Africa

July 28, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese capital Khartoum will host next Sunday a meeting for the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Partners Group to discuss implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) and the recent developments in Juba,.

Botswana's former president Festus Mogae (Photo File AFP)

The meeting which will be co-chaired by Sudan and China, includes representatives of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, Somalia, Chad, China, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union Commission, the European Union, the IGAD Partners Forum and the United Nations.

In a press statement on Thursday Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Garib Allah Khidir, said that Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour will co-chair the meeting with the Chinese Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Zhong Jianhua.

China which has energy interest in South Sudan has always been actively involved in the regional and international efforts to end the South Sudanese conflict.

The meeting will be briefed by the Chair of JMEC, former President Festus Mogae.

The first meeting of the JMEC partners group held in Nairobi in February 2016 had been co-chaired by Kenya and the United States, the second held in Addis Ababa last May.

Since the clashes in Juba between the troops of President Salva Kiir and the former First Vice President Riek Machar and his replacement by Taban Deng Gai, observers agree that the peace process is on the verge of collapse.

Some diplomats express hope that a Machar would return to Juba and be reappointed in his position. But it is not clear how such scenario can be achieved.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 17 people have died from recent Cholera outbreaks in South Sudan and 340 cases of the disease registered in recent weeks, the health ministry said.

A child receives an oral cholera vaccine dose in the South Sudan capital, Juba (Medair Photo)

A World Health Organization (WHO) statement issued on Wednesday also confirmed the early suspected cases of Cholera in different parts of the young nation, saying 10 samples from patients tested positive for Vibrio Cholera Ivana in a public health laboratory.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Its symptoms may be mild or moderate, with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration notable. It can lead to death if untreated.

46 cholera patients were reportedly been hospitalized in Duk county of Jonglei state, while seven died. Also five people, out of the 12 registered cases, died in Terekeka county of Central Equatoria state.

On Wednesday, the medical charity, MSF, and the health ministry launched a vaccination campaign that, it said, targets 4,000 people in Juba, particularly in the epidemic suburbs of Gorom, Khor William and Giada as well as in other parts of the country's capital.

Only a quarter of people living South Sudan's towns have access to clean drinking water, worsening any spread of water borne diseases.

Researchers have estimated that every year, there are roughly 1.4 to 4.3 million cases, and 28 000 to 142 000 deaths per year worldwide due to cholera. The short incubation period of two hours to five days, is factor that triggers the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks.

(ST)

July 28, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's President, Salva Kiir on Thursday met his two deputies in the coalition government, during which he expressed willingness to expedite implementation of the peace deal.

President Salva Kiir meets SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, in Juba, December 22, 2015 (ST Photo)

The three leaders, a statement from the presidency noted, agreed to undertake measures to "strengthen the protection of civilians”.

“The President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, today met with his two deputies, to discuss some of the issues on peace implementation and some current developments in the country. The three leaders have agreed to undertake measures to expedite the implementation process of the peace agreement so that the country can move forward with reconciliation, healing and forgiveness”, partly reads the statement Sudan Tribune obtained.

“The president has made it clear that he will cooperate with the new first vice president and the vice president to ensure that priority would be given to resolving key problems that have caused strong protests by the people. A new spirit is emerging from the presidency, the spirit of cooperation, consensus and willingness to implement the agreement so that the country can move forward,” it added.

President Kiir on Monday appointed the armed opposition's former chief mediator, Taban Deng Gai as the country's First Vice-President replacing Riek Machar, who left the capital following recent clashes.

More than 270 soldiers, officials said, died when forces loyal to Kiir clashed with pro-Machar soldiers before a ceasefire was declared.

According to the statement from the presidency, a number of things have been agreed to be resolved, including accepting that the deputy speaker's position be nominated by the armed opposition.

“These nominations will speed-up the establishment of a new parliament incorporating members of the SPLM/A-IO, and enabling the parliament to function as normal, enacting laws and aiding in the establishment of institutions prescribed by the Compromise Peace Agreement 2015, including approving the new Constitution of the Republic, leading to the next census and elections”, it stressed.

