Africa

March 3, 2017 (JUBA) – A South Sudan's Catholic bishop sharply criticised a declaration of National Day of Prayer scheduled for March 10 by President Salva Kiir describing as “political and mockery”

The Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Juba, Reverend Santo Laku Pio, told the Voice of America (VOA) on Thursday that he would not attend the prayer next week.

“I have been praying for South Sudan every day. This morning, I prayed for South Sudan. That prayer called by Salva Kiir; I will never and never understand. Unless they carry me as a corpse but I will never attend that prayer. It is a political prayer. It is a mockery,” said Santo.

President Kiir announced the National Day of Prayer on Wednesday in an audio message sent out to reporters.

“As your leader and the Patron for the National Dialogue, I am obliged to release this public statement to inform all our citizens and friends about the planned National Day of Prayers that's going to be held on March 10th, 2017,” said President last Wednesday.

Bishop Santo rejected the call, citing that the action of President Kii's army has caused displacement of Equatoria Region areas of Lango, Acholi, Madi, Kaku, Kuku and Upper Nile displacement of Shilluk tribe from their homes.

President Kiir “does not even come to church these days,” added the outspoken bishop.

“Why should I go [to] pray where there is no holiness, where there is no forgiveness? It is a joke to hear the president of the country calling prayers while at the moment, the soldiers are hunting people across South Sudan,” he stressed.

When told that he might be perceived political for crossing the neutral lines as a religious leader and comment on political issues, he rejected the assertion, insisting government forces are causing massive displacement of civilians through their actions.

He further said the first step should be taken by the government is to stop the war.

“People are being thrown away from their ancestral land. There have been a lot of robbery of the resources of the people,” he said.

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A mysterious case of pollution has turned Port Harcourt, known as "The Garden City", into a city covered in soot.

To meet the emergency needs of over a million Somalis affected by drought, the United Nations migration agency is appealing to international donors for $24.6 million in funding.

The top United Nations official in South Sudan is calling on the country’s political leadership to support its own people in the wake of a famine affecting some 100,000 people, and calling for local authorities to provide humanitarian access to those most in need.

March 3, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan armed opposition faction have dismissed as false reports that its director general of veterans, Stephen Gawaar Manyok defected.

South Sudanese rebels pictured in Jonglei state on 31 January 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

In a statement, rebel spokesperson, William Gatjiath Deng said reports that Manyok and other generals defected from Kaldak were “baseless” rumors.

“Maj. General Stephen Gawaar Manyok who is also the director general of veterans, wounded and heroes a long with the said officers alleged to have defected, have not been defected and they are now in the GHQs [General Headquarters],” he said.

Those circulating rumour, the armed opposition's spokesperson further said, are “enemies” who want to create cracks among officers in the rebel movement.

“The ruthless regime has failed completely since they brought so many times the foreign troops (allies) to topple down the movement and we are still standing firm and ready to fight back their bribed foreign allies,” said Gatjiath.

“The last option for the dead regime is to auction around unnecessary information against the movement as you might have seen many fake fabrications floating on the social media," he added.

The South Sudanese army (SPLA) has not yet commented on the rebels' statement.

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A selection of the best photos from across Africa this week.

March 3, 2017 (JUBA) - The governor of Gogrial state in South Sudan has issued an order sacking a deputy previously appointed by his predecessor and appointed a key political ally as the state minister of information.

Map of South Sudan showing Warrap state in red

Gregory Deng Kuac Aduol issued an order on Thursday evening removing Santino Akot Abiem from the position of deputy governor. Abiem was appointed into the post by his predecessor, Abraham Gum Makuac, who was removed through a republican order issued in January.

Another order appointed Ariech Mayar Ariech, a longtime political ally of the new governor and a close friend to the family of the president. Ariech was a longtime critic of the former governor Warrap, Nyandeng Malek, with whom the incumbent governor fell out due to political ambitions.

Malek was later removed from office after five years of sustained political fights led by Ariech and his allies in parliament and in other capacities in the state and at the national level.

She was ousted out of office through presidential order and replaced with her deputy, Akec Tong Aleu, who later appointed Ariech as the state minister of information but was later removed from his position less than six 6 months following the appointment after president Kiir dissolved the 10 states and increased them to 28.

