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October 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Thursday announced that the next week will witness the kick-off of the actual implementation phase of the national dialogue outcomes including the public freedoms and arrangements for the formation of a new government.

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

Political Secretary of the ruling party, Hamid Mumtaz, has commended the National Dialogue and considered it "the greatest strategic national project developed by the people of Sudan."

The political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the national document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn't agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.

Speaking at a political forum in Khartoum, Mumtaz said the dialogue was comprehensive and covered all issues, adding that 95% of the political groups took part in the internal process. He stressed that only 5% didn't participate in the conference to make it inclusive for all the political forces.

"The dialogue was transparent and held in a suitable atmosphere. Its output will heal all the problems in Sudan," he further said. Also, he denied that the security services have the upper hand on participants in the dialogue process.

"We are serious about implementing the dialogue outcomes. Next week will see a great start to the implementation of the National Dialogue recommendations."

He reiterated the NCP is committed to the outcome of the process ,adding, "a national unity government will be formed, people will enjoy freedoms, and there will be no restriction on political activities".

"All these things will lead us to a comprehensive national dialogue to shape the future," he said.

Different leaders of the opposition Sudan Call alliance reiterated their rejection to the outcome of the process saying its conclusions has increased the powers of President Omer al-Bashir who will arbitrate any decision and will see the security and intelligence services attached to his office.

However they called to consider, the dialogue conference as the first phase of an inclusive process brokered by the African Union mediation, pointing that its recommendations will be considered as the position of the ruling National Congress Party and its allied forces.

Mumtaz said that consultations with the dialogue coordination committee (7 +7) will continue to explain the recommendations of the dialogue, and to reach out the holdout groups dialogue at home and abroad in order to convince them to join the dialogue.

However, the political official criticised the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi, saying foreign hands were behind the suspension of his participation.

"Imam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi smartly walked out of the dialogue because global intelligence services had been monitoring the dialogue, and learnt it would lead to a comprehensive reform in the Sudan."

The NUP suspended participation in the dialogue in May 2015 to protest al-Mahdi's arrest after criticizing human rights violations and war crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces .

NUP deputy leader Mariam al-Mahdi who participated in the forum played down the outcome of the dialogue conference, stressing that it means the continuation of war in Sudan because it excludes the armed groups and considers its outcome as definitive.

(ST)

October 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have interrogated a journalist covering trial of civil society activists affiliated with the Khartoum-based Centre for Training and Human Development (TRACKS), Sudanese Journalist Network (SJN) disclosed on Thursday.

SJN said one of the NISS members summoned the journalist Adil Ibrahim, who works for Al-Ayam daily newspaper, from inside of the courtroom before the session on Thursday, pointing out the NISS member seized Ibrahim's press card after his interrogation.

TRACKS employees were arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on May 22 and they have been charged with counts that could lead to the death sentence and life imprisonment.

They have also been accused of undermining the constitutional order, provoking war against the state, criminal complicity, instigating an insurgency against the regime, and disseminating false news.

SJN denounced preventing journalists from performing their professional duty and the seizure of their card, underscoring the importance to respect the press and allow journalists to carry out their work.

“The journalist was subjected to psychological terror and verbal questioning in the courtroom, the right granted to the judge only.

Last week, security agents at the courtroom barred some journalists and an American diplomat from entering the courtroom.

(ST)

Minute par minute, l’information politique racontée, décryptée, analysée par la rédaction du « Monde ».

October 20, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan government under President Salva Kiir has reiterated objection to any political initiative aiming at striking a new peace deal with a group allied to the former First Vice President, Riek Machar, claiming the current deal is "not dead."

First Vice-President Riek Machar (L) and President Salva Kiir (R) listen to the national anthem following a ceremony during which Machar was sworn in on April 26, 2016. (Phot AFP/Samir Bol)

Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs, Tut Kew Gatluak, told Sudan Tribune Thursday that there was no reason to negotiate a new peace deal while the current peace agreement is being implemented..

“When people talk of a new initiative, they talk of new process it means the parties have failed to implement the first agreement, which is not the case here. The agreement is being implemented fully and moving at an exceptional speed,” said Gatluak.

The top presidential aide cited the appointment of the first vice president, appointment of the cabinet ministers, reconstitution of the parliament, acceptance of the establishment of cantonment sites for armed opposition forces and reinstatement of the former civil servants who either abandoned or rebelled in 2013 when conflict broke out, as commitment to implementing the agreement.

Gatluak said even the international community and peace guarantors do not accept the peace agreement has collapsed.

