Africa

South African firm Poynting in a global leader in the design and manufacturing of antennae.

The United Nations envoys dealing with sexual violence in conflict and the head of the Organization’s peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have welcomed the conviction of 11 Congolese militia fighters for raping dozens of children – including an 18-month-old toddler – in the vast country’s restive east.

For children and women in the Central African Republic, 2017 has been a very difficult year and sadly, the situation is not expected to improve in the coming months, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday.

December 18, 2017 (WAU) - Seven aid workers were abducted by unknown gunmen in Raja town of South Sudan's Lol state on Sunday, officials said.

"The rebel's loyal to Riek Machar attacked four commercial trucks coming from Aweil near Mogayat in Raja, and at the same time there were two NGO vehicles coming from Raja," the state minister of information, Omar Isahaq told Sudan Tribune Monday.

The abducted aid workers, the minister said, were from HealthNet and Solidarity International.

“There are four aid workers from Solidarity International, and three aid workers from HealthNet. The rebels took the two vehicles belonging to the NGOs,” said Isahaq.

A dozen civilians were reportedly killed when the gunmen attacked four commercial vehicles near Mogayat area.

A South Sudanese rebel official separately admitted they abducted 15 people during the attack.

The rebel appointed governor of Lol state, Ayman Mohamed Ibrahim, claimed those abducted were South Sudan government soldiers and Sudanese rebels.

Nine aid workers were killed in South Sudan in November alone, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), said last week.

More than 90 aid workers, the UN said, have been killed in South Sudan ever since the conflict in South Sudan, which was caused by political differences, broke out in 2013.

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December 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese court Monday decided to postpone until Thursday a verdict in the trial of a Sudanese journalist accused of wearing indecent clothes.

Wini Omer (Facebook photo)

Wini Omer a journalist, human rights defender and 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow had been arrested charges of “indecent and immoral acts” before to be released on bail several hours later.

She was arrested on 10 December after attending the hearing of 24 women charged with indecency for wearing pants during a private women-only party.

After hearing the parties, the Judge decided to delay the ruling until next Thursday upon the request of the defence to hear three witnesses including the director of the Center For Training And Protection Of Women And Child's Rights (SEEMA) Nahid Jabrallah, and two other people who were present at the moment of Wini's arrest.

In her statements before the judge of Aldaym Court Kamal Ali al-Zaki, Wini denied the charges of indecent clothing stressing she is a "Muslim and she knows her religion well"
"What I wear is not an indecent dress, but a dress worn by all the girls on the public street." She further confirmed that her head was half covered at the moment of arrest.

In a video posted on the social media, Wini explained that the police officer who arrested her said he did not like the way she walked.

The U.S. embassy in Khartoum on Sunday said concerned by the arrest of the female journalist on a charge of indecent dress and recalled Khartoum commitment to protect basic freedoms after the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

The diplomatic mission further pointed to the visit of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan to Khartoum last November and his call for “concrete and demonstrable progress through better policies and improved laws” before to removal of remaining sanctions on Sudan including the State Sponsor of Terrorism designation.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The minerals minister said Sudan's revenue from gold is currently equal to oil revenues before the secession of South Sudan in July 2011.

Gold bullion blocks pictured at a gold refinery in Khartoum on 11 October 2012 (SUNA)

After the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, Sudan lost 75% of its oil production, the main source of state revenue and hard currency needed to pay for imports. Since the government focuses is efforts on gold mining to keep the economy afloat.

"Gold revenues are 1.5 trillion pounds which are equal to oil revenues before the secession of South Sudan," Sudanese Minerals Minister Hashim Ali Salem said in response to a parliamentary question on Monday.

There are two million gold miners in the country, he further estimated.

More than a million Sudanese work in the mining private sector, which produces the bulk of gold, but reliable data is still difficult to obtain.

The minister added that the country's production of gold from January to November 2017 amounted to 95.1 tons.

He complained that gold smuggling is not included in the smuggling law, pointing out that the low prices set by the Central Bank of Sudan encourage the smuggling of precious metal, particularly there is no local gold bourse, in addition to the proximity of mining areas from the country borders.

Sudan's gold production for 2016 was 93.4 tons and Sudan is the third largest African producer of gold after South Africa and Ghana. By 2018, the government to top the list of gold producing countries in Africa.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has confiscated copies of Al-Watan newspaper from the printing house in the early morning of Monday without providing an explanation.