The president appointed Makuac, who later formed his own cabinet without Ariech.

Politicians from the area attributed his exclusion from the new cabinet to his loyal to the incumbent governor, who was an aspirant for the same position, making governor Makuac believes the allegations of his allies Ariech did not campaign for him during lobbies because he must have been campaigning for his political ally.

Ariech told Sudan Tribune on Thursday after his appointment that he would collaboratively with governor Gregory to unite the people and move the state forward. He also committed the governor for assigning a cabinet position.

“I will work collaboratively with our governor to unite our people and move the state forward”, said Ariech, who described Governor Aduol as “a great leader”.

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March 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Thursday has dissolved his government and tasked the ministers to continue with their existing responsibilities until the formation of the National Consensus Government.

Sudanese vice-president Bakri Hassan Saleh gives a press conference in Khartoum on August 3, 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

The move follows the appointment of Bakri Hassan Saleh as the first prime minister since President al-Bashir took power in 1989, in implementation of the outcome of the national dialogue conference.

Sudanese Information Minister and Government Spokesperson Ahmed Balal Osman Thursday told reporters the President issued two decrees related to the cabinet's dissolution and the continuation of existing ministers until a new one has been formed.

He further added that al-Bashir and Saleh will engage consultations with the political parties before to announce the new government and described the bargaining as a "complex process".

He added the number of ministries and the share of every party are not yet fixed but the standards of choice have been set up including the political forces participating in the government, and qualifications of ministers who will be picked for the federal and regional levels.

"Forming a government will take time," Osman said.

The new prime minister, however, shared the weekly meeting of the cabinet. He praised the efforts exerted by the acting ministers during the past period and vowed to form the new government during the upcoming days.

Before to chair the cabinet's meeting, Saleh sworn in at the presidential palace in Khartoum.

The swearing-in ceremony before President Omer al-Bashir was attended by the Chief Justice Ahmed Haidar Dafa'a Allah and Presidential Affairs Minister Fadul Abdallah.

In a press statement after the ceremony, the Prime Minister of the National Consensus Government expressed his utmost appreciation for the confidence placed in him by the President.

He further expressed hope to carry out responsibilities guided by the outcome of the national dialogue and to form an inclusive government including all the forces that participated in the process and to achieve peace, stability and to reduce poverty.

Saleh is the only military officer of the Revolutionary Command Council of 1989 coup d'état to remain beside al-Bashir during his 28-year-rule.

His choice, for many, indicates that the army remains more than ever the main basis of the regime. Saleh is the interlocutor at the Sudanese presidency of the general staff. He defended their points of view and privileges during the different crises.

Following Saleh's choice for the new post by the ruling National Congress Party leadership body, President al-Bashir stated that his old friend was endorsed by all the political forces involved in the dialogue process.

Also, he said that the position of the second vice-president will be maintained in line with the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur which is now part of the constitution.

The president further emphasised that the purpose of all the constitutional reforms, including the post of prime minister, is to undertake the needed reforms during the transitional period and to prepare a permanent constitution.

He pointed that the National Document encompassing the resolutions of the dialogue conference, saying it would remain open for the holdout groups and would be the foundation of the future constitution.

"The journey continues and anyone can ride the train without tickets and from any station," he said in a message to the opposition groups that refuse to acknowledge the internal process and its outcome.

The opposition Sudan Call forces and the Future Forces of Change refuse to join the government-led national dialogue process and call to implement the confidence-building measures included in the Roadmap Agreement brokered by the African Union mediation team.

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Amateur video shows the police striking the protesters with batons and threatening them with dogs, February 24, 2017. 

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“Samussuku” Chiconda required stitches on his forehead after police officers beat him with batons, Luanda, February 24, 2017.

© 2017 Luaty Beirao

(Johannesburg) – The Angolan government should urgently and impartially investigate police use of force to disperse a peaceful protest in the capital, Luanda. The police beat activists with batons and injured at least four protesters using police dogs.

