Sudan Tribune

August 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Washington-based advocacy group Enough Project Monday called on the U.S. administration to work in the future on ways to achieve a lasting peace and democratic reforms in Sudan pointing that the root problem remains the authoritarian, kleptocratic government.

Washington is largely expected to repeal the 20-year economic embargo on the east African nation, which is believed to be ineffective and more harmed for the Sudanese people than its rigid regime.

U.S. top diplomat in Khartoum Steven Koutsis explained to the Washington Post on Monday the American policy towards the Sudan saying “What we want to ensure is, while we are trying to get the regime to change its ways, that the people of Sudan are not suffering because of that”.

In line with this approach, Enough Project issued a statement on making the next step count saying "the next phase of U.S. policy needs to address the root problem in Sudan: the authoritarian, kleptocratic government that makes tactical short-term adjustments in its policies in response to mild pressures but retains its strategic objectives".

The advocacy group further pointed to the need for "fundamental reforms in the Sudanese state" but emphasised on the for "effective pressures and incentives" to bring the government to achieve these changes.

"A comprehensive peace agreement with armed groups, commitment to human rights protections, including for religious minorities, and a more inclusive sharing of power with other Sudanese groups," are among the required reforms.

More precisely the group enumerated a number of benchmarks saying Washington needs to press Khartoum to achieve including the repeal of legal and constitutional articles on Apostasy, removal of legal immunities for Sudanese military, paramilitaries and security forces.

Enough further calls for "a constitutional convention in Sudan that is led by Sudanese stakeholders and overseen by independent international monitors, followed by adoption of the new constitution"

The Sudanese government held last year a national dialogue process that the opposition groups boycotted because the government failed to ensure freedoms, release political detainees and to include the holdout rebel groups.

Recently the Popular Congress Party criticised the government for not enforcing the recommendations of the dialogue process and also excluding them from the decision making process in this respect.

Enough Project said the U.S. administration during the next phase of engagement should prepare "smart, modernized sanctions that spare the Sudanese public and target those most responsible for grand corruption, atrocities and obstructing peace"

Also, the group said that Sudan's removal of the State Sponsor of Terrorism and support for Sudanese debt relief, should be on the negotiating table of the normalisation of bilateral relations process and used as garrotes to bring the ruling National Congress Party to achieve peace and democratic reforms in Sudan.

"Shorter term incentives could include the appointment of a full U.S. ambassador and increased trade promotion activities," it further said.

(ST)

August 28, 2017 (RUMBEK) – Relatives of the three lawmakers arrested and detained by security officials in South Sudan's Eastern Lakes state have demanded their unconditional release from detention.

Map detail showing South Sudan's Lakes state in red

The MPs are reportedly being kept in a secret cell in Yirol East county.

Those arrested included the chairperson of the information committee in parliament, Marial Amuom Malek and two lawmakers.

It remains unclear why the three lawmakers were arrested last week.

Malek's son, Ater Marial Amuom demanded that his father be presented before court and charged, if found to be guilty.

“My father is sick, if the state government is putting justice correctly, let us as a family know what crime he committed. He should be presented before court and the law allowed to take its course,” he said.

An activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said security operatives allegedly targeted youth critical of the state government.

“Youth active on social media are listed and searched for by security operatives for possible arrest if found,” said the activist.

(ST)

August 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement -North led by Malik Agar Monday expressed hope that the visit of USAID chief Mark Green to Sudan can help to open humanitarian access to civilians in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

In his first visit since his appointment earlier this month, Green is on a three-day visit to Sudan where he visited Darfur region and will hold talks with the Sudanese government officials on the humanitarian situation six weeks before a decision on the lift of sanctions on Sudan.

It is not clear if he would visit the Blue Nile or the South Kordofan states where the government and the two factions of the SPLM-N have declared a unilateral cessation of hostilities but failed to reach an agreement on the humanitarian access despite the efforts that Washington exerted in this respect.

In a statement issued on Monday Yasir Arman, SPLM-N Agar Secretary General, welcomed Green's visit to Sudan saying they hope that the visit of the American senior humanitarian official will push Khartoum to lift the "humanitarian aid sanctions" on the Two Areas.

"The Sudan government is only interested in the lifting of U.S. sanctions without (...) observing the benchmarks of the U.S. government", including the removal of humanitarian sanctions on the civilians in the Two Areas and Darfur, Arman said.

"We are optimistic and expectant that the visit of Mark Green will help in implementing U.S. benchmarks for the Sudan government to allow humanitarian assistance and observation of international humanitarian law as access to humanitarian aid is an unquestionable right for the civilian population, especially those who suffer from genocide and war crimes," the rebel official further said.

Green was in North Darfur state on Monday where he met the Governor Abdel Wahid Youssef and paid a visit to the internally displaced persons in Zam Zam camp outside El-Fasher.

The visiting humanitarian official told the Washington Post that “The timing of my visit shows the importance the U.S. attaches to our relationship with Sudan during this very important sanctions review period.”

“We will be closely watching for sustained progress,” he further added in reference to the five track agreement reached last year between the two countries for the normalisation of bilateral relations and the lift of the 20-year economic embargo on Sudan.

However, it is not clear if Green will visit the Two Areas.

Earlier this year U.S. officials called several times on the SPLM-N to accept a humanitarian proposal they made in a bid to break the deadlocked talks on the humanitarian access but the SPLM-N declined the initiative.

However, Arman reiterated the readiness of SPLM-N to negotiate a humanitarian agreement "despite its internal difficulties as we have officially informed the AUHIP in our meeting recently with them".

The other faction of the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu refuses for the time being to engage in any negotiations with the government before a general conference they plan to hold next October.

(ST)

August 29, 2017 (JUBA) – The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday announced the appointment of Alain Noudéhou from Benin as his Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Alain Noudéhou, the Deputy Special Representative in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (Getty)

Noudéhou will, in his new post, also serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The new deputy head of South Sudan mission succeeds Eugene Owusu of Ghana, who completed his assignment in July 2017.

The Secretary-General, in a statement, said he was grateful for Owusu's dedicated service with the United Nations in South Sudan.

Currently the Chief of Staff and Director of the Executive Office of UNDP in New York, Noudéhou reportedly brings to the position experience in international development and humanitarian affairs.

He previously served as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the People's Republic of China (2014-16) and UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Zimbabwe (2010-2014), the UN said.

