Africa

With over 826,000 people affected by heavy flooding affecting most of Nigeria, humanitarian agencies continue to step up efforts to provide life-saving assistance, especially basic medical care, which is essential to prevent disastrous epidemics.

The planes collided as they were landing after training flights, a military spokesman said.

An independent UN human rights expert welcomed on Thursday the progress made towards democratic reform in Tunisia, since the 2011 revolution, and emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The South Sudanese army Chief of Staff General Gabriel Jok Riak who is visiting Khartoum nowadays met on Tuesday with the SPLM-IO Chief of Staff Simon Gatwech Dual as a part of the confidence-building process.

Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the chief of staff of the SPLA-IO, talks to the press at a rebel military site in Juba on April 25, 2016 (Photo AFP/Charles Lomodong)

SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Public Relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth in statements to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday praised the move saying it is a positive step in the right direction.

“This is a positive step in the right direction because such meetings allow the peace partners to address the challenges facings the implementation of the peace agreement, remove misunderstandings and building trust between the two sides,” he said.

He added that the meeting discussed the recent breaches of the ceasefire agreement and reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the revitalized peace pact. He said they agreed to work together to end the sporadic violations here and there committed by uncontrolled elements.

“We know that there are peace spoilers who reject peace and incite the continuation of the war. We appeal to the government to such people out of the decision-making process because those who encourage war cannot be entrusted to building peace,” he said.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar directed the army and SPLA-Io fighters to abide by the ceasefire and to stop attacks ahead of the implementation of the security arrangement which will start one month after the signing of the peace agreement.

However, about seven violations have been registered in Yei River State and the Greater Unity region.

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government summoned on Wednesday European Union Ambassador in Khartoum, Jean-Michel Dumond to protest a statement his mission issued Tuesday after a meeting with Sudanese journalists on the press freedom co-organised by European and US diplomats.

EU ambassador to Sudan Jean-Michel Dumond (EU Photo)

In a statement released after the meeting on Tuesday, the western diplomat pledged to discuss the freedom of the press with the Sudanese government pointing to the "importance in promoting and protecting human rights and democracy in Sudan especially in the coming period heading up to the 2020 elections."

"The Ministry informed the EU ambassador of "its rejection of the way in which the meeting was organized as it had exceeded the diplomatic norms and guidelines that must be adhered to," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Babikir al-Siddiq in a press statement released on Wednesday.

He added that the invitation to the meeting was selective and therefore the meeting was not with all the Sudanese journalists and their representative bodies.

Al-Siddiq said they expressed their surprise that the meeting discussed issues that have not yet been decided, such as the Press and Publication Law, which is still subject to discussion within the concerned institutions.

Sudanese authorities regularly interrogate journalists and confiscate newspapers. Further in November 2017, the Sudanese government approved a draft of an amended version of the Press and Publications Law of 2009, which would give the security apparatus power to further censor newspapers.

(ST)

Why We Support Escalated Financial Pressure and Consequences: An Open Letter to the South Sudanese People

From John Prendergast and Brian Adeba*

October 2018

To the People of South Sudan,

We at the Enough Project are deeply concerned about the flaws in the signed peace agreement that fall short of addressing the root causes of the conflict in South Sudan in a comprehensive manner that will prevent a return to conflict. We are writing this open letter to explain why – even after a peace deal was signed on September 12 – we continue to advocate for escalating and targeted financial and legal measures against those who are looting South Sudan's resources as well as those responsible for continuing conflict, mass atrocities, and other human rights abuses, whether in the regime, the armed opposition, or commercial collaborators – domestic or international – of either.

It is common knowledge that corruption is more than endemic in South Sudan. As a result, hospitals, schools, and government departments are starved of the basic necessities that would allow them to function efficiently. The beneficiaries of this corruption live lavish lifestyles within and outside the country. As The Sentry has documented in previous reports, these officials and their collaborators own expensive vehicles and mansions throughout the world. Through third parties and shell companies, they invest their money abroad and not in South Sudan.

Just as troubling, outside facilitators and enablers profit from South Sudan's misery. Unscrupulous bankers, lawyers, arms dealers, realtors, mining companies, and oil companies are equally complicit in the looting machine that has been constructed in South Sudan. The violent kleptocracy that has emerged in Juba since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement a dozen years ago would not have been possible without international collaborators.