Also, Al-Watan managing editor Abdel-Wahab Musa told Sudan Tribune the newspaper's chief editor Youssef Siraj was detained in the early hours of Monday and hasn't yet been released.

He said the newspaper administration has notified the chairman of the pro-government Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU) al-Sadiq al-Rizaigi and the Information Minister Ahmed Belal of Siraj's detention, saying they vowed to contact the competent authorities to resolve the issue.

Journalists working for Al-Watan said the news daily was likely seized for constantly publishing reports discussing the rising commodity prices and a high cost of living.

On Saturday, the newspaper carried headline saying: Bread and Fuel crisis in Wad Medani (capital of Gazira State), while on Sunday the headline said: High Prices and Fears of Diminishing Flour Quota.

Last month, Al-Watan along with Al-Tayyar, Al-Jarida and Akhir Lahaza newspapers were confiscated eight times by the NISS.

Press censorship was officially abolished in Sudan in 2009, but gradually the security services resumed the confiscation of newspapers since the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

Confiscation of printed copies is seen as an economic penalty on the press the security service decides when a newspaper publishes news or opinion articles criticising the government.

But sometimes the measure aims to prevent publication of statements or disclosure of information on sensitive issues.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (JUBA) - At least 30 people died in communal clashes that erupted in South Sudan's Tonj East county on Sunday, an official said.

The map of Warrap state in red

The attack reportedly left dozens injured while properties, including cows were either driven away, looted or structures burnt down.

Efforts are still underway to establish the actual cause of the fighting, which occurred in Marial Lou village, located north east of Tonj town, the administrative headquarters of Tonj state, the deputy governor of Tonj state, Manhiem Bol said.

Bol told Sudan Tribune that has been coordinating efforts to ensure that the security forces are dispatched to the scene of the incident and to ensure that the two communities that clashed are separated.

The deputy governor, who hails from the area, identified the feuding communities as hailing from Jal-wau and Ngaap-agok Counties.

“We are working hard with the traditional leadership, county commissioners and the national government to contain the situation. We are talking to both communities so that they stop fight and listen”, Bol said on Monday.

The official, with no clear information on actual numbers of casualties from the clash, said he expects a rise in numbers of those killed.

“Actually there is no clear information about the number of the people killed. But the information we are getting indicates some lives were lost, 35 people from both sides. This number could rise, it could increase because nobody has been able to reach where the fighting took place. People are just giving us figures of those they know to have been lost during the first. The youth involved in these unfortunate clashes are the ones giving us information”, he added.

With the help of other local officials, Bol said they hope to verify the situation after ensuring the situation has been brought under control and security forces have been dispatched to the scene to take charge.

Tonj is one of the areas in war-torn South Sudan that has been bogged down in constant communal feuds over pastures. Other key drivers for the inter-communal conflicts include competition for scarce resources, border disputes and political differences.

Meanwhile, the county governments in collaboration with the humanitarian partners are reportedly coordinating ongoing humanitarian interventions on the ground and its teams have identified critical needs across all sectors including food, health, shelter and non-food items, education, water, hygiene and sanitation and protection.

The clashes occurred after a joint peace conference, held this year, brought together governors from the Bahr el Ghazal region to discuss how to could come up with ideas and implementable action plans to resolve communal disputes. The conference, among other resolved that forceful disarmament be carried out among the civil population and that special courts to try suspects of violence be established.

Last week, President Salva Kiir declared a three-month state of emergency in Gok, Eastern Lakes and Western lakes states, where inter-communal clashes had intensified.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (JUBA) - The Intergovernmental Authority Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers has threatened to take punitive measures against spoilers of South Sudan's peace process.

The regional bloc, in a statement during Monday's launch of the revitalization forum, vowed to take necessary actions against individuals and groups that spoil or derail the revitalization process from progressing.

The five-day forum provides a unique opportunity to bring IGAD, regional and international parties together towards ending the conflict in South Sudan with the help of stakeholders on the negotiation table.

“In this regard, the Council [of ministers] calls upon the TGoNU [Transitional Government of National Unity], and all South Sudanese parties to focus on the higher goal of the national interest, and securing the future of the South Sudan,” the statement reads in part.

