious [sacrifices to achieve peace] including offering of martyrs and on top of them the leader of the movement [Khalil Ibrahim]” he said.

The two groups call to open the DDPD for negotiations saying some issues were ignored or not fairly treated, but Khartoum rejects such request.

The Sudanese government proposes they sign the framework document deal stressing it deals with all their claims. After what, they have to discuss security arrangements agreement and join the national dialogue to discuss any further regional or national demands.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

May 31, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Sudanese government last month has deported hundreds of Eritreans to their home country where they could suffer severe violations by an extremely repressive regime, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

Eritrean migrants wait aboard a navy ship in the Sicilian harbour of Augusta, March 4, 2015 (Photo Reuters/Antonio Parrinello)

In a new report issued Monday, the rights watchdog said Sudan has deported at least 442 Eritreans, including six registered refugees, to Eritrea in May 2016.

Sudanese authorities have started this month arresting Eritrean refugees residing in the capital, Khartoum, and intercepting hundreds who were travelling towards Libya in a bid to cross to Europe.

According to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, the Sudanese authorities arrested 377 people on May 6 in the Sudanese border town of Dongola as they tried to cross to Libya.

Among them were the 313 Eritreans, including six who had already registered as refugees in Sudan and were all tried and convicted of “illegal entry” into Sudan.

The Sudanese authorities deported all of them including 4 Eritreans children who were part of this group.

The latest crackdown against Eritrean migrants comes as EU reportedly reached a deal with Khartoum to stem migration towards Europe.

A leaked document obtained by European Medias indicate that Sudan - which has increasingly become a key transit country for migrants from East Africa seeking to illegally travel to Europe via Libya - will be provided with financial aid to tighten its border control and intercept refugees bound to Europe.

Along with Sudan, 7 other African countries will be aided with a total of £40 million over three years to do so.

Following the recent secret deal, Sudan has reportedly rounded up some 900 Eritreans in Khartoum last week.

Those deported were arrested while they were en route to Libya.

Every month, hundreds of young Eritreans flee their country to evade military conscription which is mandatory to all citizens aged 18-50.

Per the authorized law, the national or military service lasts for only 18 months however President Issaias-led repressive regime forces citizens to serve indefinitely leaving them with no option but to escape their home country.

Citizens leaving the country without government's knowledge are perceived to be a deserter.

Escaping military conscription or leaving Eritrea without permission from the government is a criminal offense considered by the regime as treason which is punishable up to death sentence.

Human Rights Watch has expressed grave concern over the deportation of the Eritrean refugees as they face a serious risk of prosecutions and end up locked up behind bars in life-threatening condition.

“Sudan is arresting and forcing Eritreans back into the hands of a repressive government without allowing refugees to seek protection,” said Gerry Simpson, senior refugee researcher and advocate at Human Rights Watch.

“Sudan should be working with the UN refugee agency to protect these people, not send them back to face abuse.”

Eritreans and Ethiopians are denied of chance to claim asylum.

International law forbids countries from deporting asylum seekers without first allowing them to apply for asylum and considering their cases.

“This right applies regardless of how asylum seekers enter a country or how long they have been in a country before claiming asylum,” HRW added.

International law also prohibits the deportation, return, or forced expulsion of anyone to a place where they face a real risk to their life, or of torture or ill-treatment.

Sudanese authorities have allegedly denied access for UNHCR representatives to allow them access to visit the refugees group.

Sudanese authorities are entitled to arrest and question Eritreans and other foreign nationals not registered as asylum seekers or who do not have other legal status in Sudan, Human Rights Watch said.

However, it added Sudan is obliged to allow Eritreans and others to lodge asylum claims in Sudan at any time, even if they have already been in the country for some time, and to fairly review those claims.

As Eritrea is a closed nation, it is impossible for international agencies to monitor the situation and treatment of Eritreans back home after deportation.

Thousands of Eritreans use smugglers every year to travel from Eritrea through Ethiopia and Sudan to Libya and Egypt, from where many then try to reach the European Union by boat.

Human Rights Watch has documented that thousands were kidnapped and tortured for ransom in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula between 2010 and 2013, in some cases with the collusion of Sudanese and Egyptian security officials.

“If Sudan wants to market itself as a refugee-rights-respecting nation, it's going about it the wrong way,” Simpson said. “Eritreans, Ethiopians and others who want protection must be allowed full access to fair asylum procedures.”

In addition, the report says that Sudan has also arrested 64 Ethiopians who risk deportation.

Human Rights watch said Ethiopia's restrictions on political rights have spurred citizens to leave and a crackdown that began November in its Oromia region may have led to “thousands” fleeing to neighbouring countries.

Ethiopian security forces have killed Dozens of ethnic Oromos mainly university students after they staged weeks-long demonstration in protest to government's plan to expand the capital's territory to parts of the Oromia region.

Following the violent and deadly clashes, many Ethiopians are believed to have fled to neighbouring countries, including Sudan.

(ST)

May 31, 2016 (JUBA) – For the first time since formation of the transitional government of national unity on 29 April, South Sudan presidency have met to review the implementation of the August 2015 peace deal.

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

In a joint meeting on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Juba, President Salva Kiir, his first deputy, Riek Machar and second deputy, James Wani, were shown on the national television, shaking hands and sitting together in the discussions.

In the brief TV broadcast, it was reported that the three leaders reviewed the implementation of the deal, with emphasis on the deteriorating economic situation in the country.

There were no however more explanation about the details of the discussions or its outcome.

There are many contentious issues in the agreement, including the number of states, cantonment of forces and reconstitution of the national legislative assembly, among others.

Donors have not yet pledged or brought in financial support to the new government, citing lack of commitment to peace by the former warring parties.

(ST)

Malawi's President Peter Mutharika tells the BBC he feels ashamed by attacks on albinos in his country and calls on the church to help stop them.