Africa

May 10, 2018 (JUBA) – The Governor of South Sudan's Central Bank, Othom Rago Ajak has been fired and his deputy Tier Tong Ngor was on Thursday named as his immediate successor.

Former South Sudan Central Bank Governor Othom Rago Ajak (Getty)

President Salva Kiir signed the decree removing Ajak, but no reason was given for his decision.

Since the outbreak of a civil war in South Sudan, inflation has been on the rise in an economy largely dependent on oil revenues.

The president appointed Ajak to be the Central Bank Governor in January last year. He succeeded Kornelio Koryom Mayik.

STRATEGIC PLAN

In March this year, the Central Bank under Ajak launched an ambitious five-year strategic plan to tackle hyperinflation and revitalize the oil-dependent economy worsened by more than four years of conflict. It was hoped the new plan would help transform the central bank, regain lost credibility and help in fostering and ensuring price and financial system stability within five years.

The plan involved among others, building a new bank headquarter, increasing public exchange reserves, organizing its system, operations as well as building human resource capacity.

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May 9, 2018 (JUBA) – Members of South Sudan's National Constitution Amendment Committee (NCAC) on Tuesday began the process of finalizing the review of draft bills containing amendments to the National Elections Act and Political Parties Act 2012.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir holds the Transitional Constitution on July 9, 2011 (AP)

The bills will be presented to stakeholders at a meeting scheduled for June after the Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister acknowledges it.

The committee chaired by constitutional lawyer, Gichira Kibara has made commendable progress in the review and amendment of key national security related legislation as required by the 2015 peace agreement, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) said.

According to the report, during the month of December 2017, the committee continued with the review and finalization of the amendment bills to the five security laws.

These, it stated, were handed over to the Justice minister in January, in accordance with Article 13.1.2 of the August 2015 agreement.

The submitted Bills include SPLA Act 2009 (Amendment) Bill, 2018, National Security Act 2014 (Amendment) Bill, 2018, Police Service Act 2009 (Amendment) Bill, 2018, Prisons Service Act 2011 (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Wildlife Service Act 2011 (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

In January 2018, the report further said, the committee provided a detailed report to JMEC on the approach, methodology and process of carrying out the amendments to the security Laws. This methodology included consultations with experts and stakeholders.

In January 2018, the committee met with and received joint submissions on proposed amendments to the Political Parties Act, 2012 and the National Elections Act, 2012, from representatives of 12 of the 14 registered political parties.

“The NCAC has since completed an initial review of these two laws incorporating the submissions received from the parties and stakeholders. A stakeholders meeting has subsequently been scheduled for May to validate the proposed amendments,” the report added.

The ratification of bills including the Constitution Amendment Bill (2018) and the Security Bills by the Transitional National Legislature, reconstitution of several transitional institutions and mechanisms, including the Political Parties Council and National Elections Commission, which are critical for paving way for the registration of political parties, and the preparation and conduct of elections at the end of the transitional period are some of the pending issues in the draft law, the report says.

“These are all tasks that will require a considerable amount of time and resources to be credible,” the notes.

The NCAC is established under Chapter 1 Article 13 of the ARCSS as one of the organs for implementation of the Agreement.

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May 9, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - UNAMID Force Commander, Leonard Muriuki Ngondi, Wednesday said the Sudanese government has often restricted the Mission's freedom of movement.

The Kenyan military was speaking in meeting for the Security Council with the forces commanders of all the United Nations peacekeeping missions across the world to discuss the challenges they face during the implementation of their mandates.

Ngondi told the meeting that the mandate of Darfur peacekeeping mission was " fairly robust" and the Mission has all the relevant components to implement it.

The four pillars of its mandate "were simple, understandable and implementable, so long as there were political will and commitment among all parties to the conflict," he said according to the UN news centre.

"The Government of Sudan could be persuaded to adhere to the Status of Forces Agreement and allow UNAMID freedom of movement, including unhindered flights in its area of operations," he further said.

Also, he proposed that the transition strategy to be included in the UNAMID mandate when its mandate is renewed next June.

The UN Security Council has reduced over 40% of the Mission's troops and more can be considered in the next months as a result of the relative security the government forces have established in the region.

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May 9, 2018 (JUBA) – Exiled South Sudanese rebel leader, Riek Machar will not return to Juba without his forces, an armed opposition official said.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar addresses a news conference in Uganda's capital Kampala January 26, 2016 (Reuters photo)

"We do not trust Salva Kiir. We cannot allow our chairman to return to the capital without heavily armed forces that are equal to the forces of the government in Juba," Peter Gatkuoth, the deputy head of the armed opposition's information committee told Radio Tarmajuz.

The official's remarks came days after President Salva Kiir publicly admitted he had allowed the rebel leader, currently exiled in South Africa, to return the nation he fled from after the July 2016 skirmishes.

Kiir said this during last week's National Liberation Council (NLC) meeting of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

But Gatkouth said the exiled armed opposition leader needed to be protected especially after what occurred when he returned to Juba.

“Machar will return to Juba when there is a negotiated peace agreement through the revitalization forum. We are committed to peace because we know our people are suffering,” he stressed.

During last week's meeting, the NLC endorsed the Arsuha reunification agreement to reunify fragmented factions of the SPLM.

In January 2015, delegates from three factions of the SPLM party signed a 12-page agreement in Arusha, Tanzania, laying out key steps toward reunifying the party.

Those who signed include the party loyal to President Kiir, the SPLM-in-Opposition led by former vice president Riek Machar, and a third made up of party officials who were detained when the conflict began in mid-December 2013.

