Sudan Tribune

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Italian government has granted 600,000Euros to fund a food and nutrition project in eastern Sudan which will be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Photo of a Beja tribesman in eastern Sudan (Jeffrey GettlemanThe New York Times)

In a statement released on Thursday 3 September, the Italian Development Cooperation office in Khartoum said the project will address to the food and nutrition needs of rural families in areas affected by natural disasters in Kassala and Red Sea states.

"The Integrated Food Security and Livelihoods Project (IFSLP) will target 7.500 households (45.000 people) from four localities, including Telkok and Rural Aroma in Kassala State, and Sinkat and Derdub in Red Sea State," said a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

“The rural poor in Eastern Sudan, particularly in Red Sea State, are not among the communities targeted for humanitarian funding under Sudan's Humanitarian Response Plan, despite the protracted crises that they face,” said Abdi Jama, head of FAO office in Sudan.

The project will introduce climate-smart agriculture technologies to transform and reorient agricultural system to support food security in the two states which are affected by the climate change.

"These activities are designed to increase access to local food by boosting agricultural and livestock production, which is an important way to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition for local families and communities" said the statement.

The Italian Development Cooperation has focused its interventions in Eastern Sudan since the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 and implemented several health and rural development projects..

“We are aware of the critical situation in the Kassala and Red Sea States. This is the reason why strengthening the livelihoods of rural communities is a priority for the Italian Development Cooperation. We are happy to deepen the collaboration with FAO to fight food insecurity and malnutrition in Eastern Sudan,” says Italian Ambassador to Sudan, Fabrizio Lobasso.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's minister of finance, Badr al-Din Mahmoud, said the visit of president Omer al-Bashir to China has set a solid ground for a new breakthrough in relations between the two countries particularly with regards to the economic aspects.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, September 1, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Parker Song)

Bashir and his accompanying delegation including ministers of foreign affairs, oil and transport among others arrived in China on Monday to participate in celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Mahmoud told the official news agency (SUNA) on Saturday that the agreements signed with the Chinese government would contribute positively to the mobilization of the Sudanese economy.

He said that he discussed with his Chinese counterpart ways for trade, economic and financial dealings between the two nations, saying China will offer new preferential loans that would be allocated to increasing production and exports.

The Sudanese minister disclosed they agreed to promote banking cooperation between the two countries and to use the Yuan in settling financial transactions and scheduling Sudan's debts.

He pointed that a joint committee would convene in Khartoum soon to discuss ways for economic cooperation between the two countries.

Mahmoud added that the Chinese leadership is keen to push forward cooperation in gas and oil besides addressing Sudan's debts through increasing production particularly in the oil domain.

He revealed that they agreed to establish a joint maritime line company, saying the foundations of the partnership would be set during the coming few days.

“Also among the gains achieved during the visit [of Bashir] was the agreement to buy new trains [from China] and to maintain the broke trains,” he added.

Mahmoud further stressed they completed the agreement pertaining to financing the rail road linking Port Sudan to Ed Damazin besides linking Sudan to Ethiopia.

China has been Sudan's largest foreign investor particularly in oil and telecommunications after western firms shunned the East African nation due to conflicts and sanctions.

HIRE-PURCHASE OF SHIPS AND PLANES

Meanwhile, the Sudanese minister said they agreed with China to lease seven ships and two aircrafts through the hire-purchase.

“The two planes would remain registered under the name of the Chinese company until the ownership is being transferred to Sudan airways,” he said.

He pointed the ships and the aircrafts will arrive in Sudan within a few days accompanied by technical teams.

Mahmoud added that an agricultural agreement covering areas of agricultural technology and manufacturing has been signed during the visit, stressing it would promote agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
“It [the agreement] would positively impact on increasing production and productivity for some important crops,” he said.

The minister pointed out that the understandings with the Chinese side covered industrial cooperation in the various fields besides the continuation of cooperation in the mining sector and the establishment of a free-trade zone in the Red Sea.

“Security and military industry cooperation would push forward relations between the two nations,” he added.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - A group from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) affiliated with Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Saturday has blocked the main road linking Khartoum state to the Northern state for several hours and looted passengers' property.

RSF troops in camouflage and draped with ammunition show off the spoils from a major clash with the rebel (JEM), in Nyala 13 May 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that RSF on Saturday morning blocked the highway near Al-Gaili oil refinery, 25 kilometres north of Khartoum, adding they forced the vehicles to stop and stole passengers' property.

The same eyewitnesses said that a police patrol unit passed by the incident's scene but was unable to confront the RSF, stressing the heavily armed militiamen continued to disrupt the traffic for several hours without intervention from any government authority.

They added that the angry RSF also attacked restaurants and shops near Al-Gaili area and embarked on looting their property and merchandise without being stopped by any party.

The Sudanese government didn't comment on the incident.

RSF continued to block roads and loot passengers' property whenever the government fails to pay their financial accruals.

Late last year, the militiamen also blocked the same road to protest against the delay in the payment of their monthly salaries.

The RSF, which is widely known as the Janjaweed militias, were originally mobilized by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2003.

The militia was reactivated and restructured again in August 2013 under the command of NISS to fight the alliance of rebel groups from Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states following joint attacks in North and South Kordofan in April 2013.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's army chief of staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, on Saturday requested the United Nations and United States of America to monitor the permanent ceasefire till regional countries set up a military observers' team.

In this photo taken Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, a government soldier stands in the oil-rich town of Malakal (Photo AP)

The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) said the UN and U.S. can monitor the declared by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar ten days ago but both sides continue to trade accusations of violations without being verified by independent monitors.

“The SPLA called upon the members of the international community, particularly the UN and the U.S. to provide a joint monitoring and verification mechanism,” the SPLA spokesperson Col. Philip Aguer, told reporters when he read a statement signed by Gen. Malong in Juba on Saturday.

“This interim joint monitoring and verification from the UN and U.S. will help fill the gap created by IGAD compromise peace agreement,” said Aguer.

President Kiir signed the agreement on August 26, nine days after his former vice-president turned rebel leader Machar and former detainees leader Pagan Amum inked the agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

On 27 August President Kiir who was followed by Machar a day later, declared a permanent ceasefire. But both sides continue to accuse each of carrying out attacks.

The SPLA said the rebels attacked military ships travelling to Juba to Malakal this week, denying claims that they carried out attacks on the rebel positions.

“It is worth stating clearly that these ships left Juba before the peace was signed and never attacked any rebel held area along the way,” said Aguer.

“By the time the President signed the agreement, the ship had already covered more than 80% of the journey from Juba to Malakal,” he added.

The SPLA chief described the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediated peace document as “flawed” when it comes to the creation of the ceasefire monitoring and verification team.

“It is therefore important that this gap is closed by having an interim monitoring mechanism in place,” the statement added.

"The existing IGAD MVM shall transition to become the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), responsible for reporting on the progress of the implementation of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements (PCTSA); says the peace deal.

It further provides that the CTSAMM shall be chaired by a representative of IGAD, adding that representatives from the warring parties and South Sudanese parties and civil society groups as well as the AU, China, EU, Troika, and UNMISS, shall participate in the monitoring mechanism.