“The Angolan authorities are responding to peaceful protests with batons and police dogs,” said Daniel Bekele, senior Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “The government needs to investigate the police crackdown on protesters and hold those responsible to account.”

On February 24, 2017, about 15 people gathered at 2 p.m. in the First of May Square (Largo Primeiro de Maio) to call for the resignation of the territorial administration minister, Bornito de Sousa. He is second on the list of candidates for the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and would become vice president if the MPLA wins the parliamentary elections scheduled for August. Because he is in charge of the voter registration process for the elections, the protesters fear he could manipulate the election.

Witnesses to the protests, as well as several participants, told Human Rights Watch by phone that the protesters were peaceful, and carried no banners or weapons. They were walking toward the square when the police set upon them and started beating them with batons.

Video recorded by a resident in a nearby building shows the police hitting the protesters with batons and using police dogs to disperse the group. The video reveals no aggressive actions by the demonstrators.

Amateur video shows the police striking the protesters with batons and threatening them with dogs, February 24, 2017. 

A protest organizer, Luaty Beirao, said he saw about a dozen police officers when he arrived and another group of officers soon emerged with a Rottweiler and two German shepherd dogs on leashes. “We argued with them for a few minutes, before one of the commanders started chasing people away and beating people who had come to watch the situation,” Beirao said.

The police then set the dogs on the protesters. “The Rottweiler bit my left arm, while one of the German shepherds bit the right side of my waist,” Beirao said. “The wound to the waist was not as big as the one to my left arm.”

Beirao provided two photos that are consistent with his account. One photo from the protest shows him with a bloody left arm. The other, taken after the protest, shows him with deep bruising on the back, side, and buttocks, which he said was from baton strikes.
 

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Activist Luaty Beirao showing bruises he sustained from baton strikes, Luanda, February 24, 2017.

© 2017 Luaty Beirao

Another activist, Samussuku Chiconda, said police officers beat him with batons and then dragged him into a police van. A photo he provided showed a deep gash on his forehead, which he said required stitches.

“I went to ask the officers why they were stopping us from getting to the square,” Chiconda said. “They threw me to the ground and started kicking me and beating me. I tried to run away, but they chased me and dragged me into the van. I think they wanted to take me to the police station but a police commander told them to release me.”

The police also used force to break up another peaceful protest against de Sousa in Angola’s western Benguela Province on February 24. Two activists in Benguela said that the police briefly detained at least two members of the Revolutionary Movement, an anti-government group, then released the protesters without charges.

Neither the Luanda nor Benguela protests were authorized by the local governments. Three activists who spoke with Human Rights Watch said that they sought permission from the authorities in Luanda, but received no reply. A document from the Benguela provincial government seen by Human Rights Watch contended that the protest could not take place because it was scheduled during the work day and near a school. Such an overbroad basis for denying a protest violates the right to peaceful assembly under international human rights law, Human Rights Watch said.

Among the people injured during the Luanda protest were three members of the group known as “15+2” – a book club inspired by Gene Sharp’s book From Dictatorship to Democracy – whose members were jailed in June 2015 after discussing peaceful protest and democracy at a meeting. A court in Luanda had convicted them in March 2016 for plotting a rebellion against the government and sentenced them to up to eight years in prison. The Supreme Court ordered the group’s conditional release in June, pending a final decision on their appeal. In September, all 17 people were released from prison following parliament’s approval of an amnesty law.

Article 47 of Angola’s Constitution allows citizens to protest without pre-authorization, provided they inform authorities in advance. But the Angolan government has consistently blocked and dispersed peaceful anti-government protests using unnecessary or excessive force and arbitrary arrests.

“Fair elections require respect for freedom of association, expression, and peaceful assembly,” Bekele said. “The police assault on these peaceful protesters sends a chilling message to others who want to criticize the government and is a red flag for the fairness of this year’s elections.”

March 2, 2017 (JUBA)- The US legislators comprising congressmen and senators have written to the new chairperson of the African union, Mousa Faki Mahamat asking him to take extraordinary steps to avert a looming genocide in South Sudan.

South Sudanese children play in Al-Alagaya camp in White Nile State, Sudan (Photo UNHCR)

The lawmakers argued the international community to work together to find a political solution to prevent genocide and mass atrocities from being committed in the young nation.