The SPLM, South Sudan's ruling party, was initially founded as the political wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). The party, in the aftermath of the civil war that broke out in the country in mid-December 2013, split into the SPLM-Juba faction headed by Kiir, SPLM-IO led by Machar and that of the ex-political detainees.

The civil war in South Sudan, the United Nations says, has killed tens of thousands of people and forced a quarter of the country's 12 million people from their homes. More than half of the population are reportedly in need of food aid.

(ST)

By Telar Deng*

“If you think education is expensive, wait until you see how much ignorance costs in the 21st century.” -Barrack Obama.

We all know why education is good for individuals like me and you. In a competitive world, you stand a better chance of earning more, leading a better life and you can also take good care of your health and your family. You are prone to make better decisions that will affect you and your family positively. What we never really talk about as much is education in leadership and politics.

I am of the opinion that education must be compulsory when it comes to leadership and politics. It is fundamental for at least a leader to be educated, because this makes it easier for him/her to be able to manage the country and make informed decisions. It's been proven that leaders who have an education, have a vision while leaders without an education do not have a vision whatsoever. In this article, I will highlight on educated leaders and their strengths and also on uneducated leaders and their ignorance.

As it's been stated time without number, once you fix the politics, you fix a peoples livelihood. Electing a leadership that is able to decipher and be sensitive to its citizen's plight goes a long way into fixing the politics. Leaders play an important role by affecting policy and economic outcomes and more intrinsically, present evidence shows that leaders' quality, measured by their educational level and personal background, matters for economic growth and reforms in a country. The need to have more educated leaders stems from the fact that highly educated leaders are also better citizens and are more likely to act in the benefit of public interest. It is no wonder that bad leadership in many of the countries globally could be traced to poor educational background of their various leaders. This is because education and intelligence are indispensable components of good leadership. Plato, one of the ancient philosophers, has argued that a learned leader stands a better chance of doing well more than his uneducated counterpart.

As a leader of any country, one has to grapple with a myriad of issues. You are entrusted with running the affairs of the country and helping the citizenry lead a better life. Considering the various challenges and issues a leader of a nation has to deal with, a college education becomes extremely essential in order for one to be of better judgment. Yes you may not know everything since one can only be a master of a few disciplines, having a college education expands one's scope of thinking. Your ability to dissect different issues is enhanced and you're even better placed to pick the very best advisors to help in areas you may not have the requisite education. And this doesn't mean I look down on people without an education, we have very many global leaders who did not get a college education but still managed to give the best leadership they could give. Sir John Major, the prime minister of Britain from the year 1990-1997 only completed his O-level and did not go to college and he gave the best leadership to his ability. This does not only apply to leadership but it also applies to entrepreneurship, Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple dropped out of college after one semester and he is arguably one of the worlds valued and admired business tech and innovators.

Throughout the history of the nations, we have had various types of leaders and some of them have had a humble educational background. This does not mean that all leaders with a humble educational backgrounds have been catastrophic while those with an education the very best. There are always exceptions to the rule, however, some of the worst leaders we have seen yet have had minimal education. This is best exemplified by the brutal regime of Idi Amin, the former President of Uganda and others globally.

It is always better to wage your bet on an educated leader since you are guaranteed he would have an understanding of his job and an appreciation of what is to be expected of him as compared to an uneducated leader who will mostly depend on his instincts or advisors who are often court jesters.

In the year 2004, Dr. John Garang while on a visit to Arizona, Phoenix as he was addressing the young men and women of South Sudan, said ‘I have come to wake you up and remind you that your day has come, tomorrow is already here and so take over leadership of your movement, take over leadership of the SPLM/A; you have very little time left to prepare yourselves to take over that leadership in whatever fields; in agriculture, carpentry, architecture, medicine, politics, economics, even in a raising a family… all these require leadership and all contribute to building the New Sudan for which we have fought and sacrificed for over the last twenty-four years.'

My understanding of this quote is that we as the older generation fought in the bush and it is time for the young leaders to come in with their various expertise from the different fields to help improve our country. It is therefore imperative for the young leaders now to take their education seriously because only then would we realize the country we have all been yearning for. I imagine a South Sudan where all the young South Sudanese who are in the diaspora coming back home to work home, Doctors who will assist with the medical sector, economists who will improve our economy, lawyers who will be able to tirelessly work on giving us a better legal system where justice is served to all regardless of your financial status or your standing in society, architects and engineers who will build on our infrastructure and also role models for the younger South Sudanese boys and girls who are still within South Sudan. All these different experts in their various fields would, therefore, give civic education to the South Sudanese back at home. An informed citizen has better knowledge of their rights and would not let anyone take advantage of them because they know what is owed to them. We will have built on our human resource, which in return will help us develop our natural resources and assist us to get more revenue to our country. This will increase our Gross domestic product (GDP Per capita). If countries like Jordan with no natural resources can have a higher GDP per capita, why not South Sudan that has more natural resources coupled up with human resource.

It is my wish that all South Sudanese in Diaspora, whether in Africa or the West or the East will take up their leadership positions just as Dr John Garang had said. We are already at a disadvantaged position because of the war, therefore our only ticket out is our young leaders who will have a better education than us and leadership qualities because of the exposure they are getting now.

The author is a former minister and diplomat in South Sudan

May 9, 2018 (JUBA) – The United States should halt any move the seeks to cut its aid assistance to South Sudan, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said, a day after the White House announced plans to review of its aid programs.

President Donald Trump (Photo Getty Images/Tom Pennington)

“For most of its young life, South Sudan and its people have been trapped in a vicious cycle of conflict punctuated by flawed and failed peace attempts, “ said Ciaran Donnelly, senior vice president of international programs at the International Rescue Committee.