The official, had in the past, also served as UNDP Country Director in Tanzania in 2007 and served as UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Rwanda in 2004.

However, prior to joining the United Nations, he reportedly worked in senior positions from 1996 to 2002 for then CHF International Inc., an international non-governmental entity, currently named Global Communities, Partners for Good.

(ST)

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

This is a review article. The restive region of Darfur in western sudan is no stranger for the NCP regime‘s unabated targeting. This time the regime decided to declare a frenzied campaign to collect arms from the Sudanese civilians in the region, who have suffocated woes of endless civil wars of attrition. The purpose of the term review study is to look at what was recently written about the intention of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime's timing to collect weapons from the citizens of Sudan in the Darfur region to address some of the written views on this subject so far.

People wonder and ask the President of the regime of the (NCP), Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, as to which one is of a top priority at this very time, the cholera epidemic that has spread throughout Sudan and hit eleven states or the arms collection campaign in the Darfur region? The current situation so-called arms collection is threatening fierce tribal war woes and causing bitterness among the regime's two militias groups led by Musa Hilal, leader of the Border Guards Forces (BGF) and Muhammad Hamdan Dogolo Hamedti, head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Omar Bashir and his entourage, led by his Janjaweed Vice President Hassabo Abdul Rahman, remain blind and live in the darkness of their regime, which has failed to properly manage the country and its people. The elements of this regime seem suffering from a syndrome of Immunity against learning from deadly repeated mistakes despite the rule of three lean decades. We seek refuge and resort to God from the evils of the elements in the ruling regime of the (NCP) and their inhumane feelings towards the people of Sudan generally and to the people of Sudan in Darfur in particular.

Furthermore, it was a priority that the (NCP) regime sought to address the floods that swept through Sudan, including Khartoum International Airport, and made the planes sink into the mud! There are lots issues of important priority in Sudan that needs to be addressed, but Omar al-Bashir has chosen instead the awesome intertribal warfare of a catastrophic apocalyptic scale.

As for saying that the source of arms in Darfur is the regime in Khartoum comes from the interest of the regime in weapons, which led to the use of Iran and North Korea in developing its program aimed at developing the manufacture of weapons locally and then the establishment of the Yarmouk factory bombed by Israeli air force. Iran played a major role in the manufacture of Sudanese weapons.

Observes ask as to why the bombing of the Yarmouk factory in Sudan and why the Israeli attempted to weaken Khartoum militarily? The possible answer is that the Yarmouk factory bombardment in the Sudanese capital Khartoum targeted by Israel for an alleged sophisticated weapons shipments was underway at the time.

The Yarmouk military complex located near Khartoum, which was bombed by four Israeli warplanes after 5 minutes on midnight on Oct. 24, 2012 was finally producing Iranian Shihab-type surface-to-surface ballistic missiles under a license from Tehran, military and intelligence sources told the Israeli website Deepak Vaile. But the sources of Western intelligence did not specify what kind of Shahab missiles produced by Sudan ... But it is believed that the purpose of the production of the Yarmouk plant is to serve Iran's strategic stockpile of these missiles in the event of ballistic arsenal suffered an Israeli air strike ???? https://www.facebook.com/TWMDS/posts/611479558935283

Furthermore, China has invested more than $20 billion in Sudan mostly in the oil sector during the past two decades. Beijing provides low-interest loans and weapons transfers in return for oil. This is an extract from the news item regarding China's Vice-Premier arrives in Khartoum to discuss debt settlement. http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article63341

The (NCP) regime has begun reaping the disastrous results of armament of some tribes in Darfur and sending some of them to the holocaust war in Yemen. The situation in Darfur has been strained as a result of the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Border Guards Forces (BGF) as well as the growing tension in the Libyan and Chadian borders.

It is difficult to imagine how on earth that the Administration of US President Donald Trump would make an informed decision and issuing an Executive Order (EO) on 12/13 October 2017 to remove all economic and trade sanctions imposed by former US President Bill Clinton since the year 1997 with the pre-conditions to desist hostilities without independent monitors on the ground. The pre-conditions for permanent sanction removal include: Sudan to allow more humanitarian aid and unfettered access across war zones, counterterrorism cooperation with the United States, an end to hostilities against armed groups in Sudan and halting support for insurgents in neighbouring South Sudan.

Ironically, Sudan under the (NCP) regime Continues to Import and Export Arms despite Embargoes, according to informed sources. https://nubareports.org/sudan-insider-sudan-continues-to-import-and-export-arms-despite-embargoes/

As Salah Jalal, writing in the Hurriyat electronic Newspaper said that the weapons that the National Congress Party (NCP) regime wants to collect from the Darfur region is Achilles' heel! One would endorse that opinion and reiterate it as nothing but a fait accompli at best and pouring the dust into the eyes at worst. http://www.hurriyatsudan.com/?p=227829

It is noteworthy before going further to pinpoint the following prior to delving into the depth of the upcoming article:
• The blokes in ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) did not occur to their mind during the length of their stay on the helm of Sudan as to why the arms have spread in the Darfur region and how to remove those reasons before starting to collect the alleged weapons.
• We must consider the reasons that led ordinary citizens to acquire and carry arms, and ask ourselves as to whether those reasons have disappeared, and if they still exist, how best to remove them.
• The ruling regime must respond to these questions, which impose themselves before jumping into the dark and trying to collect weapons recklessly lacking scientific and practical outcome.
• The logical question is: Have the right circumstances been created to collect weapons; the logical question posed by an article in the electronic Newspaper of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) dated 24.08.20.2017.
http://www.sudanjem.com/2017/08/%D9%87%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A3%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B8%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%81-%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%9F/#more-134765

Political analysts say it would have been better for the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) regime to disarm its own militias. They also stressed the importance of taking the step to achieve comprehensive peace in Darfur and beyond prior to launching this campaign which will result in failure as the overall security projects of the regime in the past and perhaps in the future. The people of Sudan in Darfur support the collection of weapons in principle and call on the regime to begin to collect weapons from its militias. The Darfur armed movements will then collect weapons in the hands of their forces once comprehensive peace archived in Sudan, including Darfur. The cherry-picking project of the (NCP) regime is doomed for abject failure similar to its predecessors. Unfortunately, this regime does not take lessons from the repeated the failures of its security projects, which lack wisdom and rationality and have a disastrous outcome for the country and its people. It was also said that the regime of the (NCP), which emanates from the International Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM), is like the family of the French Bourbon kings who failed repeatedly to take lessons of their mistakes, as the European history told us.The House of Bourbon e -French Maison de Bourbon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Bourbon

This review article comes as a continuation to what we have started in the previous article on the decision of the NCP ruling regime to collect the alleged unlicensed weapons from the people of Sudan in Darfur. We will continue and try to expose the hidden agenda behind the campaign whose true motives are far from those announced. One of the most important factors for the epidemic proliferation of weapons in the Darfur region is the advent of the ill-fated National Islamic Front (NIF) which carried and brought with it all the disasters and woes that Sudan and its people suffered from.