SPOILERS OF PEACE

The SPLA did not blame the SPLM-in-opposition led by Machar but pointed an accusing finger at the splinter rebel commanders that declared defection from the mainstream rebel group.

“There are spoilers of peace and it is a well unknown fact that part of the rebels of Riek Machar publicly said they will not honour the agreement,” said Aguer.

The SPLA calls upon those groups to join the IGAD mediation o address their grievances and give peace a chance,” he added.

(ST)

September 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese political forces participating in the national dialogue on Friday admitted that the internal political process will not meet the expected success without the participation of the armed opposition groups.

3rd meeting of the national dialogue national assembly in Khartoum on Thursday 20 August 2015 (Photo - SUNA)

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP), the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) of Hassan al-Turabi rejected an African Union plan aiming to bring the holdout rebel and political groups to participate in the national dialogue through the organization of a preparatory meeting outside Sudan on the matters related to the process.

"The non-participation of armed movements will hamper efforts to achieve the desired success," said the chairman of the National Democratic Forum and member of dialogue coordination body Faisal Yassen who pointed to "the need to hold the pre-dialogue conference".

"We do not mind even if the preparatory conference is held in (the rebel stronghold of) Kauda" which is the capital of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) controlled areas in South Kordofan.

"We are not afraid of the preparatory conference," he further stressed.

The Sudanese government says the dialogue should be prepared and held by Sudanese inside the country without foreign intervention, arguing that previous initiatives didn't bring peace or stability to Sudan and the international community didn't implement its pledge in support of the signed deals.

The president Omer al-Bashir further accused Western countries of supporting rebel and opposition groups and using it to topple his regime.

But observers say the government is confusing the Sudanese street by insisting on its international isolation and the imposed international sanctions despite the secession of South Sudan.

Further, the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi refuted the government refusal of international participation in the dialogue process saying they just want through the pre-dialogue meeting to end war and to agree on the confidence building measures creating a healthy environment for the internal process.

Speaking in a talk show at Radio Omdurman, Yassen said the dialogue body will meet the diplomatic foreign missions in Khartoum to brief them on the ongoing preparations for the dialogue which is scheduled for 10 October.

He also said they are ready to meet the armed groups and al-Mahdi stressing on the need to involve him in the political process saying his NUP cannot be ignored.

Yassen said the last August communiqué of the Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) which insists on the need for the pre-dialogue meeting, is "not entirely negative".

The problem of absence disturbs school systems and ends in the students' dropping out of school.

However, a leading member of the National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP), Ahmed Fadel who co-signed the famous 5 September agreement with the AU High Level Implementation Panel on the national dialogue said the African roadmap "opens the door for foreign intervention".

Fadel further called on the government to "urgently undertake diplomatic initiatives to address the risks of the AUPSC decision and to cut the road for such initiatives".

NLJP leader Tijani al-Sissi last Wednesday criticised the AUPSC's decision on the national dialogue and accused the African body of interfering in Sudan's internal affairs.

(ST)

September 01, 2015 (WASHINGTON/JUBA) - The United States has condemned the recent fighting in parts of South Sudan's Jonglei and Upper Nile states, warning that any of the parties violating the recently signed peace agreement would “face consequences”.

South Sudanese soldiers patrol the streets of Unity state capital Bentiu on 12 January 2014 (Photo: Simon Maina/AFP)

Both the government and the armed opposition faction have traded accusations of ceasefire violations, days after declaring a permanent ceasefire after last week's signing of the peace accord.

Mark Toner, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, said Monday that the recent ceasefire declarations by the government of South Sudan and the opposition, ordering all forces to cease military operations on 29 August, were welcomed as a step toward implementation of the agreement that now binds South Sudan's two warring parties.

“However, recent fighting by forces on both sides runs contrary to those orders and the terms of the peace agreement,” said Toner.

“We call on all parties to immediately cease provocative action and hostile engagement, and to further develop security arrangements at the planned security workshop starting September 5,” he stressed.

The US government, Toner further said, would work with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) partners to pursue, as needed, sanctions as authorised by UNSC resolution 2206. He, however, added that Washington would continue to stand with those who choose peace and are committed to faithful implementation of the agreement.

TRADING ACCUSATIONS

The South Sudanese military spokesman, Colonel Philip Aguer, told reporters on Monday that government forces were attacked by the armed opposition fighters in parts of Unity and Upper Nile states.

But the newly-appointed military spokesperson for the rebels, Col. William Gatjiath Deng, said the opposition forces came under separate attacks from government forces in Upper Nile and Unity states.

“The government troops attacked our forces in Tonga county [Upper Nile state] this late afternoon [Monday]. One of the government's barges has been burned by our forces and the fighting is still going on now,” Deng said in a statement on Monday.

Deng accused army of carrying out military offensives, despite a peace deal.

“We want to inform the people of South Sudan that government is sabotaging the implementation of the peace deal,” he stressed.

The rebel spokesperson called on the IGAD-Plus, African Union and the international community to investigate the continued violation of the ceasefire by government forces.

(ST)

September 01, 2015 (JUBA) – The governor of South Eastern Equatoria state, Louis Lobong has called on citizens to fully support the recently-signed peace deal between government and the armed opposition faction led by former vice president Riek Machar.

Eastern Equatoria state Governor Louis Lobong speaks at an event in Torit, March 2, 2012 (ST/Ijjo Bosco)

Speaking during a public rally held in the state capital, Torit on Tuesday, Lobong equally urged the population to welcome members of the armed opposition faction and forgive them for mistakes committed.

Lobong said the recently-signed compromise peace deal apportions 15% of state government positions to opposition parties.

We are waiting for the implementation of the democratic reforms in the signed peace deal to benefit all parties in the country, he said.

The governor, however, revealed that state political parties have been excluded from the power sharing agreement at state levels, but would be involved at the national level.

Lobong, also the ruling party chairperson in the state, further disclosed a meeting would soon be convened under his leadership to discuss so as to ensure other political parties are also represented.

“We shall not only want those who have taken arms and have chosen undemocratic means to be rewarded, but also those parties that have remained within the country and are sorting democratic channel, not to be punished,” he told the rally in the capital, Torit.

According to the governor, those who choose violence to attain power cannot be rewarded at the expense of agitators for peace.

William Odingila, the representative of political parties in the state, said they were ready to offer better alternatives of the government.

He urged the citizens to prepare for elections due in three year and ensure they voted wisely for those who will deliver services to them.

“We have given the SPLM [Sudan People's Liberation Movement] a length of time and it's only the SPLM that is fighting for leadership. This time, may one of the political parties also try to lead this country and we see if there is going to be a wrangle”, said Odingila.

Hundreds of Eastern Equatoria state community members, including, cabinet members, lawmakers, women and school children graced the rally at the Freedom Square in Torit.

(ST)

September 01, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and its refugee agency (UNHCR) have agreed with the Sudanese government on an initiative to enhance self-reliance of refugees and asylum-seekers in Eastern Sudan through skills-building and sustainable rural livelihood strategies.