“As an operational humanitarian agency working to alleviate the conflict-driven suffering of the South Sudanese people, we share the US government's frustration at the unwillingness to reach a speedy and peaceful resolution to the conflict and the heartbreaking disregard for human life displayed by all parties to this conflict”, she added.

The Donald Trump administration said Tuesday that it will initiate a comprehensive review of its assistance programs to South Sudan to ensure its aid does not contribute to or prolong the country's ongoing conflict, or facilitate predatory or corrupt behavior.

Such a review, it said, will involve appraising the U.S. support for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism (JMEC) and other mechanisms intended to support the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), which was signed in August 2015.

“We are deeply frustrated with the lack of progress toward an agreement, and we must ensure our shared efforts reflect the urgency of the situation,” the White House statement reads in part.

The IRC, however, said it welcomes US efforts on conflict resolution and inclusive and accountable political process, as both are essential foundations for durable peace and inclusive development.

“And only focused and determined US and international diplomacy can make these long-sought goals a reality,” it stressed.

One of the countries that recognized South Sudan's independence in 2011, the US played a key role in helping create the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that laid the groundwork a referendum, through which the people of South Sudan overwhelmingly voted for independence.

The US is the leading international donor to South Sudan and provides significant humanitarian assistance to the hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese citizens displaced or otherwise affected since the start of the country's crisis in December 2013.

The IRC said it recognizes the US's generosity as the largest humanitarian donor to South Sudan, but urged Washington to use this review as an opportunity to recommit to the people of South Sudan by affirming that life-saving humanitarian assistance, delivered by credible international partners, will not be affected by the review.

While frustration and anger with the government of South Sudan is justified, the US and the international community must not give up on the people of South Sudan, the IRC statement further stated.

“Halting or cutting humanitarian aid would only punish innocent civilians, not their leaders who are responsible for the ongoing crisis,” it added, while stressing that by the US cutting humanitarian assistance, it will not hasten an end to war, but only lead to further suffering and certain, yet preventable, death of South Sudan's most vulnerable.

Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 28 offices across the U.S. helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future, and strengthen their communities.

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May 9, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Central African Republic (CAR) Wednesday has proposed to form a joint committee with Sudan to investigate the killing of a Sudanese security agent inside the residence Sudanese ambassador in Bangui last week.

CAR Prime Minister, Simplice Sarandji, arrived in Khartoum to offer the condolences of his government for the killing of the Sudanese security officer by the CAR forces who took him for a local militia member after the death of some 24 people in attacks on a church and a mosque on 5 May.

Speaking to reporters after meeting his Sudanese counterpart Bakri Hassan Saleh, Sarandji said the incident meant to harm relations between the two neighbouring countries, and pointed to the strength of bilateral relations between Khartoum and Banqi to overcome it.

He said that he was tasked by the President of the Central African Republic to offer warm condolences to the people of Sudan and to the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir, stressing that this incident will not affect the relations between the two countries.

"We proposed sending a Sudanese judicial police mission to work with authorities in the Central African Republic to investigate the unfortunate incident," he further stated.

The visiting prime minister also was received by President al-Bashir who regretted the death of the Sudanese security agent but stressed it would not affect the strong relations between the two neighbours, according to the official SUNA.

Following the attack on the Sudanese embassy in Bangui, the foreign ministry in Khartoum summoned CAR ambassador and handed over an official protest note to him demanding to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Sudan further requested to provide the needed security to protect its mission, the ambassador and its team members in the troubled country.

(ST)

CAR Prime Minister Simplice Sarandji (C) pose for a picture with a delegation of Sudanese Federation of Chambers of Commerce in Khartoum on 27 July 2017 (SUNA photo)

May 9, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese-Turkish political consultation committee would meet in Khartoum on Thursday.

The Sudanese side would be headed by the Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdel-Ghani al-Nai'im while the Turkish side would be headed by the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Umit Yalcin.

The two sides would discuss a number of issues of common concern including bilateral relations and ways to promote economic, technical, development, educational, cultural and consular cooperation.

Also, the meeting would discuss coordination between the foreign ministries on regional and international forums to achieve interests of the two peoples.

The Turkish-Sudanese relations have reached a high level, especially after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit to Sudan last December.

During Erdogan's visit to Khartoum, the two sides signed 12 cooperation agreements and agreed to launch a strategic partnership covering agriculture, industry, minerals and health.

They also approved the establishment of a higher political committee headed by the two presidents, saying the committee would annually meet in Khartoum and Ankara alternately.

The two sides agreed to raise trade exchange between the two countries to $1 billion within one year to reach $10 billion in the future.

According to a report issued by the Sudanese Ministry of Investment, the volume of Turkish investments in Sudan amounted to 2 billion dollars from 2000 to 2017. It further indicates that there are 288 Turkish investment projects in the east African country.

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May 9, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan regretted a decision by the White House to review all types of financial support provided to South Sudan, saying such measures would encourage the opposition to resist regional efforts to end the civil war.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (L) looks on as she meets President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir at The President Office in Juba on October 25, 2017 (AFP)

The White House Tuesday denounced the "inability and unwillingness" of South Sudanese leaders to end the over-four-year armed conflict and announced a comprehensive review of its assistance to the troubled country.

The purpose of the review is to ensure that U.S. "assistance does not contribute to or prolong the conflict, or facilitate predatory or corrupt behaviour". It will include support for the 2015 peace deal implementation and monitoring.

"Now as we are about to go for consultations (in Ethiopia) tomorrow, we are getting negative comments from the U.S., said South Sudan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mawen Makol Arik.

"Does the American government really want peace in South Sudan? Such statements are the ones emboldening the opposition not to work for peace," Arik wondered.

