Africa

In our series of letters from African journalists, veteran Ghanaian journalist Elizabeth Ohene reflects on why in Ghana a person's age is not etched in stone.

May 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Blue Nile Liberation Council (BNLC), a regional body for the SPLM-North in the Blue Nile state, has confirmed its loyalty to the leadership of the group says a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday.

"The BCLC affirms its loyalty to the leadership of the SPLM, consisting of its Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General, who are a source of inspiration, and pride in their long years of revolutionary struggle," said a statement cosigned by 34 members of the regional body.

The called to hold government agents and mouthpieces to account and punish them for spreading false lies through the media outlets usurping the name of the Council or any of the movement's institutions.

Last April, was circulated a false statement attributed to the Blue Nile Liberation Council claiming the dissolution of the leadership council and the freezing of negotiations with the government. It also called to hold a meeting for the council in Yabous area within 60 days.

The move follows a rift led by the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council which on 25 March decided to sack the SPLM-N Secretary General who is also the chief negotiator and suspended the negotiations with the government.

The decision of the Nuba Mountains body followed the resignation of the SPLM-N deputy chairman Abel Aziz al-Hilu who accused Arman of disregarding his demand to include the self-determination in the agenda of peace negotiations.

(ST)

By Steve Paterno

Admittedly, revenge or the act of it is inherently human in nature. The human beings since biblical times could not dissuade from the proverbial practice of an 'eye for an eye.' Even the most advanced civilisation of the day still practices the same. For example, if a Palestinian boy hit an Israeli soldier with a rock, not a rocket, you bet, tanks will roll and the entire neighbourhood will be bulldozed a ground in an act of vengeance. In the same vein, if you mess with America, cruise missiles and all sort of bombs, even the ‘mother of all bombs' will fly your way. The Americans euphemism for revenge is rather a fancy phrase known as ‘retaliatory response.' The Americans can beat their chests hard and then invoke the phrase, without displaying any sense of barbarism or remorse. Just ask those of Maumar Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, Bashar al-Assad, Osama Bin-Laden, and the rest of them, for they know it too well as to what that means.

As much as humans are naturally prompt to vengeance, they are also at the same time attracted to righteousness, a genuine act of just being good for its sake. Therefore, the human being is capable of both evil and good but does not want to live either to the extreme. Hence, they tend to strike the balance. For sure, the Israelis, with their powerful weaponry can cause much more damage to the Palestinians and the Americans can also do the same to their enemies, but yet they never go all out. With the kind of the stockpiles of nuclear weapons today being possessed in the world, if put into use, it is not an exaggeration to say that humanity will be extinct in a blink of an eye. However, those with such powers are exercising them in a measured way, proportional to the perceived crimes. This is to say in other words that by nature, they exercise self-control and that is when humanity is at its best, once they exercise self-control.

Nevertheless, when it comes to South Sudan, a country full of conflicting cultures—a country trying to forge a common destiny, the act of revenge is taken totally to a tragic level. Take for example the current escalation of violence between the two communities of Bor and Murle. The conflict between these two neighbourly communities is of course time immemorable, even though presently, it increases in intensity, due to plentiful of deadly modern weaponry systems. This, however, not also to say that there have never been times of tranquillity between these communities. Theirs, just like other communities in South Sudan, is a vicious cycle of violence, which is reoccurring for generations, but made worst under the current modern system.

The cycle always starts with peace and tranquillity. In such times of peace and tranquillity, a few stubborn and spoiler youths will go on a raid to the neighbour. The neighbour of course by nature will retaliate. This will follow with counter-retaliations until the next peaceful settlement is reached, which will mark a full vicious cycle of violence and peace. The tragedy of it all, during this cycle, the damages caused can never be recovered.

This cycle is happening in a vacuum, where there is no third party and that third party under current circumstance is the government security apparatus. Unfortunately, those from the warring communities who are serving in the government and are supposed to be responsible as a third party, pitifully, abandon their public service duties and are jumping into the fray. They further exacerbate the already worsening crisis. Just imagine a scenario where both Michael Makuie and David Yau Yau are given nuclear codes, with options of wiping each community out. Then, you guess the rest.