Officials at the presidency told Sudan Tribune that many of the details of the peace proposal were already known, including, among others, commitment to observing a permanent ceasefire, implementing the security arrangement by disbanding and integrating members of armed opposition into different institutions of government under one command and protecting the civilians.

Observers, however, say it is unclear how the leaders intend to implement the deal and how members of armed opposition and the international community would react, if the accord is compromised.

It is also unclear what exactly the leaders have agreed to do as the first thing in the implementation of the peace agreement and how long they have collectively intended to achieve their objectives.

(ST)

While welcoming recent political developments recently observed in West Africa, the United Nations Security Council today stressed the need to increase military cooperation between the States in the region and Sahel to fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram.

Citing persisting instability in number of African countries – from South Sudan to Mali and Libya, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that building peace and restoring institutions in post-conflict settings are long-term processes that must be rooted in a country’s historical, political, social, cultural and economic contexts.

Some 23 million people in southern Africa are in need of urgent support to be able to produce enough food to feed themselves and avoid being dependent on humanitarian assistance until mid-2018, the United Nations agricultural agency has warned.

July 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The visit of United States Special Envoy, Donald Booth, aims to assess the situation of displaced people in Darfur and to brief the government officials on the outcome of his contacts with the opposition holdout groups, said the Sudanese foreign ministry on Wednesday

U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth, speaks at the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, on April 28, 2016 (ST Photo)

On Tuesday, Booth has started a visit to North Darfur state where he visites the newly displaced people to assess the security and humanitarian situation. Also he he will meet with the state authorities and UNAMID officials.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Garib Allah Khidir, told reporters that the ministry is organizing Booth's visit and his meetings with the different officials, in coordination with the relevant authorities .

Khidir added the U.S. diplomat would brief the government officials tasked with the file of peace in Darfur on the outcome of his visit to the region and his observations.

"Booth is very concerned by the conditions of displaced civilians who fled their villages following the latest fighting in Jebel Marra," further said the newly appointed spokesperson.

He went further to say that the visiting envoy would discuss with the Sudanese officials the outcome of his discussions in Paris with the holdout opposition groups on the African Union brokered Roadmap Agreement.

Both and his aides recently met with the opposition groups in Addis Ababa and Paris in a bid to convince them to join Roadmap Agreement.

Also, he and the joint chief mediator for peace in Darfur Martin Uhomoibhi met recently in Paris with Abdel Wahid al-Nur, the leader of a Sudan Liberation Movement faction to persuade him to join the peace process.

Last week, the opposition Sudan Call groups disclosed that Booth encouraged them to reconsider their position from the roadmap, adding he also reached the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki and helped to soften his position towards their demand for additional confidence building measures before to sign it.

His visit to Sudan comes before a series of meetings Mbeki would held in Khartoum with the Sudanese officials and the opposition groups in Addis Ababa next month.

The Sudan Call forces said they are willing to join the roadmap after guarantees that the peace plan would lead to an inclusive process that would be conducted in a conducive environment where freedoms are not restricted and political prisoners are freed.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (KAMPALA) - The Ugandan Chapter of South Sudan's armed opposition (SPLM-IO) say they do not recognize Taban Deng Gai as the nation's First Vice President.

SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, speaking to journalists at Juba airport upon his return from Pagak with his team, 22 January 2016 (ST Photo)

President Salva Kiir replaced SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar with Gai, a move said to be contrary to terms of the peace agreement signed in August last year.

The SPLM-IO chairman in Uganda, Buay Keake described as “unacceptable” the decision to appoint Gai, saying it was a violation of peace accord and against the will of South Sudanese.

“Gen. Taban Deng Gai's appointment is illegal and it has been condemned by the members, the entire leadership in Uganda and the entire members of the SPLM –IO chapter in Uganda,” said Keake.

“On my own behalf as national coordination and the acting principal representative of Uganda , I would like to bring it into the attention of the general public that our office in Uganda strongly condemns the conspiracy plan,” added.