Presidential Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, also said the government will not accept any initiative with the SPLM-IO faction loyal to Riek Machar. Ateny claimed Machar's forces will be defeated once cantonment areas have been created according to what the presidency, involving president Kiir, Taban Deng Gai and James Wani, had agreed.

“The government would not go back to zero point. It will only continue to implement the current peace agreement. Those who will remain and choose to remain outside the cantonment sites will be defeated. All the military operations in different parts of the country by armed opposition led by Riek Machar will be defeated if they refuse to go the cantonment sites,” said Ateny on Thursday.

Meanwhile government's spokesman doubling as the minister of information, Michael Makuei Lueth, however told reporters earlier on Wednesday that the government was ready to dialogue with any armed dissident on the condition that they denounce violence.

“The government is ready for inclusivity and by inclusivity here means bringing in those who feel that they are outside. The government is ready to negotiate with anybody provided that, that person denounces violence, because it is violence which is problematic,” explained Lueth, in a comment which contradicted those of Gatluak and Ateny.

Lueth said any aggrieved person in the country needs to present his or her case in a peaceful manner.

“If you are aggrieved, you don't need to resort to violence, but you come forward and present your case and it will be listened to. We are not saying that we don't want anybody. We are calling upon everybody to denounce violence and move forward so that we sit and talk as South Sudanese,” he said.

He continued: “If Riek Machar denounces violence and he wants to come, he is welcome. He is a South Sudanese; I said he is a South Sudanese. He has the right to come back to South Sudan provided that he denounces violence,” the minister said.

Speaking at the same function, the head of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), Festus Mogae, asserted that the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) was “still alive” and must be implemented.

"The agreement is alive and well, and has to be implemented. What makes the agreement alive is that there are representatives of the opposition who are involved and there are others who are currently not taking part, but they have not said they would not take part,” Mogae told reporters on Wednesday.

“We are still awaiting their arrival, I don't need to mention names, but there were several groups who ought to have been in the meeting but who were not, but have not said they were boycotting the meeting. And so, we have said the agreement is alive because we are not giving up on the peace because there is no option anyway,” he explained.

Machar, in his response this week said both the peace agreement and the transitional government of national unity had collapsed, saying only one faction of president Kiir without his opposition faction's party and army, have formed a new “regime” in Juba.

(ST)

La police, l'armée et la garde républicaine en République démocratique du Congo (RDC) ont fait un usage excessif de la force lors de manifestations à Kinshasa le mois dernier, selon une enquête préliminaire des Nations Unies publiée vendredi.

Le Programme alimentaire mondial (PAM), le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l'enfance (UNICEF), et l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture (FAO) ont annoncé jeudi l'intensification de leurs efforts dans le sud de Madagascar après la publication des résultats d'une récente évaluation sur la sécurité alimentaire dans la région.

Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU s'est félicité du dialogue inclusif entre les dirigeants politiques, la société civile et les communautés religieuses de la Guinée-Bissau qui a eu lieu du 11 au 14 octobre en Guinée, dans le cadre d'un effort régional pour mettre fin à la crise politique dans le pays.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson today said that the Central African Republic (CAR) can focus on stabilization, reconciliation and reconstruction now that the country has emerged from one of the worst crises of its history and was trying to establish legitimate institutions.

The United Nations Security Council has welcomed a recent inclusive dialogue, convened in Conakry by Alpha Condé, the President of Guinea, that involved political leaders, civil society and religious communities of Guinea-Bissau as part of a regional efforts to end the political crisis in the country.

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Le parti lance un collectif « seniors », sans propositions précises, alors que seuls 18 % des plus de 65 ans ont l’intention de voter pour Marine Le Pen au premier tour de la présidentielle.

October 20, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, has been accused of behaving like a tribal chief, dividing the people of the nation on tribal lines and emotionally defending his community, the Dinka.

South Sudan's president Salva Kiir, seen in Addis Ababa on January 29, 2015 (Photo AFP Zacharias Abubeker)

This came after comments uttered by the President as he was addressing officials of his faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the Freedom Hall in Juba during the party's registration on Wednesday.

President Kiir challenged Equatorian leaders in his government for not reigning in their Equatorian “people” who are currently rebelling against his government, adding that Riek Machar, his former deputy, an ethnic Nuer, has also taken his “Nuer people” with him.

The South Sudanese president made the comments in reaction to increasing rebellion against his government and the ongoing killings on roads targeting members of his ethnic group, the Dinka, in Equatoria region.

“Leaders of Equatoria, you have all the ability to stop all this nonsense on the roads. Because if you are in the government, there is no way that your people can go against the government you are in,” he said.

Responding to accusations that his army is a tribal army of the Dinka ethnic group from where he hails, President Kiir said it was not his fault and he had no choice because other tribes had allegedly deserted him.

