Africa

More than 600 black South Africans drowned in WW1 when their ship was struck by a Royal Mail vessel. But why did the captain blamed for the tragedy do nothing to help?

The bodies of at least 87 migrants wash up in Libya after they drowned trying to reach Italy by sea.

A 24-year-old second lieutenant tells the BBC how she became Zambia's first female fighter pilot.

Life is returning to normal in Maiduguri, Nigeria's north-eastern city worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.

The top United Nations humanitarian official today released $18.5 million from the organization&#39s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to enable critical aid for more than 785,000 people suffering from hunger, malnutrition and severe water shortages in Ethiopia&#39s Somali region &#8211 the worst drought-stricken part of the country.

An albino hunted for her body parts tells the BBC she lives in fear after surviving a kidnap attempt in Malawi.

February 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - More than 300,000 people have arrived in Sudan since the beginning of the South Sudanese crisis in December 2013, said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)..

South Sudanese refugees cook on an open fire at a camp run by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in the western part of Sudan's White Nile state on 27 January 2014 (Photo: AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

"The number of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan "has surpassed the 300,000 mark and as of 13 February and stands at 305,000 people," reported OCHA in its weekly news bulletin.

Nearly the half of South Sudanese refugees, 131,000 refugees, arrived in Sudan during the past year 2016.

49% of 2016 influx arrived between February and April in East Darfur State from the Bahr El-Ghazal province fleeing food shortage and famine.

29% crossed to the White Nile state from through the Upper Nile state, a small percentage also arrived from the Unity region through the South Kordofan State.

"Over 65% of the refugees are children, with many of them arriving with critical levels of malnutrition," said the report.

UN agencies have noticed also the return of Sudanese refugees to their homeland in South Kordofan or the White Nile states.

Before the December 2013 crisis, there 350,000 South Sudanese who remain in Sudan and didn't return to their areas after the independence of South Sudan.

Also in December 2014, the Sudanese government agreed with the UN to deliver residence permits to South Sudanese refugees enabling them to circulate and to work in the country.

The failure of the peace agreement mediated by, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the continuation of clashes in different parts of the country pushed the UNHCR to anticipate the arrival of more refugees across the 2000 km long border between the two countries.

"The planning figure for 2017 is an estimated 60,000 additional refugees, with the corresponding response outlined in the South Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan for 2017," said OCHA.

Following the resumption of armed clashes in Juba last July, IGAD leaders agreed to give President Salva Kiir the time to implement the content of the August 2015 peace agreement and to keep his rival and former First Vice President Riek Machar outside the region in South African.

However, the continuation of the war in different regions in the country and the absence of prospects for a viable settlement, push aid agencies to consider long-term humanitarian plans for the internally displaced people and refugees in neighbouring countries alike.

(ST)

February 17, 2017 (JUBA) - The international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said fighting in Yuai town in South Sudan's Bieh State between the country's warring factions has had major impact on the civilian population in the area.

The area of Yuai that remained largely peaceful throughout the three years of civil war, is now witnessing clashes between government and rebels.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the international medical charity said the recent surge in fighting in Yuai town, has left those forced to flee cut off from healthcare.

The medical aid charity pointed out that its national staffs in Yuai town have fled together with the civilian population after the clashes in the area.

"MSF is extremely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the fighting,” says Liz Harding, MSF's head of mission for South Sudan.

The organization called on all warring parties to ensure that civilians are protected and that medical and humanitarian facilities as well as staff are respected and protected.

(ST)

February 18, 2017 (ABU DHABI) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Saturday has held talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, focusing on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

Al-Bashir, who arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday in an official visit, was received at the airport by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and several members of the diplomatic community.

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the meeting between the two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation on political, economic, development and cultural fields besides regional and international issues of common concern.

The Sudanese President stressed his country's keenness to promote ties with UAE for the benefit of the two nations, expressing appreciation for the role played by the UAE in support of the Arab issues and on preserving security, stability and identity of the region.

For his part, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi expressed his delight for the recent development of fraternal ties between the two countries in light of the growing attention from President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his keenness to support and develop these relations to serve common interests of the two countries and the two brotherly peoples.

He underscored UAE's strong ties with Sudan, pointing to the historical and economic relations between the two countries besides their cooperation to defend interests of Arab nation against foreign aggression.