The attempt by the ruling regime of the National Islamic Front (NIF) to take the militias and mercenaries from the neighbouring countries as a means of proxy war in Darfur has started from the very beginning of its disastrous arrival through the heinous military coup d'état. In order to do that, the regime had to provide the militias with military equipments in the form of machine guns, ammunition, vehicles, uniforms, food and drink and other forms of items subsistence including financial aid. At the same time, the regime under the auspices their member and Governor of the Greater Darfur, El-Tayeb Mohmed Kheir -aka Tayeb Sikha who launched a campaign for arms collection from the civilian population in Darfur at the time but Al-Tayeb Muhammad Khair armed the Arab tribes of Baggara to confront the revolutionary Dawood Yahya Bolad. The martyr Daoud Yahya Bolad has realized the mistake of belonging to the National Islamic Front (NIF). He decided to align to his marginalized people in Darfur that his people by joining the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by the late Dr. John Garang Mabior and led his troops to Darfur. However, through conspiracy by some of Darfuri traitors Daoud Yahya Bolad was captured and extra judicially killed. Those who assassinated Bolad had been armed by the (NIF) regime despite his past loyalty to the Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM). Ever since the (NCP) regime supplied the Arab militia with arms which it claims that going to collect. Thus the paradox continued unabated.

As early as the year 2007 Sudan under the reign of the National Islamic Front (NIF)/ National Congress Party (NCP) regime has been classified among the failed states. According to arthroscope website http://s1.zetaboards.com/anthroscape/topic/977436/1/ Sudan emerged as the world's most unstable country according to the 2007 Failed States Index, mainly due to its military dictatorship and the ongoing war in Darfur between farmers and nomadic settlers. In other words, 18 years of oppressive warmongering regime, Sudan had become one of the globally failed states. However, the degree of failure today of the Sudan under the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) led by the genocidal criminal, fugitive from the international justice, chased by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, will be very difficult if not impossible to determine the degree of failure in 2017 today.

The second stage of the racial hatred of Darfur people by the National Congress Party (NCP) regime surfaced when it decided to strip the Darfur Native Administration of its age long powers that kept the region safe place for all the inhabitants. As we know, the Tribal leaders in the region of Darfur's Civil Administration before the ill-fated coming of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM)/National Islamic Front (NIF) military coup d'état included Sultans, Kings, Shartay, Umdas(Mayors) and Sheikhs. The Friday 30th June 1989 Military coup d'état took place in the forefront of the goal of dismantling the traditional Darfurian structure and reformulating the Darfur society. It was the first to control the institutions of the local administration by removing the old ones to build the so-called “Umara” or ‘princes' system instead of the principals, aforementioned. The weakening of the authority of the civil administration in Darfur by the military ruling regimes has accelerated the spread of crime and security chaos and the proliferation of unauthorized weapons in the hands of the lawless individuals among the tribal groups.

The source of arms in Darfur
The flow of firearms into Darfur initially started as a result of the civil war in the neighbouring republic of Chad and the Chadian-Libyan conflict (Ben Omar forces). The quantities of weapons that were leaked were limited. Their influence was limited to the arrival of arms to some criminal gangs, which were used for armed robbery – the infamous Nahab Musallah.

At the beginning of 2002, the armed political conflict in the Darfur region erupted. The regime decided to confront popular violence with state institutions. For objective reasons, official government violence institutions have not been able to control the popular violence demanding justice in the distribution of wealth and power throughout the marginalized areas of Sudan. The National Salvation - the ruling regime of the National Islamic Front - after several defeats facing the SPLM mobilized counter-popular, and began arming the Arab tribes called Janjawid using the policy of divide the division of the tribes of Darfur to the Arabs and Africans, Arabs against black.

As a result of these political reasons, the tribes considered by the government loyal to the militias armed with the knowledge of the state, and the term of the Rizeigat militia Abla and other armed militias, this reality opened the appetite of the other tribes to arm themselves to defend their property, expanding the arms market and flourished in all the cities of Darfur, In its project, it codified the activity of militias as a legal activity protected by political power. The government formed and armed these militias with different factions, including for example the border guards force (BGF) led by Sheikh Musa Hilal of the Mahameed tribe Arab Mahameed clan, a branch of the Northern Rizeigat tribe many of them are Um Jalloul, Al-Muhajiriya, Al-Iteifat, Al-Ereigat and others from Abla, the camel herders. Musa Hilal is originally Um-Jalloul while Mohmed Hamdan Dogolo Hamitti is originally Mahariya. They maybe cousins descend from the Mahamid or the northern Rizeigat. Both are nomadic camel herders lived in the North Darfur District of Kutum. Generally speaking, the nomadic camel herders had no "hawakir" (land grants).

In addition to support given by the NCP ruling regime in the form of arms, ammunition and transportation for the Janjaweed militias, the (NCP) regime allowed the Janjaweed militias to have exclusive ownership of all the spoils of their ethnic warfare and all the invasions of the citizens' property, in addition to border trade and livestock trade and national mining. Historically, they are Bedouin engaged in nomadic herding. They are unlike the main Baggara Rizeigat tribes of Darfur were awarded "hawakir" (land grants) by the Fur Sultans in the 1750s.

But the ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP), which called itself the National Salvation Revolution, codified militia activity as a legal activity protected by political power. This reality opened the appetite of the rest of the tribes for armaments, the arms market expanded and flourished in all the cities of Darfur. The government entered into its project to commit crimes of genocide to put down the revolution of the people of Sudan in Darfur, who had been demanding only the rights of citizenship in the form of justice and equality.

Musa Hilal revealed his rejection of large amounts of money offered by foreign parties to leave the Sudan and said that the accusations of the Vice President of the Republic of the recruitment of 1,000 people from the Mahamid for the forces of Haftar in Libya malicious and its goal to discredit the Revolutionary Awakening Council.