This debilitating corruption is possible because top-level politicians have disabled the institutions that are supposed to hold officials accountable by providing no operational funds, creating conflicting legislation, and appointing cronies to head them. To date, the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission has yet to prosecute anyone for corruption. To hide the theft and misuse of public money, the government has barred the Audit Chamber from making its reports public. There are worrying signs that competitive corruption will continue to push the trajectory of development backward.

Worst of all, the capturing and repurposing of these institutions by South Sudan's post-independence leaders created a free-for-all looting spree of the public purse that in turn incentivized a competition for the spoils of state among rival political factions. This competition turned deadly in December 2013. As noted in the African Union inquiry into the conflict in 2015, corruption is a key driver of conflict in South Sudan. Therefore, we believe it was not too much to ask that stringent measures to counter corruption should have been included in the September 12 agreement. Unfortunately, the measures stipulated in this latest peace deal are weak and entrust the same people responsible for the construction of this looting machine with oversight responsibilities of government revenue. Going forward, this is certainly a recipe for disaster.

Violence in South Sudan does not only arise from disputes regarding national politics. Localized conflicts between communities have equally devastating consequences for long-term peace and stability. Such conflicts are common in many locations in South Sudan. In the Greater Bahr El Ghazal region, inter-clan warfare continues unabated, and certain areas are virtual war zones as a result. Conflicts caused by cattle raiding between communities in the Greater Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria continue to threaten peace and stability. Border disputes are increasingly a source of tension between communities. Subsequently, there's an expectation that the peace agreement will address these sub-national conflicts. However, the stipulations on disputed borders in the agreement are inadequate, if not ambiguous. Rather than create confidence in the peace deal, they have heightened suspicion. This mistrust is setting the ground for more violence and needs to be addressed in a manner that creates ownership among local communities.

Given the government's abysmal record on corruption, we are also concerned about the measures on the cantonment of armies in the agreement. Most worrying is the fact that donor support for cantonment, which is very critical to the success of the peace agreement, is non-existent. Donors have expressed reservations about the prevailing lack of transparency and accountability within the government and have thus declined to commit support. Lack of funds for cantonment will derail this agreement. Equally concerning is the fact that the agreement fails to indicate locations for troop cantonment. The recent upsurge in fighting around the Yei area is spurred by the ambition to gain control of areas for the proposed cantonment.

All the factors outlined above point to the fact that this agreement is an elite pact that offers short-term concessions to the parties with the big guns while overlooking the long-term prospects of a peace that is based on the fundamental issues behind this conflict.

Why are we saying this?

In collaboration with present and past colleagues, we have been involved in research and advocacy on South Sudan for many years, dating back to the period when it was part of Sudan. We gave our full support to the long search for peace in the North-South war, and for the referendum that resulted in the birth of South Sudan. In the ongoing war, we have supported efforts for a just and sustainable peace deal that goes beyond short-term deals that benefit elites but fails to address the fundamental causes of conflict. In so doing, we have not taken sides nor do we wish to impose our own idea of what South Sudan's government should look like or who should run it.

Rather, we at the Enough Project are interested in seeing that the resources of South Sudan are used for the benefit of its people and not ending up in shell companies, bank accounts, and real estate in neighbouring countries. In that regard, we have advocated for targeted financial pressures on key individuals and entities complicit in the looting of South Sudan's resources.

In sum, we are not supporting regime change, but rather we support system change to disincentivize the grand corruption and mass looting of the state.

John Prendergast is a US former director of African Affairs at the National Security Council, and Founding Director of Enough Project. Brian Adeba is Deputy Director of Policy at EnoughProject

October 3, 2018 (JUBA) - The People's Democratic Movement (PDM) leader Hakim Dario urged the IGAD mediator to not support attempts by a splinter group to join the revitalized peace agreement and participate on their behalf in the transitional government.

The PDM is not a signatory of the revitalized peace agreement. Also two days before the final signing of the peace pact on 10 September, the group suspended one of its negotiators Josephine Lagu Yanga.

In return, Josephine formed her own faction, PDM For Peace, and declared its commitment to the SSOA under the leadership of Gabriel Chang Changson, adding they will work together to achieve social justice and democratic change in the country.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, the PDM leader asked Ismail Wais to not support attempts by "fictitious and pliant group" saying they have been created to replace those parties that refused to sign the agreement.