Anyway, since this is a pattern, that keeps reoccurring, and often starts with peace and tranquillity, is it then not possible to stop this cycle within the period of peace by preventing it from further escalations into violence???

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at stevepaterno@yahoo.com

May 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBoS) on Thursday reported that inflation has inched up to 34,81 in April from 34,68 % in March.

A vendor sells vegetables during Ramadan at a local market in north Khartoum August 3, 2012 (REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

According to the CBoS monthly bulletin, the consumer price index in April reached 737.98 points, up 14.90 points from March while the general food and beverage price index rose by 26.06 points in April.

It pointed out that the price index for goods and services continues to increase monthly, saying the highest price rise was registered in November 2016 due to the economic measures applied by the government.

The CBoS added that the food and beverage group contributed to the overall price rise by % 1.91, while the other 11 goods and service groups contributed % 0.16, saying the general price index in the rural areas has increased by 17,88 points.

In November 2016, the government lifted fuel, electricity and drug subsidy for the third time since 2011 in a bid to stop the surge in inflation and control the fall of Sudanese pound in the black market.

Also, Central Bank of Sudan introduced an incentive policy, increasing the exchange rate in commercial banks by 131%. As a result, the U.S. dollar exchange rate went up in banks to 15.8 SDG from the official rate of 6.5 SDG.

Projected deficit in Sudan's 2017 budget is estimated at 2,1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to 1,6% in 2016.

According to the budget, the growth rate would decline from 6,4% in 2016 to 5,3% and the targeted average inflation rate is 17%.

Prices and services have soared in Sudan since South Sudan seceded in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil output, the main source of foreign currency used to support the Sudanese pound.

The Sudanese pound has lost 100% of its value since South Sudan's secession, pushing inflation rates to record levels given that country imports most of its food.
Ordinary citizens continue to complain from cost of living increases that impaired their access to basic commodities.

(ST)

May 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Around 20,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan's border areas during a week, fleeing the surge of violence in the Upper Nile region, said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said.

"Nearly 20,000 South Sudanese refugees are reported to have fled across the border into Sudan between 29 April and 6 May, arriving in White Nile and South Kordofan," the UNHCR said in a flash update issued on

The report further pointed that around 1300 people arrived in the White Nile per day from the Shilluk area through Joda and Meganis in the Upper Nile. It further indicated four other entry points via the South Kordofan: Gedeid, Qurayd, Sirijiya and Abu Jabaiha.

This recent wave of refugees comes after intense fighting near Kodok and Tonga in Upper Nile state of South Sudan. It is also triggered by the deteriorating humanitarian situations due to rising needs and security concerns in areas.

Humanitarian groups point that may South Sudanese are stranded along the border because they cannot afford onward transportation.

"Refugees have reported that their transportation into Sudan costs up to 1,000 SDG (150 USD), which has left many refugees unable to pay and stranded near the border at Renk, South Sudan, or forced to embark on a 4 to 7 day journey by foot," the Update says.

Aid workers say that between 35,000 and 50,000 internally displaced people may try to cross into the Sudan before the rainy season which may limit their movement.

"Given the higher than anticipated arrival figures, UNHCR and inter-agency partners are now anticipating up to 180,000 new refugee arrivals into Sudan by the end of 2017," said UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)-Sudan in its bimonthly bulletin.

The UNHCR estimates the total number of South Sudanese who sought shelter in Sudan since December 2013 stands at over 375,000 refugees.

(ST)

May 12, 2017 (JUBA) – On Friday, two South Sudanese protesters against the Peace Committee headed by First Vice President Taban Deng were detained in Bor by national security agents.

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

According to Jonglei Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (JIPDD), Deng Anyang Ngong and Geu Akau have been detained by the police.

JIPDD is a civil society group in Bor.

Deng was detained on Thursday and held without charges. A relative who visited him on Friday said the police promised to release him after an investigation was conducted.

"The police said they are still doing investigations to know who organised the demonstrations," said a cousin who visited Deng in Bor on Friday.

Jonglei State police declined to comment on the arrests.

Governor of Jonglei, Philip Aguer confirmed that his government wants to question the protesters.

"We want them to explain why they were chanting Viva. That is a slogan of people who are not here," he said by phone from Bor, referring to SPLM in Opposition slogan.

