Africa

The United Nations is implementing its Action Plan for Libya to create the necessary conditions for the completion of the North African country’s post-conflict transition, the head of UN mission there said Wednesday.

Villarreal's Cedric Bakambu is set to become the most expensive African footballer ever as Chinese club Beijing Guoan close on a £65m deal.

The group was reportedly travelling in two separate vehicles to the capital of Abuja.

The serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic over the past year has been further complicated by recent floods and health crises, the United Nations migration agency said Wednesday, appealing for urgent funding to ensure continued assistance and protection for millions in need.

Merera Gudina is the first of more than 500 prisoners the government has said it will release.

While Somalia, with the international community’s help, averted famine last year, long-term solutions for drought, conflict and displacement must still be found, the United Nations office in the country said Wednesday, launching the 2018 humanitarian response plan, which calls for $1.6 billion to protect the lives of 5.4 million people.

A monkey from Ethiopia and Sudan with a distinctive "handlebar moustache" has been identified as a distinct species.

The healer gave women leaves and herbs that made their stomachs swell up and told them not to see a doctor.

Riyan Abukar Ali is determined to succeed as a fisherwoman in Somalia, in a trade dominated by men.

Memory is among the themes featuring at the African Biennale of Photography in Mali's capital.

Memory is among the themes featuring at the African Biennale of Photography in Mali's capital.

Voicing serious concern over the continued political impasse and violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Security Council has called upon all political actors to exercise maximum restraint and to address their differences peacefully.

January 16, 2018 (JUBA)- The SPLM Former Detainees (FDs) group Tuesday has condemned the visit of the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai to Jonglei, accusing the government of violating the ceasefire agreement brokered by the IGAD mediators.

South Sudan first vice president Taban Deng Gai arrives in Bor May 9, 2017 (ST)

In a statement released in Juba, the FDs condemned in the "strongest terms" the violation to the cessation of hostilities by the warring parties in the country, stressing that the two sides have the obligation to observe the humanitarian truce.

"It is only by doing so that some modicum of confidence and trust can be built to serve as a basis for meaningful discussions at the next round of HLRF (High-Level Revitalization Forum) talks in February (2018),” the statement reads.

The statement, which is signed by the former finance minister Kosti Manibe, further said they are disturbed by open and flagrant contempt and disregard the first vice president showed towards the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

“We are particularly perturbed by the open and flagrant contempt and disregard that First Vice President (FVP) Taban Deng Gai by and indeed the regime of President Salva Kiir Mayardit is showing towards the 21st December, 2017 CoH (Cessation of Hostilities) Agreement by moving a large contingent of SSDF (South Sudan Defence Forces) from Juba to Jonglei in broad daylight and in full view of all and sundry,” the group protested in a statement in a January 15, 2018.

The group expressed appalling that the Government, through its spokesperson, Minister Michael Makuei has shamelessly come in the open to announce this violation while at the same time trying to justify it as an innocent and harmless visit by the FVP to his constituents.

It further questioned the basis on which the first vice president moved into the region, citing lack of constituents requiring him to go for a visit.

“He has never contested elective office in Jonglei, therefore has no constituents to visit in Jonglei. He is going as a state official, at the head of a combat force.

"We cannot accept that FVP Taban Deng Gai can be allowed to violate the terms of CoH, move troops and war equipment and indeed conduct warfare with impunity;
neither can we accept that the FVP can use the troops and other resources of the Government while the rest of the Government holds itself absolved of responsibility."

"Whether as a signatory to the CoH Agreement in his own right (SPLM-IO/Taban) or as part of TGoNU, FVP Taban Deng Gai is bound by the terms of the Agreement and should be held responsible for its violation as required by the terms of that Agreement”, the group emphasised.

The SPLM-IO Monday condemned the position of the IGAD countries and the TROIKA saying Gai is touring Jonglei region with a green light from the two bodies adding they are indirectly contributing to the bloodshed in South Sudan.

The FDs called on the IGAD and TROIKA to put the necessary pressure on Juba government to immediately halt movement of troops that have been moved into Jonglei recently with the intention of attacking and capturing "Akobo and two surrounding areas".