The Council, however, noted with deep regret that in spite of the continuing efforts by the East African regional bloc, the African Union and the United Nations as well as the contributions from the other international partners, the peace in South Sudan remains elusive.

Only a full and timely implementation of the peace agreement and effective enforcement mechanism will deliver a comprehensive and lasting solution to the South Sudan crisis, further stressed the Council.

LEADERS SPEAK OUT

The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, said during the opening session of the revitalization forum on Monday that the two South Sudanese warring factions should leave their differences aside.

Desalegn, also the IGAD Council of Ministers chairperson, who urged the South Sudanese warring parties to do their part for the peace and stability of the war-torn nation, stressed that the five-day forum in Addis Ababa provided the last opportunity to ensure peace in South Sudan.

He warned IGAD will take necessary actions if current peace efforts fail.

The African Union chairperson, Moussa Faki said there have been many opportunities to put an end to this tragedy over the last four years, citing the peace agreement that was signed in August 2015.

“But these opportunities have never been seized. And the reasons are as simple as they are distressing,” said Faki.

The AU chief, speaking at the forum launch, also blames South Sudan's woes on the “failed” political will from the country's leaders.

“You [South Sudan leaders] must realize the second and final phase of the fight for freedom that the SPLM [South Sudan ruling party] was, at other times, carrying, by acting in a way that respects the right to life, the aspiration to the well-being of your compatriots,” said Faki.

He also said too much time had been lost and the urgency is great.

“You cannot leave this forum without solemnly and sincerely committing to an immediate end to violence and building on such a foundation to accelerate the journey towards peace and reconciliation,” stressed the AU chief on Monday.

The Troika (Norway, United States and Britain) described the revitalization forum as a "new chapter" in the quest for peace in the war-torn East African nation.

"All parties must engage sincerely and make concessions in the national interest; otherwise, the conflict and suffering will continue," the Troika said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the IGAD council of minister, during its 59th extra-ordinary session, also emphasized that IGAD member states have followed with concern the continuation of the senseless violence in South Sudan, which is inflicting enormous pain and suffering on the South Sudanese people, and has resulted in massive displacement of the population, a dire humanitarian situation, and the devastation of the economy unprecedented in the history of South Sudan.

Violence broke out in South Sudan in December 2013 after a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar saw a split within the ruling party (SPLM). The 2015 peace agreement, which temporarily ended the war and saw a coalition government formed, collapsed in July 2016 as renewed violence forced Machar out of the capital, Juba.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The United States embassy in Khartoum on Monday has condemned the statements by the head of the information committee at the Sudanese parliament, Al-Tayyib Mustafa, in which he criticized a visiting American jazz trio describing his remarks as “incendiary”.

Al-Tayeb Mustafa, chief of the Just Peace Forum (JPF) party (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Mustafa, who is the maternal uncle of the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and publisher of Al-Saiha newspaper, wrote an article on Tuesday refusing the visit of the American jazz band.

He described the United States as the “evil of the age”, warning Washington against “playing with fire”.

The Sudanese MP also said the jazz trio should be worried about their safety especially after the U.S. administration decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, pointing to the murder of a U.S. diplomat in Khartoum ten years ago.

“The expressions of Mr Mustafa were deliberately designed to incite hatred and promote violence towards the United States, its government and its people,” said the U.S. embassy in a statement on Monday

“In particular, Mr Mustafa's reference to the murder of U.S. diplomat John Granville by terrorists 10 years ago was deeply irresponsible for an official of the Sudanese government, which is responsible for the safety of foreign diplomats under the Vienna Conventions,” it added

John Granville, an employee from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and his Sudanese driver Abdel-Rahman Abbas Rahma were shot dead on 2008 New Years Eve by men belonging to an Islamic militant group Ansar al-Tawhid which claimed responsibility for the killing.

Granville was the first American to be killed in Sudan since 1973 when two diplomats were slain by Palestinian militants.

The Embassy pointed out that the U.S. “celebrates freedom of speech, both in our country and around the world”, saying “we believe that freedom of speech in Sudan is essential for society to fully develop democratically and is a fundamental right for all humankind”.

“We support Mr Mustafa's right to express his views on Jerusalem and on U.S. foreign policy in general, even if we do not agree with the substance of his views” read the statement

“But, vague threats against innocent American citizens, here for the sole purpose of expanding cultural people-to-people ties, are unacceptable and should be condemned by all” it added

It is noteworthy that the Embassy, in collaboration with the Sudanese American Friendship Association, has invited an American Classical Jazz trio to Sudan to perform in various concerts in Khartoum, Port Sudan, Karmakol and Jebel Berkel.