A Sudanese farmer harvests sorghum produced from seeds donated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through the "Improving Seeds" project. 11 December 2006 (UN Photo/Fred Noy )

The joint pilot project is reportedly designed to improve access to food and income opportunities for low-income households in refugee camps in the region.

A joint statement issued on Tuesday said the project will enable low-income households meet local market needs by providing skills development in sustainable agriculture and livestock production.

Through the project, hands-on training will reportedly be provided to refugees and asylum seekers in land preparation, production and harvesting processes for sorghum, sesame, horticulture, fodder and poultry, production, packaging as well as marketing best practices.

“This project comes at a critical time. Eastern Sudan is facing a protracted refugee situation that is characterised by limited humanitarian aid resources, a lack of livelihood supports and chronic poverty in the refugee camps there,” said the FAO representative on Sudan, Abdi Jama.

“The project is an important component of FAO and UNHCR's joint efforts on a renewed Self-Reliance Strategy to address the situation by enhancing economic self-reliance in order to reduce refugee aid dependency and promote a sustainable co-existence between the refugees and host communities in Eastern Sudan,” he added.

The eastern part of Sudan remains one of the most protracted refugee situations worldwide, but reportedly witnesses an ongoing influx of new arrivals with an average of 1,100 individuals per month being registered at the border entry points in Sudan so far in 2015.

Since the 1960s, however, the semi-arid region has generously hosted more than 1.5 million refugees, while also being one of the poorest in Sudan according to a 2009 national poverty assessment.

Currently, the UN says, there are more than 90,000 refugees living in the region's nine active refugee camps and urban areas in Kassala, El Gezira and Gedaref states. The majority of refugees who are from a protracted caseload have lived in the region for up to 40 years, with close to 60% of the camp population having been born in Sudan.

Nearly 50% of refugees and asylum-seekers in Eastern Sudan are estimated to live in chronic poverty, the UN said in its joint statement.

“Refugees are often seen as passive recipients of aid, and an economic burden to the host communities, but in reality, the refugee population is not homogeneous. Although in extreme poverty, some are ready to build on their livelihood assets. Through this project, UNHCR will look at each refugee carefully, and assure that the right assistance reaches the right persons, based on not only their vulnerabilities but also on the capabilities of each refugee,” said the UNHCR's representative in Sudan, Mohammed Adar.

There have also been concerns, over the lack of sustainable livelihood opportunities in Eastern Sudan, which has reportedly contributed in pushing new arrivals to engage in onward movement.

“FAO is well-placed to address the livelihood challenges that refugees and asylum seekers in the region face,” said FAO's Jama.

“By providing people with the skills and tools they need to increase agricultural and livestock production, this project will benefit entire households and will help pave a way out of chronic poverty and steer these communities toward a more sustainable and healthful future,” he stressed.

FOOD SECURITY PROVISION

Since 2006, the UN food agency has reportedly provided food security and livelihood supports to refugees and asylum-seekers in Sudan, with projects currently underway in White Nile and South Kordofan states to support South Sudanese arrivals.

The project, in its pilot phase from August to December 2015, will reportedly target refugees and asylum-seekers living in the Fau 5, Kilo 26 and Um Gargour camps. Upon successful implementation of the pilot, should additional resource be available, the project can be replicated to other camps, as well as to the host communities, with a particular focus on local value chain development and partnership with private sectors.

“With increasingly limited resources available, a strong collaboration and partnership among all the concerned parties towards a common objective will be more and more important in the East”, said Adar.

“The pilot project is an important investment to show that the humanitarian assistance to the refugees, if provided correctly in good partnership with the Government and the right development partners, can positively contribute to the socioeconomic development in the region,” he added.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The two groups signatory of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) reiterated their demand to remove the chairman of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tjani al-Sissi from his position till its reshuffle and casted doubts over the political neutrality of the state minister chairing the peace implementation follow-up office.

FILE PHOTO - DRA's chairman and NLJP leader Al-Tijani Al-Sissi (L) with the head of Darfur peace follow-un office Amin Hassan Omer

The Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) of Bahar Idriss Abu Garda and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) of Bakheit Dabajo on Tuesday signed a joint memorandum increasing political pressure on the federal government requesting a performance audit for the DRA during the past four years and to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against it.

In a press conference held on Tuesday, LJP leading member Tadjadine Bechir Niam, told reporters "the joint memo demands al-Sissi's dismissal and the appointment of a governor at the chairmanship of the authority till the end of reshuffle process".

Niam further stressed on the need to consult all the peace partners before the appointment of new DRA chairman.

The two groups announced last week the suspension of their participation in the meeting of the regional authority after a brawl between the supporters of Abu Garda and Sissi in Khartoum.

JEM-Dabajo political secretary, Nahar Osman Nahar called on the Sudanese government to reshuffle the regional authority before a meeting of the international follow-up committee for the DDPD implementation, on 8 September in Doha.

Nahar who was speaking in the press conference with Niam, said the Sudanese presidency stands at an equal distance from all the DDPD parties, adding that the head of the national follow-up office for the DDPD implementation state minister Amin Hassan Omer is not neutral in his positions and tend to support al-Sissi.

He further warned against ignoring their joint reservations adding that will make difficult the continuation of their participation in the DRA.

"We made our observations on the DRA's performances. Unless it's corrected, it will be very difficult to continue. Everything is expected," Nahar said.

"We have reservations on the Authority and the organs tasked with the coordination because they are not neutral," he added.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The newly appointed spokesperson for the military wing of the armed opposition faction led by former vice president, Riek Machar, claimed their forces have destroyed one military barge and five gunboats which have been attacking their bases along the River Nile in Unity and Jonglei states as the government troops were moving towards Malakal, capital of the oil-rich Upper Nile state.

Rebel fighters greet one another at a rebel camp in South Sudan's Jonglei state on 1 February 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

“To our dismay, in the course of restoring peace and stability, our forces came under attacks at several locations in Jonglei by forces that could not have acted alone if [President Sava Kiir] Mayardit sincerely consented to bringing peace to South Sudan in collaboration with SPLM/A-IO. Government convoy which comprise of barges and gunboats attacked our forces at Wathkech, Nyiew and Tonga county yesterday [Monday] evening and the fierce battle ended at 5am this morning [Tuesday],” said rebels military spokesperson, Colonel William Gatjiath Deng, in a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

He said the opposition forces fought back in self-defense and in those battles destroyed one government's big barge and five gunboats carrying troops and heavy weapons, all burnt and sunk in the River Nile.
He also claimed that they captured in good condition another big barge loaded with heavy weapons.

“The other barge was captured in good condition with all military hardware after the protection unit which guarded it surrendered themselves. Our mighty forces captured the following from the government. One tank, two Zuu 23 and six 12.7 machines guns as well as different motor shields,” he said.

Colonel Deng further explained that only one barge and two gunboats survived the Tuesday fierce battles on the Nile and the government's remnant forces retreated back towards Unity state and to Juba from where they launched the military convoy.

The retreating barge and two gunboats will also be moving in reverse through rebels controlled territories in Unity state, fearing further clashes before they could reach Bor in Jonglei state.