Pointing to the strongly worded statements against the Transitional National Unity Government led by President Salva Kiir, the South Sudanese diplomat stressed Juba commitment to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

"Whatever decision they have arrived to, it is their legitimate right to do. We government of South Sudan cannot decide for the U.S.. The government is committed to the peace process through the (IGAD-led) revitalization forum and the national dialogue," Arik said.

"If they have decided not to help us, we will urge other people who are supporting the peace process to continue with their support," he stressed.

The White House said the government of President Kiir "is no longer inclusive. Further, it underlined that "the forced exile of key leadership representatives who signed the ARCSS further demonstrates the Kiir regime's cynical repudiation of the peace process."

OBSTACLE TO PEACE?

Meanwhile, South Sudan's coalition government released a similar statement accusing the US of being a "real obstacle" to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

"The united States has actually been quite a real obstacle towards achieving a peaceful settlement in South Sudan. Its actions in the Security Council says nothings about wanting a peaceful settlement as its obstruction to the agreement on the reunification of the SPLM goes a long way to suggest that the united states want a particular settlement to the conflict, not the one we have been pursuing", partly reads the statement released Wednesday.

The latest US move, it further stressed, represent "a naked direct interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and hurts peace process and restrain relations".

South Sudan's coalition government said Washington's "issuing ill considered statements such as this can only hurt the process and further restraint relationship".

Last March, the U.S. State Department announced that it would take measures against 15 South Sudan oil-related entities “whose revenues have contributed to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan.”

Before, Washington in February 2018 established a weapons embargo on South Sudan and imposed targeted sanctions on several South Sudanese officials from the government and the rebel groups.

However, it failed to convince the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution imposing arms embargo despite several attempts in this respect. Russia and China reject the ban.

(ST)

May 9, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have discussed ways to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) shakes hands with UAE vice-president and prime minister Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in Abu Dhabi on 22 February 2015 (WAM)

On Monday, Sudan's Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdel-Ghani al-Nai'im discussed with the UAE's Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Mohamed Sharaf and his accompanying delegation mutual investment opportunities as well as the exchange of economic and technical expertise.

The meeting comes as the Sudanese government is facing strong pressure from the opposition parties for its participation in the Saudi-led alliance which wages war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Khartoum was criticised for the poor financial support provided by the oil-rich Gulf monarchies to the country despite its significant involvement in the Yemeni conflict.

The criticism prompted Sudan's State Defence Minister Ali Mohamed Salim last week to reveal that his ministry is currently evaluating pros and cons of the participation in the Yemen war in order to decide on it soon.

Also, the Saudi ambassador in Khartoum was quick to hold a press conference to say his country would sign a number of defence and economic cooperation agreements with Sudan very soon.

Following the meeting, al-Nai'im told reporters the visit of the UAE delegation comes as the economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries is growing steadily.

He pointed out that leaders of both countries seek further cooperation and mutual investments, pointing to Sudan's vast investment opportunities and President Omer al-Bashir initiative to achieve Arab food security.

For his part, Sharaf underscored his government desire to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed his country's keenness to cooperate with Sudan to explore more investment opportunities and increase the volume of trade exchange between the two brotherly countries.

Last March, the official news agency SUNA said the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) has received a deposit of some 1.4 billion U.S. dollars from the UAE).

However, no statement had been issued from the UAE government or the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which SUNA said was the agency that has provided the investment deposit, to confirm the provision of the deposit.

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May 9, 2018 (KHARTOUM) The Sudanese government has regretted statements attributed to the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry blaming the failure of recent meeting over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Sudan and Ethiopia.

The three countries held a technical meeting including irrigation ministers and experts in Addis Ababa on 5 May to discuss their difference over a report by French consulting firms over the GERD impact on the water shares of the downstream countries.

On Monday, Shoukry said the meeting failed to reach an agreement over the technical report because Ethiopia and Sudan maintain their rejection of the report.

In a press release on Wednesday, Sudan's Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity said the only objective of Addis Ababa meeting was to agree on a methodology to raise inquiries to the consultant on his introductory report.

It pointed out that the meeting was concluded in a positive atmosphere after Sudan has submitted an integrated proposal to reach an agreement, saying the three countries accepted to consider the proposal and respond within one week on whether or not to adopt it as means to overcome the deadlock.

“Accordingly, the three countries agreed to hold a meeting for the irrigation ministers and the technical committee in Addis Ababa within a week to complete the methodology of raising questions to the consultant and then presenting the results to the extended meeting, which brings together the irrigation ministers, foreign ministers and heads of intelligence from the three countries” read the press release

The press release stressed Sudan's firm position that efforts should be made to complete the agreed impact studies, wondering about the role Khartoum has played in the failure of the recent meeting.

According to the press release, Sudan renewed awareness about its clear position on the GERD, underscoring “deep faith that informed scientific understanding and sincere cooperation and respect for others is the only way to overcome all challenges” pertaining to the Ethiopian dam.

Sudan warned that casting doubts on the positions would only undermine trust and deepen differences among the peoples of the three countries.

It is noteworthy that the introductory report determines the steps that would be undertaken by the consultants to complete the studies on the ecological, social and economic impact of the dam as well as the options for filling and operating the dam lake.

In September 2016, French engineering consultancy Artelia and BRL groups have been selected to undertake the dam impact studies. The U.K.-based law firm Corbett & Co was selected to manage the legal affairs of the tripartite committee.

The multi-billion dollar dam is being constructed on the Blue Nile, about 20 kilometres from the Sudanese border, and has a capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, and is expected to generate electrical power of up to 6,000 megawatts.