The Sudanese President was accompanied by the Minister of Presidential Affairs Fadl Abdalla Fadl, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour, Minister of Investment Mudathir Abdel-Ghani, Minister of Social Welfare Mashai'r al-Dawalab and Minister of State and Director of the Office of the President Taha Osman al-Hussein.

It is noteworthy that Al-Bashir will attend the inauguration ceremony of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2017) that will kick off in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Sudan managed to achieve a breakthrough in ties with UAE after a long period of strained relations over Khartoum's close ties with Tehran.

UAE is in a long-standing territorial dispute with Iran over the three Gulf islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb.

Iran refuses international arbitration over the dispute and insists that its sovereignty over the islands is non-negotiable.

In 2014, Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of Iranian cultural centre in the capital Khartoum, and other states in a move which was seen as a gesture to the Arab Gulf states.

The estimated size of UAE investments in Sudan is $11 billion approximately, of which about $5 billion are projects in progress while the rest are still in pre-execution phase.

In May 2015, Sudan said it offered UAE's companies $59 billion investment opportunities mainly in agricultural projects.

(ST)

February 18, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan on Saturday has welcomed a statement by the Troika countries expressing support for the peace process brokered by African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), and called on the rebels in the Two Areas to accept an Amercian proposal aiming to facilitate the signing of a humanitarian cessation of hostilities.

The joint statement issued by Norway, U.K. and U.S. called on the signories of the Roadmap Agreement to conclude "comprehensive cessations of hostilities and engaging in an inclusive political dialogue”. It further called on the Sudanese government to “create an environment that is conducive to freedom of expression and political participation by both armed and unarmed opposition in Sudan”.

The statement urged the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) “to swiftly accept this proposal and facilitate the delivery of life-saving assistance to those in need in the Two Areas”. And called on the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdel Wahid al Nur "to cease hostilities and immediately engage with the AUHIP peace process".

“The U.S. proposal was intended to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the affected populations in the Two Areas, in line with AUHIP efforts for broader negotiated humanitarian access,” said the statement which marks the endorsement of the new American administration of President Donald Trump of the proposal made by the former U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, Sudan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir welcomed the support of Trump's administration to the humanitarian proposal, and expressed his government commitment to continue its efforts to achieve peace as strategic option.

“The government is working very hard and wholeheartedly with the Sudanese parties, and cooperates in all honesty and appreciation with the African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki, who is making strenuous efforts to achieve peace[in Sudan],” he said.

Khidir added that the government seeks to address the root causes of the conflict in Sudan which requires support from the international community.

“In order to integrate the Sudanese economy into the world's economy, cancel external debt and allow Sudan to join the World Trade Organization besides increase development funding, investment and trade exchange,” he said.

The Sudanese diplomat pointed out that “the Sudanese government highly appreciates continued efforts by the Troika to achieve sustainable peace in Darfur region, the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states”.

“As the government of Sudan renews full commitment to the cease-fire, it calls on the armed opposition movements to urgently and seriously respond to calls for dialogue and peace and to join the dialogue and negotiation process in order to consolidate security, stability, national reconciliation and comprehensive development,” he said.

The Sudanese foreign ministry further renewed call for the SPLM-N to endorse the U.S. proposal to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Two Areas.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile states have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011.

The African Union has been seeking to end the conflict for several years. However, last August, the two sides failed to sign a humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement.

Khartoum refuses to allow the direct delivery of food to civilians the rebel-controlled areas in the Blue Nile State through Asosa, an Ethiopian Town near the border with Sudan. While the SPLM-N sticks to its demand saying they made much of concessions in the past.

In a bid to break the deadlock in the peace talks between the two parties, the former U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth last November proposed that the USAID will deliver medical humanitarian aid to civilians in the rebel-held areas by air directly after its inspection from the government.

The SPLM-N declined the proposal insisting on the need to transport 20% of the humanitarian aid directly from Asosa to the rebel areas.

(ST)

February 18, 2017 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese army confirmed on Saturday the resignation of yet another senior military officer, days after its head of logistics quit over allegations the army was being turned into an ethnic institution.

SPLA soldiers are seen at the airport in Bor January 19, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeaunu)

The army spokesman, Brigadier general Lul Ruai Koang, confirmed the resignation of Colonel Khalid Ono Loki, who headed the military court in Juba.

Koang said Khalid quit the army last year and has been absent and outside the country.

“That man [Khalid] resigned last year and he decided to not publicize. Why now. It is not important and has no bearing on the SPLA," Koang told reporters in Juba on Saturday.