In Khartoum, the free outdoor event had to take place last week at the Green Yard to allow the maximum of people to attend it.

However, the Embassy reviewed its plans and decided to hold it in a concert room and under tightened security measures including an invitation list for those who will attend.

Following the recent recognition by President Donald Trump of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the Embassy called on the U.S. nationals in Sudan to review their personal security plans and to remain aware of their surroundings.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The “National Initiative of the Youth Around the President” will hold a news conference to announce the formation of a committee to support the re-nomination of President Omer al-Bashir for a third term, said the official news agency SUNA.

According to the official agency, the committee entitled: The Higher Committee to Give Bay'ah (declaring allegiance) to President al-Bashir in 2020 elections would be announced during a press conference at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Shura (consultative) Council in the White Nile State on Monday have declared support for the re-election of President al-Bashir for a new term.

The announcement came during the sixth meeting of the council in the presence of the White Nile State governor Abdel-Hamid Musa Kasha and the secretary of organizational communications at the NCP national Shura Council.

According to the council, the re-nomination of al-Bashir in 2020 elections would provide the required guarantee to implement the National Dialogue outcome.

On Thursday, the ruling NCP delayed indefinitely the meeting of the national Shura Council which was expected to discuss among other issues the party presidential nominee in the 2020 elections.

On the other hand, the former Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Bakhit Adam Dabago said it would launch a national campaign to re-elect al-Bashir for a new term.

The pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) has quoted Dabago as saying they are making contacts with their base and the political and societal forces to form a broad front to support al-Bashir re-election.

“President al-Bashir holds the hopes and aspirations of the Sudanese people and he has proven during the process of national dialogue to be a non-partisan and president for all [Sudanese]” said Dabago according to SMC

Al-Bashir's term ends in 2020 and he couldn't run for office again according to the constitution. However, some voices within the NCP and the government have recently called for amending the constitution to allow him to run for the presidency again.

Last month, NCP leading figure and Presidential Envoy for Diplomatic Contact and Negotiation for Darfur Amin Hassan Omer told Sudan Tribune that al-Bashir wouldn't submit to the calls for his reelection, saying the latter seeks to strengthen the national unity and build the NCP and its new leadership.

Al-Bashir who came to power through a coup d'état in June 1989 will have ruled Sudan for 31 years by the year 2020.

In March 2012, al-Bashir said he wouldn't seek his re-election in April 2015 but he ran and won in an election that was boycotted by the major opposition parties.

Also, in August 2016, he said “I'm not a dictator and I don't want to cling to power. I won't run for another term, my term will end by 2020 and I won't be able to run again according to the constitution and the constitution won't be amended”.

On Sunday, the Popular Congress Party (PCP) has distanced itself from a document alluding to the support of the political parties participating in the government to al-Bashir's reelection.

(ST)

December 18, 2017 (JUBA)- The South Sudanese army has retaken full control of the areas in Yei River State previously held by the armed opposition forces under the overall leadership and command of the former First Vice President, Riek Machar.

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

The commander of the government troops in Yei, Col Malong Agat told Sudan Tribune on Monday their forces have regained control of Mitika and Lasu after forcing the opposition to withdraw.

“All these areas are our under control and the security situation is calm. There was no fighting and so we don't have casualties to report. They did not stay in town when our forces enter. There was no resistance. It was an entry without exchange of gunfire,” said Agat.

Yei River State which is close to the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, witnessed fierce fightings as the two warring parties launched attacks and counterattacks several times this year.

Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO Deputy Military Spokesperson also confirmed in a statement that government forces launched an offensive towards Lasu in Yei River State capturing Mitika at night. The government forces, according to Gabriel, also entered Lasu area where civilians reside and embarked on destroying properties and raping women they captured.

“Early this morning, the enemy forces went straight to the SPLA-IO base in Lasu and took full control of it after our forces were advised to withdraw to avoid more civilian casualties”, said the opposition spokesman in a statement released on Monday following the takeover.

The opposition spokesman also admitted that their forces ambushed a convoy allegedly carrying Sudanese fighters from Darfur region members of rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) under the command of Brig. Gen Abdel Rahman Arbab in Mangayat.