Egypt is concerned that the dam could reduce its quota of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile water, while the Ethiopian side maintains that the dam is primarily built to produce electricity and will not harm Sudan and Egypt.

(ST)

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May 9, 2018 (NEW YORK) – A resolution allowing for the renewal of sanctions against South Sudan for another year has been adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

The UN Security Council votes unanimously to impose sanctions on those blocking peace in South Sudan (Photo: UN/Devra Berkowitz)

The sanctions include travel bans and assets freeze against individuals and entities "responsible for or complicit in" threatening peace and stability in the war-torn country.

The 15-member Council also decided to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts overseeing the sanctions for another 13 months.

The chair of the Security Council Committee on South Sudan, Joanna Wronecka said the crisis in South Sudan was alarming with political leaders from both sides showing no interest to defuse the situation.

Wronecka, referring to the Panel of Experts report, urged the international community to apply more pressure to avoid the South Sudan situation from further deteriorating.

The experts' committee was established in 2015 to administer the implementation of the sanctions related to South Sudan.

The Security Council in 2015 imposed sanctions on some six South Sudan military leaders on the ground of fuelling the conflict and orchestrating war crimes and crimes against humanity since the start of the war.

“Given that this recommendation was addressed to the Council, the Committee took note of, but no action on it,” said Wronecka.

In 2015, the Security Council imposed sanctions on some six South Sudan military leaders on the ground of fuelling the conflict and orchestrating war crimes and crimes against humanity since the start of the war.

Those sanctioned were the former commander of the Tiger Division, Gen Marial Chanuong, Gen Santino Wol and Gen Jok Riak, from the government side. The opposition group comprised Gen Peter Gatdet, Gen James Koang Chuol and Gen Gatwech Dual.

REGIONAL EFFORTS

On Tuesday, however, the sanctions committee also agreed to send letters to the members of the regional bloc (IGAD), reiterating the importance of these states' obligation to enforce the asset freeze to specifically request bank accounts and assets of designated individuals Chanuong and Riak to be frozen.

Meanwhile, South Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Akuei Bona Malwal said the report by the Panel of Experts was openly tilted against the young nation's government.

"While the Panel had visited Juba, it had mainly cited information from interviews conducted with members of the opposition in Nairobi and Kampala. Senior government officials were mentioned repeatedly as hardliners in order to paint the government as an obstacle to peace," said the South Sudanese diplomat.

He added, "One could only deduce that the purpose was to lay the grounds for the justification of international sanctions".

The conflict in South Sudan, now in its fifth year, started after a disagreement within the country's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) before civil war broke out in December 2013. Since then, tens of thousands of people have died as a result of the war and nearly 4.3 million have reportedly been driven from their homes.

(ST)

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

Before going into the details of these reflections, I need to define as to what the Operation long Arm (OLA) is about. The (OLA) was the bold Military Operation with which the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) entered Khartoum in Broad Daylight 10 Years ago as of Thursday May 10th 2018. The (OLA) was led by the then its leader late Dr. Khalil Ibrahim Mohmed with the objective of taking the war far from the areas of the population of Darfur, who suffered ethnic cleansing and genocide by the enemy of the ruling regime of the National Islamic Front / National Congress Party led by the evil killer Génocidaire Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed Bashir, who was waging proxy wars of attrition using the tribal militias Janjaweed while he and his entourage remain safe away from the theater of the war in the capital Khartoum. Thus, the (OLA) was intended among many other objectives the use of the principle of taking the battle head-on into the enemy's home.

On that Day Saturday the Tenth of May 2008, the Army of the Movement of Dr. Khalil Ibrahim entered the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, cutting 1,600 kilometers to topple the ruling regime of the National Islamic Front (NIF)/(NCP). The movement's army fought several battles with the government forces of Omar al-Bashir on the long road between the liberated lands and the state of Khartoum was in battles in North Darfur and Kordofan before reaching the outskirts of Khartoum. This is because the military intelligence of the regime is fully aware of the army of Dr. Khalil Ibrahim coming to Khartoum. That military operation codenamed Operation Long Arm (OLA) has been described by analysts and military experts as unprecedented for its boldness and military professionalism. This is in addition to the commitment of the military leadership of the movement of Justice and Equality in the abiding by the International laws and human rights for the safety and rights of civilians during war. Moreover, the avoidance of causing intended damage the health and educational institutions and worship places and drinking water sources. As well as the need for discipline of soldiers and officers of the Movement to implement the articles of the Justice and Equality Movement military laws included in the gazette.

It is time now to find out the Motives and Reasons that made the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to take the decision to attack the Three Town Capital of Sudan Khartoum and the implementation of the Operation Long Arm (OLA).