Khalid becomes the third top official in a week to resign while criticizing the government of President Salva Kiir over its alleged failure to implement the August 2015 peace deal.

The former head of the miltary court described the justice system as "arbitrary", " corrupt" and "discriminatory" against those who are not part of the president's ethnic group.

He also accused chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, of being engaged in "relentless endeavors" to protect his Dinka tribesmen and advocated for his resignation.

"You have indeed brought shame and an unfamiliar ethos to South Sudan that will only lead the country to more calamities," wrote Khalid.

This comes days after Thomas Cirillo Swaka, the deputy chief of general staff for logistics resigned from the army, saying the military was dominated by the ethnic Dinka.

The minister of labour and public service, Gabriel Duop Lam, also resigned his position in the unity government and joined the armed opposition faction led by Riek Machar.

These resignations, observers say, are signs that Kiir is struggling to retain his coalition of support. South Sudan is experiencing hyperinflation, worsened by renewed conflict.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in the country's worst ever outbreak of violence since it broke away from neighboring Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)

Kenyan herders are giving their own food to animals to keep them alive during the severe drought.

By Deng Kiir Akok

Dictionary.com defined resignation as formal statement, document stating that one gives up an office or position. While on the other hand, rebellion is a resistance to or defiance of any authority, control or tradition.

Except for Nhial Deng Nhial's resignation in 2006 from his post as minister for regional cooperation of the defunct Government of southern Sudan. Since then the others who followed had been on zigzagging. No one has ever followed the normal resignation procedures.

In normal procedures for resignation one needs to send his/her letter of resignation to employer and then wait for an approval that will not last than two to three weeks. In most cases for South Sudanese, they do not follow these steps. As a result, they quit before their boss sign or approve their letters. Some took an online resignation as the case of Thomas Cirilo, the former deputy chief of logistics.

Proper procedures were not applied in the Lam Akol's resignation letter last year as minister for Agriculture and food security. He made sure he was in Khartoum before announcing his resignation. The same method was used by Thomas Cirilo, The author of this piece is wondering why does most South Sudanese resign while they are outside the country? They usually resign their positions while in Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. Lam Akol and Thomas Cirilo are now the living examples for those who resign while abroad. Akol did not take long in this position before resigning from last year formed Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU). He was by then in Khartoum.

He was waiting to hear the whereabouts of now exiled rebel leader and former first vice president Riek Machar who was forced to flee the country after the battle of J1. Until the Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) comer ended up in hospital in Congo and was referred to Khartoum later for further medication.

Lam announced his intention to resign his position as the minister for Agriculture and food security. In his resignation letter, he cited that the peace agreement has failed.

As such, resigning and rebelling against the system is a new phenomenon facing the government of South Sudan.

Nobody knows what will happen next after Wol Deng Atak, former deputy head information commission, Lam Akol, former minister of Agriculture and food security, Thomas Cirilo, former deputy chief of logistics and Gabriel Duop Lam, minister of labor, public service and human resources have resigned.

But for Dinkas that resign, their reasons differ from other tribes. The question that asks why the Dinka tribe is bigger than other ethnic groups and its domination of the army. That said after his resignation letter was approved.

But the question is that; what kill those who resign outside South Sudan if they resign while in the country? The issue is that they have other hidden agenda in their hearts which is rebellion.

It could be a reason they make sure they are not in South Sudan before making their resignations public.

The fresh one is that of Thomas Cirilo. In fact, resignation in the minds of some South Sudanese politicians goes together with the rebellion.

But in a real sense, resignation has nothing to do with rebellion. It's a new style for politicians in South Sudan. Something which cannot happen in the United States or in a democratic world. Because of my observations, Americans resign if there are grounds for resignation and stay in America. But that one cannot happen in South Sudan. What's wrong with our people? They resign their posts and go to America or Kenya for the case of Wol Deng Atak, Sudan for Lam Akol and Ethiopia for Thomas Cirilo.

Moreover, every person that resigns whether from the government or in the army does not miss Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) and its Dinka ethnic group out of their main reasons for resignation.

Those who resign their positions blame Jieng Council of Elders for being a big driver for president Kiir's government. And that, Dinka dominates the national army, which needs to be reversed.

In my own view, this author would tirelessly work together with other ethnic groups in South Sudan to keep the Jieng Council of Elders away from the President's office if that's the only reason for these people leaving the government and the army in big masses.