These foreign forces, he claimed, were taking weapons and ammunition from Wau to Raja to help Governor Rizik Zachariah to attack their bases as part of the government campaign to widen their areas of control during this dry season.

“The SPLA-IO forces destroyed two (2) government trucks and captured one killing 35 government soldiers combined with JEM militias and injuring several. The SPLA-IO forces also rescued four humanitarian staffs whose identities and organization are yet to be established; being used as shields by the government in the transportation of this military hardware. They are currently safe and sound with our forces around Raja and will be handed over to the concern third party as soon as possible”, the statement reads.

The rebel group said all these attacks coincide with the IGAD-brokered high-level revitalization forum which started Monday in Addis Ababa to ensure the full implementation of a peace agreement signed in August 2015.

“It makes one wonders if the government really means peace or war. The SPLA IO, therefore, calls upon the IGAD, TROIKA and the World to take note of all these acts of aggression and provocation and we should not be blamed for retaliating,” said Gabriel in a statement.

(ST)

Welcoming the launch of a national policy for young people in Somalia, the United Nations Youth Envoy expressed hope that with the new policy, young Somalis will be able to contribute to peacebuilding efforts in the country.

By James Nguen

This brief excerpt discusses the Juba Nuer Massacre and other Massacres like it. Juba Nuer Massacre is by far one of the deadliest, most notable and tragic ever in South Sudan history and in African's context. Juba Nuer Massacre is the most noxious in term of human cost and it has dealt a profound impact on the lives of all South Sudanese both the victims and villains – the penetrators.

Today marked the 4th year when innocent Nuer civilians were murdered innocently in cold-blood on 15 of December 2013 by the Government of South Sudan. Members of the Nuer Community were murdered in their thousands in their houses, on the streets and hotel rooms simply because they were Nuer.

Thus marked December 15th, 2013 as one of the prime testimony when the sense of humanity and one citizenry were besmirched by men who call the shots in South Sudan, particularly the president. By all accounts, President Salva Kiir was ill-advised and prompted to commit a callous mass murder of 20, 000 innocent Nuer civilians based on their ethnicity. Four years on, nobody in his/her right mind would deny that members of the Nuer Community were targeted and summarily executed in their thousands by the State. The mass murder of innocent civilians Nuer was planned and directed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit himself.

Independent investigation reports such as the African Union Peace and Security Commission, led by former Nigeria H. E. Olusegun Obasanjo confirmed that Juba Nuer Massacre was a “state policy”. It was simply put as a State-sponsored massacre against one ethnic group, the Nuer by the State.

This narrative was also collaborated by Right Groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, United Nations Security Council, and above all, through the way in which the mass murder was executed. For example, members of Nuer Community were searched from house to house, identified and executed.

Other security reports also showed another disturbing detail on how innocent Nuer civilians were round up and savagely murdered in cold-blood. These reports indicated that Juba was divided up into four quadrants –called killing zones. Each killing zone was assigned to one of Salva Kiir Mayardit's lieutenant with specific instructions.

The instruction was to search, identify and execute the Nuer. Without any doubt, this specific instruction was effected with remarkable precision and debilitating effects on the victims. In four (4) days, Salva Kiir Mayardit and his lieutenants were able to kill 20, 000 Nuer civilians and sent thousands of thousands to the United Nations' Protection of Civilians (POC) bases in the capital, Juba.

By any major, this marked the Juba Nuer Massacre by far one of the rarest and unique state planned genocide in African historical context. As such, I would like to remind my readers that this is not the first time members of the Nuer Community were targeted, round up and murdered in cold-blood by a supposedly legal authority in Sudan, particularly in Southern Sudan.

In 1985, Gajaak Nuer were mass massacred by the Sudan People Liberation Movement and Army (SPLM/A) led late Colonel Dr John Garang de Mabior. Thousands of Gajaak Nuer civilians were killed following a similar merciless lust to kill or taking a human life at will without any ground as in 2013. Evident showed that Gajaak Nuer were massacred in their thousands in their huts, farmlands and cattle camps without any alleged crime committed.