South Sudanese rebels earlier accused the government of launching these three military barges and seven gunboats which they said were moving aggressively through territories controlled by the rebels along the River Nile, shelling the rebels bases as they moved northwards towards Malakal.

But the rebel spokesman said the river offensive had now been neutralized as most of the boats have been destroyed and sunk in the river with the forces and weapons they carried.

Government military's spokesperson, Colonel Philip Aguer, on Monday confirmed that their forces with barges were moving from Juba to Malakal through rebels controlled territories along the Nile even before the peace agreement was signed on 26 August to resupply government forces in the oil-rich Upper Nile state and warned to fight back in self-defence should the rebels attack them on the way.

Last month, government announced closure of river transportation between Juba and Malakal, saying rebels had been attacking boats. It was not clear if the military convoy was attempting to forcefully open the Nile corridor.

Rebels claimed they were provoked when the government forces attacked Tayar Port and Adok Port which they control in Unity state, sparking their response to fight back, saying the “divided' government was trying to derail the implementation of the peace agreement.

“We should not be distracted by our political stand in regard to Compromise Peace Agreement since we all know that Juba is bent to dishonour it using unnecessary excuses,” Deng said.

He said the opposition forces had remained calm in full implementation of the ceasefire but will fight back if attacked.

The rebels called on IGAD Plus and the international community at large to monitor and verify the ceasefire violations and to urge the government to respect the peace deal.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir held talks in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday amid criticism by the United States which noted his status as an individual wanted on charges of war crimes and genocide.

Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir (C) pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 1, 2015 (AFP Photo/Parker Song)

Jinping described the Sudanese president as an "old friend" declaring his country's welcome to Bashir and his delegation which included the ministers of foreign affairs, oil and transport among others.

"China and Sudan are like two brothers that are also good friends and partners. Mr Bashir coming to China shows our partnership is strong" Jinping told Bashir according to Chinese media.

In contrast, the United States expressed its displeasure over the visit saying that Bashir should not be welcomed by countries but should rather face justice.

“As you know, he's been charged with – by the ICC, International Criminal Court, with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and warrants for his arrest remain outstanding. And we strongly support the ICC's efforts to hold accountable those responsible for those acts. Our position is clear: We oppose invitations, facilitation, or support for travel by persons subject to outstanding ICC warrants,” US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters on Monday.

He stressed that "the International Criminal Court request to arrest al-Bashir still stands," and stressed that "the United States strongly supports the efforts of the international tribunal to hold accountable those responsible for such acts."

“[W]e've called on all countries to join the international community in its call for Sudan obviously to fully cooperate with the ICC, and requested that governments, including China's, not invite or facilitate or frankly support travel by President Bashir. And we have a longstanding policy of urging other nations to refrain from lending political or financial support to persons subject to ICC arrest warrants in Darfur. So it's a serious cause for concern that he remains at large,” he added.

“[W] e believe China, like any nation, as you say, as a member of the Security Council, should weigh its concern – or weigh the world's concerns about President Bashir and the fact that, as I said, he's got an active warrant out for his arrests for war crimes.

However, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Hula Chunying said that people were “over thinking” the issue of Bashir's attendance at the commemoration of world war II event where war crimes were committed

"The people of Africa, including Sudan, made an important contribution in the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. China's invite to President Bashir to the commemoration activities is reasonable and fair. While he is in China we will give him the treatment he should get," Chunying told reporters.

“As China is not a member of the ICC, relevant issues will be handled "on the basis of the basic principles of international law," she added.

Bashir is wanted by the Hague tribunal for alleged war crimes committed in Darfur. China is not an ICC member and had made it clear in the past that it does not approve of the warrant even though it chose not to veto the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 2005 resolution empowering the Hague-based court to investigate crimes in Sudan's western region.

China's non-veto on that resolution has angered Sudanese officials who expressed shock that despite their close relationship with Beijing, the latter did not stand up at the UNSC to defend Khartoum at that instance.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (KAMPALA/NAIROBI) – A South Sudanese human rights entity has urged the country's two main rival factions to respect the recently-signed peace deal and immediately cease the continued military hostilities.

SPLA soldiers sit at the back of a pick-up truck in Malakal, Upper Nile state January 12, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

Biel Boutros Biel, the executive director for South Sudan Human Right Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA), said it was important for the warring factions to adhere to the agreement signed on 26 August.

He condemned what he described as renewed violations of the ceasefire allegedly by government following attacks on the armed opposition strongholds in Fangak, Payinjiar, Leer, Koch and Malakal areas.

“This is waste of South Sudanese human resources on both sides. President Salva Kiir should reign on his warlike generals. The SPLA/IO generals should also never behave like their counterpart in Juba. We urge all warlords to desist from belligerent attitudes,” said Biel.

The renowned human right advocate called on the mediators and Troika countries to ensure president Kiir withdrew his forces allegedly stationed along the River Nile to avoid further clashes with the rebels.

“War must stop and South Sudanese must now stand together for peace,” he said in a strongly-worded statement issued Tuesday.

CALLS FOR STABILITY

Meanwhile, a group of South Sudanese living in Kenya have urged the country's two rival factions to quickly resolve their difference to that peace and stability can be restored in the war-ravaged nation.

Dak Buoth, a South Sudanese in Kenya, said they fully supported the recently signed compromise peace agreement to end the conflict.

“We expressed our happiness and appreciation to the signatories of peace deal inked by the two rival leaders on 17 and 26 that dedicated positive hope to South Sudanese for a better solution to ongoing political turmoil,” Buoth told Sudan Tribune from Nairobi.

David Atem Mayuel urged president Kiir and rebel leader, Riek Machar to prioritise peace to save thousands of those suffering.

Lino Madit, on the other hand, urged the country's two rival leaders to commit to the recently signed peace deal demanded by citizens.

According to Kujiek Ruot Kuajien, South Sudanese citizens are already tired of the war that has killed thousands and forced nearly two million people into displaced camps in neighboring countries.

“The world is competing toward technological advancement while we are shading more blood to ourselves,” said Kuajien.

He advised the country's leaders to focus eradicating extreme poverty, reduce illiteracy rates and steer economic development.

The group further called on the African Union Commission of Inquiry into South Sudan crimes to publicise their findings on atrocities committed in the young nation during its months of violent conflict.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The national dialogue coordination committee (7+7) on Tuesday formed an ad hoc committee to mull over a decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in favour of holding a pre-dialogue meeting outside the country.

At the same time, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) renewed its rejection for this preparatory meeting and accused AUPSC's diplomats of lacking neutrality by holding a meeting with the holdout opposition parties.

Speaking after a meeting of the dialogue mechanism on Tuesday, the head NCP political sector Mustafa Osman Ismail told reporters that the 7+7 committee formed a panel to study the recent activities of peace and security body and its decision backing the opposition demand for the pre-dialogue meeting.

Ismail further said they demanded the ad hoc team to submit its findings within 48 hours pointing that its report will be deliberated in a meeting to held on Sunday.

President Omer al-Bashir, since last Sunday, has categorically rejected the AUPSC's decision supporting the organization of a meeting at the African Union headquarters to discuss matters related to the internal political process.