They further called to investigate reported violations immediately once it is received. Also, they suggested that the ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) makes public any denial of access by the warring parties besides publishing the the findings of its investigations without delay.

"Delaying the release of CTSAMM investigation until a balancing act has been committed by the other party represents no more than a nuisance message and sends the unfortunate message of comparing a mountain to a molehill, thereby encouraging impunity".

The former detainees further suggested imposing sanctions on those who are responsible for these violations.

(ST)

January 16, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N al-Hilu) led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu said they received an invitation from the African mediation to resume Two Areas talks from I to 2 February in Addis Ababa.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, also known as the Two Areas since 2011.

The SPLM-N is now divided into two factions: one led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu and the other led by Malik Agar. The rift emerged last year over the right of self-determination and other organisational issues.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) quoted the head of the African Union (AU) office in Khartoum Mahmoud Kan as saying the talks would be resumed on the bases of the existing documents on the cessation of hostilities.

The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) led by the former South African president Thabo Mbeki is brokering peace talks between the Sudanese government and SPLM-N.

Talks between the government and the SPLM-N for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since August 2016.

Both, Sudan and the SPLM-N al-Hilu have declared a unilateral cessation of hostilities in the war zones.

(ST)

January 16, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Dozens of demonstrators on Tuesday were beaten and arrested by police and security agents in Khartoum as hundreds of Sudanese took to streets in a peaceful march to protest against soaring commodity price.

Last week, the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) asked Khartoum State authorities for permission to organize a peaceful march to the governor's office to hand him over a memo against rising bread price but the request was denied.

However, the SCP joined by a number of opposition parties, activists and civil society organizations insisted on exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and called upon the masses to gather near the Presidential Palace in central Khartoum on Tuesday to march to the state's headquarters.

In early Tuesday, the riot police and security agents cordoned the streets and prevented the protestors from reaching the gathering area.

Nonetheless, hundreds of demonstrators poured into the streets near the Presidential Palace and managed to penetrate the security cordon chanting “No, no to high prices, No to the government of hunger”.

The police and security reinforcements clashed with the protestors and dispersed them violently using tear gas and batons.

Dozens of the protestors were arrested including two members of the SCP Central Committee, Siddig Youssef, and Youssef Hussein besides rights defender Amal Habani and journalist Mamoun Eltilib.

Earlier this month, bakeries raised the price of a loaf of bread from 50 cents to 1 Sudanese pound following a government decision to increase the price of flour sack from 167 pounds to 450 pounds.

The government decision was part of tough economic measures contained in the 2018 budget which also saw the lifting of electricity subsidies as well as increasing the U.S. dollar exchange rate to 18.00 pounds from the official rate of 6.7 pounds.

The rise in bread price triggered sporadic protests in several Sudanese states leading to the killing of a high school student in West Darfur State.

To quell anti-austerity protests in Khartoum, Sudanese security forces in September 2013 carried out a brutal crackdown on the peaceful demonstration, killing nearly two hundred protesters say human rights groups or 86 people according to government figures.

Opposition forces attribute the deteriorating living condition and economic meltdown to corruption, lack of production policies, and lack of economic reform vision following the secession of South Sudan.

Sudan lost 75% of its oil reserves after the southern part of the country became an independent nation in July 2011, denying the north billions of dollars in revenues. Oil revenue constituted more than half of Sudan's revenue and 90% of its exports.

(ST)

By TRAYO A. Ali

In Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan (the city that knows no secrets, as is always described) the talk there is not about the uncomfortable Weather, which in this Season is dry, cold, dusty and windy, nor is it about the city's broken sewage system, and the polluted water or about the notorious militia known as Rapid Support Force (RSF), which frequently harass the citizens, or about the horrible stories of War in Darfur and/or in Nuba Mountains and B. Nile. It is even not about the long-standing but censored issue of the already devastating Cholera epidemic ravaging throughout the country. The talk, this time, is about only one thing; UPRISING.

The town is pregnant, electrified and imminently explosive. The reason is the increase in food prices (especially the bread and sugar), devaluation of the Sudanese Pound and the shortage of fuel.