Dario further said SSOA chairperson Gabriel Chang Changson issued on 30 September a statement "fraudulently" providing that the PDM movement has resumed SSOA membership.

"PDM, therefore, calls on your office as IGAD Special Envoy to desist from entertaining fraudulent behaviours, efforts and attempts to use PDM's name inappropriately for political office through your support," reads a letter seen by Sudan Tribune Dario dated on 2 October.

The holdout groups on Tuesday issued a statement announcing they broke away from their allied groups in the SSOA led Changson and formed another SSOA under the leadership of Thomas Cirilo Swaka.

However, the non-signatories declared their determination to reach "a genuine, sustainable and lasting peace for the people of South Sudan and to establish the rule of law and justice in our country".

The new SSOA includes the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Gen. Thomas C. Swaka, People's Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Hakim Dario, National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Emanuel Aban and the United Democratic Republic Alliance (UDRA) of Gatwech K. Thich and South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) of Vakindi L. Unvu.

Dario regretted that the IGAD special envoy met all these political manoeuvres with his "tacit support" which will "shed a dark shadow of dishonesty on your office as the Special Envoy and on the IGAD mediators and negotiators".

The PDM leader further called on the international community, TROIKA, UNSC, and EU "to boycott the agreement and withhold any of their taxpayers' funding for this fraudulent R-ARCSS (revitalized peace agreement)".

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Khartoum airport Wednesday was shut down for several hours after two military transport planes belonging to the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) have collided on the ground.

Leaked video footage has shown an Antonov An-32 and an Antonov An-26 military transport aircrafts moving across the airport, when they both entered the same runway, with one aircraft suddenly ramming the tail of the other.

Spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority, Abdel-Hafiz Abdel-Rahim told Sudan Tribune that Khartoum airport Airport authorities had suspended air traffic for several hours in order to take the necessary safety precautions.

He pointed out that the suspension of navigation at the airport is a globally recognized measure aiming to ensure that all safety precautions have been taken.

The SAF didn't issue any statement regarding the incident. Also, no casualties were reported.

Last month, two SAF pilots were killed in a military training plane crash north of Khartoum. The incident was the second of its kind in few days after a military plane crashed in Nyala airport, South Darfur State injuring 15 people on board.

Sudan's air force fleet of Russian-made planes and helicopters has suffered a number of losses in recent years, with the military frequently blaming technical problems.

In June 2017, a military plane crashed on in the Northern State, killing all four crew members on board.

In October 2016, a Bo 360 helicopter crashed in Um Hani area, White Nile State, 105 kilometres south of Khartoum killing the pilot and injuring two crew members.

An Antonov 26 fighter jet in April 2016 crashed while landing at the airport in El Obied, the capital of North Kordofan state, killing all five crew members on board.

Also, 32 people were killed in August 2012 when their Antonov AN-26 crashed in Talodi, South Kordofan's third-largest town.

In October 2012, an Antonov plane crashed in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman killing 12 people.

Two air force crew died in June 2013 when their helicopter crashed in war-torn Blue Nile state, just a week after one went down in South Kordofan.

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Governor of South Darfur State Adam al-Faki on Wednesday visited premises of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) that would be handed over to his government at the end of the year as part of the Mission's exit strategy.

During the visit, al-Faki held a meeting including minister of urban planning Taha Abdallah and the Mission's Head of Office, Sector South, Berhanemeskel Nega and his staff.

He expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Mission, pointing to the partnership between the government and the UNAMID on issues of security and peacekeeping, voluntary return and resettlement.

Al-Faki added the Mission's premises would be turned into university colleges in order to provide services and contribute to developing human resources in South Darfur.

For his part, Nega briefed the governor on the strategic plan to hand over the Mission's sites to the government, pointing to the need for coordination between the two sides to protect the voluntary return camps and villages during the next period.

Last year, the UN Security Council decided to reduce the UNAMID, admitting that the security situation has improved in the Darfur region.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in western Sudan's region.

It is the world's second-largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

(ST)

October 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - SPLM-IO condemned statements by the South Sudan Presidential spokesman that his government has political prisoners and stressed they will not compromise over the release of James Dak, the spokesperson of the Movement' leader.