The official claimed the 8 July shootings, which occurred at the presidential palace in Juba was conspiracy allegedly to kill Machar.

Stephen Wat Bipal, the humanitarian liaison officer in Kampala said Gai's elevation violates provisions of South Sudan's peace accord.

Bipal said Gai was no longer an armed opposition movement member.

“Our office remains unshakable and will continue to hold onto the movement's objectives and vision. The chapter urges all members, supporters, and sympathizers to maintain their continued strong commitment to the democratic movement under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar,” he told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

On Monday, the South Sudanese leader took a unilateral decision after he gave his first deputy Machar an ultimatum 48 hours to report to Juba or else risk being sacked from his vice-presidency position.

Machar, however, insisted he would only return to Juba after regional forces have been deployed in South Sudan to create a buffer zone between his forces and those allied to the President Kiir.

But members of the armed opposition chapter in Uganda are urging the African Union, regional bloc (IGAD) and United Nation Security Council to deploy regional troops and pressure to desist from attacking their forces or risk igniting full scale war in the country.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudan security operatives prevented a newspaper editor from leaving court premises, despite being granted bail, journalists and family members said

Alfred Taban (Time-UA Photo)

Alfred Taban, the founding editor of Juba Monitor was arrested on 16 July by national security agents, a day after the paper's editorial called for the removal of South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, and the first vice president, Riek Machar, for allegedly failing to successfully implement the August 2015 peace agreement.

However, family members and journalists said on Tuesday that Taban has been denied bail again after he was charged under Article 75 and 76 of the Penal Code 2008 and cannot now be granted bail.

“Alfred has been transferred from the national security premises where he was held for more than a week to Juba north police station where the charges against were read out. He is charged under article 75 and article 76, which are irrelevant articles in this case”, a family member told Sudan Tribune.

He has been charged with "publishing or communicating false statement prejudicial to Southern Sudan” under Article 75 and Article 76 deals with "undermining authority of and insulting the President".

In South Sudan, journalists like Taban, still face constant harassment.

The head of union of journalists in South Sudan, Oliver Modi said in a separate interview he was concerned that the health condition of the detained editor would deteriorate if he is not granted bail.

“They have refused him bail [Taban] which is provided for in the constitution. I appeal to the authorities to listen to those appealing for his release on bail”, said Modi.

Last week, Michael Christopher, the editor of Al-Watan newspaper was arrested and detained after the paper misquoted the information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has fired the country's finance minister, David Deng Athorbei amid the worsening economic crisis in the nation.

South Sudanese preasident Salva Kiir (AFP)

In a Republican decree 288, read on State-owned SSBC on Monday, the South Sudanese leader relieved Athorbei without providing any reason.

Kiir, in the same decree also relieved Trade and Industry Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau and his Mining counterpart, Taban Deng Gai.

Gai was appointed the country's First Vice President to replace armed opposition (SPLM-IO) leader, Riek Machar by decree 289. A separate decree 290 appointed Dhieu as the new finance minister.

South Sudan economy has deteriorated since December 2015 when the government floated exchange rates for local South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the US dollar.

Inflation in the country, economists say, has risen by 300% in the last seven months.

Observers say despite being oil-rich, South Sudan is likely to record negative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2016 after growing by 30.7 percent two years ago, largely due its ongoing conflict, decline in oil production and the global fall in oil prices.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) -Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) across South Sudan at United Nations protection of civilians (PoCs) sites, have protested against the appointment of General Taban Deng Gai as first vice president to replace Riek Machar, saying the action is threatening the peace deal in the country signed in August last year.

Wiyual Machar Gany, chairman of the IDPs community living in the POCs at Jebel in Juba told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that civilians in the UN camp are against the decision of president Kiir to illegally sack Machar and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai who “faked” a nomination in a hotel room.

He said such a decision will hamper the implementation of the peace agreement between Kiir and Machar and urged the government to withdraw the appointment of Taban Deng Gai and continue with the implementation of the agreement.