Sudan's millions of unemployed youth, with no access to any basic facility, (except sitting round local tea makers and sipping the tea and occasionally browsing on their phones, with heavy presence of secret service agents watching over their shoulders), are these days busy networking through social media and deliberating on how to stage public protest to resist this sky rocking food prices.

Sporadic protests have already started, a dozen have been arrested and even some casualties recorded in Khartoum, Omdurman, Medani, Al-Genaina, Al-Obied, Nyala, Sinar, Kosti, Atbara, Port Sudan, Dongola, Jadugle and Kassala are all charged cities.

Finger Size bread
Commentators are mocking and making jokes about the crisis.
"The more its price increases, the size gets smaller and tiny". A protester commented that the bread size is now comparable to a finger. He added that
"The more it becomes smaller in size and poor in quality, the bigger impact it will have on the street".

Whilst the opposition is mobilizing and gearing up to command this growing situation, the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has already hunted and locked incommunicado some opposition leaders including Engineer Omar Al-Digaer, Chairman of the Sudan Congress Party (SCP).

? Unfolding religious Front.
Another totally new segment of society (religious clergy) are also voicing out their concerns and joining the crusade against the hunger. From within once considered an exclusive domain of the ruling NCP, Imams are rebelling. Hear this one who sent a strong warning to General Albasheer. While calling on him to step down, he told him point blank that:

((On that day when you face alone your Allah, He will ask you about the miserable lives of the Sudanese, He will ask you about the broken families, about the ruined societies, the orphans, the destitute, the raped ones. He will ask you about the thievery, the nepotism, the corruption, the looting and all that you are guarding, guiding and protecting. He will chain you and cage you and throw you into the deepest of the Hell Fire)).

The courageous Imam also pointed that:
((The best thing God likes to hear is to speak the truth on the face of an authoritarian leader and I am doing now)).

Indeed the move among the "Imams" is rare and quite unexpected one and it surprises both camps. The development (as some observers argue) could reinforce opposition's position and drastically reduce the regime's already eroded moral ground.

The Case of Lady Antoinette (Queen of France) is cited
The Sudanese activists are exposing on social media every aspect of President Albasheer's lavish lifestyle and that of his family, and associates. They even exhibited President's expensive Watch "Rolex" and the life of his family to that of France's last Queen Marrie Antoniotte who faced summexecutiontion upon charges of corruption and provocative lifestyle. This is in reference to some around the President who are living lavish style. The activists are citing Lady Antoniotte provocative statement in which She wondered as to "why the French hungry mob should not eat cake if they do not get bread" !!!

? Disinformation propaganda about imminent foreign attack
As is expected, the talk on the other side of the river is very different. The government media, officials and its security apparatus are busy concocting and fabricating disinformation propaganda about an imminent "foreign attack". They are concocting very incoherent and contradicting stories about military buildup taking place on the Eastern front (border with Eriteria). The government officials cannot give any coherent account of what is happening and who is behind what.
This is considered by analyists as mere propaganda techniques of blatant lies usually resorted to by the NCP regime to distract public attention whenever internal crisis start fermenting. "It's a desperate move to preempt the expected crisis. All the political observers believe that. "The government is up recycling same old tricks to intimidate the public and distract the focus", as one states.

In an interview with the B. B.C TV, Mr Mini Minwai, Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SKM) and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) respectively have categorically dismissed these government claims as baseless propaganda jargon that cannot hold any water.

Mr M. C. Osman, a close observer and analyst on regional affairs argue that:

"If there are major pending issues between Egypt and Ethiopia on water matters, that is a known issue, but these two countries are rational states. They could easily resort to reason in resolving their disputes. And if there are any misunderstanding between Eritrea and Ethiopia, that is also explainable against the background of the previous war they went through. But for Sudan taking the lead in spreading words on the imminent war against her from an invisible enemy, and in this very time, then the whole intention behind the cry is questionable. Such behaviour can only be interpreted in the context of its ongoing internal crisis. It's a tactic to distract public attention".