In 1993, three thousand (3, 000) innocent Gawaar Nuer civilians, women and children were put ablaze alive in Ayod, South Sudan by the same SPLM/A under late Col. Dr John Garang. To put this into perspective, the men who commanded and executed this mass killing were Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, the current Minister of Defence in the Republic of South Sudan and Gen. Pieng Deng Majok, the current General Inspector of the Police also in the Republic of South Sudan. In this context, people may only recall and remember the iconic picture taken by South African photographer/journalist, Kevin Carter of a child being plunge by a vulture while starving.

It's good to stress that these mass murders against innocent Nuer civilians were committed by personalities from one community and this speaks volume in term of tribal body politics in South Sudan. However, the notable difference between these massacres such as the Gajaak Nuer Massacre in 1985, Ayod Gawaar Massacre in 1993 and the Juba Nuer Massacre in 2013 is the fact that South Sudan was not a sovereign state both in 1985 and 1993.

Also, even though the Gajaak Nuer and the Ayod Gawaar Nuer Massacres were so bloody, so nasty and as brutal as Juba Nuer Massacre in 2013, members of the Nuer Community were not fed with their dead relatives' flesh in 1985 and 1993. Similarly, Nuer boys were never castrated and left for dead as in 2013. And more importantly, the SPLA's soldiers were instructed to rape Nuer females, young or old and soldiers not instructed to set up rape camps in lieu of their rations as it was in 2013.

The other fundamental difference that ought to be mention in both instances is the style of leadership during these massacres. In fact, late Dr John Garang never ascribed to any tribal inclination both in 1985 and 1993 as opposed to Salva Kiir in 2013. So much so, Dr Garang did not on any occasion had a slipped of a tongue fanaticizing the Dinka X and Nuer, Y as opposed to Salva Kiir in 2013.

As a matter of fact, President Salva Kiir has openly accepted that Nuer civilians were targeted and he was in charge. Finally, in this regard and to late Dr John Garang's credit, Garang maintained the composer and stature of being a national leader even though he was just a mere rebel leader under big trees in the bush.

Subsequently, this brings me back today memorial, December 15thn 2017. Across the globe, members of South Sudan communities are commemorating Juba Nuer Massacre and other Massacres like it. Thus, it's imperative to underline that this massive loss of lives and notable absence sense of nationhood and nationalism were perfected and promoted by Salva Kiir.

Salva Kiir's mindless act in 2013 is to blame, Salva Kiir has destroyed South Sudanese' social fabrics. South Sudanese no longer see themselves as one people and whose relations were cemented by the blood of their martyrs who died during the 21 years' war of liberation.

As a consequence, survival of fetish took a centre stage and became a mode of ensuring the existence and to prevent the extermination of one ethnic group by the State. In this regard, the Nuer -the victim community took upon themselves to rescue themselves from premediate ethnic cleansing. Young men and women across Nuerland were forced to take arms and took to the bush to fight and die with dignity.

With these contradictions, South Sudan ceased to be a stable nation but a failed state. As such, our sense of nationalism evaporated and lost in the mix. The pride of nationhood for which many of my colleagues and I fought for in the bush for 21 years is thrown overboard. Instead, criminal organizations such as the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) took the centre stage and in the driver seat, perfecting their selfish interests in the name of the Dinka community. This has landed us to the abyss.

However, leading up to today commemoration, I saw some sense in the youth of South Sudan. This time around, I noted with a keen focus that youth and learned young men from other communities, particularly from the Dinka Community came out and acknowledged the mass killing of members of Nuer community in Juba by the state. This is a positive sign and right spirited in the right direction.

As such, I like to mention that Dinka as a community did not partake in the planning and execution of the Nuer civilians. Few brainwashed youth from Barh El Ghazal region were used. But, it's sensible to mention that Dinka community name was also used as a pretext by Dinka selfish politicians. Majority of the Dinka were dumbfounded by the magnitude of the crimes committed by their own sons against Nuer. The speed at which the massacre occurred traumatized many Dinka. As a result, they and didn't know how to respond.

Now, the truth has been laid bare that President Salva Kiir is responsible for killing 20, 000 Nuer civilians. That the mass murder of the Nuer caused the current civil war in the country. To this effect, I like to stress that we need to seize the opportunity by continuing acknowledging the truth before it's too late.

Also, I like to urge all South Sudanese to not accept any peace agreement that does not include justice and accountability. Failure to hold those responsible for the crimes committed in South Sudan is a receipt to future revenge and possible scramble and partition of South Sudan.