On Monday Ateny Wek Ateny denied the existence of political prisoners in South Sudan. He told Radio Tamazuj that "all political detainees had been released. We have prisoners of war and not political detainees".

Also on Wednesday, Juba released twenty political prisoners but James Gatdet Dak, the imprisoned-spokesperson SPLM-IO's leader was not among them.

Manawa Peter Gatkuoth SPLM-IO Deputy Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Public Relations told Sudan Tribune they learnt that Dak was told that he is not included in the presidential decree for the release of the political prisoners and detainees.

"This is a serious development and we hope that the government of South Sudan will reconsider its position and release him as soon as possible," Manawa said.

He further said that Dak is "the ideal example for the political prisoner" according to the standards enshrined in international law before to stress that claiming he is not covered by the presidential pardon is a clear breach of the revitalized agreement.

"We appeal to the international community to intervene to secure his release because Dak's imprisonment cannot be subjected to political bargaining," he said.

In November 2016, Kenya arrested and deported James Dak to Juba where he remained in jail until his trial in February 2018. He was sentenced to death on charges of treason and incitement against the government.

Already his lawyer said the trial of the SPLM-IO official was a violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement of 21 December 2017.

Manawa also slammed Ateny's statements denying the existence of political prisoners in South Sudan and described it as "irresponsible statements" that fueling political strife at this critical stage in the implementation of the peace agreement.

He added that the international community should condemn such statements since IGAD, the African Union, the United Nations and the Troika are aware of such arrests and abduction of SPLM-IO members inside the country and in Kenya before their deportation to South Sudan where they are detained.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty reported that two vocal government critics, Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Idri, were detained in Kenya in January 2017before the deliver them to the south Sudanese authorities

Also, there is the case of Peter Biar Ajak, a South Sudanese peace activist who was arrested last July.

(ST)

Who are the rebel groups which have taken up arms to fight for independence for English-speaking parts of Cameroon?

The country will vote for its next president amid a civil conflict in its English-speaking regions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting Zimbabwe’s efforts to begin vaccinating 1.4 million people against a new deadly outbreak of cholera, beginning on Wednesday, after the water-borne disease first surfaced in a suburb of the capital Harare early last month.

September 2, 2018 (JUBA) - President Salva Kiir who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudanese army issued a decree providing to formally change the name of the SPLA into South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF).

President Salva Kiir walks past SPLA reception parade during 6th command council in Juba on July 27, 2017 (ST)

The decision which was announced on Tuesday evening had been adopted on 3 August 2017 by the sixth Command Council Conference of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

The change meant to mark the effective transformation of the national army from a liberation movement into a professional army.

At the time the conference passed several resolutions in that sense.

The presidential decree read on the official TV station provided that the decision comes in line with the resolutions of the SPLA Command Council Conference.

The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement in 1983 and was a key participant of the second Sudanese civil war.

As of 2013, South Sudan military was estimated to have 210,000 soldiers.

The SPLA's change de name intervenes ten days before the start of the implementation of the revitalized security arrangements which include the reunification of the national army before the end of the transitional period.

(ST)

October 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The UN Resident Coordinator in Sudan, Gwi-Yeop Son, Tuesday welcomed the temporary unilateral cessation of hostilities by the Sudan Liberation Army – Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW) to allow humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel-controlled areas in eastern Jebel Marra area.

Heavy rains in Wadi Tuliba and Tagulei villages located in an SLA-AW controlled area killed 16 people died as a result of mudslides last September. Following this natural disaster, the SLM/A AW declared a three-month unilateral ceasefire to allow the delivery of emergency and medical assistance to the affected population.

"The United Nations welcomes the unilateral ceasefire by the SLA-AW that enabled the United Nations to provide emergency assistance to about 380 people," said Ms. Son in a statement released on Tuesday.

The statement further said that UN provided relief assistance to 76 affected families (about 380 people), including tents and plastic sheets for shelter, kitchen sets, jerry cans, blankets and mosquito nets, and treated the injured and ill.

On 20 September, UNAMID said a joint team comprising UNAMID and UN Humanitarian Country Team including six doctors, reached the affected area. The first mission assessed the humanitarian situation and provided medical assistance and non-food items to the affected villagers.