And since Sheikh Musa Hilal and his militia have some independence in the administration of the establishment of the interests it established, this independence of course did not satisfy the ruling regime of the National Congress Party, which decided to converge on one of the soldiers of Musa Hilal, Muhammad Hamdan Dogolo, -aka Hamitti. Now, Mohammed Hamdan Dogolo, famously known as Hmidty is of the guerrilla of the guerrillas in the official newspapers which published that the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) made a donation of about twenty Landcruzer l vehicles to the elders of the civil administration, and donated to build schools and other maintenance. It is known that Hmidty has been promoted to the military rank of Lieutenant –General. And thus he became part of the Sudan army Force (SAF) he and his militia and take orders only from the President of the ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir. Today, Hamedti and his (RSF) militias are only responsible in front of Omar al-Bashir and are considered a red line!
Political observers indicate that the government of the National Congress Party (NCP) decided to step closer to Mohammed Hamdan Dogolo and set up the Rapid Support Force (RSF) led by Hamidati In an attempt to offend the leader of the Border Guard militia, Sheikh Musa Hilal. Al-Bashir's government chose one of Musa Hilal's former boys to become a leader of the new militia, to send a message that says in a clear way to Sheikh Moses I am the one who makes the king! According to the press, Moussa Hilal himself came to the spotlight when the former First Vice-President of the National Congress Party, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, released him from Kober Prison where he was imprisoned for the crime in which he was convicted in 1998 for leading armed robbery against the Central Bank of Nyala in which one policeman was killed. As the Sudan Tribune electronic Newspaper on TUESDAY 22 JANUARY 2008 stated and said “Musa Hilal from a convicted felon to a government official”! http://www.sudantribune.com/PROFILE-Musa-Hilal-from-a,25660

The foregoing excerpts depict the intensity and high degree of rapprochement between the Janjaweed militias that committed the most heinous crimes against the Sudanese citizens in the Darfur region and the genocidal criminal Omer al-Bashir; what happened and continues happening on the ground in Darfur is without a doubt the greatest witness before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Nevertheless and according to the recent newspaper outlet reports an armed confrontation on the horizon between the government army and Musa Hilal. Matters between the tribal leader, Musa Hilal, and the regime led by Omer al-Bashir have reached the point of no return, amid strong fears of an armed confrontation between the two sides. Al-Bashir's Vice President Hassabo Abdel Rahman accused Hilal of conspiring with Libyan General Khalifa Haftar to undermine the Khartoum regime. Hassabo has been reported as saying (if we had to face Musa Hilal, we will not leave his conspiring with Haftar).

Musa Hilal, head of the Revolutionary Awakening Council (RAC) told Radio Aafia Darfur station on that he would strongly oppose a government plan aimed at disarming his forces and merging them into the Rapid Support militia. Hilal has been reported as continued describing the members of the Rapid Support (RSF) Militia, as mercenaries coming from outside the border (as he put it). On August 23, 2017 The Sudanese regime President Omer al-Bashir has been reported as has instructed the governor of North Darfur State, Abdul Wahid Yousef Ibrahim to deal decisively with any attempts to destabilize security and saying that the collection of illegal arms is a top priority for the government.

In a situation similar to show of force, thousands of supporters of Musa Hilal gathered in his stronghold of Misteriha in North Darfur state and announced in a speech campaign of readiness to confront the government armies head-on. The parade featured hundreds of four-wheel-drive vehicles loaded with guns. The Sudanese Revolutionary Awakening Council led by Sheikh Musa has been reported to have called on the “sons of the Rizeigat” in the Sudanese government army to join Sheikh Musa Hilal in his area, Misteriha.

For its part, the Sudanese army conducted the largest internal maneuver in its history, under the banner in the name (Meram Taja, the sister Sultan Ali Dinar) near the strongholds of Musa Hilal, with the participation of tanks and the air force. Furthermore, to escalate its campaign of muscle flexion, the (NCP) regime launched the decision to collect arms from citizens in the troubled Darfur region since 2003 amid deep suspicion that the main objective of the government's campaign is to weaken Musa Hilal and form new power centers.

Thus, on these days Moussa Hilal and the ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) have reached a boiling point where Moussa Hilal led a campaign against the vice-president of the National Congress Party. Musa Hilal, the head of the Awakening Council, continued his attack on government symbols, in particular Hassabo Mohammed Abdul Rahman who is tasked with the collection of weapons from the Darfur region. Moreover, Hilal started his attacks against the commander of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) Mohammed Hamdan Hamiditi. He said that Hamidati and his gang looted millions of dollars allocated by Gulf States to the Rapid Support Forces. As the popular Sudanese proverb says, if the thieves disagree, the stolen one appears. And thus each one of the militia leaders is insulting the other with obscene words that cannot be mentioned in this field. Nevertheless, this is evidence that the relationship between them reached the level of enmity and the point of no return. As they say that the so-called Barragesh committed the crime against itself! The ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) has a habit of finding something that can cause the distraction of the Sudanese people away from the real issues of concern. By doing so, the regime thinks that can help to overcome its endless problems, its chronic failures and its inability to run the country. Moreover, these dilemmas stem from the fossilized mentality that does not take lessons from the history of repeated fatal mistakes, despite the length of time that Omar al-Bashir remained on the helm of Sudan for three decades as absolute dictator. The (NCP) rule of Sudan is without any doubt is a true era of the decadence characterised by hatred, racism, tyranny, Corruption, failure, looting and plundering of the people's money and heinous crimes against humanity, war crimes and on top the crimes of genocide in Darfur. As they say it is witnessed by a witness from his family: the electronic newspaper – Hurriyat reported that, Brigadier General Salah Mohammed Ahmed Karrar - nicknamed Salah Dollar - One of the leaders who carried out the coup d'état of Friday June 30, 1989, led by the National Islamic Front (NIF) confirmed the validity of the slogan which says “Kizan are thieves and I am among them!” The Sudanese Arabic Kizan is an acronym meaning members of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) in Sudan. There is no way out of the chronic dilemmas and the crises in Sudan without the demise of the (NCP) regime by all means available to the people of Sudan.

Oscar Wilde Oscar the Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel has been quoted as saying: “I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.” https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/hypocrisy

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/

August 28, 2017 (JUBA) - The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan has expressed sympathy to the family and friends of Christopher Allen, an American freelance journalist killed during fighting in Kaya, a South Sudan town near the Ugandan border.