J. Nguen is a South Sudanese advocate, analyst and political commentator. He can be reached at jamesnguen@gmail.com.

Beny Gideon Mabor, Esq

Following the conduct of consultative meetings by the East African regional bloc-the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD-High Level Revitalization Forum on South Sudan (HLRF) with South Sudanese parties to the conflict and other stakeholders in October 2017, the timetable was designed by the IGAD Council of Ministers and Office of the Special Envoy in a manner that depicts lack of Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU) at its seat in Juba. By default or deliberate arrangement, the mapping of parties and stakeholders only recognizes the existence of parties and other stakeholders without a political entity called the government. This approach at the outset, made some components of TGONU to view the HLRF as high-loaded machinery coupled with geopolitical competition on South Sudan to achieve their respective interests.

In response to the design of the consultative timetable, the two components of the TGONU, which are SPLM-IO under First Vice President General Taban Deng, and coalition of Parties of National Agenda under Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr Martin Elia, met on date 6th October 2017 and issued press statement maintaining their position that the regret the design of the consultative timetable which did not recognize existence of the transitional government, however, remains committed to the HLRF peace process but ready to consult with IGAD Council of Ministers as transitional government but not parties as it appears in the timetable.

On the other hand, another component of the TGONU-the Former Political Detainees (FDs) also issued counter-claim press statement dated 7th October 2017 that FDs are ready to consult with IGAD Council of Ministers as a separate party but not part of the transitional government. The latter move by the FDs seemingly confirmed the doubt by the government and other quarter of opinions about HLRF end game and why FDs who are formally part of the TGONU denied being part of consultation as a government but chooses to remain as individual political representation. In light of the two contradictory political statements, it has confirmed bad faith politics by parties to the conflict where the components of TGONU are now going to attend the launching of the HLRF on 18-22 December 2017 with diverse opinions. In other words, the HLRF from the word go is characterized by lack of consensus within the transitional government leave alone other estrange groups who have different views and expected outcome altogether.

The second challenge that will face the HLRF is lack of inclusive understanding of the revitalization of the peace agreement by the parties themselves. Each party views revitalization in a favourable definition and stand by that interpretation. According to a policy brief published by Meressa K. Dessu of the Institute for Security Studies dated 8th December 2017, he noted that the SPLM in Government says the revitalization is the same as what the government is trying to implement now; while the faction of SPLM/A-IO under General Taban Deng argues that the revitalization is meant for the implementation of the agreement on the resolution of conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS); and thirdly the faction of the SPLM/A-IO – led by Riek Machar – denied the two versions of the revitalization and views HLRF process as a complete rebooting and renegotiating a total new peace agreement that must incorporate all the newly emerged rebel groups. At the international level, President Festus Mogae, Chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation commission (JMEC) a body tasked by the IGAD Heads of State and government to overseeing the implementation of the peace agreement, called for the revitalization process “to address the current political realities in South Sudan and seek ways in which key actors can be identified and engaged or re-engaged”. This complex understanding of the HLRF process has furthermore confirmed bad faith politics and already marks the very unpredictable beginning of the search for peace in South Sudan.

At the multilateral organizational level, the HLRF according to IGAD's perspective has three key objectives namely: cessation of hostilities and a permanent ceasefire; return to the full implementation of the peace agreement, and finally developing a realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards a democratic election at the end of the transition period”. Reading between the lines about revitalization of the peace agreement, the IGAD definition is neither renegotiation of a new peace deal nor implementation of the existing peace agreement, but they are doing what is known as strategic ambiguity in the context of conflict resolution which refers to purposely being vague to drive personal or organizational benefit out of confusion. In this case, such benefit, if any, will not be of interests to either of any party to the conflict or South Sudanese as the may case be, but a different one.

The third challenge is a growing mistrust and seemingly withdrawal of confidence from the IGAD leadership and its capacity and neutral role in the mediation of the armed conflict in South Sudan and the sub-region. So far, some utterances confirmed the government saying that IGAD is being used by the Troika powers to impose their interests on the country. On the other hand, Dr Riek Machar repeatedly accused IGAD of supporting only the government – by isolating him in South Africa while some section of the civil society organizations including recently formed South Sudan Young Leaders Forum (SSYLF) challenge the credibility of IGAD by saying what is different this time around compared to the previous peace process under IGAD that brought an imposed peace agreement (ARCSS 2015) that did not last long? All these doubts made some parties and stakeholders to disregard the principle of subsidiarity between the IGAD and the African Union by seeking the latter to help or even take over the mediation role. As the saying goes, if you cannot win the game, then change the table is now the forum-shopping to address this multidisciplinary approach to peace.