“We bear collective responsibility to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. The international community must work together to find a political solution. We ask that you take the extraordinary step of convening a high level meeting of regional leaders and stakeholders with the goal of averting genocide and mass atrocities in the near term and agreeing to a diplomatic roadmap leading to a lasting peace”, the joint letter dated February 24, 2017 sent by Sudan Tribune reads in part.

It further stated that lawmakers do not ignore a challenge in finding a solution, but that failure to find a solution results in the people of South Sudan paying for it.

“We are no under illusion that a solution will be easy to find. However, a everyday that we fail to do so, the people of South Sudan will suffer. Half of South Sudan's population is in need of humanitarian aid and the number is likely to grow. People continue to be raped and murdered in their own homes. The international community must act as quickly as possible. The cost if we fail to do so is much too high. We stand ready to assist your efforts”, the lawmakers add in the letter.

They also expressed concern about reports of horrific violence against civilians and potential genocide occurring in the country if urgent political intervention is not made.

The letter highlights the plight of nearly three million people displaced as well as an estimated 50,000 killed in the violence, which broke out in South Sudan in December 2013. Of particular concern, they said, was the renewed violence in Upper Nile state capital, Malakal and the Equatoria regions, which were relatively peaceful areas.

“We write with concern about one such challenge: ongoing reports of horrific violence against civilians and potential genocide in South Sudan, and the need to arrive at a sustainable political settlement to end the civil war in that country”, further reads the petition.

“The international community must work together to find a working solution,” it added.

The congressmen and senators who signed the 24 February petition include, Benjamin Cardin, John Boozman, Edward Markey, Johny Isakson, Karen Bass, Michael Capuano, Jeffery Merkley, James Inhofe, Richard Durbin, Christopher Coons, Cory Booker and Barbara Lee.

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March 2, 2017 (JUBA) - The Jieng (Dinka) Council of Elders (JCE) has denied being a shadow cabinet advising President Salva Kiir on national matters but pledged to support the independence of South Sudan.

Aldo Ajou Deng Akuey (Facebook)

“For those so far misled to believe that the JCE (Jieng Council of Elders) is the main advisory board to President Salva Kiir Mayardit in the governance of South Sudan, we sincerely and honestly tell them that we are not any nearer to President Salva”, writes Aldo Ajou Akuey, a leading member of the group on his Facebook page.

Social media and outlets are full of stories about the JCE's role in the country. All the major decisions taken by the tribal body and then brought to the cabinet meeting for a formal endorsement, say detractors.

However, Akuey who is the chairperson of legal and constitutional affairs at the council of state denied the self-appointed tribal group of veteran politicians was close to president Kiir.

“For those so far misled to believe that the JCE is the main advisory board to President Salva Kiir Mayardit in the governance of South Sudan, we sincerely and honestly tell them that we are not any nearer to President Salva,” he said.

The official argued the legitimacy of Salva Kiir as the President of South Sudan emanates from his struggle for the liberation of the country not from his affiliation to the Dinka tribe.

“He was not built or elected by the Dinka community alone. If there is anything in common between Salva and JCE, it is the fact that Salva is a Dinka by birth and the Chairman of the SPLM to which our group is affiliated by merits of the final liberation of our country and ourselves as individuals and as a nationality,” he said

However, Akuey stressed that the JCE as an ethnic entity supports the existence South Sudan as a free sovereign nation.

“We have the right to protect, preserve and uphold the ultimate Liberation's achievements of the Sovereign Republic of South Sudan. The JCE has sworn not to let down the "independence and sovereignty" as the fundamental achievement of the 21st century (all the way from 1899 to 2005).

"We will not agree with any traitors whose mission is to temper with the freedoms and rights of our nation", he added.

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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

March 2, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia on Thursday said its security forces have foiled a plot to attack the country's massive power plant project, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which the horn Africa's nation is constructing on Nile River near the Sudanese border.

The planned Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project (AP)

State Minister for Government Communication Affairs, Ato Zadig Abraha, said the security forces have successfully foiled an attempted attack by some 20 members of Ethiopian rebel group self-calling, Benishangul Gumez Peoples Liberation Movement.