The author is the chief negotiator of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi

January 15, 2018 (JUBA) - The armed opposition forces allied to former first deputy president Riek Machar has accused the regional peace meditators and international guarantors of indirectly backing attacks and truce breaches on their areas in Jonglei region.

The SPLA-IO forces during their arrival at Masana Biira in Wau on 07, August 2017 (ST)

In a statement issued Monday the rebel deputy spokesperson, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel claimed that FVP Taban Deng Gai is touring, with the knowledge of the IGAD and TROIKA countries, the greater Jonglei "here he is currently causing more destructions and displacement to the civilians in areas under the control of the SPLA IO".

"This is absolutely unacceptable and requires (an) explanation from the IGAD and TROIKA who are also indirectly contributing to the bloodshed in South," Gabriel further said.

The warring parties trade accusations of violating the humanitarian cessation of hostilities which is a confidence-building measure before the talks on the implementation of a permanent ceasefire.

During the talks for the humanitarian truce in Addis last December, SPLM-IO delegation called to review the monitoring mechanism of the ceasefire but this is the first time directly criticise the IGAD and TROIKA.

Gabriel in his statement praised the monitoring body called (CTSAMM) saying they are doing their best to reflect the violations committed by Juba army. Further, he requested them to not communicate information about their positions and forces to "the regime's security agents" who are part of its structure.

He further said their group SPLA-IO called the ceasefire monitoring mechanism travel to their areas to assess the government violations instead of depending on press releases and phone calls.

The "CTSAMM should stop blaming the SPLA-IO for violations of this signed CoH" adding they are forced to defend the defend themselves and civilians from the attacks carried out by the government forces.

(ST)

January 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour had resigned to protest interferences in his diplomatic activities last week but he withdrew it after the intervention of the first vice president, press reports says.

Al-Sudani newspaper Monday reported that the Ghandour had presented his resignation to the President Omer al-Bashir who accepted it last week. However, the minister changed his mind and accepted to remain in his position after the intervention of leading government members, the local newspaper said.

However, Al-Tahrir website, which is close to the opposition National Umma Party, quoting an unnamed source, said that Ghandour complained in his letter of resignation from interference, in his work of "leading government members who exercise similar tasks".

According to the sources, the First Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh who is also the prime minister and Mohamed Atta the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Director convinced him to withdraw his resignation after meeting him at his home on Thursday 11 January.

Several presidential aides used to intervene in the government diplomatic activities and establish their own networks without coordination with the foreign ministry.

This growing interference was visible during the foreign ministry efforts to cancel the U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan when the former director of al-Bashir's office Taha Osman travelled to Washington and met a number of officials and lobbying firms there.

Ghandour, also, was bothered by the appointment of the former oil minister Awad al-Jaz as Presidential Assistant for Chinese Affairs. After that, his attributions are expanded to be the head of a presidential committee tasked with the relations with BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.

Further, after the recent visit of President Recep Erdogan, al-Jaz has been charged with the Turkish affairs.

The attributions of the presidential assistant include the political and commercial sides.

Ghandour recently declined to appear before the parliament to explain the role of his ministry in the relations with these countries.

During a press conference with his Ethiopian counterpart last Sunday, Ghandour brushed aside statements by Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Hamid who spoke about Egyptian and Eritrean threats to Sudan.

"Sudan is not talking about military build-up from a particular country, but a threat to its security from the east," in allusion to the presence of Sudanese rebel groups on the Eritrean side.

Diplomatic sources say Ghandour does not support escalation with Egypt, while other senior officials want the adoption of a hard-line with Cairo particularly after a severe press campaign by the pro-government media in Egypt against President al-Bashir after the visit of the Turkish president to Sudan.

(ST)

January 15, 2018 (JUBA) - The associates of former South Sudan's chief of staff, Paul Malong Awan, have called for an uprising to remove President Salva Kiir from power, claiming the latter was using divide and rule policy to consolidate his regime.

Kuol Athuai Hal, former Aweil Northern County commissioner who also served in different capacities in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal government including an adviser for peace in the state government run by Awan when he was its governor, told Sudan Tribune on Monday that the country would never be in peace and stability if President Kiir is not removed from power.