“We civilians at the UN camps have gone to the street today against the decision of president Kiir to replace Machar. We reject the nomination of Gen. Taban Deng and we see this as threats to the peace which was signed last year,” Gany said.

The group said they only recognize Riek Machar as the legitimate leader of the armed opposition faction who also inked the peace deal with president Kiir to end two years of violent conflict.

A similar demonstration witnessed in Malakal, Upper Nile state and Bentiu, Unity state at the United Nations protection sites with residents calling on world leaders to take immediate action before a “full-scale war” could erupt again between South Sudanese rivals forces.

The groups called on the international community to put pressure on both parties to restore peace in the country as per the provisions in the August 2015 peace agreement.

The demonstrators who were carrying placards and leaflets told UN officials that Taban Deng Gai was allegedly working to scrap the peace deal for his person benefits rather than ending the war.

Maruot Changath Payinjiar, a youth leader of Payinjiar county in Unity state, has condemned the appointment of Taban Deng to replace what he called the “legitimate first vice president Machar.”

He said the move is seen to be destroying the peace agreement, despite many signatures from both international and regional leaders.

Changath adding that Taban Deng Gai had already defected to President Kiir's faction and had been removed from the party and should not have been appointed to represent the opposition faction.

The youth leader also claimed that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has failed to protect civilians after several internal displaced persons were “mistreated and killed in front of them.”

“The youths condemn UNMISS for failure to protect the peace agreement even when they knew Machar was transported with few soldiers from Pagak as if they were in the conspiracy which almost cost Machar's life. UNMISS also failed to protect the IDPs as many were killed in intentional firing by Salva Kiir's soldiers,” he added.

Changath has urged the African Union (AU) to send in third forces to protect the peace agreement and called on them to condemn and dismiss Taban Deng Gai's appointment by president Kiir.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (NEW YORK) – South Sudanese soldiers in the capital, Juba, have been accused by the United Nations (UN) of resorting to raping of women, including underage young girls who have taken refuge at the United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoCs) sites in the outskirt of the capital.

The renewed accusation was made in a briefing to reporters in New York on Wednesday.

"Regarding South Sudan, the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) continues to receive deeply disturbing reports of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, by soldiers in uniform and men in plain clothes against civilians, including minors, around UN House and in other areas of Juba,” said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

Since the start of the current violence in Juba, the UN Mission has documented at least 120 cases of sexual violence and rape against civilians.

UN peace keepers have reportedly stepped up their patrols in and around the Protection of Civilians sites, as well as in Juba city in response to the increasing sexual violence against women and underage girls.

It added that in trying to mitigate the problem, measures are in place where UNMISS force provides protection at designated times to women when they want to go out of the Protection of Civilians sites to collect firewoods and procure other non-food items.

“We have called on all parties to the conflict to take personal responsibility for the immediate sanctioning of their soldiers involved in these unspeakable acts of violence," says UN.

South Sudanese soldiers have been repeatedly accused of resorting to raping women whom they were supposed to protect as duty of a national army, with reports alleging that their commanders tell them to rape women as compensation for lack of salary payments.

The soldiers have also been accused of their habit to loot properties of civilians and relief organizations, with the recent incidence in Juba in which a food store for the World Food Program (WFP) was looted by soldiers two weeks ago in the heart of the capital.

(ST)

Many African elephants continued to face serious threats to their survival in 2015 from the illegal trade in ivory and unacceptably high levels of poaching, although the sharp upward trends in poaching since 2006 have started to level off, according to the Secretariat of the United Nations-backed treaty regulating wildlife trade.

African migrants remain as determined as ever to reach Europe from Libya despite the growing number of deaths at sea.

July 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Wednesday has confiscated copies of Al-Saiha and Al-Taghyeer daily newspapers from the printing house without stating any reasons.

A Sudanese man reads a newspaper as he waits to pay at a kiosk in the capital Khartoum (AFP)

Chief-Editor of Al-Saiha newspaper Al-Nour Ahmed Al-Nour said NISS agents came to the printing house and seized 14,500 print copies, pointing the financial loss is estimated at 30,000 pounds (SDG) (about $5000).