The direct factors and reasons that made the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) take the decision to implement the Military (OLA) that entered Khartoum in the backyard of the archenemy National Islamic Front / ruling regime of the National Congress Party include the following:
• The peace agreement in Abuja, Nigeria, between the ruling regime in Khartoum and the Sudan Liberation Movement /Army –Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) faction had abjectly failed to meet the basic demands of the people of Sudan in the Darfur region for which the revolution broke out in the Province in 2003 as well as the failure to implement what was agreed upon with the Minni Minnawi faction. Moreover, the Abuja agreement did not find a solution to the outstanding issues
• The continuation of the war throughout the Darfur region with the displacement of citizens despite the existence of the Abuja agreement ink on paper. Seeking for just sustainable peace in the presence of Omer al-Bashir on the helm of Sudan is just like looking for a needle in a hay stack, so to speak.
• Continuing threats from the international community to impose sanctions on the Justice and Equality Movement for failing to sign the failed Abuja agreement
• The failure of the National Salvation Front (NRF), which was formed by the Darfur factions, which did not sign the Abuja agreement
• The JEM army has become full of men, military equipment, and warlike vehicles, as its battle proved to have inflicted defeats on the regime's forces in several major battles on wide swathes that have become liberated territories for the Movement
• The principle of taking the battles to the enemy's home instead of waiting for the enemy in your backyard and the home of your citizens a fact that has been convinced by the leadership of the Movement and the people of Sudan in the Darfur region
• The entry of Khartoum militarily was the decision of the masses at the Fourth General Congress (FGC) of the Movement for Justice and Equality (JEM) held in the liberated lands in Darfur between October 18 and 22, 2007, where the audience was heavy and the crowd cheered: "All The Forces are to Go into Khartoum”! ," in the sense that all the army forces of the Movement must enter into the Three Town Sudanese Capital Khartoum”. The conference was a big demonstration and a festival attended by more than five thousand and six hundred people, including seven hundred women. They came from camps of displacement from all the states of the Darfur region and the refugee camps from Chad. The Fourth General Congress of the JEM could be called the ‘Congress of the Fateful Decisions and Resolutions' of the Movement
• The continuing frustration of JEM leadership about the phenomenon in which the NCP/NIF has gained a highly criminal expertise to lure the few hireling traitors from the former Darfur rebels groups to defect to its ranks. This comes at the backdrop of the fact that within the region's borders is a wealth of interest and intrigue.
• The deepening impasse in the NIF-JEM Darfur Attempts for Peace Process.

Description of some events during the (OLA) Operation within and around Khartoum City as described at the time as follows:
ON Saturday, May 10th 2008 and around 2 p.m. some 1,000 JEM fighters reached Omdurman the Second largest city in Sudan lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum, in a column of about 130 vehicles. JEM forces entered Omdurman from the north through Wadi Seidna military base and from the west. According to local residents, artillery fire could be heard west of Omdurman at around 4 p.m. The main JEM targets appeared to be Arba'een Road (near the Omdurman military base) and Al-Awsat police station, in the town's center, where JEM stole police vehicles. JEM forces engaged with government forces in several districts including the main market of Souq Libya (Libya market) and residential areas of Umbadda, Al-Thoura and Al-Muhandiseen. Furthermore, the Government forces immediately deployed troops, backed up by tanks and helicopter gunships, to Omdurman. Heavy fighting continued for several hours including in the markets of Al-Souq Al-Sha'bi (Popular market) and Souq Libya in Omdurman. At around 5 p.m. some of the JEM forces started to move towards Al- Ingaz Bridge to cross the White Nile from Omdurman to Khartoum in an apparent bid to take over the Presidential Palace. Another JEM force headed towards the National Radio and Television building in Omdurman. Both attempts were repelled by government forces. Sporadic fighting continued for the next 48 hours spreading to Khartoum's Al-Souq Al-Arabi (Arabic market), Al-G'abat district and Al-Hurriya Street in Central Khartoum. According to government statements, some of the rebels infiltrated the capital and entered residential area wearing civilian clothes. In state television announcement they called on local residents to call a special hotline if they see anyone suspicious in their area. [4] A reward of US$125,000 was also announced in state television asking the public to call a special hotline for information leading to the JEM leader's capture, which was later doubled to US$250,000.[5] Almost immediately after the attack, mass arrests started to take place across the city, including of members of the JEM forces. On the other hand, the International Response was unanimous represented in the form of condemnation of the attack by JEM with many highlighting the negative implications the attack will have on the situation in Darfur in addition to undermining the international efforts to bring a resolution to the conflict. https://www.hrw.org/report/2008/06/16/crackdown-khartoum/mass-arrests-torture-and-disappearances-may-10-attack

The International News media Headlines at the time included: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ten+of+may+2008+is+the+date+of+justice+and+equality+movement+forces+entererd+khartoum&oq=ten+of+may+2008+is+the+d
• 2008 attack on Omdurman and Khartoum – Wikipedia
• Sudan rebels say they entered Khartoum - Sudan | ReliefWeb
• News Sudan 23 May 2008 Darfur crisis reaches Sudanese capital
• Reasons and circumstances for JEM carryout Operation Long Armhttp://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?iframe&page=imprimable&id_article=51153
• BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudanese rebels 'reach Khartoum 'http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7394033.stm
• Mass Arrests, Torture, and Disappearances since the May 10 Attack ... https://www.hrw.org/report/2008/06/16/crackdown-khartoum/mass-arrests-torture-and-disappearances-may-10-attack
• Darfur rebel JEM says entered Khartoum, taken Omdurman – Reuters
• Any information concerning an association called the Justice and ...
• Khartoum under curfew as 3,000 Darfur rebels advance on capital

It is fair to state that in spite of lack of achieving the primary goal for the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) for the onslaught attack of Khartoum on the 10th May 2008 was to oust the regime led by the Génocidaire Marshall Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and his criminal entourage , the (OLA) has caused resounding repercussions worldwide and instilled fear among the members of the regime of the Islamists, who fled and ran to the faraway areas from Khartoum to protect themselves as they realized that they are not safe from the hands of the people that attack them at any moment. In addition to the message by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to Omer al-Bashir and his regime who are just tigers of paper that can be burned and removed with a degree of composure and the solidarity of the political opposition, both armed and civil faction. Last and by no means least, that the message had reached the International Community that people's rights for decent life are above those of the oppressive dictatorial regime supported by the former Colonial Master countries and they must take into account the rights of the people of the country under the oppression of authoritarian regimes should cease despite the intersecting interests with the enemies of those peoples.