Before to take this decision, the 15-member body organized a hearing for the opposition "Sudan Call" forces on 24 August 2015. In Khartoum; the government immediately condemned this "outrageous" initiative by the inter governmental regional organization and declared its refusal for any foreign involvement in the process.

Initially in September 2014, the NCP accepted to take part in the meeting which will be brokered by the AU High Level Implementation Panel of chaired by Thabo Mbeki. In March 2015 the government refused participate in the meeting, insisting it was not appropriate to hold it two week before the general elections.

Only the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) of Hassan al-Turabi declined the invitation for the pore-dialogue meeting when they received it last March.

PCP political secretary and its representative at the dialogue boy, in statements to the press after the meeting reiterated their rejection for Addis Ababa's meeting saying "the transfer of dialogue out of Sudan is next to impossible".

"The dialogue is an inter-Sudanese process. We will not accept moving it to outside the country and we do not accept the any tutelage from anybody. We are ready to accept all people and to hear all views," added Kamal Omer.

In separate statements after a meeting of the national unity government parties on Tuesday, Ismail directed his criticism to "some ambassadors" of the peace and security body and accused them of partiality and taking the side of the opposition.

The (Sudanese) people will not accept that three parties impose to hold the dialogue outside the Sudan," he added.

NCP political secretary Hamid Mumtaz who attended the meeting went to say all the political forces inside the country agree in their rejection of the transfer of the political process to outside the country.

"It is not necessary that the armed groups and holdout parties trust the government. The government extended them an invitation, decided a ceasefire and provided guarantees," he said.

Mumtaz was referring to the topics that the parties should discuss at the pre-dialogue meeting.

The National Umma Party (NUP) and the SPLM-N recently said they are willing to join the dialogue process inside the country but stressed on the need to hold a two-day meeting to agree on "procedural matters relating to the Dialogue".

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Saudi authorities have arrested the administrator of a Sudanese opposition website and continues to hold him without charges, a media watchdog said in a statement today.

Al-Rakoba website logo

The Sudanese non-governmental Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) network said that Walid Hussein al-Dood was taken by security agents on July 23rd from his home in the city of al-Khobar and was transferred to the city of Dammam.

JHR strongly warned of the consequences of his possible extradition to Khartoum on charges of running al-Rakoba website.

The statement by JHR said that al-Dood's wife visited him three times with the most recent one being on Monday.

Al-Dood told his family that he is being well-treated and that his immigration status is not in question.

However, the statement did not say why he is being held and if he was formally notified of a pending extradition request by Khartoum.

Al-Rakoba started off in 2005 as a discussion forum but has eventually transformed into a news website that carries stories and op-eds that are fiercely critical of the Sudanese government.

The website has attracted wide readership even inside Sudan despite intermittent government moves to block it.

In statements attributed to al-Dood before his arrest he asserted that al-Rakoba maintains “clear positions against dictatorship and corruption .. and has attracted the finest readers and columnists who value human freedom, human rights and equality”.

JHR said it is concerned that al-Dood would be subject to torture should he be extradited to Sudan and vowed to launch a campaign to prevent this.

Relations between Riyadh and Khartoum have improved dramatically this year after the latter shifted its alliance from the Iranian axis.

Sudan is also a member of the Saudi-led military coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

But it remains to be seen whether al-Dood's detention is politically motivated and whether Riyadh could actually send him back to his home country.

In 2005, the interior ministers of Saudi Arabia and Sudan signed a security pact in Khartoum which included clauses related to preventing any activities by residents or citizens on their territories that are hostile to the government of the other side.

Saudi Arabia is generally very sensitive to any foreign political activities on its territory.

In 2011, the Saudi government issued a decree banning any events of political nature without prior permission and warned of consequences to foreign nationals for violating this order which included deportation.

A Saudi foreign ministry cable released by Wikileaks website last June revealed that Riyadh summoned Sudanese opposition figures and embassy officials alike to caution them against non-sanctioned political activities in the country unless an official permit is received.

Al-Rakoba is a US registered website however and has no physical offices in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in the world.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, his defense minister and members of the government negotiating team have briefed country's top military officers about the peace agreement recently signed with the armed opposition faction.

President Salva Kiir and defence minister Koul Manyang Juuk addressing the press on Monday morning (Photo: GOSS/Thomas Keneth)

The meeting, officials said, took place on Tuesday in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.

According to the army spokesperson, Col. Philip Aguer three officers from the country's two main rival faction are due to take part in a will participate in a military workshop due in Addis Ababa this week.

“Today the commanders of the army in all the sector divisions and specialist units were ordered to come for briefing and the briefing was all about the peace agreement and the implementation particularly the issue of ceasefire,” Auger told reporters in Juba.

The defense minister, in a statement on the state-owned SSTV, urged the military to respect the cessation of hostilities agreement. This notion was echoed by information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth.

“These consultations with the military should have been the first thing to do before signing the peace agreement, but the IGAD [Intergovernment Authority on Development said no,” said Lueth.

On security arrangements, the peace agreement stipulates that thevcapital, Juba, be declared demilitarised zone, with a radius of 25kms. Foreign troops, particularly from the IGAD countries and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) will take charge of Juba for 30 months of the transition period until elections are conducted.

The two rival armies, according to the peace agreement, will also maintain separate commands for a period of transition with president Kiir being the commander-in-chief of the South Sudan army (SPLA) and rebel leader Machar also as the commander-in-chief of his forces until a unification process is completed as per the recently signed accord.

(ST)

September 1, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudan's governing Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) would make reconciliation, unity and forgiveness a top priority during the transitional period of the government of national unity, a leading official said on Tuesday.

SPLM chairman Salva Kiir (R) greets former SG Pagan Amum (L) as Riek Machar looks on, January 14, 2010 (SPLM photo)

Former South Sudanese cabinet affairs minister, Deng Alor Kuol, said Tuesday the work of the secretary general of the SPLM, Pagan Amum, as chief administrator in the party, would be dedicated to organising the party.

“The launch of the national reconciliation would be the priority of the SPLM leadership during the transitional period. This work will be spearheaded and supported by the entire secretariat and the leadership of the SPLM to achieve peace, unity, reconciliation and forgiveness,” Kuol told Sudan Tribune in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

“I am sure comrade Pagan Amum in his capacity as the secretary general will devote time and energy to overseeing any initiative aimed at uniting the party, uniting the ranks of the leadership and our people,” he said.

The leading official underscored that the recently signed peace should not be read as a reward or return to the status quo but rather an opportunity to allow the ruling party to correct itself and accept their actions.

“There can be no agreement with provisions satisfying the wants and desires of all the parties. Agreement world over are means of resolving problems. They are not the end to the problem. We all have to talk about peace and always nurture it for us to success as a nation. We should not let revenge rule our lives,” he added.

While stressing on the significance of the plan for national reconciliation, he left details vague on precise timetable for foreign troops to withdraw from the country, and laws disqualifying former members of the party who may be found to have masterminded and played an important role in fermenting the conflict from important jobs.

He also failed to offer a clear view on any strategy for disarming the militias, which are currently seen as the greatest security threat.