The last challenge is the lack of framing of expectations that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART) objectives to guide the parties and the stakeholders. Five months so far elapsed since the creation of the HLRF on the 12 of June 2017 and yet neither IGAD member states nor friends of IGAD including Trokia countries and the five countries of the African Union High-level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan have clearly show minimum expectations of the HLRF on South Sudan. Although the IGAD and the international community cannot fully predict the outcome of the HLRF, on the other hand, IGAD cannot know if the HLRF has failed or succeeded if its success cannot be defined at the outset.

Pitfalls of the ARCSS and lessons learnt
The previous peace process was founded on the wrong path. First, the (ARCSS) is a power-sharing formula and not a problem-solving formula. In most cases, a negotiated political settlement is a compromise agreement of the parties' interests but not a process that develops appropriate and sustainable solutions to the complex problems that any country engulfed by a civil war is facing. History of conflict resolution shown that a properly negotiated political settlement requires an understanding of the root causes of the conflict at all levels, who are the drivers, what forced the drivers of conflict into violence and how it can be resolved. All these steps were not taken into consideration.

The second pitfall was lack of space for South Sudanese to discuss their issues that caused the violence. Parties were given already design agenda on a take it or leave it basis, in accordance with the interest of those who design the agenda while the last bad experience was that the peace agreement is based on unrealistic assumptions with the hope that the warring parties shall show leadership to implement the peace agreement. As widely seen by all parties and stakeholders including quarters of the international community at the time, the design of power sharing and security arrangements for Juba made the living condition very difficult, the result of which was fighting on 8th July 2016 at the Presidential Palace (J1) between forces loyal to SPLM in Government led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit versus forces loyal to the then First Vice President Dr Riek Machar. The war has now spillover to the different parts of the country. As the same parties, stakeholders and the international community are back to the negotiating table to fix where they have gone wrong, you must not repeat the same mistake.

As alluded to earlier by Dr James Okuk, I fully agree with his analysis that the “warring parties and other stakeholders should seize the opportunity as the unavoidable last chance for sustainable peace”. Otherwise failure to end violence at the HLRF, the regional and international community will be left with no choice but to serve South Sudan with the death certificate of the peace agreement, however, followed by subsequent punitive measures that will much more exacerbate the lives of ordinary South Sudanese private men and women. In a similar note, an expert opinion on South Sudan published by Ahmed Soliman and Ally Verjee at the Chatham House provided a political diagnosis that “failure of the HLRF will undermine any remaining confidence in South Sudan's ability to peacefully resolve the political differences that drive grievances, displacement, and economic decline.

Concluding remarks and recommendation
The HLRF is a timely opportunity for South Sudanese to bring about much needed peace in South Sudan. After such a horrific level of destruction of lives and properties, South Sudan need a real peace which is beyond power-sharingaring deal, beyond absence of guns shots or other forms of violence but a creation of socio-economic and political atmosphere for competitive politics and where each person rights and dignity are upheld. Therefore, what is needed to arrive at this stage? And the answer lies with the degree to which South Sudanese parties and stakeholders particularly political elites will make use of this last chance and avoid losing it.

In summary, the peaceful resolution of the South Sudan armed conflict is in the hands of collective responsible political leadership and citizenry that can address the demands of its people. South Sudanese political leaders and South Sudanese, in general, do not need to mess up the country and wait to be invited to foreign capitals to be lectured by foreigners about their own grievances and how to solve it. It is the stupid idea. In conclusion, South Sudanese are the masters of the ongoing armed conflict and they should be the right masters to bring to an end the same conflict. While in worst case scenario in the context of HLRF if it fails to bring peace, then South Sudanese and friends of South Sudan will be left with no option but to demand exclusion of the principle of subsidiarity and transfer the South Sudan case file to the African Union for the final solution.

Beny Gideon Mabor is a South Sudanese Private Attorney & a Human Rights Defender. His research interests are politics, governance and human rights. He is reachable on benygmabor@gmail.com

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