Operation Long Arm (OPL) which marks the 10th Anniversary as of May the 10th 2018 represents for the marginalised Sudanese people as a unique epic of struggle that deserves to be written in our history for ourselves and for the generations who grew up after the epic and those will come in the future. Therefore, it is onus upon us to document it and we really had to do so, given the current situation in which the Sudanese citizens continue languishing under the quagmire of crises created by the regime is making every possible to annihilate whoever opposes its abjectly failed plans and the criminal efforts to draft a new constitution to allow the Génocidaire Omer al-Bashir to run for a third term in the alleged 2020 elections. The National Islamic Front (NIF)/National Congress Party (NCP) regime elements are masters of deception and lying. This is because of its corrupt parasitic nature. This regime does not have any options and cannot get out of its total crisis, simply because it does not have any strategic plan to get out of the mess it has deliberately created on the grounds of institutional corruption and its criminal mind set. Many international human rights bodies urge the Sudanese authorities to respect and guarantee the right to freedom of expression as provided for in article 39 of the Interim National Constitution of 2005, AKA Naivasha Agreement Constitution and international and human rights treaties and laws that Sudan is a state party to.

The tenth day of May should not be in vain for the people of Sudan without remembering the entry of the legions of the Justice and Equality Movement of Sudan into the hiding place of the genocidal fugitive of international justice Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and his corrupt cortege. Let us make the 10th of May of every Year a National Day Celebrated by the Masses of the Sudanese public as a pivotal Station in the Struggle of our Patriotic Individuals from our Nation as Part of the History of Struggle against the enemies of the decent peaceful life of the civilians of our Country, Sudan that has been Robbed through deception by the Hypocritical Gangsters who Claimed Monopoly of Islam and Tried to isolate and distract the country's citizens away from the issue of concern. The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) attempted to place a wedge among the components of Sudanese society in order to divide them and rule. The revival of the Tenth Anniversary of the Operation Long Arm (OLA) will facilitate in the awakening of the grievances of the Oppressed and deprived of rights to recover them whether the regime like it or not. The Sudanese people are no longer tolerating any policies presented to them as a fait accompli.

The Sudanese people are asking the components of Sudan's political opposition, both civilian and armed, what are their immediate practical plans to overthrow the ruling regime of the National Congress Party for the sake of liberating the homeland from the omen and the accurse these criminal tyrants brought to the nation, which has become under threat of as to exist or not, given the evidence of the split the southern part of it in 2010? Thus, many questions impose themselves in today's grim such bad conditions and current crisis experienced, the Sudanese citizens ask as to what Sudanese political Oppositions will present in these circumstances in their role as opposition components representatives of their constituents. The ruling regime of the International Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) Khartoum branch will be increasing its arbitrariness to inflict the greatest harm on the people of Sudan to silence the voices calling for the overthrow of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime led by the genocidal criminal, the fugitive from the international justice wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, infamous, Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, the tyrant who led the country into bankruptcy by corruption and nepotism and looting the savings of the central bank and the country's wealth of gold and oil and at a time he decided to run for Presidency in the alleged 2020 elections to protect himself against the fate that awaits him because of his accumulated crimes during the lean 29 years of his arbitrary dictatorship? Furthermore, Darfur remains a death trap for civilians through the absurd civil wars of attrition that have been waged by the National Congress Party (NCP)/ National Islamic Front (NIF) and going on without ending since 2003 when the rebels took up arms to comfort the NCP/NIF regime which said it would not negotiate with those who did not carrying arms. Now the regime feels at rest with the financial and political support it receives from the European Union (EU) in exchange for curbing the flow of migrants coming from the Horn of African Countries, new rapprochement with the US Administration under President Donald Trump and the support of Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the collusion of protection of the African Union (AU) with the Génocidaire al-Bashir against the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant and let alone the position of the Arab League, the League of Arab States on the contrary, their member countries remained staunchly supportive of the genocidal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir providing safe haven for him during his shuttle travels, to defy and challenge the authority of the (ICC) to provide ways to escape from international justice.

Still more crimes will be added to previous heinous ones include:
• Tea Ladies whose Rights Confiscated by the infamous Public Order Police: The law of the ruling regime in Sudan, which confiscates the tools and property of the poor groups called the Tea Ladies, are poor women who carry out the work of the tea in the open and sell it to the passersby for the sake of living a decent family members of children and the elderly when the means and sources of money from the state are closed and were deprived of their the Sudanese citizenship rights and social justice guaranteed by the provisions of the Constitution of the Sudan.
• The Participation in the Alleged 2020 Elections is nothing but a Dance with the Criminal: Activists say the participation in the elections planned for 2020 in which Omer al-Bashir is planning to run through amending the interim constitution of the 2005 agreement known as the Naivasha Convention in Kenya as a participant in the crimes of the ruling National Congress Party
• Of his neverending crimes, Bashir has used the Sudan Arm Force (SAF) along with his allied Rapid Support Force (RSF) former Janjaweed militias to participate in the Saudi-led Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen which some media outlets Compared it as a modern-day Vietnam War in Yemen as mercenaries for money.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/war-yemen-modern-day-vietnam-saudi-led-coalition-1829110718
• The National Islamic Front (NIF) and its heir the National Congress Party (NCP) Regime succeeded to Fool out the Sudanese public through the Vacuous Religious Slogans and hypocrisy for so long before the falsehood of it has been discovered and exposed it to the World by the sharp acumen of the very people whom the Entity Bamboozled for nearly thirty odd years. Thus, the NIF Bag of Lies will no longer represent one of the tools that help it continue ruling Sudan any further by the fooling out process.