Observers are keen to note that any amnesty for militants will not apply to people who have perpetrated violent acts but would not be possible without mutually transformative engagement with partner organizations and leaders who provide various gifts and resources to the initiative.

He urged state residents to prioritise peace and provide support in the implementation of the peace deal which President Salva Kiir has signed, saying it provides an opportunity to resolving the differences and putting the country on the right path instead of putting personal ambition and interests to jeopardise efforts to bring peace to the country, following the signing of regional backed peace deal.

Kuol was one of former detainees who were detained for months by president Kiir's government following eruption of violence in Juba in December 2013.

He was also dismissed by president Kiir before violence after he was accused of involvement in corruption involving millions of dollars while a cabinet minister.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese lawmakers have warned the country's finance and economic planning ministry against spending irregularities after it emerged that some government departments were overpaid and others were deprived of funds.

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

In a heated parliamentary debate that ensured during the second reading for 2015/2016 fiscal year budget on Monday, the MPs said the security sectors of government spent more than it was budgeted for and money had to be cut from the service delivery ministries.

“There is a general disparity in the release of funds by the ministry of finance,” said the parliamentary finance chairperson, Goc Makuac.

“Others [ministries] overspent [and] the committee recommended equitable release of funds to all spending agencies monthly,” he added.

According to the parliamentary findings, the ministry of defense spent 3.7bn South Sudanese Pound (SSP), instead of the approved 3.28bn. The national security ministry in the office of the president took SSP 229m, surpassing the approved SSP 207m.

In sharp contrast to the release of funds for security purposes, the ministry of finance reduced the approved budget for the ministry of health, releasing just SSP 172m of the approved SSP 357m. The roads ministry, on the other hand, got SSP 75m of the SSP 107m, which was approved by the national assembly in the appropriation Act 2014/15.

Onyoti Adigo, leader of the minority in parliament, said the discrepancies violate country's financial laws and was a breach of parliamentary approvals of budgetary allocations to the ministries.

“We call for auditing of all the [government spending] agencies which overspent and accountability must be made,” said Adigo.

“This [overspending and under spending] is a breach of the appropriate Act 2014/2015 and public finance management accountability Act, 2011,” he added in reference to anti-graft laws requiring the finance ministry to operate within approved budgets.

The 2015/2016 fiscal year budget for South Sudan started on 01 July. This year's budget is due for its third and fourth reading this week.

It however remains unclear if the new budget will be approved before the formation of the Transitional Government National Unity (TGNU) in accordance to the IGAD-led peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

(ST)

To Secretary General Ban Ki-­moon
Secretary-­General of the United Nations

Dear Mr. Ban,

Tuesday, 1st September 2015

To the military parade in Beijing on September 3rd you have been invited as an official guest along with other dignitaries including Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. As the survivors of the Genocide perpetrated by Bashir in Sudan, we at the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan openly call on you not to share a public stage with a murderer.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on ten counts of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. His actions were declared a Genocide by the United States Government in 2003. Millions of Sudanese have been killed on his orders since he took power in a military coup in 1989. It sends the wrong message for the leader of the United Nations to socialize at events with him while arrest warrants remain outstanding Sent from my iPhone

Mr. Ban, you have highlighted “Advancing the responsibility to protect agenda” as part of your five-year action agenda. Bashir led a violent response to civil war with the south that led to the deaths of million of Sudanese and resulted in the separation of South Sudan from Sudan. He has used Janjaweed militias to murder entire populations in Darfur and continues the scorched earth tactic today. Rape continues to be used by his forces across Sudan as an instrument of war and oppression. It is not responsible to grant Bashir your tacit acceptance by sitting side-by-side with him in the public view.

The United Nations has come under criticism from the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC for not doing enough to help achieve the arrest of Bashir. As survivors of Bashir's Genocide we at the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan beseech you to show your support for the good work of the ICC by not attending the parade in Beijing on September 3rd and instead calling on the Chinese Government to arrest Bashir so that he can be brought to trial.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Fideil Chairman
The Justice and Equality Movement Sudan

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

It comes as no surprise that the NCP regime President Omer al-Bashir using his fake 'national' dialogue again after apparently felt rest assured that he has recently secured the rapprochement between his regime and the US Administration. The news media reported that the (NCP) regime President Omer al-Bashir declared that he would offer a two-month ceasefire and general amnesty to the rebel movements to participate in the National Dialogue. The reports indicated that the decision comes during the General Assembly for National Dialogue, the third meeting held on Thursday, August 20, 2015 in Khartoum. Here, people of Sudan would say to Omar al-Bashir that the one who tries out something already tried before and proved invalid is an addict par excellence. The Sudanese people ranked them with the political elite group, which became addicted to failure.

The Coordinating Supreme Committee for the National Dialogue 7 +7 of the Republic of Sudan.

The Thursday 20 August 2015 alleged National Dialogue assembly is nothing but a copycat version of its predecessor assemblies, which served nothing for adding credibility to the Wathba Dialogue.

It seems that the members of the National Congress Party met to dialogue with each other about the fate of Sudan amid the economic deterioration caused by financial corruption and nepotism and tribalism, racism and the lavish expenditure on frivolous civil wars of attrition

The members of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime met on Thursday 20 August 2015 to dialogue with each other on the unprecedented determination the economy of Sudan reached through recklessness extravagance and expenditure because of the epidemic corruption, nepotism, tribalism, racism and cost of the absurd civil wars of attrition. The so-called Supreme Coordinating Committee for National Dialogue meeting has provided the opportunity for the NCP membership to dialogue with each other over an array of issues. These issues include the destiny of their regime under the current grinding financial crisis and economic woes faced by the National Congress Party (NCP) government led by their master of grace, the Génocidaire war criminal fugitive from the international justice, Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir.

There are clear contradictions in Omer al-Bashir's intentions behind the national dialogue. While declaring a ceasefire for two months, he has put Sudan's armed forces (SAF) and the Janjaweed militia loyal to the security forces device (NISS) called Rapid Support Force (RSF) on alert and armed them. He has also continued the ongoing aerial bombardment of civilians in the war zones, which is part of the blatant plot to deceive the armed opposition. Meanwhile, the holdout Darfuri armed rebels groups of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Mohammed, the Sudan Liberation Army Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA- AW) led by Minni Arko Minnawi and Abdel Wahid Mohamed al-Nur respectively are speaking to the Acting Joint Special Representative (AJSR) of the UNAMID to discuss with them ways to reinvigorate efforts for peace in Darfur.

Omer al-Bashir who keeps acting as judge and hangman tried presenting his fake 'national' dialogue swindle to further mislead and cheat the parties in the dispute. The country's crises and issues remained eluding the solutions because of the intransigence of the head of the ruling regime of the NCP Omar al-Bashir and his clique who deliberately fail to offer advice to al-Bashir but instead work to ignite the fire of the problems and increase the complexity.

Al-Bashir kept his alleged ‘fairytale' Wathba Dialogue on hold for more than a year since he announced it in January 2014 and repeatedly delayed it to gain ample time in the face of the opposition's imposed wait.