He added that the newspaper hasn't violated the law or crossed the red lines stated by the government, saying they can't predict any reason for the NISS's move.

For her part, the Chief-Editor of Al-Taghyeer Sumai Sayed said the newspaper was likely seized due to an Op-ed written by Hayder al-Mukashfi in which he made a comparison between the failed military coup in Turkey and the 1989 coup which brought President Omer al-Bashir to power.

She stressed that al-Mukashfi wrote a professional article and has neither violated the law nor crossed the red lines.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of Al-Tagyeer, late on Wednesday decided to suspend the publishing to protest against the repeated confiscations of the newspaper.

In statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the chairman of the board Hafiz Humaida said they felt that the newspaper was targeted by the frequent and unjustified confiscations and decided to suspend publication.

It is noteworthy that Al-Taghyeer is owned by the famous Islamist and health minister of Khartoum state Mamoun Humaida while Al-Saiha is owned by the chairman of the Just Peace Forum (JPF) party and president Omer Hassan al-Bashir's maternal uncle Al-Tayeb Mustafa.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) said the information department at the NISS on Tuesday has summoned producer and presenter of a sports programme at Radio Hala, Hassan Farouq.

According to the SJN, Farouq has discussed in his programme the government interference in the elections of the Sudanese Football Association (SFA).

It added that Farouq was interrogated at the NISS office from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (local time) before he was allowed to leave.

The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

It uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan ruling SPLM party has nominated former transport minister Anthony Lino Makana as speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), breaking an impasse that has delayed reconstituting the oversight body of the government.

The meeting at SPLM House in Juba on Wednesday was chaired by President Salva Kiir who also chairs the ruling party, and comes a day after the replacement of the former First Vice President Riek Machar by Taban Deng Gai

President Kiir, who made the announcement, said today decision is a new page for the fractured party.

"You now voted and four candidates from Equatoria were brought to the SPLM leadership. The leadership of the SPLM has selected honorable Anthony Lino Makana," said Kiir, referring to his SPLM faction.

The party split into three factions at the onset of December 2013 conflict: SPLM In Government led by Kiir, SPLM In Opposition of Riek Machar and SPLM former detainees led by former Secretary General Pagan Amum.

Kiir said the SPLM factions has no choice but to remain united.

"If you are not united in this (SPLM) house, you will not be united in the (parliament) bigger house," he further said, warning that "measures will be taken against dissent members of parliament" who vote against SPLM policies.

Sources in the meeting said the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai has accepted to nominate deputy speaker.

Oliver Benjamin, the head of information in the national parliament, said a special session to formally select the speaker in parliament will be convened on Monday.

"All members of parliament have been recalled to Juba to be able to attend on Monday August 1, 2016," he said by phone on Wednesday.

According to the August 2015 Agreement for Resolution of Conflict in the Republic, the current parliament with 332 MPs will be expanded to 400. The SPLM IO nominated new 50 legislators, 1 from former detainees and 17 from other political parties.

Disagreement over which party to nominate the speaker stalled expansion of the parliament and commencing the TNLA.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

July 27, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Hundreds of African delegates withdrawn form all over the continent called for more concrete efforts to stop cancer.

African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa (ST Photo)

The calls were made at the 10th "Stop Cervical Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference" (SCCA) concluded on Wednesday at the African Union head quarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Delegates expressed concern on the rapid rises of cancer particularly on cervical, breast and prostate cancer.

Participants underscored a need for collective and more resolute measures both at regional and international levels to prevent the spread.

The Conference aims to ensure the provision of a strategic guidance based on concrete lessons learned over the past decade in ways of prevention and controlling cancer.

It was disclosed at the conference the need to galvanize and harmonizing efforts to fortify country level programs and initiatives to battle cancer.

Ethiopia's First lady Roman Tesfay, who is also Chairperson of COMESA First Ladies unit, stated that cancer has become a growing challenge across the African continent.