However, Aguer said he did not get information on their arrest, referring any further questions to Jonglei State's legal office.

One of the leaders of the protest who has remained in hiding in Bor denied changing any political slogan during the protest on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We have uploaded the video and the audio as well as photos on social media and there is no single political slogan. We are condemning the peace initiative of First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, as Bor Youth, when our children and cattle have not been returned from Murle," he said.

The youth protested during the meeting between Gai and local chiefs aiming to end the ongoing clashes between Bor and Murle youths in Boma State, east of former Jonglei State.

(ST)

May 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese and Egyptian foreign ministries Thursday said they agreed on measures to regulate the issuance of entry visa and establish principles of strategic cooperation between Khartoum and Cairo.

Sudan's FM Ibrahim Ghandour (L) meets with his Egyptian counterpart Samih Shoukri in Cairo on January 9, 2016 (Photo released by the Sudanese FM)

In a joint statement following an emergency meeting of the Sudanese-Egyptian consular committee in Cairo, the two sides said they agreed to issue a free six-month visa renewable for a similar period for holders of regular passports.

They also agreed to exempt girls below 16 years old and women above 50 years from entry visa. The decision also included nationals of both nations residing in the Arab Gulf states, United States, Canada, Australia and Europe provided they have valid residency and exit and entry visas from these countries.

According to the statement, Sudanese living in Egypt prior to 1995 will be treated as an Egyptian citizen.

Also, the Egyptian foreign ministry said it was decided to exempt the Sudanese from registration procedures, visa and residency fees. The Sudanese side decided to apply the same measures on the Egyptians.

Furthermore, the two sides agreed to continue to exempt holders of diplomatic passports from entry visa.

The statement pointed out the two sides discussed ways to ease movement of Egyptian trucks heading to Sudan via the joint border crossing points, saying the Sudanese side underscored readiness to provide the necessary means to facilitate entry of these trucks.

Tensions between Khartoum and Cairo have escalated following the former's decision to restrict imports of Egyptian farming products which was reciprocated by Cairo's decision to raise residency fees for Sudanese living in Egypt.

Last month, Sudan issued a decision requiring Egyptian nationals seeking to enter its territory to obtain entry visas, saying the measure comes within the framework of the periodic review and evaluation to regulate and control entry to Sudan.

On 25 April, the Egyptian authorities denied entry and deported journalist Iman Kamal al-Din from Al-Sudani newspaper just 24 hours after a similar move against journalist Al-Tahir Satti of Al-Intibaha daily.

Also, Sudan indicated that it would take some measures to end the Egyptian presence in the disputed area of Halayeb triangle after some Egyptian media outlets launched a campaign ridiculing Sudan's cultural monuments.

(ST)

May 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese police on Thursday have released a social media activist who was arrested on charges of apostasy after he attempted to have his religion changed on official documents.

police stands outside the courthouse in Khartoum 2007

On Monday, police in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman detained Mohamed Salih (aka Baron), 23 years old, for requesting a court judge to change the religion section of his national identification card from Muslim to “non-religious”.

However, the judge on Thursday abruptly issued a decision dismissing the case and ordering the release of Salih, saying the defendant has been examined by a psychiatric and it was determined that he is mentally incompetent to stand trial.

In Sudan, the crime of apostasy carries the death penalty under article (126) of the 1991 Criminal Code.

Meanwhile, in a statement seen by Sudan Tribune Friday, the defence team rejected the court decision, saying “the right to claim mental illness is reserved only to the defendant or his legal representative and neither the defence team nor the defendant have asked the court to present him to a psychiatric”.

“Moreover, any mental illness can't be verified until after the defendant is presented to a medical committee at a psychiatric hospital,” further said the statement.

It is noteworthy that the prosecution office on Thursday morning requested to have the investigation minutes and the defendant transferred to meet the prosecutor at noon. The defendant was then seen by a psychiatric inside the justice ministry and the charges have been dropped according to the doctors' report.

The prosecution said:“the defendant suffers from psychological disorders and is incompetent for criminal accountability according to article 8 of the Criminal Code”.

“Therefore, the prosecution decided to cancel the criminal charges against the defendant and immediately release him and hands him over to his family for follow-up treatment with the psychiatrist,” added the statement.