Christopher Allen (The War Zone Freelance Project)

“We would like to pass on our deepest condolences to the family, colleagues, and friends of Christopher Allen for their loss. His death while reporting on the conflict in South Sudan is a tragedy,” said David Shearer, also Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

Allen is the tenth journalist to have died in South Sudan since 2012.

“UNMISS has repeatedly stated that any attacks on journalists are unacceptable and it calls on all parties to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan to respect the freedom of the press,” stressed Shearer.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned last week's killing of the American freelance journalist in South Sudan, urging authorities in the war-torn nation to investigate the incident and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Jehanne Henry, a senior Africa researcher at the rights body, described Allen's killing as a violation of international humanitarian law.

A 2013 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Allen was reportedly involved with Sudan's rebel forces for the past week. Before his South Sudan visit, however, he covered the war in Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan since the conflict broke out in 2014, and over a million have fled across the border into Uganda because of the fighting within the border area.

(ST)

August 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North led by Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu (SPLMN al-Hilu) said it has dispatched a delegation to meet with the African mediation in Addis Ababa.

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

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, SPLMN-al-Hilu spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi said the delegation has arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday to meet with the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP).

According to Lodi, the delegation is comprised of Amar Amon Daldoum as chairman, Abdallah Ibrahim Abas as deputy chairman, Ahmed Abdel-Rahman Saeed as rapporteur as well as Kuku Gagdoul, Sila Musa Kangi and Al-Jack Mahomud as members.

He stressed the delegation doesn't intend to negotiate with the regime as reported in some media, saying its task is to update the AUHIP on the situation in areas under the Movement's control in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states in particular and the Sudanese crisis in general.

“The delegation also will correct some misinformation and clarifies the facts that others [SPLMN-Agar] are trying to distort and blur. In addition, the delegation will explain the procedures and preparations process for the upcoming extraordinary national convention,” he said.

The head of the African Union office in Khartoum Mahmoud Kan said on Wednesday that an expert-level meeting with the SPLMN al-Hilu will be held in Addis Ababa on 28 August.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the SPLM-N rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011.

Talks between the two sides for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since last August. 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 is now divided into two factions: one in the Nuba Mountains led by al-Hilu and the other in the White Nile State led by Malik Agar. The rift emerged several months ago over the right of self-determination and other issues.

SPLMN al-Hilu vowed not to engage in any talks with the government before to hold a general conference scheduled for next October and restructure the group.

On the other hand, Agar's group said they are only ready for talks on the humanitarian assistance but refuses any discussions on the political agenda.

The meditation met recently with Agar and his group's secretary general Yasir Arman to discuss ways to resume peace talks.

(ST)

August 28, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir may have granted general amnesty to all his political opponents, their supporters and those who participated in the country's civil war, but the pardon did not apply to rebel leader Riek Machar's former spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak who is in jail.

James Gatdet Dak, Riek Machar's spokesperson 'Reuters photo)

The presidential spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny told Sudan Tribune that the amnesty does not cover Dak because he did not respond to it and came to the South Sudan capital, Juba under a different circumstance.

“Gatdet is not covered by the general amnesty. He came to Juba under different circumstance. The case is already before the court, so the president can not intervene before the court makes a decision,” said Ateny.

“It is within the jurisdiction of the court to either convict or acquit him”, he added.

The former rebel spokesperson was kidnaped in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi in November last year and deported to Juba after Kenyan authorities approved his deportation, despite outcries and protests.

Last week, Dak appeared in a court restricted to the public and charges brought against him include; inciting violence (Article 52), treason (Article 64), disseminating false information to the detriment of South Sudanese national security (Article 75), and insulting the president (Article 76) under the South Sudanese Penal Code of 2008.

Barely a month ago, South Sudan released at least 30 political prisoners following an amnesty President Kiir had declared in May to facilitate the national dialogue initiated to reconcile warring parties.

Analysts say the move to free detainees without any precondition demonstrated Kiir's determination to resolve the country's civil war.

South Sudan has experienced violence since December 2013 when political disagreements between President Kiir and the country's former First Vice-President saw the nation split along ethnic dimensions.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million displaced in the country's worst ever violence in its post-independence period.

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August 28, 2017 (WASHINGTON) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is planning to end the position of special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan disclosed CNN in a report released on its website on Monday.

According to the cable news network, the special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan " will be subsumed under the Bureau of African Affairs".

The CNN said Tillerson detailed his plan to eliminate or reduce special envoy positions at the State Department in a letter sent to Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

"I believe that the Department will be able to better execute its mission by integrating certain envoys and special representative offices within the regional and functional bureaus," Tillerson wrote in his letter to Corker, adding "and eliminating those that have accomplished or outlived their original purpose," CNN reported.

The cancellation of the Bureau of the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan may not affect the engagement of the U.S. administration in the two troubled countries where Washington used to play a significant role in the ongoing efforts to end the armed conflict there.

However, it may send a wrong a wrong message to the governments in Khartoum and Juba, because it may be perceived as an expression of Washington's disengagement from the peace processes in the region.

The move includes several other special envoys position in Africa, Syria, North Korean human rights issues and others. However, Tillerson will keep many of the 70 special envoys at the State Department. Even, he will expand three offices dealing with religious freedom, HIV/AIDS and Holocaust issues.

Last February, 12 Congressmen including senators and representatives have called on President Donald Trump to appoint a special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan to back the regional efforts for peace in the two countries.

"United States leadership is critical to helping bring about a lasting peace in Sudan and South Sudan. Your swift action on this matter will make a difference in millions of lives," they said.

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August 28, 2017 (EL-FASHER) - The governor of North Darfur Abdel-Wahid Youssef Monday has discussed with the head of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mark Green the security and humanitarian situation in the state.

Green has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Sunday to assess the progress in the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the conflict areas.

Youssef has briefed the visiting U.S. official on the efforts exerted by his government to maintain security and humanitarian stability in the state.

He pointed to the efforts made to collect illegal weapons, addressing the effects of war, improving IDPs conditions, supporting voluntary return as well as mending the social fabric.

For his part, Green said his visit comes within the framework of his government's interest in the humanitarian, development and services aspects in Sudan.

He expressed hope that the government would facilitate humanitarian access, pointing to government efforts to convince the holdout armed groups to join the peace process.