The dilemma and the irony is that the regime that took power by a military Coup d'état and repeatedly abrogated peace agreements it signed with parties has become impossible to trust. Thus, eternal loss of confidence in the words and promises issued by the President of the (NCP) regime Omer al-Bashir and his entourage became master of the situation.

The methods used by Omer al-Bashir and his clique to deceive the Sudanese people exceeded the borders and became offensive to the memory of the nation of Sudan and the Sudanese people. However, the nimble fiery acumen of the Sudanese people mocks at them. Moreover, the Sudanese people consider that the regime is gasping for breath and happens to be in a pathetic state. It has become the subject of contempt and mockery.

Even worse is that most of the names mentioned as national figures are originally committed members of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime. Moreover, the marathon of political parties who have allegedly attended the Wathba Dialogue are a creation of the NCP regime to give some legitimacy that was originally missing or never even existed , at best; their actual membership does not exceed the party chairperson!

Thus, the meaning of the Saying of the Holy Prophet Peace be Upon Him (PBUH) that says “a person lies and continues to lie until Almighty God writes him a liar”, literally applies on the membership of the Islamist ruling regime, the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum par excellence.

The people of Sudan have become immune against the (NCP) regime's bag of lies because the President of the ruling (NC P) Omer al-Bashir is negligible and cannot be relied upon. The Sudanese people should not believe the regime nor attach any hopes for returning benefits to them and should refrain from betting upon them. As the poem goes: “This is your era, Oh farces, when the hunting dog was considered among the knights!

Sophistry and philosophy, which one is superior upon the other these days is really a difficult question to answer.

The 2011 arbitrary National Security Act allows the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) unlimited powers of arrest and accountability, inspection and the daily appearance of the accused to the premises of the device in a humiliating manner in a blatant violation and contradiction to the clauses of the 2005 Constitution.

The tyrant Omer al-Bashir seems to have become like the Pharaoh of Egypt who underestimated his people and yet they followed him. and thus the staunch supporters of the National Congress Party (NCP) are such as the people of Pharaoh who used to see only what he sees as al-Bashir and do not listen to the lies of anyone other than the lies of al-Bashir.

As usual, al-Bashir undermined his announcement and knocked it off early on as a preemptive measure to refuse the release of prisoners of war (POWs) one of the liabilities of the opposition as a condition for agreeing to participate in the alleged national dialogue process. This is despite the constant sense of the opposition about lack of sincerity and vacuousness of the promises of Omar al-Bashir. His promises proved as free of credibility consistently over the lean 26 years he ruled Sudan with iron fist and deceit.

Furthermore, Omer al-Bashir put forwards his preconditions that the national dialogue will be inside Sudan and not abroad. The foregoing will increase the likelihood of the opposition refusing to accept engaging in dialogue and this is undoubtedly a great victory for al-Bashir and contributes to buy more time on the account of the opposition cheaply. Moreover, this would stand as an evidence for al-Bashir submitting it to the regional and the international community as a model for non-seriousness of the opposition in the peaceful settlement of the Sudanese crises. This adds to the tactical maneuvering of the dire Sudanese politics by the autocratic Génocidaire Omer al-Bashir and his entourage.

Moreover, of Omer al-Bashir's tactics to divert the opposition components away from participating meaningfully in solving the crisis of Sudan is to create repulsive obstacles such as non-release of political prisoners and prisoners of war and restraining freedoms as well as hindering the passage of relief to citizens in the war zones. Because Omar al-Bashir continues to go solo in his power hegemony in Sudan and feel assured that the hands of the International Criminal Court will not reach him as long as he is in power. Not only that, he is protected by the loyal members of the Sudan armed forces (SAF) and as well as the Janjaweed militia, Rapid Support Force (RSF) which is fighting a proxy war against the armed opposition in lieu for public money and provided it with weapons. The regime continues ignoring the crimes committed by gangs of mercenaries against citizens even in the capital Khartoum.

Recently there are some harbingers that the opposition had agreed to the national dialogue and through it the settlement of crises of Sudan take place. The settlement in question includes the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile and the Darfur region. Furthermore, it is understood that the opposition agreed to the new role of the joint mission of the United Nations and the African Union - UNAMID - in the peace process as well as its role in the protection of citizens. Thus, there is a date for the meeting of the Parties in Addis Ababa shortly in this regard.

It is clear since the beginning that in no did Omer al-Bashir way consider any other option than single (NCP) rule in Sudan. All that the ruling regime of the NCP, led by President Omar al-Bashir seeks is to monopolize power forever and ever!

In view to the bitter fact that the Sudanese country of Sudan, once the largest nation in Africa size wise, has been living at war with itself since before independence from the British colonials of January 1, 1956. In fact, the first war began in the City of Torit in the then south of Sudan on August 18 1955 when Torit military garrison mutinied. The insurgency of the Torit garrison meant to deliver their voices to those responsible in Khartoum and meet their desires to improve the conditions of military camps in the south, similar to the Eastern and Northern Areas of Sudan. Further to that, the southerners demanded during the Juba Conference of a regional rule or a Regional autonomy for the southerners in the southern Sudan, but the authorities rejected their request. The Juba Conference delegates attended the conference held in June 1947 from British and Sudanese in the city of Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The apprehension of the Southerners was realized when 800 administrative posts were vacated by the British in preparation for Sudanese "self-rule" Only four of the government posts went to Southerners. In discussions to determine the future of the modern state of Sudan, the southern provinces were largely excluded from the political process. The same marginalization happened to Darfur when the 800 jobs were allocated to the provinces of Sudan prior to the independence.

Sudan is now a state living in a situation similar to the status under international trusteeship, by the sheer presence of the UNAU force (UNAMID) formed under the 1769 UN Resolution on July 31, 2007 as the largest peacekeeping mission consisting of force of about 26,000 personnel began to deploy to the war-torn Darfur region in October 2007. As of December 2008, it has deployed 15,136 total uniformed personnel, including 12,194 troops, 175 military observers, 2,767 military police officers, supported by 786 international civilian personnel, 1,405 local civilian staff and 266 United Nations Volunteers! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations%E2%80%93African_Union_Mission_in_Darfur

The blockage of the political horizon, cultural famine , the escalation of state violence and interventions in all matters of people's lives are the causes of the crisis in Sudan.

The foregoing factors have forced a large number of Sudanese youth who have completed their university studies and could not find work to ride doom boats across the sea and especially the Mediterranean Sea to get to Europe and to be prey to the human trafficking gangs to sadly die in the English Channel Tunnel. There are a number of examples for those who have gone prey to human traffickers including the late Hussam Osman Zubeir and Abdulrahman Haroun who crossed the Channel Tunnel and were arrested by the British police lately.

It takes a real genius to realise that Sudan under the twenty-six lean years of the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) is at its worst times since it became a nation. In addition, to respond to the words of one of the staunchly loyal members of the entity that was reported as saying boastfully that had it not been for the coming of the National Salvation Revolution (NSR) the Sudanese people would have been a group of paupers and beggars! He was pointing to the military coup, which was carried out by Islamists in June 30, 1989. The (NSR) is aka 'Ingaz, meaning rescue in Arabic'.