By doing so, we would make sure that the office of the president is out of reach of Jieng Council Elders. It will be a joint work by this author and other activists to call for it to distance itself from the state affairs. Or he will go as far as calling for it to move its office to Wau. This call will put it under pressure from all the citizens of this country.

Also, activists will make sure it would not mingle up in running of the country. Yes, there is a solution to this problem of Jieng Council of Elders. We can build a wall around it. That idea would only work if we ever wanted to lock it up in a wall that we have built and forever forget about it.

But one thing will not happen. The balancing of ethnic groups in the army cannot and will never happen until any power would test the creator to turn hyenas into cows with horns. If those cows are without horns, then that one would be called a partial turning of hyenas into cows.

This is the fact that Dinka tribe are the majority. That's to say, in every corner of the world, there is a Dinka. There's only one country in this world and that's Somalia the author is not sure whether Dinka lives in it.

This's because they do not feel secure to stay in there. Take this simple example, in the Diaspora, Dinka are the majority. Leave alone the fact that Dinkas are in a large number of neighbouring countries.

They are now outnumbering Ugandans in Kampala and Kenyans in Nairobi just to mention the few. If any politician thinks s/he would ascend to power by any means and start the unstudied idea of balancing the ethnic groups in the army, or send home extra Dinka soldiers that would remain during the balancing, he would be committing suicide.

Because these soldiers that would be sent home will group themselves and form a militia that is more dangerous than the present White Army in Upper Nile. I do not know what would that militia be called.

In conclusion, resigning and rebelling with reasons that Jieng Council of Elders interferes with the state affairs and that Dinka tribe dominates the national army will not solve the current crisis. I think no one would be willing to question the nature. Why this ethnic group is bigger than the other? This is the question being asked by smaller ethnic groups. Even Dinka themselves do not know why they are the majority in South Sudan. It's the nature that makes them like that.

I bet that any politician with a believe that s/he would cut the number of Dinka when s/he is power would have his/her idea rotten at birth.

The writer is a blogger with blog address https://dengkiirsouthsudan.blogspot.com. He can be reached at dengkiirsouthsudan@gmail.com. Tel: +211912186333

February 17, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese radical Islamic preacher Mohamed Ali al-Gazouli, Friday, has accused a Sudanese female journalist of apostasy, which is punishable by death in Sudan, and called on worshipers to protect their religion.

Shamael al-Nur

Al-Gazouli who is known for his support to Jihadist groups, in his Friday sermon slammed Shamael al-Nur, a journalist and columnist at the independent Al-Tayyar newspaper for writing an article saying that Islamic regimes are more preoccupied with virtue, female clothing, appearance and behaviour issues than health and education issues.

"It is easy to drop spending on health in the state budget, but it remains very difficult to (grant) the Ministry of Health the right to distribute condoms," she wrote on 2 February, denouncing the "virtue's obsession" of Islamic groups.

In his sermon of Friday prayer at a mosque in the Khartoum suburb of Al-Jarif West, the preacher pledged to mobilise religious scholars against al-Nur and the "seculars", adding that his action will be through the media and the judiciary.

"Get up to protect your religion. Get angry for your law and your Lord," he called before to wonder, "How can a girl dare to write about condoms?". He further vowed to file a legal complaint to see whether the court will consider what she wrote is "an apostasy or not".

Al-Gizouli had already published an article against the journalist on Thursday in Al-Siha newspaper of al-Tayeb Mustafa, the uncle of President Omer al-Bashir and head of the Just Peace Forum (JPF).

Mustafa himself was the first person to write against the female journalist and called to prevent the journalist and "her likes of worms" from corrupting the virtues of the country.

Al-Nur, filed a complaint against Mustafa and accused him of inciting radical and extremists groups against her. Also, Al Tayyar newspaper has officially requested the police authorities to protect the female journalist.

"The matter now should be dealt with under the Terrorism Act. We have officially sent a letter to the police to clarify the magnitude of the threat against the newspaper and Shamael," wrote Osman Mirghani, the publisher and chief editor of Al-Tayyar.

He further warned that the competent authorities should bear their responsibilities on this respect.

(ST)

Gambia’s announcement this week that it would rejoin the International Criminal Court sends a strong message of support for the court and victims of grave international crimes. Along with Burundi – and its soaring human rights violations in the past year – South Africa is now the outlier on ICC exit.

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The Permanent Premises of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. 