The defence team further stressed “the inclusion of article (126) in the Criminal Code violates the right to freedom of religion and belief set forth in article (28) of the constitution and the international and regional human rights conventions and charters ratified by the government of the Sudan, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples”.

In 2014, a court in Khartoum sentenced a pregnant 27-year-old, Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, to death for apostasy and 100 lashes for adultery. However, following intense international pressure, she was released after months in prison.

(ST)

May 12, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Friday accused the former chief of armed forces of failing to hand over office peacefully and being antagonistic in a telephone conversation after his hurried departure from Juba three days ago.

Speaking at a news conference held at the presidency in Juba to dissipate fears of a new armed conflict in the troubled country between him and Malong, President Kiir said citizens should cease from "inciting fear through the spread of unfounded rumours through social media."

"I am aware that this change of command [in the army] and the subsequent departure of the former Chief of General Staff [Gen. Paul Malong] have caused some apprehension across the country. I am here today to assure you that the security situation remains normal and all citizens are urged to continue with their daily routine," said Kiir.

In response to prepared questions from reporters working for the state-owned TV and Radio, Kiir further said Gen. Paul Malong is defying a request to return to Juba from the Lakes State where he has been stopped by local authorities from continuing to his home region of Northern Bahr El Ghazal.

"Personally, I am in communication with the former Chief of Staff, General Paul Malong Awan and I have assured him of his safety," Kiir said adding that the phone conversations were not cordial.

"He (General Malong) was not in a good mood. He was in a fighting mood. I tried to calm down but he was rather wild," he said, referring to a telephone call with former army chief who is in Yirol on Thursday.

He further accused unnamed foreign hands of supporting Paul Malong to turn into unplanned problems.

“It is the concern of everybody and nobody wants Gen. Paul Malong to run into such unplanned problems. There are so many foreign hands that are now seen behind Gen. Paul pushing him,” he said

Kiir said Malong did not hand over the office to his successor Gen. James Ajongo Mawut and failed to congratulate the new army chief and "he did not call me (President Kiir) to thank me for the period he spent as SPLA Chief of Staff."

Kiir added that it was a wrong decision for General Malong to "run away" without handing over the office.

It remains unclear on Friday if Gen. Malong will arrive in Juba after failing to board a plane sent to pick him on Thursday from Yirol to Juba.

However, the President issued a written statement pledging to protect him and to facilitate his return to Juba.

Also, Kiir praised the former SPLA chief of general staff as a liberator and commended his service to the people of South Sudan.

(ST)

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) held a memorial ceremony today in honour of five peacekeepers who lost their lives after their convoy was attacked in the south-eastern part of the country earlier this week.

May 10, 2017

60th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights

Niamey, Niger

Agenda Item 3: Human Rights Situation in Africa

 

Madame Chairperson, Commissioners and Heads of Government Delegations:                                                                                                  

Human Rights Watch welcomes this opportunity to address the African Commission under this Agenda Item. First, we commend the African Commission for adopting Guidelines for the Policing of Assemblies by Law Enforcement Officers and the General Comment on the Right to Redress for Victims of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment during the 21st Extra-Ordinary session. Human Rights Watch is of the view that such norm development provides essential guidance to states parties.

Madame Chairperson, the general human rights situation in much of Africa remains worrying, but for the purposes of this statement, Human Rights Watch will focus on urgent human rights concerns in Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Uganda

We remain deeply concerned by unaddressed killings by the Ugandan military and police during joint operations in Kasese, western Uganda on November 26-27, 2016.  On the bloodiest day, scores of people, including at least 15 children, were killed during a military assault on the palace compound of the region’s cultural institution. Human Rights Watch found the death toll to be at least 55 people, including at least 14 police, killed on November 26, and more than 100 people during the attack on the palace compound on November 27. The killings warrant an independent, impartial fact-finding mission with international expertise. The government has arrested and charged more than 180 people, including the cultural institution’s king, known as the Omusinga, with murder, treason, and terrorism, among other charges for the killing of the members of the security forces. But none of the 180 are members of the police or military and no one has been charged for the killing of civilians, including children.