• The US Administration under President Donald Trump needs to realize that the NIF/(NCP) regime in Sudan continues supporting terrorist groups and accordingly it should not attempt to lift the terrorist-related Sanctions imposed in 1997 by the then-president Bill Clinton issued an executive order citing Sudan's “continued support for international terrorism, ongoing efforts to destabilise neighbouring governments, and the prevalence of human rights violations. The political Islam's Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) syndicate in Sudan Cannot be trusted with what it says or agreements it concludes with the parties in dispute. Omer al-Bashir does not damn care what will happen to the people of Sudan from the hardships and calamities as long as he is in power protected against his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trial for the heinous crimes he has perpetrated in Darfur. He strongly believes that his presence at the helm of Sudan would protect him as a protective shield. That belief makes him plan to run for the alleged 2020 election, which is sure to win through rigging as it did in the past.
• The International Community is expected to strongly deplore the Government of Sudan's continued detention of political leaders and activists with a blatant disregard to International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. Thus the people of Sudan are calling for the immediate release of all political detainees and prisoners of war without resorting to the maneuvering, prevarication and deceit the regime used to employ.
• Omer al-Bashir's neverending behaviour of wobbling between the international political Poles, Russian Bear in the East and the Yankee Cowboy in the West seeking Protection of each against the Other is not in the interest of the Sudanese citizens who opted for the Non-Allied Movement which is a group of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. As of 2012, the Movement has 120 members. It was established in 1961! We, as a Sudanese people, have gained independence from colonialism since January 1956. We do not want to go back to being part of the previous axes which seeks to re-colonize developing countries from the back door!
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=non-allied+movement&oq=Non-Allied+Movement&aqs=chrome.0.0l2.3907j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

• The previous proxy wars of the NCP regime in Darfur through the Janjaweed militias now have become wars of attrition waged by the mischievous Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which in fact are the former tribal Janjaweed militias which have been cloned and merged into the Sudan Armed Force (SAF) under the direct Command of Marshall Omer al-Bashir personally to cause more havoc and commit atrocious war crimes.

Nevertheless, there is no dictatorship in this world that will last forever. There is no doubt that Oppressive regimes will be ousted no matter how long they have lasted as it happened in many neighboring countries. The best examples were the Libya's Gaddafi, Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh and Tunis' ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and many others in modern history.

We are determined and have resolved to call all the honourable people to continue confronting this decrepit regime, to all cities, countryside and neighbourhoods throughout the dear country, to form and move its committees for the sake of Intifada and salvation. The reality now confirms that there is no choice but to topple the National Congress Party (NCP) regime and declare the popular uprising. The foregoing methods of action will culminate in the political strike and total civil disobedience. Thus, there will be no room for all the reasons for the so-called dialogue with the regime, and any such reasons are only calls for prolonging the life of the corrupt genocidal regime. The Demise of the NCP regime will be followed by Transitional justice to heal wounds and restore rights and to hold criminals accountable for the crimes they have perpetrated in Darfur and elsewhere and hand over the fugitives from international justice to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague in the Netherlands.

And victory will be for the Sudanese people, God willing. Greetings to those who remain locked up by the regime in the prison cells. And Glory to the martyrs and Victory is the ally of our brave people. And No sleep in the eyes of the cowards and the traitors! May the Eyes of the Cowards Never Sleep! It is our obligation to struggle as long as we are living but the ghosts of our six hundred thousand dead implore us to endure our struggle for justice and freedom, no matter how long that will take as long as the tears of the survivors of the Darfur genocide are still shedding.
There is a noticeable gap, yawning between rhetorical support to prevent atrocities and to take effective action in response to the increasing number of crimes.

William Shakespeare who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, The United Kingdom and an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist and often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" has been quoted as saying: ““Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/947.William_Shakespeare
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/278178-measure-for-measure
? William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
Percy Bysshe Shelley the radical poet, polemicist and political activist and one of the major English romantic poets has been quoted as delivered these verses of his revolutionary rhyming poetry:
Rise like lions after slumber
In unfathomable number
Shake your chains to earth like dew
That in sleep have fallen on you
Ye are many, they are few.

http://www.counterfire.org/revolutionary/16066-rise-like-lions-after-slumber-revolutionary-shelley
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=percy+shelley&oq=Percy+Shelley&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.1679j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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

May 8, 2018 (EL-FASHER) - A high-level delegation of the African Union Peace and Security Council has started a two-day visit to Darfur, the hybrid peacekeeping mission said Tuesday.

Headed by Ambassador Hope Tumukunde, of Rwanda the team visits Darfur to assess the security situation.

The Rwandan diplomat discussed the security situation with the Deputy Governor of North Darfur, Mohammad Brima Hasab Al-Nabi.

"The mission had talks with government officials, UNAMID leadership, representatives of displaced persons and visited Sortony, in North Darfur," she said after the meeting.

UN reports point to the relative security situation in the region after the weapon collection operations conducted by the Sudanese government in the region.

However, holdout armed groups say the government armed militias continue to carry out attacks on their positions in Jebel Marra and displaced thousands of villagers from their home areas.

But the government minimises the military activities speaking about security operations to clear some areas from armed bands looting buses and commercial convoys.

For its part, the UNOCHA in its news bulletin covering April, spokes only about inter-communal clashes in Jebel Marra area saying some 11, 500 civilians fled their areas to displacement camps.

In a related development, Burima briefed a delegation of western diplomats visiting El-Fasher on Tuesday about the security situation and the government efforts restore security and to combat human trafficking across the north-western border of the state to Libya.

"There was no longer a need for UNAMID to remain in the (North Darfur) state under its old mandate," Brima governor told the visiting ambassadors of France, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Sweden according to a release issued after the meeting on Tuesday.

He further urged the diplomats to request their countries to support the peace process and stability in Darfur through the recovery and development program implemented by UN agencies and organizations.

(ST)