© 2016 UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Gambia’s decision to rejoin the ICC reflects shifting priorities under newly elected President Adama Barrow, who will be inaugurated tomorrow. The departure of his predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, who left for exile on January 21 after initially refusing to accept his December election defeat, ended two decades of repressive rule.

Gambia’s decision – along with numerous expressions of support from African ICC members since South Africa first announced its withdrawal in October – belie rhetoric that Africa is headed for a mass departure from the ICC.

Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho, Mali, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zambia are among those that have reaffirmed their support for the ICC. A number of these countries, joined by Liberia and Cape Verde, also pushed back against adoption of a so-called “ICC withdrawal strategy” at the African Union summit in January.

Gambia’s decision reflects the new government’s recognition of the important role that the court plays. The ICC is the only permanent court that has the potential to offer redress to victims of the worst crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute.

Despite persistent claims by some African leaders that the ICC targets Africa, most ICC investigations in the continent have been opened as a result of requests from African governments themselves, or the United Nations Security Council, and offer redress for African victims.

The ICC faces steep challenges, particularly expanding its reach to crimes committed in a number of the most powerful countries. But the court still represents a rare hope for victims around the world at a time when horrific crimes continue to be perpetrated with impunity in many countries.

After years of playing a leading role on the court, South Africa opted to curtail access to the ICC for victims, instead of working to expand the ICC’s reach. This is real loss – as the Nigerian foreign minister said around the AU summit, the ICC has “an important role to play in holding leaders accountable.”

In December 2016, a rebel group in the Central African Republic executed at least 32 civilians and captured fighters after clashes with another rebel group in the Ouaka province. In the town of Bakala, rebels from the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (l'Union pour la Paix en Centrafrique, UPC) on December 12 executed 25 people after calling them to a school for an alleged meeting. Earlier that day, UPC fighters executed seven men who were returning from a nearby gold mine. At least 29 other civilians have been killed in fighting around Bakala since late November. 

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

February 17, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday disclosed that it is building hundreds of transitional shelters for tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.

Transitional shelters for South Sudanese Refugees in Gambella, Ethiopia (IOM Photo)

IOM said it will construct some 900 transitional shelters in the newly built Nguenyyiel camp in Gambella Region which borders South Sudan.

Nguenyyiel camp was opened in September 2016 to accommodate an estimated 4,500 refugees; however, it currently hosts 27,620 refugees who have fled their home country.

Refugee flows from South Sudan to Ethiopia didn't see a sign of decline due to ongoing fighting and food insecurity.

According to IOM officials, the transitional shelters are a considerable improvement on the basic emergency shelters currently being used by newly arriving refugees in the camp.

The new shelters, which will be built using local techniques and materials, according to IOM official will contribute to managing the continued flow of South Sudanese refugees into Gambella

"The new transitional shelters and the ongoing relocations are vital in our ongoing efforts in managing the inflow of South Sudanese refugees into Gambella in a way that really responds to the needs of refugees,” said Miriam Mutalu, the Head of IOM Ethiopia's Sub-Office in Gambella.

The construction of the shelters is being carried out in close cooperation with the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) which is UNHCR's main government counterpart which is maintained to ensure the protection of refugees in Ethiopia.

The construction of the shelters aimed to relocate refugees from the border is being financed by the UK's Department for International Development

Ethiopia currently shelters some 325,000 South Sudanese refugees in different camps in Gambela region.

The world's newest nation gained its independence in 2011 but plagued by a civil war in December 2013 after President Salva Kirr accused his former deputy turned rebel leader of a coup plot.

The conflict has forcibly displaced over 2.6 million citizens making the east African nation of the countries that saw the highest level of conflict-induced displacement worldwide.

UNHCR on Thursday said it is fully engaged in coordination mechanisms to mainstream the needs of refugees within humanitarian and national plans.

These coordination mechanisms include the UN Country Team, the Humanitarian Country Team, the Refugee Task Force, and donor, NGO and inter-agency meetings at the national, field and camp levels.

"This has ensured an effective coordination environment in the context of the Level 3 Emergency for South Sudanese refugees as well as the development of a regional response plan for the same situation in 2017," said the UN refugee agency.

Ethiopia provides protection to refugees from some 20 countries, with the majority originating from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan.

South Sudanese, Eritreans, Yemenis and Somalis originating from South and Central Somalia are granted automatic refugee status.