“But where will I get people from if people of Equatoria have refused to join the army? Riek Machar has rebelled with his Nuer people,” he said.

The president complained against the lack of support from Equatorians and the Nuer tribe in the presence of his two deputies, Taban Deng Gai, and James Wani Igga, who hail from the Nuer tribe in Upper Nile region and from Bari tribe in Equatoria region, respectively.

The president also warned that he will personally command the war against armed elements causing insecurity in Equatoria region, saying he may relocate to Yei town and direct attacks against the local armed forces on the ground.

But the armed faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by Riek Machar said the comments confirmed that President Kiir had been behaving like a tribal leader and incited further violence against other tribes in the country.

“Such comments carrying negative tribal connotations and coming out from the lips of the President are an incitement for further tribal divisions and targeted killings in the country,” said James Gatdet Dak, official spokesperson for Riek Machar, leader of the SPLM-IO.

“The remarks have confirmed that President Kiir has always behaved like a tribal chief and has forgotten that he leads a nation of over 63 other tribes who elected him in 2010,” he told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

He also said the remarks are an admission indicating that the president has lost support from the other tribes in the country.

The opposition leader's spokesman said the President did not develop such emotions when his government's forces targeted and killed members of other tribes, including unleashing his armed tribal militias of “Mathiang Anyoor and Dot Ku Beny” for the past three years who allegedly targeted and massacred thousands of innocent civilians from other tribes in Upper Nile, Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal regions, including in Juba.

Dak however said the opposition faction of the SPLM-IO condemned all sorts of targeted killings against innocent civilians no matter from which tribe they come, adding the president should not have been emotionally protective about one tribe he happens to come from.

He also lamented that it was unfortunate the president publicly declared he would personally direct violence against Equatorians, saying this was a message “indirectly” telling his armed tribal militias and armed forces to target the Equatorian civilians for revenge.

Fighting has escalated in Equatoria region as local youths have been reportedly joining the armed opposition faction against the government in several locations.

Civilians, mainly from the Dinka ethnic group, have been allegedly targeted on Juba-Yei and Juba-Nimule roads, recently with dozens reportedly killed.

(ST)

Ki fogják találni, hogyan legyenek hatékonyan szolidárisak egymással az uniós országok, ígérte Donald Tusk.

Ki fogják találni, hogyan legyenek hatékonyan szolidárisak egymással az uniós országok, ígérte Donald Tusk.

(B2) Les Chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement ont salué jeudi (20 octobre) la mise en place du Corps européen de garde-frontières et de garde-côtes. Maintenant, il faut mettre en œuvre tout ce nouveau dispositif, le plus rapidement possible. A deux reprises, avant et après la pause estivale (*), le directeur de Frontex est ainsi venu […]

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

October 20, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has urged the Ethiopian government to ensure "the protection of fundamental human rights" during the imposed six-months long state of emergency.

Ban Ki-moon (Photo UN)

The calls came as the horn of Africa's nation on Sunday announced a set of strict rules to implement a state of emergency recently declared.

Effective from 8 October, the Ethiopian government imposed a state of emergency in the wake of continued anti-government protests across its Oromia region.

The state emergency imposed for first time after over quarter a century, includes shut down to internet access and ban on all social Medias which had been major tools to organize protests in Oromia and Amhara region

The do's and don'ts also include travel restrictions on diplomats, ban on any contact with groups that are labeled as "terrorist."

It bans exchange of messages through social Medias or mobile phones. Publishing news or distributing documents of opposition movements branded as terrorist entities is also prohibited.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has also been imposed around areas where factories and major projects are located.

The UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric on Monday said that Ban has been following developments in Ethiopia "with concern" since the state of emergency was declared.

Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromo, began protesting almost a year ago demanding wider democratic and economic rights.

According to human rights groups and opposition activists, an estimated 500 people have been killed during months-long anti-government protests in the Amhara and Oromia regions.

Amnesty International on Tuesday said more than 800 protesters have been killed this month.

Dujarric said Ban "reiterates his call for calm and restraint and calls for inclusive dialogue to resolve all grievances."

According to a mayor of a town outside Ethiopia's capital 1,000 protesters have been arrested this month following the renewed violence.

Sebeta town mayor, Ararsa Merdesa, told the Associated Press that some of the 1,000 people arrested were released, but many remain detained and are under investigation.

Ararsa said only 50 of those arrested were locals and the rest came "to cause the violence." He said dozen of factories and vehicles were burnt during the violence.

The latest violence erupted after 55 people were killed in a stampede when police tried to disperse protesters during a religious festival in the Oromia region.