The U.S. official also mentioned government plan to collect illegal arms, pointing to its efforts to resolve land disputes in Darfur.

Green further pointed to the steps taken to hand over sites of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to Sudanese forces, saying “it is important that the Sudanese police protect civilians and secures humanitarian assistance”.

He stressed the visit also aims to discuss the lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudan.

“My visit to North Darfur state comes within the framework of the ongoing dialogue between the United States and Sudan and at a time when President Trump is working in critical conditions until October to lift sanctions on Sudan,” he said.

“My visit to Sudan and to this region [Darfur] was not intended only to inspect USAID projects, but also to see the situation on the ground and assess the needs of the state,” he added.

Green stressed they would continue to support peace efforts in Sudan, expressing hope that the visit would pave the road for further cooperation on all levels.

Following the meeting, Green told Sudan Tribune that he intends to visit Zam Zam camp for IDPs to assess the needs of the residents.

The visit of the high-level humanitarian official comes six weeks before a U.S. decision on the permanent lift of economic sanctions on the east African nation.

The unfettered access to aid groups was one of the issues agreed in the five-track agreement reached by the two countries for the normalisation of bilateral relations.

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

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August 27, 2017 (PRETORIA) – Five South African-based human rights organisations have called on their government to urgently intervene to government to stop the gross human rights violations in South Sudan.

South Sudanese refugees in White Nile State receive humanitarian assistance on 27 February 2017 (SUNA photo)

Abuses in South Sudan, according to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, include " the deliberate targeting of civilian populations on the basis of their ethnic identity by means of killings,abductions, unlawful detentions or deprivation of liberty, rape and sexual violence, and the burning of villages and looting".

The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide had earlier warned that there were indicators of genocide in South Sudan as scorched earth policies and the violent conflict put at risk an estimated 5 million people said to be food insecure.

David Bilchitz, Director of the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law (SAIFAC), said “the situation has become utterly intolerable and is not receiving the priority attention it deserves so as to prevent the most shocking human rights violations. Silence in such a situation is complicity”.

Prof Bonita Meyersfeld, Director of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand stated, "South Africa, as an important voice on the African continent, must use all diplomatic means at its disposal to find a solution".

“The protection of civilians against deliberates killing, sexual violence, the destruction of their homesand famine must become a priority of the African Union and international community”, he added.

However, the conflict results from the eruption of violence between forces loyal to President Kiir and those loyal to the former Vice President Dr Riek Machar. The implementation of a peace agreement failed when fighting broke out in Juba in July 2016 between the two parties.

In the wake of this political dispute, thousands of more civilians have been displaced and forced to take refuge in South Sudan's neighboring countries.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that almost two million refugees out of a population of 12 million have fled the world's youngest nation.

However, Prof Frans Viljoen of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria said the South African government must become more engaged in addressing the conflict in South Sudan and act as a neutral party to help resolve the conflict.

Dr. Mispa Roux, the deputy director of SAIFAC urged South Africa's government to use this opportunity to prove it is willing to act in conformity with international legal obligations to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity, prioritize the plight of the victims and not to submit to regional and national politics.

“This will restore South Africa's reputation in the international community as a legitimate guardian ofhuman rights and a leader in preventing gross human rights violations”, stressed Roux.

The petition was signed by the South Africa Institute for Advanced Constitution, Public, Human Rights and International Law, Research Chair in International Law, University of Johannesburg (NRF), and The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, and The Centre for Applied Legal Studies, University of the Witwatersrand and Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre.

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August 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Vice President Sunday said presidential directives have been issued to kill those who may resist the arms-collection campaign and accused unidentified officials of promoting weapons, saying if needed they may lift their immunity.

"The government represented by the national campaign to collect weapons from the conflict zones in the states of Darfur and Kordofan regions gave a full mandate to the regular forces based on the "shoot to kill" (as he said in English) policy to deal with the recalcitrant who resist the campaign," said Hasabo Mohamed Abdel Rahman who also heads the Higher Arms Collection Committee.

In a speech at the launch of a campaign in support of the disarmament by the forum of political parties' women, Abdel Rahman further warned they will deal roughly with the "warlords" who stand against the collection of weapons.

"We will arrest all the warlords who are behind the spread of chaos and arms in Sudan and bring them to trial, even if it requires the lifting of immunities for some constitutionalists who promote weapons through the social media while they reside in the capital Khartoum," he further said.

The strongly worded statements come as the Sudanese vice president was slammed last week by the tribal leader Musa Hilal who rejects the disarmament campaign and the merger of his Border Guards militia in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Hilal and Abdel Rahman both belong to the Rizeiggat ethnic group but this didn't prevent the senior official and the notorious militia leader from threatening each other through the.social media and public statements.

The tribal leader says he was betrayed by the government despite all what he did in the counterinsurgency campaign in the past years pointing that they appointed one of his commanders, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, (aka Hametti), at the head of the RSF militia which is not part of the national army, a matter that undermines his tribal authority.

The vice president stressed that the government from now onwards will not tolerate those carrying arms, saying that it is one of the threats to security and social peace in the country.

The government "will not tolerate these people, if necessary we will put them in prison in exchange for restoring stability and security for citizens," he added.

The Sudanese official announced that the government has closed 63 crossing points on the border with the neighbouring countries to prevent arms trafficking to the country.

He further pointed to the devastating effect of weapons in the tribal clashes saying 135 people were killed in recent fighting over land in West Kordofan and 89 victims in East Darfur.

The detractors of the weapons collection campaign say the government has to achieve peace first and to disarm all the tribes in Darfur pointing that the RSF is formed mainly from Arab militia in Darfur and they will use their arms to defend it whenever needed.

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August 28, 2017 (JUBA) – A New York-based human rights body has condemned last week's killing of an American journalists in South Sudan, urging authorities in the war-torn nation to investigate the incident and ensure those responsible are held accountable.

Christopher Allen (The War Zone Freelance Project)

Jehanne Henry, a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch described the killing of Christopher Allen, a freelance reporter, as a violation of international humanitarian law.

Allen, 26, was killed in heavy fighting in the town of Kaya near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The U.S embassy in Juba confirmed Allen's death in a statement.

At least 16 rebels, according to South Sudanese army (SPLA) officials, were also killed in the fighting, adding that the journalist's body was taken to the military hospital in the country's capital, Juba.

A 2013 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Allen was reportedly involved with Sudan's rebel forces for the past week.