He said 13 members of the group were shot dead while approaching the dam site to launch the attack.

While seven others who fled away to the Sudanese territory were later apprehended by Khartoum and delivered to the Ethiopian authorities.

Abraha added that the armed men travelled from Eritrea and were tasked to attack the dam and disrupt its construction process.

Ethiopia has repeatedly accused arch-foe Eritrea of training and financing Ethiopian armed opposition groups to launch attacks in Ethiopian, allegations Asmara denies.

The 4.2 billion dollar dam project which Ethiopia is constructing from own coffers is currently 56% completed.

Egypt which largely depends on Nile river for its water supply fears that the construction of what would be Africa's largest dam would eventually diminish its water share and had since the launch of the project in 2011 been demanding halt to the mega power project.

Recently Ethiopian officials had been accusing some elements in Cairo of financing and supporting Ethiopian armed groups to sabotage completion of the project.

Some unidentified Egyptians were caught on camera while pledging to provide all necessary support for Ethiopian armed opposition groups.

Addis Ababa has then officially requested an explanation and requested that Egypt stops activities of these hostile groups.

Meanwhile, the installed hydropower generation capacity of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has been increased to 6,450MW from 6000.

Initially, the dam was designed to generate 5,250MW. However, due to the upgrading made on the power plant, its generation capacity has been raised from 5,250 MW to 6,000 MW.

It was upgraded to 6450MW as a result of the improvement made on generators to boost the capacity of the power plant.

Since its launch six years ago the power plant had been upgraded twice to scale up it electricity generation capacity.

Ethiopia minister of communication and information technology, Debrestion Gebremical, last week said works are nearing completion to enable the dam to generate 750MW in advance.

“Construction of power receiver and transmission stations as well as the installation of power transmission lines have been fully completed. The only thing left is fixing the two turbines that generate 375MW each,” he told local journalists.

The next step he said is enabling the dam to hold water, he said, indicating the final preparation being made by the government to facilitate ways in which the filling of the dam's reservoir will take place.

“We are preparing to discuss with the governments of Sudan and Egypt,” he said, reiterating that “the dam doesn't cause any significant harm on the lower riparian countries.” the minister added.

Ethiopian officials stress that the main goal of the dam is “combating poverty and realising development and prosperity”

Ethiopia which intends to join middle-income countries by 2025 is investing billions of dollars in mega projects as part of the nation's efforts to combat poverty and bring sustainable development.

Ethiopia is a source of 85 percent of the Nile water resources which most of Egypt's over 80 million people depend on for water supply.

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March 2, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan is to appoint, as part of its obligation, six representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), its foreign affairs spokesperson, disclosed.

South Sudan's foreign affairs spokesperson, Mawien Makol (Photo: Citizen News)

Appointment to the regional assembly, Mawien Makol Ariik said, would be completed when South Sudan pays the $1 million membership fee.

“South Sudan government is almost becoming a full member in the East African Community and we just need to pay our membership fee. This month, we are expected to choose six members to represent South Sudan to East African parliament,” he told Radio Tarmajuz.

South Sudan became the sixth member of the East African Community (EAC) block after President Salva Kiir signed an ascension treaty in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last year. The move came after regional heads of states approved the admission of a country, which faces a civil war caused by its two main warring factions.

South Sudan applied for membership to the EAC as soon after it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. However, its application was declined because of institutional weakness.

As a member of the regional body, South Sudan will enjoy all the economic benefits the club currently has to offer (freer movement of labour and capital and, in principle, free trade) and will join the members as they move to increase economic integration (through a monetary union) and eventually establish a single political federation.

The EAC was originally formed by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda before Rwanda and Burundi joined the bloc later on.

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The United Nations humanitarian chief today urged international support for the estimated 2.7 million people in parts of Kenya who urgently need food and water following the onset of a severe drought.

In the wake of a high-profile conviction of a mastermind who murdered and dismembered a woman with albinism, a United Nations independent expert is calling for additional oversight of traditional healers who use body parts in witchcraft rituals and so-called medicines.