Roman reiterated on the need to work relentlessly towards creating public awareness, providing adequate medical services, and putting in place effective preventive measures, and early diagnosis and treatment.

She also stressed on the need for a concerted and comprehensive action by governments and international organs.

The First Lady said the conference has created a platform for a wider range of stakeholders actively working in cancer prevention and control to come together to reflect on the success Africa achieved and the challenges faced in the prevention and control of cervical, breast and prostate cancer over the past decade.

The Conference has noted with great concern the growing burden of cervical, breast and prostate cancer in Africa and its damaging effect on its communities, nations and the entire region.

It was noted during the opening of the Conference that cancer is increasing at an alarming rate in Africa, and it kills more people than HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis combined.

Cervical cancer rates in some parts of the continent reach up to 40 cases per 100,000 women.

"This is further confounded with highest maternal mortality rate in the region resulting in unacceptably high number of women deaths," said Kebede Worku, Ethiopian State Minister of Health in a communiqué he read after conclusion of the Conference.

It was disclosed that the gathering will bolster the effort of scientists and researchers, health professionals, philanthropists, civil society groups, individuals from the private sector as well as cancer survivors from all over the world in the efforts of stopping Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer.

Held from July 24 to 27 under the theme, “A decade of accomplishment, our enduring legacies and challenges ahead” the high -profile gathering conference has attracted more than 5000 distinguished delegates and speakers from Africa and across the world.

Among others African head of State and Government, African Parliaments, African First Ladies, African Ministers of Health, leaders of organizations and institutions have taken part in the conference.

The conference was organized by the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, in partnership with the Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation.

The conference is Africa's largest gathering in bringing together international stakeholders and specialists in the field of cancer prevention and control. Ethiopian government has expressed commitments for the expansion of cancer treatment centers in the country.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Ministry of Health says it has set to replicate the country's success on HIV/AIDS to cancer treatment.

Ethiopian Minister of Health Dr. Kesetebirhan Admassu disclosed that training of doctors and health professionals have been given due attention to meet the growing demands of professionals in the area.

The minster said the Ethiopian government has expressed commitments for the expansion of cancer treatment centers in the country.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) - The office of South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Tuesday denied any knowledge of directives given to the army to carry out a search aimed at bringing only the head of the for former First Vice President Riek Machar from his hideout.

“I am now aware of such orders. It is not true”, said presidential adviser on military affairs, Daniel Awet Akot in statements to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday when reached to comment on a report widely circulated on the social media.

The senior presidential official was reacting to a fake military order allegedly issued on 25 July by the Chief of General Staff of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), Paul Malong Awan, directing to carry out air attacks on the areas where Machar and his forces are stationed outside the capital.

"You must bring him dead or alive to answer all the charges against him," says the fake document about the former first vice president.

The order further directs to ensure that troops are deployed along South Sudanese border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and to lay point ambushes against Machar and his forces, because he is heading to the neighbouring country.

SPLA Spokesperson Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang also denied the authenticity of the report, describing as “fake" documents aiming to create confusion and false allegation against the military command.

"We don't operate like that and you know that. Those documents are fake; they are created by enemies of peace,” said Lul in a statement to the media on Tuesday in response to the allegation.

There was also other fake texts attributed to the SPLA's chief of general staff ordering to shoot down any uncleared on the south Sudanese airspace including aircraft bearing UN symbols on suspected areas.

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese former First Vice President, Riek Machar, has said his replacement with his ex-official, Taban Deng Gai, is “illegal” and reaffirmed his call for a third party force to be deployed in the national capital, Juba.

He also said he is still the First Vice President per the peace agreement and only awaiting deployment of a third force in Juba in order to come back to his office.

In his first interview with Aljazeera TV on Wednesday from his location “around Juba”, Machar said President Salva Kiir had no power to appoint a replacement if the President were to abide by the peace agreement signed in August last year to end 21 months of civil war.

He said he would be the one to nominate a replacement and recommend it to President Kiir from his faction.