Before his South Sudan visit, Allen reportedly covered the war in Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan since the conflict broke out in 2014, and over a million have fled across the border into Uganda because of the fighting within the border area.

(ST)

August 27, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudanese rebel fighters allied to the exiled former First Vice President Riek Machar have issued a statement claiming to have captured Kaya, Bindu, Kimba and Bazi.

“Yesterday morning (Saturday 26) at exactly 06:00 hour (local time), our joint operations forces of division 2B under the command of Major. General John Mabieh Gaar successfully launched a coordinated attack on Kaya, Bindu, Kimba and Bazi. Our forces flushed the enemies out of Kimba, Bazi, Bindu and in Kaya, the enemy forces are confined at the Ugandan border,” said Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO Deputy Military Spokesperson.

The deputy rebel military spokesperson also claimed that their force killed 56 government soldiers including the commander of Bindu base who was a Major and a Captain from the government military intelligence unit in Kaya known locally as Malis.

Furthermore, he said they seized (1) 12.7 mm machine guns, six (6) PK machine guns, four (4) RPGs and twenty-eight (28) AK47 were some of the military equipment and assets they captured during the operations.

He said they lost three (3) fighters and 15 wounded.

From his part, the deputy military spokesperson of the government forces confirmed clashes have occurred between the two rival forces He said the SPLA killed up to 16 armed opposition fighters, three government soldiers with six others sustaining injuries during the military operations in Kaya, Yei River State.

Colonel Santo Domic said that the attack occurred at 06:20 am and lasted until about 07:20 local time.

“Three SPLA soldiers were killed and 6 others injured. Fighting finished and the SPLA forces went to inspect the combat zone and were surprised to find among the 16 dead bodies the body of a white man," he said referring to the U.S. journalist killed during the fighting.

The South Sudanese government accuses the rebels of refusing to stop the fighting in line with the ceasefire agreement. The SPLM-IO from its part accuses Juba of breaching the peace agreement and attacking their positions in the country.

The four-year conflict has affected some 7.5 million people who are in dire need of humanitarian support. Some 15 aid workers were killed this year until now bringing the number of humanitarians killed during the four-year conflict to 85 people.

However, the lack of security impedes humanitarian access to the civilians while the aid workers have become a target for the rival parties.

Aid actors reported 100 humanitarian access incidents in South Sudan in June 2017, representing the highest number of incidents recorded in a single month in 2017 to date. Also, there are 257 incidents of violence against aid workers and 32 looting attacks on aid convoys.

(ST)

August 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The head of United States U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mark Green has arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Sunday to assess the progress in the delivery of humanisation assistance in the conflict areas.

"I'm in Sudan to discuss Humanitarian Assistance delivery and see critical programming for people displaced by conflict," said the new USAID chief after his arrival in Khartoum on Sudan for a three-day visit from 27 to 29 August.

The visit of the high-level humanitarian official comes six weeks before a decision on the permanent lift of economic sanctions on the east African nation. The unfettered access to aid groups was one of the issues agreed in the five-track agreement the two countries agreed by the two countries for the normalisation of bilateral relations.

"Administrator Green will meet with Government of Sudan officials to discuss progress toward improving humanitarian access in Sudan, as part of the expanded bilateral engagement that began last year," said the USAID in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Also, Green in his first visit as USAID chief will meet UN officials in Sudan and visit IDPs camps that receive humanitarian assistance from USAID. The statement didn't say exact areas he will visit but the USAID provides aid to displaced persons in n Darfur region, and government controlled areas in the Blue Nile and the White Nile states.

He is expected to visit a number of drought-affected countries including Ethiopia.

Last July Washington postponed until October a decision on the permanent cancellation an economic embargo imposed 20 years ago over Sudan's harbouring of Osama bin Laden.

(ST)

August 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Sunday has underscored his country's keenness to achieve security and stability in Libya describing ties between the two countries as “eternal and historical”.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the end of the talks with the visiting Prime Minister of Libya's internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj, al-Bashir said they seek only to achieve the interests of the Libyan people.

He pointed out that al-Sarraj's visit to Khartoum is “a new starting point in relations between the two countries”, saying Sudan had supported the Libyan people during the revolution.

Al-Bashir further expressed regret over the recent developments in Libya, pointing to its adverse impact on Sudan particularly with regard to illegal migration and cross-border crime.

He added the presence of Sudanese mercenaries in the Libyan territory also poses a direct threat to Sudan.

Last May, two Darfur armed groups attacked the Sudanese forces in North and East Darfur states. Khartoum says the rebels launched their attack on North Darfur from Libya and accused the General Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) of supporting them.

For his part, the Libyan premier stressed that Sudan represents “a strategic depth” to Libya, pointing to the distinguished relations between the two countries.

He added the brotherly relations were not adversely impacted by the events in Libya, saying the two sides would work together to learn from the mistakes of the past.

Al-Sarraj further said his meeting with al-Bashir discussed the security and political challenges facing Libya and ways to end the crisis through national reconciliation, pointing out that his country is at “a critical stage”.

He added the meeting also discussed the need to secure the border between the two countries and activate the agreements in this regard as well as activating the mechanisms of the Sudanese-Libyan integration.

The GNA, which formally came into being in March 2016, has been struggling to unify the war-ridden North African nation and exert its control over its entire territory.

However, its task is complicated by the presence of a parallel government operating out of eastern Libya, backed by local militias and units of the LNA.

Following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's 40-year-rule in 2011, Libya has slid into chaos and has become the most important transit country for illegal migrants to Europe. Also, Islamic State (ISIS) presence in Libya has become a source of threat not only to its neighbouring countries but also to Europe.

In May 2016, Khartoum proposed to establish a joint force to monitor the common borders between Sudan and Libya to curb the movement of Darfur rebels and fight against illegal migration and terror groups.

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August 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's negotiating team has welcomed the African mediation move to meet with Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu, leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLMN-al-Hilu) to resume peace talks on the Two Areas.

Abel Aziz al-Hilu (Reuters file photo)

The SPLM-N is now divided into two factions: one in the Nuba Mountains led by al-Hilu and the other in the White Nile State led by Malik Agar. The rift emerged several months ago over the right of self-determination and other issues.

The head of the African Union office in Khartoum Mahmoud Kan said on Wednesday that an expert-level meeting with the SPLM-N al-Hilu will be held in Addis Ababa on 28 August.