While to all other individuals refugee status determination is undertaken by the Government's Eligibility Committee on which UNHCR sits as an observer.

The Ethiopian Government maintains the policy requiring refugees to reside in refugee camps. However, the Government has also an Out-of Camp-Policy (OCP) which allows certain refugees to reside in the urban areas, primarily Addis Ababa

The out of camp policy benefits refugees in need of special medical attention unavailable in camps; refugees with serious protection concerns or inability to stay in camps for humanitarian reasons and Eritrean Refugees enrolled in OCP.

Currently, a total of 19,977 refugees under the OCP programme reside in the capital Addis Ababa.

(ST)

February 17, 2017 (YAMBIO) – A local artist was seriously tortured and shot deal with a gun by unidentified person or group on Friday morning in the outskirts of Yambio, the Gbudue state capital.

New police recruits during a parade in Yambio June 27, 2016 (ST)

“We have just got information that one local artist called Gerham was found dead on the road to Tiindoka and we don't know who killed him,” said a local security official.

The source who preferred anonymity added that Jerham Gersama was found dead after torture and gunshot wound on his chest.

According to the state security official two girls, one believed to be his girlfriend were under arrest for investigation.

No one has claimed the responsibility for the killing, but police have launched investigations into the matter.

The victim studied in Uganda and came back to live in Yambio where he performs music.

Also, he was a member of the former rebel South Sudan National Liberation Movement SSNLM tasked with the protection of the group commander.

The group signed a peace agreement with the government in April 2016.

(ST)

February 17, 2017 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese minister of trade has on Friday denied reports quoting him to have said the government would fix the exchange rate, in a bid to salvage the economy from spiraling out of control and to help regain trust and confidence of the local population in the light of hike of foreign exchange against the local current in an effort to reduce market prices.

Minister Moses Hassan Ayet (Photo from his Facebook)

Minister Moses Hassan Ayet told Sudan Tribune on Friday that he did not say the government was intending to fix the foreign exchange rate but that the government was exploring ways to address it.

“That was out of context. It was not what I did say. I said the exchange rate was dropping and if it continues it would reach the point where the exchange rate would stabilize and any stabilization becomes a fixed rate by itself, if the market forces meet at the point of satisfaction, where goods would be locally available for our people to access and traders would be able to get hard currency to help import only goods and services which are not produced locally,” said Ayet.

The foreign exchange rate was fixed against the pound until in December 2015 when the government decided to adopt floating exchange rate against the pound. The objective, according to proponents of the proposal was to help everyone have access to foreign exchange market.

Ayet, who visited the market on Thursday in a bid to carry out a survey to gain insight about the prices of different commodities, said the survey gave him and his team the opportunity to gather firsthand information about the prices and what the traders were facing in the light of the current economic situation.

“Yes, I was in the market to conduct a survey and to talk to the traders. I wanted to know the cause of the rise of prices while the exchange rate was dropping. The other day, the dollar went up. It was exchanging at the rate of 13,000 per 100 dollars but it went down the next day to 10,000 per 100 dollars but the prices never dropped. They remained fixed. This was what I wanted to understand so that we could it use in our planning,” explained Minister Ayet.

The official said it was important to gather the views of the traders as they are important stakeholders and so his ministry appreciates their involvement and cooperation and coordination.

(ST)

February 17, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Friday has cancelled the general assembly meeting of the Central Committee of Sudanese Teachers (CCST) saying the move was dictated by security reasons.

The CCST is an independent organization that was established as a parallel body to the pro-government Sudanese Teachers Union.

On Friday morning, NISS agents encircled the headquarters of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) where the CCST general assembly was scheduled to be held and prevented the teachers from entering the premises.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, NUP said the NISS officer told its Secretary General Sara Nugd Allah that they received “instructions to prevent the teachers' event for security reasons” without elaborating on these reasons.

The NUP described the move as a “clear violation of the law, the constitutional rights and the basic freedoms”, adding it further indicates the mounting harassment and intimidation measures and more restrictions on political and trade union action.

The statement further warned the regime of the consequences of such reckless actions against peaceful groups, stressing that the prevention of political, social and cultural activities reveals government claims about freedoms and rights.

In October and November of last year, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD), which is also an independent organization not recognized by the government, organised a series of strikes refusing non-emergency treatments to protest the poor working conditions, lack of medicines and protection of doctors after increasing attacks by frustrated patients and their families.

(ST)