• The African Commission and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child are urged to undertake a joint investigative mission to Uganda and support a broader independent and impartial investigation.
• We further respectfully urge the Commission to maintain a strong demand for accountability, including calling for an independent and impartial investigation with support from international experts. If given unfettered access to witnesses and forensic evidence, independent experts with a fact-finding mission could determine if the massacre on November 27 should be characterized as a crime against humanity.

Zimbabwe

Madame Chairperson, Human Rights Watch published a report in January 2017 documenting violations of property and inheritance rights of widows in Zimbabwe. The report focuses on abuses related to property-grabbing from widows, predominantly older women. Based on interviews with widows from all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe we know that many older women have few other economic options when their property is stolen by in-laws when their husbands die.

In 2013, Zimbabwe adopted a new constitution that provides for equal rights for women, including for inheritance and property. In practice, however, existing laws only apply to widows in officially registered marriages. Estimates are that most marriages in Zimbabwe are conducted under customary law and are not registered, so, in effect, these laws afford no protection from property-grabbing relatives. Many widows told Human Rights Watch that they face insurmountable obstacles defending their property or taking legal steps to reclaim it. Once in court, widows said they were at a disadvantage without an official record of their marriage if it was a customary union. According to the 2012 census, Zimbabwe is home to about 587,000 widows, and most women 60 and over are widowed. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that at least 70 percent of women in rural areas are in unregistered customary unions and are living under customary law.

Madame Chairperson, with the rapid growth of older populations worldwide, there is an increasing need to understand how discrimination, ageism, neglect, and abuse affect older people and what steps governments should take to protect their rights. By 2050, an estimated two billion people – almost a quarter of the world’s population – will be over age 60. The majority will be women. We respectfully request the African Commission to urge the government of Zimbabwe to:

• Introduce a system that ensures all existing and new marriages, including customary unions, are officially registered.
• Allow the posthumous recognition of marriages and customary unions.  
• Engage in public awareness campaigns to end unlawful property-grabbing and inform widows of their inheritance rights.
• Ensure widows have meaningful access to legal remedies to protect their rights to property and other related rights in cases of unlawful property or inheritance grabbing.

Thank you 

More than 600,000 children with disabilities are out of school in South Africa. In a country that has claimed to have achieved universal basic education, children with disabilities experience systemic barriers and discrimination on a daily basis. These children are not guaranteed a quality education on an equal basis with children without disabilities.

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Drawing of a female student holding a placard that says “I want to learn” found in Boitumelo Special School in Kimberley, South Africa.

© 2015 Boitumelo Special School

Unequal access is one of the most evident forms of discrimination. Children with disabilities continue to pay school fees and costs that children without disabilities do not pay, or are asked to pay for services so they can go to school. Many parents cannot afford to send children to school, so many stay at home. Others are turned down by schools that do not want to enroll children with disabilities.

Although the government has recently devoted more attention to inclusive education, it has a long way to go to implement its inclusive education policy. A strong, global reminder that South Africa must to do its utmost to ensure children with disabilities have a right to education would have ripple effects at home.

There’s an opportunity to do just that on May 10, when the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva reviews South Africa’s human rights record.

One of the most positive contributions UN member states could make for South Africa’s children would be to press the government on why children with disabilities have not been guaranteed free and compulsory education on an equal basis with children without disabilities. They could also ask the government for a specific timeline to adopt a national plan to make education free, in line with its international obligations, and also ask how it will enforce it so that all children can go to school on an equal basis.

An Ebola outbreak in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has killed at least one person, the United Nations World health Organization (WHO) announced earlier today.

Expressing deep concern over the protracted political and institutional crisis in Guinea Bissau, the United Nations Security Council has said it is ready to take necessary measures if the situation further deteriorates.

The man believed to be the boyfriend of Karabo Mokoena, 22, is charged with her murder.

With violence and insecurity continuing to force people to flee Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai region and seek refuge in neighbouring Angola, the United Nations refugee agency has called for a suitable place to shelter them as well as additional resources to support those in urgent need.

The World Health Organization says at least one person is confirmed to have died from the virus.

The United Nations refugee agency has increased its funding appeal by $91 million to meet the humanitarian needs of Somali refugees in the region and the people displaced inside the Horn of Africa country.

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