The latest developments have drawn concern by international bodies including the United Nations and the European Union has called on the Ethiopian government to engage in dialogue with protesters.

Amnesty international said heavy-handed measures by the Ethiopian government will only escalate a deepening crisis.

The caution comes as the government issued a directive imposing wide-ranging restrictions as part of a state of emergency.

“These emergency measures are extremely severe and so broad that they threaten basic human rights that must not be curtailed even under a state of emergency,” said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

“These measures will deepen, not mitigate, the underlying causes of the sustained protests we have seen throughout the year, which have been driven by deep-seated human rights grievances. These grievances must be properly addressed by the authorities. Further crackdowns and human rights violations will only make the situation worse.”

In a public statement issued today, Amnesty International recommends that instead of further curtailing human rights, the government should seize the moment and recommit itself to respecting, protecting and fulfilling them, in line with its regional and international obligations.

“It is the government's failure to constructively engage with the protesters that continues to fuel these protests. It must now change course,” said Muthoni Wanyeki.

“The government must ensure an end to excessive and arbitrary use of force by the security forces against demonstrators and release all protesters, opposition leaders and supporters, as well as journalists and bloggers, arrested for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly," she added.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

October 20, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ministers in charge of water affairs in the Nile Basin countries have called for scaling up of preparations and implementation of investment projects in the Nile Equatorial Lakes sub-region.

The Grand Renaissance Dam is under construction on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia. (Photo AFP/William Lloyd-George)

The call was made during the 19th annual Nile Equatorial Lakes Council of Ministers (NELCOM) meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya on 19 October.

According to a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, boosting investment projects at the region will enhance socio-economic benefits for the riparian states and communities and will further enhance Nile cooperation.

The ministers also commended progress made on the 80 Mega watt regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric project, whose construction is scheduled to start by January 2017 and be completed by February 2020.

The ministers also agreed to mainstream investment projects prepared by the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program Coordination Unit NELSAP-CU within their national development plans for implementation so as to contribute to energy, water and food security for the communities in the Nile Basin.

The 2016/17 work-plan of NELSAP-CU was approved with a $ 12.5 million budget.

Member states reiterated their commitment to continue supporting their institution NELSAP-CU through both cash and in kind contributions and those with outstanding arears pledged to clear them within the shortest time possible.

This is in recognition of the importance of sustainable Nile cooperation, in order to avoid consequences of non-cooperation such as environmental degradation, negative effects of climate change, limited coordinated monitoring of the resource base, and opportunities for joint action foregone.

The 19th annual NELCOM meeting witnessed a change in the top leadership of NELSAP, with the position of chairman of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Council of Ministers moving from Burundi to Sudan.

Accordingly, the current chairman is Mutaz Musa Abdalla Salim, Sudan's minister of water resources, irrigation and electricity who succeeded Emmanuel Niyonkuru, Burundi's minister of water, environment, land management and urban planning.

The change in leadership is in keeping with the NBI tradition of rotating the position of chairman of the NELCOM among the member states on an annual basis.

The meeting was attended by ministers in charge of water affairs from Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania sent representatives while Egypt did not participate.

The Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP) is one of the investment arms of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). The latter is a regional intergovernmental partnership launched by the Nile Basin countries on February 22, 1999, to manage and develop the shared Nile Basin water resources in a cooperative manner, share substantial socio-economic benefits and promote regional peace and security.

The setup of NBI is informed by the principle of subsidiarity, that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. Accordingly NELSAP-CU based in Kigali, Rwanda is responsible for preparing trans-boundary investment projects under the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program, aimed at contributing to energy, food and water security in the sub-basin.

Two other centers are a Regional Secretariat (Nile-SEC) based in Entebbe, Uganda which is executive arm of NBI responsible for the overall corporate direction and the Eastern Nile Technical regional Office (ENTRO) based in Ethiopia responsible for preparing trans-boundary investment projects under the Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Program (ENSAP).

There are 10 NBI Member states, namely, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, the DRC, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Over the years, however, Eritrea has been participating as an observer.

(ST)

Hanns Seidel Foundation supports the annual visit of the Bayerische EliteAkademie to Hanoi

Nem lehet majd tetszőlegesen válogatni szolidaritás és szolidaritás között a menekültkérdésben – jelentette ki az Európai Tanács ülésének első napját követően Donald Tusk. A brit miniszterelnök megerősítette, hogy március vége előtt hivatalosan is kezdeményezni fogja a kilépést. Pénteken folytatódnak az EU-kanadai szabadkereskedelmi megállapodás megmentésére irányuló erőfeszítések.