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) Sunday quoted the member of the government negotiating team Abdel-Rahman Abu Median as saying the African mediation must state clearly to al-Hilu the negotiations references and agenda.

He stressed the government wouldn't allow the Movement to add any new agenda, saying the two sides must adhere to what has been agreed upon in the previous rounds.

Abu Median was alluding to al-Hilu's demand for the self-determination for South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

On Saturday, the member of the government team Bushara Guma'a Aror said the new reality indicates that the peace talks would be held with al-Hilu, not Agar.

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.

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August 27, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has said the millions of civilians fleeing the war-torn nation were being driven by social media propaganda manned by those conspiring against his government.

“The people who ran to Uganda were chased away by social media. There was no fighting in that area. They were told to leave because they know a UN [United Nations] official came in to assess the humanitarian situation to decide if there was need for assistance,” Kiir told Deutsche Welle on Thursday.

“Instead, he [UN official] went and reported that there was a looming genocide in South Sudan, which has not happened up to now. People were called from their houses and told to run away, that if you don't go after one hour you would be a dead person,” he added.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 following disputes within the country's ruling party. Since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed and over 2 million displaced.

The South Sudanese leader, however, said the national dialogue he initiated in December last year will create for those with grievances not addressed in the 2015 peace deal signed by the warring parties.

“In the end, when the resolutions are passed by members of the National Dialogue team, these things could be taken into consideration in the next formations of the government,” said Kiir.

He said the national dialogue, launched in May, embraces all citizens, including his former deputy-turned rebel leader Riek Machar, who currently lives in solitary confinement in South Africa.

“We didn't really exclude anyone. But for Riek, he knows why. It is not him who is not interested in joining but the whole region does not want him to [join],” said Kiir.

He added, “His [Machar] presence here would create instability in the whole region, not just in South Sudan,”

Kiir downplayed threats posed by the rebel leader, saying regional nations resolved not to allow Machar operate within their territories.

“He [Machar] is not a threat to the government. He is only making confusion calling his supporters on the phone. He knows where they are hiding and these are the people who are still making problems, continuing to fight and do not want to make peace,” he stressed.

OVER I MILLION REFUGEES IN UGANDA

Last week, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said the numbers of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda exceeded one million and called for urgent support.

Majority of the refugees, the agency said, were women and children.

“Over the past 12 months, averages of 1,800 South Sudanese have been arriving in Uganda every day,” UNHCR said in a statement.

“In addition to the million there, a million or even more South Sudanese refugees are being hosted by Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic,” it added.

According to the UN agency, however, over 85% of the refugees who have arrived in Uganda are women and children below 18 years.

“Recent arrivals continue to speak of barbaric violence, with armed groups reportedly burning down houses with civilians inside, people being killed in front of family members, sexual assaults of women and girls, and kidnapping of boys for forced conscription,” said UNHCR.

As of refugees arrive, it said, aid delivery is increasingly falling short.

The UN agency said although $674 million is needed for South Sudanese refugees in Uganda this year, so far only a fifth of this amount, or 21%, has so far been received. But although a total of $883.5 million is needed for the South Sudan situation, only $250 million has reportedly been received.

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August 26, 2017 (KHARTOUM) — Ali-al-Haj, the Secretary General of the Popular Congress Party ((PCP) said they are not consulted in the implementation of the national dialogue outcome, adding that many decisions are taken by the National Congress Party (NCP) without their knowledge.

The PCP is the main opposition party that supported the national dialogue process led by the ruling NCP after the withdrawal of several opposition parties that criticised the lack of freedoms in the country.

At the end of the process in October 2016, the participants endorsed the National Document which includes all the recommendations of the national dialogue in order to achieve peace and democratic reforms in Sudan.

Also, they agreed that these resolutions should be implemented through the consensus as a group decision-making, in order to ensure the national interests and to meet the concerns of all the participants, particularly the NCP has the majority in the parliament and can vote reforms alone.

In a press conference held more than a hundred days after the formation of the National Consensus Government, al-Haj said his party "was counting on the consensus in the decision-making process to avoid that decisions be finalised by a specific party as it appeared now".

"Actually, there is no consensus. There are many things that we ignore. The criteria used to choose the government members were unilaterally decided by one party. We might be opposed to some but we accepted it. The appointment of the deputies to the prime minister we were not aware of it," he said.

Further, he slammed the bad treatment of the PCP's representatives in several regional parliaments including Khartoum State Legislative Council.

"If they think that the talk of one person is enough, this is not what we agreed upon, neither is it not the consensus or the dialogue," he further said to express their frustration.

The PCP, which is a splinter party of the ruling party since 1999, believe that patience and long-term policy can produce positive reforms and better than joining armed groups to seeking violent change in the fragile country.

However, since several months, several leading members of the party started to express their frustration and disappointment questioning their participation in the transitional government, as many of them were initially opposed to such political involvement.

Recently, PCP Secretary General Kamal Omer, slammed the speaker of the Sudanese parliament Ibrahim Omer describing his performance in the management of the National Assembly as "very bad".

Al-Haj apologised for the sharp criticism against the speaker, but at the same time said that the latter has not to "be biased" but fair and treat all the MPs on an equal basis.

"The (National) Assembly should not deal with us as defeated. We came to the dialogue with our heads held high, and we participated in the government with our heads held high," he said.

We reject any treatment on the basis that they have the (parliamentary) majority. If things are decided on the majority basis (our) participation has no meaning," he stressed.

Following an internal crisis in the NCP and the relief of the former First Vice President Ali Osman Taha who was known for his hostility for the PCP in 2013, many leaders in the PCP called to cooperate with the NCP in order to preserve the Islamic state in Sudan.

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August 27, 2017 (JUBA) - An American freelance journalist covering the civil war in South Sudan died on Saturday during a battle between rebels and government troops.

Christopher Allen (The War Zone Freelance Project)

Christopher Allen, 26, was killed in heavy fighting in the town of Kaya near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

At least 16 rebels, according to South Sudanese army (SPLA) officials, were also killed in the fighting, adding that the journalist's body was taken to the military hospital in the country's capital, Juba.

The U.S embassy in Juba confirmed Allen's death in a statement.

A 2013 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Allen was reportedly involved with Sudan's rebel forces for the past week.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudan since the conflict broke out in 2014, and over a million have fled across the border into Uganda because of the fighting within the border area.

Before working in South Sudan, Allen reportedly covered the war in Ukraine.

(ST)