The Claim of cultural and ethnic superiority in Sudan has become rife in the era of the rule of the infamous oppressive (Ingaz) regime.

Sudan is a country characterized by cultural and ethnic plurality (570 tribes that speak 595 languages divided into 75 ethnic groups on the basis of linguistic and cultural characteristics and other ethnographical characteristics).

The principle of my brother and I against my cousin and I and my cousin against a stranger becomes prevalent in communities with cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity which leads to the sovereignty of some and the marginalization of others as happens in Sudan today, unfortunately.

This regime went to general elections solo in April 2015 when Bashir was announced as the winner of 94 percent of the votes overwhelmingly in one-sided elections that were boycotted by the opposition political parties, criticized by the West and even by the African Union (AU) and failed to excite the Sudanese people.

The NCP regime refused to attend the preparatory meeting for the process of national dialogue called for by the African Union (AU) and which the opposition, both armed and civilian, attended. The representatives of the so-called Committee of 'Seven plus Seven', who represent the dialogue committee under the pretext of the elections.

After the series of postponements and delays, followed by postponement, the regime now comes and declares the formation of the so-called Supreme Coordinating Committee for the national dialogue consisting of membership of the National Congress Party (NCP) for the distraction of the opposition as well as deception of the regional and international communities and for more time wasting.

AU Resolution 539

While we commend the positions of the African Union (AU) and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Resolution No. 539 for 2015, but at the same time we know very well that the regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) will work hard to undermine it as it did over the lean 26-year rule of Sudan.

In spite of our reservations, the Resolution-539 restores some hope after periods of despair of dealing with Omar al-Bashir and his entourage. Moreover, at the same time that this historic decision restores credibility to AU its real role ascribed to it.
The African Union (AU) and its organs are supposed to stand with the African people in their just struggle for freedom, democracy and decent life and for a sustainable peace, justice and equality.

The (AU) should not be the mission to support totalitarian regimes that overpower people to stay in power, as in the case of Sudan where citizens have been suffering under the scourge of senseless wars of attrition that destroy everything good to mankind without paying any consideration to their rights.

Having said the foregoing, one will not be flabbergasted if the Islamist regime rebuffs the resolution 539. The ruling regime of the NCP-led by the genocidal criminal, fugitive from the international justice, Omar al-Bashir who has a long history in the lack of commitment to international resolutions or the peace agreements signed with the parties in the conflict.

Breach of contracts and lack of commitment to the peace agreements signed with the parties in the conflict remained the motto for the Muslim Brotherhood entity in Sudan.

Moreover, we are confident that the solutions to the issues of Sudan remain in the hands of the components of the Sudanese people. They are formed of activist youth and peaceful opposition parties and the armed opposition, students and trade unions and women's organizations are able to resist and compel the military junta to submit to the will of the people.

As expected, the news media reported that the NCP President Omer al-Bashir officially rejected the (AUPSC) call for the 'Pre-Dialogue' conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa by saying that he wants his 'Wathba' Dialogue to be Sudanese for the Sudanese inside Sudan! He added saying that while addressing a meeting with the Sudan Armed Force (SAF) at the Wadi Sayedna Military base on 30, August 2015. He reiterated his earlier statement that the dialogue he announced in January 2014 will not be held abroad and nobody will be able to force him to change his decision. He went on saying that he would reject any interference from the AU or the United Nations (UN) and that doors are widely open for participation for those willing to see Sudan's issues resolved. He said addressing (SAF) that the year 2016 will be the end of the insurgents who refuse peace through his 'Wathba' Dialogue. Moreover, the NCP regime's Foreign Minister was reported as saying that the role of the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) chaired by Thabo Mbeki is merely to offer an opinion for success of the Wathba Dialogue and nothing more. This means that the regime does not recognize UNAMID as a 'Peace Maker' and it will remain only as a ‘Peace Keeping' Mission regardless of the UNSC and AU bestowing new powers to the United Nations and African Union Mission for Darfur (UNAMID) lately. By saying that the Dialogue will remain solely a Sudanese affair without need for a foreign intervention, Omer al-Bashir tries to exclude the international community from his dialogue.

In a News conference about the current political situation and the future of the national dialogue held on the same date -30' August 2015 - Omer al-Bashir rejected the AUPSC proposal, some opposition parties described Bashir's position as irrational. The participants in the conference described the opposition taken by al-Bashir as irrational and that he is likely to change his opinion and give in to pressures of the international community as he did on several occasions! Some others have said that this is the typical false heroism and vacuous courage that Omar al-Bashir presents to face up to the predicaments of his irrational decisions. However, it is very likely that al-Bashir unexpectedly bows in acquiescence under the pressure of the international community and especially to the looming big stick waved by the United States of America (USA).

The Sudanese people should not attach any hope for achieving solutions to the crisis of their country and citizens languishing in. All the positions of the regime of the NCP affirm the lack of its seriousness in resolving the crisis in Sudan because all the main concern is directed towards maintaining the power to protect President Omar al-Bashir from the pursuit of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This ruling regime of the NCP constantly seeks to undermine all peace efforts to resolve the crisis the country suffers from and is working on more complexity. Therefore, any attempt for entering into the alleged national dialogue is considered to be falling in the camouflage of no way out and devoid of any benefit.

Thus, the regime kept continuing in the same policies that have deepened the crisis of the nation with indifference without giving any attention to the seriousness of those policies that threatened national unity. The policies referred to above resulted in the secession of southern region of the country in 2011. The escalation of the crises of the country do not have any remedies but to overthrow the regime across the widest possible public front by a popular uprising and civil disobedience and political strike.

Albert Camus, a French Nobel Prize–winning author, journalist, and philosopher quoted as saying (The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Camus

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/

August 31, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The leader of National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) and chairman of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tijani al-Sissi has signed a political cooperation agreement with a splinter faction of Dabajo group.

Tijani el-Sissi (SUNA)

The Memorandum of Understanding on Political Cooperation aims to cement relations between the NLJP and the Justice and Equality Movement of Abdel Rahman Banat who spited from Dabajo group in November 2014.

The signing of the political alliance intervenes as al-Sissi is facing a strong rejection by his peace partners: the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) of Bahr Idriss Abu Garda and the Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakheit Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo).

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Khartoum, the NLJP leader however stressed that this agreement is not directed against any other party but seeks to bring Darfur to what he called "the wider national space".

He further called on the Darfurians to distance themselves from ethnicity and tribalism, adding "I'm not inclined (to support the idea) that our parties and movements be on the name of Darfur, and that is the problem," he stressed.

NLJP president is embattled in a struggle for the DRA chairmanship. His detractors accuse him of not consulting them in the management of the region's matter. They further say that al-Sissi who is a Fur dignitary ignored the areas of the other ethnic groups in the allocation of development projects.

From his side, Banat disclosed that the memorandum pave the ways for merger of the two groups.

Rifts between the groups signatory of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) have become a source of concern for the government after a recent fight between a group of LJP supporters with NLJP members during the launch ceremony of development projects in Khartoum attended by government officials and diplomats.

President Omer al-Bashir formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances of the incident as he is expected to issue a number of decisions related to the organisation of the regional authority within two week.

(ST)