“We have decided to take up arms because we have come to the conclusion that the government of Salva Kiir is specialized in colliding people. Maybe today he will come up with a story and say Lieutenant General Agany is good and Kuol Athuai is bad, and tomorrow he will turn around and say Agany has something he wants to do and Kuol Athuai has changed and become good. This is the government which can't allow people to be mentally comfortable," said Athuai Hal.

"The best way for the people of South Sudan is to rise up in order to dismantle that government in order to return peace and stability to the country. If that government of Salva Kiir and his friends is left, South Sudan will never see a light,” he added.

South Sudanese government officials now openly accuse the Gen Awan and of rebellion. Also, his supporters are accused of joining armed groups while reports circulate about coordination with armed groups.

These developments come at a time the regional peace mediators have launched last December a process to revitalize the implementation of a peace agreement since in August 2015.

Kuol confirmed he and Lieutenant Colonel Manut Yel Lual, Major Diing, 1st Lt Bulo, 1st Athian had joined South Sudan Patriotic army under the overall command of Lieutenant General Agany Abdel Bagi Ayii Akol, a rebel movement fighting to topple the government in Juba.

He went further to say they are not alone in their decision to rebel against the government of President Kiir which they defended for long years.

" A lot of people are coming," he said.

"So that we move and work together to remove and dismantle the government of Salva Kii," he stressed adding "We declared to him from the day we came to consider us of dotbai (rescue home),” he said referring the name of the movement in local name.

The former county commissioner said the name was fitting because they want to rescue the country from disintegration into ethnic enclaves because as a result of the policy implemented by the government led by President Kiir.

Officials in Juba say the former chief of staff and his supporters have no cause but for personal interests and their desire to have power. They also warn opposition groups that are part of the IGAD forum from supporting them.

(ST)

January 15, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The government delegation for the Two Areas talks said the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) didn't notify Sudan that the East African regional bloc IGAD would carry out the mediation effort instead of the African mediator Thabo Mbeki.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, also known as the Two Areas since 2011.

The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) led by the former South African president Thabo Mbeki is brokering peace talks between the Sudanese government and SPLM-N.

There has been speculation that the regional bloc would take over the Two Areas negotiation file after the IGAD representative in Khartoum Lesane Johannes last Thursday discussed with Sudan's chief negotiator Ibrahim Mahmoud resumption of the talks.

However, member of the government delegation and Sudan's Minister of Animal Resources Bishara Guma'a Aror said the AUPSC is the only party entitled to appoint or remove the mediator of the Two Areas peace talks.

He told Sudan Tribune “Mbeki is delegated by the AUPSC to mediate the Two Areas talks and the [Sudanese] government didn't receive any notification from the AUPSC that IGAD would take over the mediation file”.

Aror described the meeting between Johannes and Mahmoud as “normal thing” taking into consideration that the former is part of Mbeki's team.

It is noteworthy that Mbeki didn't visit Khartoum since April 2017 when the government notified him of its readiness to resume the talks with the armed movements on the bases of the outcome of the national dialogue.

Talks between the government and the SPLM-N for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since August 2016.

The SPLM-N is now divided into two factions: one led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu and the other led by Malik Agar. The rift emerged last year over the right of self-determination and other organisational issues.

Last Septmeber, a member of the government negotiating team said they wouldn't negotiate with a faction of the Sudan SPLM-N Agar, pointing that the latter “has no influence on the ground”.

The SPLM-N al-Hilu has a similar point of view as they say there is no split within the rebel movement, but only a change of leadership stressing they have the SPLA-N support.

On the other hand, the SPLM-N Agar recognizes the rift and proposes to form a joint delegation. If this proposal is rejected they propose to coordinate with the SPLM-N al-Hilu.

Also, the political opposition and armed groups in Darfur that participate in the African Union-brokered process support the involvement of the SPLM-N Agar.

The mediators met the two factions last August, but they didn't fix a clear position on the matter, while the facilitators from the Troika countries and the European Union also didn't determine a unified position on the matter.

However, following his meeting with Mahmoud, Johannes said the Two Areas talks would be resumed in February between the government team and the SPLM-N al-Hilu.

(ST)