By Steven Koutsis, Charge d'Affaires, U.S. Embassy, Khartoum

The United States has long supported international efforts led by the African Union to mediate an agreement between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N) to bring an end to fighting in the “Two Areas” of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. In 2016, both sides signed the AU Roadmap Agreement, under which they recommitted to simultaneous talks toward agreements to cease hostilities and provide humanitarian assistance. Unfortunately, the parties have been unable to come to an agreement on the method of delivery to provide humanitarian aid in opposition held areas. This impasse is hurting the Sudanese people living in areas controlled by the SPLM-N, as well as blocking all of Sudan from moving forward with a peace and reconciliation plan sponsored by the African Union.

In order to break this impasse on an agreement and facilitate much-needed humanitarian assistance, the United States has offered to deliver humanitarian medical assistance to the people in SPLM-N controlled areas. Our offer to oversee and implement these deliveries intends to give confidence to the SPLM-N that the Government of Sudan would not be able to control or block aid provided under this mechanism. The Government of Sudan has agreed to this proposal, but as of yet, the SPLM-N has not allowed the proposal for humanitarian access to go forward.

To be clear, the United States is ready to begin delivering medical supplies and vaccinations to the people within SPLM-N controlled areas of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. While the supplies would be inspected by Government of Sudan customs authorities at a port of entry, they would remain in the custody of United States at all times until delivered to the opposition held areas.

The method of delivering humanitarian assistance to the Two Areas was the last remaining roadblock to the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement last August, bringing an end to decades of fighting. The agreement would include international monitoring and agreement on full access for all other humanitarian assistance to be delivered by international agencies to the SPLM-N held areas. This would mean civilians in dire need would begin seeing food and other humanitarian supplies arriving in their areas very quickly.

Given current predictions of emergency-level food insecurity likely to occur within the next two months in SPLM-N controlled areas, an agreement to allow humanitarian access to begin now is critical to save lives. In addition to the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, as long as there is no jointly agreed and monitored cessation of hostilities, and as long as opposing forces remain in close proximity to each other, there will continue to be tensions and skirmishes which will only inflict greater harm on civilian populations.

The United States urges the SPLM-N to remove political conditions preventing humanitarian assistance from reaching populations in need and allow rapid deployment of humanitarian aid to civilians in the areas it controls. This agreement would not preclude—and indeed we would strongly encourage—separate arrangements for necessary medical evacuations or prisoner exchanges to be coordinated by other parties through a third party nation.

The Government of Sudan also has a role to play in making this process work by addressing the root causes of the conflict. In order to realize sustainable peace, all parties must engage in a genuine political process as an alternative to war. This will require the Government of Sudan to create an environment that is conducive to freedom of expression and full political participation by both armed and unarmed opposition in and outside of Sudan.

A "haunted" complex, a film named "African Storm", a tribute to a dead leader and more.

Despite robust food supply conditions, droughts are worsening food security across swathes of East Africa, and access to food has been dramatically reduced in areas suffering civil conflicts, a new United Nations report has found.

March 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party Wednesday has picked the First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Saleh for the newly created post of prime minister.

Sudan's first vice president Bakri Hassan Salih (Photo SUNA)

The new prime minister whose mandate is to implement the out of national dialogue conference will lead a cabinet appointed by President Omer al-Bashir representing all the political forces involved in the process.

"The leadership bureau, in a meeting chaired by President Omer al-Bashir has agreed to nominate Bakri Hassan Saleh to the positions of head of Council of Ministers and First Vice-President," announced the Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid on Wednesday evening.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the presidential palace on Thursday, following what, a press conference will be organised at 02.00 pm, in the presence of the members of higher national dialogue mechanism and the government ministers.

Mahmoud said that the prime minister will hold consultations to form a government with the political forces.

Sahel has been appointed as first vice president in December 2013.

He was one of the officers that conduct a coup d'état in June 1989 to bring his close friend Omer al-Bashir to power.

He served as vice chairman of the security and defence committee of the Revolutionary Command Council, security service director, president's advisor for security affairs, interior minister, minister of presidential affairs, and the minister of defence.

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