“First of all, I am still the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan…By the agreement he [Kiir] has no power to appoint any person unless I nominate the person,” he told Aljazeera TV.

The former first deputy president, who also leads the opposition party of the SPLM-IO and commands its military wing, the SPLA-IO, said the process of his replacement convened by Taban Deng Gai was “illegal.”

He also confirmed that he already dismissed Taban Deng Gai a day before Gai “self-appointed himself” to replace him, adding that also there was no party's institution which sat to make a decision. He said Taban Deng had defected to President Salva Kiir and Kiir was only appointing his “friend” who already defected to him.

The opposition leader further explained that even if he was to be absent he should have been the one to delegate someone to act on his behalf, particularly a most senior minister or party official.

Machar also revealed that he had earlier told his party deputy and minister of interior, General Alfred Ladu Gore, to act on his behalf when he was being forced out until he would come back to Juba. Gore was however reportedly intimidated by Gai and decided to succumb to his nomination without questioning his seniority in the matter.

The top opposition leader warned that the peace agreement is on the verge of “collapse” if the regional and international community fails to act to reverse the illegal decision of President Kiir and to deploy a third party force to take over security of the capital.

It was the first time that Machar spoke to the media after he left the capital, Juba, two weeks ago when his residence was attacked and bombed to the ground by forces loyal to President Kiir.

Machar's comments have all confirmed statements which his spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, had been issuing on behalf of his boss for the past two weeks.

When asked about his whereabouts, Machar said he is “around Juba.”

(ST)

July 27, 2016 (JUBA) – Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), the body tasked to oversee implementation for South Sudan peace agreement, said President Salva Kiir has expressed “willingness to deployment of foreign” in a private meeting contrary to his public statements.

President Salva Kiir, (L), accompanied by army chief of staff Paul Malong Awan, (R), waves during an independence day ceremony in the capital Juba, on July 9, 2015 (Photo AP)

JMEC said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that the South Sudanese leader disclosed his flexibility during a meeting on Tuesday with former Botswan President and JMEC chairman Festus Mogae.

“Among the key points discussed during the productive meeting with President Kiir was his [Kiir] willingness to consider the deployment of a regional protection force in accordance with the recommendations of the IGAD Plus Summit and the Summit of African Union Leaders,” JMEC said in a statement also published on its website on Wednesday.

Mogae, JMEC said, also met the new First Vice President Taban Deng Gai on Monday, hours before being formally nominated as Riek Machar replacement by President Salva Kiir. The President said he acted to fill a vacant created by Machar's absence following the recommendation of the SPLM IO leaders in Juba.

JMEC said it will resume regular meeting in Juba and ensure that the peace agreement is fully implemented.

“Our only interest is to see a solution that promotes peace and a return to normality as well as security in South Sudan” said Chairman Mogae.

JMEC said the political deployment in recent weeks that include replacing Machar are “complex” and should be treated with caution.

“The Chairman [Mogae] has decided that, due to the complexity of the issues involved, this is a matter that should be considered and deliberated upon by the JMEC members, both the South Sudanese and our International Partners,” the statement added.

Moghae, JMEC said, is consulting regional leaders and international partners and “has thus met with the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations and other concerned parties to discuss the political impasse at this sensitive and difficult time for South Sudan.” He met with the Chairperson of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Chairperson and Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn on Tuesday “to discuss the latest developments and the way forward for South Sudan.”

JMEC said Mogae will continue with the consulting and will address the United Nations Security Council in August about the South Sudanese peace implementation.

President Kiir has said publicly that he won't allow “a single foreign soldier” in South Sudan following IGAD and African Union (AU) proposal to send regional forces to support UN peacekeepers in the country. He repeated this stance on Tuesday during the swearing-in ceremony for the first deputy president Taban Deng Gai.

“Dr. Riek Machar has been calling for intervention of foreign forces, international or regional, so they create a buffer zone. We will consider that as an invading force,” he said in a speech broadcast ob State-owned SSBC TV.

(ST)