While UNAMID reported that 19 people were killed by the mudslides, the UN Resident Humanitarian said 16 people died in the disaster.

The two affected villages are in a mountainous area where access and logistics are complicated by lack of roads and difficult terrain.

The SLM/A is not part of a unilateral cessation of hostilities by three armed groups in Darfur within the framework of peace talks with the government brokered by the African Union.

(ST)

October 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Good cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan armies is the key for a strong relationship between the two countries, said Sudan defence minister during a meeting with the South Sudanese army chief of joint staff on Tuesday.

The visiting South Sudanese army chief of staff General Gabriel Jok Riak discussed the implementation of the security arrangement with his Sudanese counterpart Kamal Abdel Marouf al-Mahi following a recent agreement to launch the operationalization of the buffer zone between the two countries last September in Addis Ababa.

On Tuesday, Sudanese Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf received General Riak who discussed issues of common interest that serve the security and stability of both countries.

"The Minister of Defense stressed the special relationship between the two countries and pointed out to the importance of communication and exchange visits because the good relationship between the armed forces in the two countries is the entrance to the remaining files of common interest," reads a statement released after the meeting.

Sudan and South Sudan agreed in September 2012 to establish a demilitarized zone on the disputed and non-delimited border to prevent cross-border attacks by rebels groups from both sides. Also, they decided to establish 10 border crossing corridors.

But, its implementation was hampered by the mistrust and rejection of local communities living on the border area such as the 14-Mile Area which is important grazing territory for the Malual Dinka.

According to the statement, General Riak said the Sudanese efforts to narrow the gaps between the South Sudanese parties in the IGAD-led peace process convinced Juba to go ahead in the implementation of the security arrangements and to strengthen relations with Khartoum.

Ibn Ouf and his military aides mediated the talks on the security arrangements during the Khartoum Round of the revitalization forum for peace in South Sudan.

For his part, General al-Mahi said he agreed with his South Sudanese counterpart to implement the recent agreement signed in Addis Ababa before the end of the year in order to pave the way for the deployment of the joint forces on the border.

He added that they discussed cooperation in the fields of joint training and the formation of joint forces.

On Wednesday, General Riak will take part in a meeting of IGAD senior military leaders to discuss the deployment of a joint force to monitor the implementation of the revitalized peace pact.

(ST)

October 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government on Tuesday has renewed its commitment to implement the Roadmap Agreement expecting the Two Areas talks with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) to resume within three months.

Mbeki speaks to participants at the inaugral session of Strategic Consultations Meeting in Addis Ababa on 18 March 2016 (AUHIP Photo)

The government and the opposition Sudan Call alliance including the political forces and the armed movements signed in March and August 2016 the Roadmap agreement brokered by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) including several steps towards their participation in a national constitutional process inside Sudan.

However, the parties failed to sign a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian agreements that are seen crucial before to move forward in the roadmap implementation process.

Following the failure of talks for a ceasefire agreement in August 2016, the government held its national dialogue conference without the opposition groups and formed a national consensus government.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) Tuesday has quoted the Minister of Information and government spokesperson Bishara Guma'a Aror as saying peace has become a reality on the ground in the Two Areas and is lacking only the signing of an agreement between the government and the SPLM-N.

He pointed out that no military clashes have occurred between the government and the SPLM-N during the past two years, saying the two sides have adhered to the unilateral cessation of hostilities.

Aror called on holdout groups to join the peace process, stressing his government's seriousness and commitment to achieve sustainable peace, security and stability in the Two Areas and the country in general.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

The talks with the SPLM-N groups to end the conflict in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states are stalled as the African mediators failed to bring the parties to sign a permanent ceasefire and to engage talks on the political issues.

Following the spilt of the SPLM-N in two factions, the mediation sought to hold peace talks between the group of Abdel Aziz al-Hilu and the government in vain.

For the other faction led by Malik Agar, the mediation deals with it within the framework of the Sudan Call opposition umbrella which includes armed groups from Darfur region and political parties.

Also, this process is impeded by the failure to reach a framework agreement for talks on Darfur conflict and the revitalization of a roadmap struck in August 2016 but no longer fits with the political developments.

(ST)

October 2, 2018 (NEW YORK) - The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock has praised Sudan's decision to allow humanitarian access to rebel-held areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

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

Last week, the Sudanese government said it has accepted a proposal from the UN to deliver humanitarian aid to rebel-held areas in the Two Areas from inside Sudan.

Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam Tuesday told Sudan Tribune that he met with Lowcock on Monday in New York.

He pointed out that the UN official described Sudan's decision as a positive move towards improving the humanitarian situation in the Two Areas.

Adam added he briefed Lowcock on the latest political and humanitarian developments in Sudan and the need to make concerted efforts among the government, the UN and other partners in order to promote peace and stability and to move from emergency relief to reconstruction and development.

According to Adam, the UN official expressed his conviction that humanitarian situation has improved and announced his support to government efforts in this regard.

He also urged donors to increase funding in order to contribute to enhancing the stability and resilience of affected communities.

Meanwhile, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Gwi-Yeop Son, has welcomed Sudan's decision to accept her request to facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population in the rebel-held areas.

“The request is purely humanitarian in nature and is based on humanitarian imperatives. The UN's relief operations will adhere to the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality” she wrote in a letter to the Sudanese government

Son stressed the UN would monitor the delivery of humanitarian assistance, calling on all parties to facilitate humanitarian access and the delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable people in the Two Areas.

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

The SPLM-N demands to deliver 20% of the humanitarian assistance through a humanitarian corridor from Asosa, an Ethiopian border town.

But the government rejects the idea saying it is a breach of the state sovereignty and a manoeuvre from the rebels to bring arms and ammunition to their locked rebel-held areas in the Two Areas.

The SPLM-N, in November 2016 declined an American proposal to transport humanitarian medical assistance directly to the civilians in the rebel-held areas in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

Also, during the last round of talks from 1 to 3 February, the Sudanese government and SPLM-N al-Hilu failed to reach a cessation of hostilities agreement.

The mediation delinked the ceasefire and the humanitarian access and focused at this round only on the cessation of hostilities agreement.

However, differences between the sides emerged when Khartoum proposed that the cessation of hostilities be a step towards a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian access.

(ST)

October 2, 2018 (JUBA) - The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA)'s groups that rejected the revitalized agreement Tuesday broke away from their allies who signed the peace pact and picked Thomas Cirilo Swaka as leader of the new coalition.

Thomas Cirillo Swaka (Photo Reuters)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Gen. Thomas C. Swaka, People's Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Hakim Dario, National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Emanuel Aban and the United Democratic Republic Alliance (UDRA) of Gatwech K. Thich and South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) of Vakindi L. Unvu, said they met on Sunday 30 September to restructure the alliance leadership.

"The leaders of the alliance who remained true to SSOA objectives met and resolved to establish an interim SSOA Executive body, tasked with defining the way forward for SSOA post the 12th September 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS),".said the statement.

Following what the statement said the new SSOA team is constituted from Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka as the Chairman, Vakindi L. Unvu as Deputy Chairman, Amb. Emmanuel Y. Ajawin as the Secretary-General, Hakim Dario: the Secretary for Foreign Relations and Kwaje M. Lasu will keep his post of the Spokesperson.

In a statement issued on 16 September SSOA leader Gabriel Chang Changson denied accusations of betraying the plight of the South Sudanese.

Further, he called on the holdout groups to reconsider their position from the deal and to rejoin them, stressing on the need for the unity to achieve the shared objectives.

Changson-led SSOA faction includes his group FDP/SSAF, NDM of Lam Akol, SSNMC led by Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro of, SSPM/A of Hussein Abdel Bagi, SSLM/A of Bapiny Montuil Wegjang, SSUM/A of Peter Gadet Yak and a PDM's faction led by Josephine Lagu.

The new SSOA team, however, the African Union, IGAD, EU, UN Security Council, and the TROIKA countries that "we will continue to work hard to attain a genuine, sustainable and lasting peace for the people of South Sudan and to establish the rule of law and justice in our country".

It is not clear if Swaka's faction is planning to make some proposals in order to reopen negotiations with the peace partners or not and under which conditions.

It is agreed that SSOA split sapped the strength of the third political group in South Sudan after the SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO. Observers fear that this development impact negatively their efforts to achieve their goals during the transitional period.

(ST)

Ibrahim Sherifo has not seen or heard from his parents since he was 13 years old when they were "disappeared" in Eritrea.