Sudan Tribune

July 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Wednesday has issued a decree to freeze all negotiations with the United States on the normalisation of bilateral relations until 12 October, in retaliation to President Donald Trump's decision to delay the permanent lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

On 13 January, former U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order to ease the 19-year sanctions against Sudan enabling trade and investment transactions to resume with the East African nation.

Washington is involved in a five-track engagement process with the Sudan over the permanent lift of sanctions on Sudan. The process includes the fight against terrorism, Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Sudan's role in the peace process in South Sudan, Sudan's peace and the humanitarian situation in Darfur region, the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

After the 90-day postponement by President Trump on Tuesday, the State Department announced a number of additional conditions citing human rights, religious freedom practices and commitment to UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea. Initially, the human rights and freedoms were considered for the second phase of talks after the lift of embargo.

"President of the Republic Marshal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir today issued a republican decree ordering to freeze the work of the negotiating committee with the United States of America until 12 October 2017," reads a laconic statement released by the official news agency SUNA.

The suspension was decided following a series of meetings, al-Bashir held with the senior members of his government.

It is not clear if the decision includes the cooperation between the CIA, FBI and the NISS, or not. Also, the Sudanese army recently started to cooperate with the United States Africa Command, (U.S. AFRICOM), one of six of the U.S. Defense Department's geographic commands.

It is noteworthy that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ibrahim Ahmed Omer had earlier warned against escalating rhetoric against the U.S. if Washington decides to not lift the sanctions permanently.

In an interview with Al-Shorooq TV on Sunday, Omer urged to deal carefully with the sanctions file, saying the government should continue its efforts to convince the U.S.
Administration and influential pressure groups of the importance of lifting the sanctions and its adverse impact on the Sudanese.

Sudan has been subject to comprehensive economic sanctions over terrorism charges in 1997 and additional sanctions related to the situation in Darfur region in 2006 and 2007.

Also, the East African nation was placed on the US terrorism list in 1993 over allegations it was harbouring Islamist militants working against regional and international targets.

UNJUSTIFIED DECISION

For his part, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour has expressed regret over the U.S. decision to delay the lifting of sanctions, describing the decision as “unjustified”.

He stressed that all U.S. agencies besides the European Union and the United Nations acknowledged that Sudan has met its commitment towards all issues included in the five-track engagement process.

The top diplomat added that Sudan's looks forward to seeing these “unjust sanctions” lifted fully, expressing hope that the decision would be reversed.

Ghandour held unnamed pressure groups of seeking to influence the sanctions file, saying these groups have benefited from the embargo and the war in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

“These groups continued to raise slogans and [issue] outdated reports and sometimes we see funny and fabricated reports,” he said.

(ST)

July 12, 2017 (ABYEI) - The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has condemned all attacks perpetrated by unknown armed groups in the disputed oil-producing Abyei region, which resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians.

Soldiers of the United Nations' Interim Force for Abyei (UN)

The U.N body, in a statement, expressed its deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the attack victims, vowing to swiftly investigate these incidents with the Joint Peace Committee, the traditional leaders, as well as Sudan and South Sudan governments, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“To date, Abyei has no police service system in place and there is no functioning joint local administrative structure. The absence of these systems has resulted in the increase of criminal cases,” partly reads the statement.

“The current influx of population in Abyei has contributed towards increased economic and social activities in the area. The unemployment among the youth is a cause of concern which also leads to manifestation of crime in various forms,” he added.

The U.N body in Abyei, however, emphasized its commitment to implement its mandate to secure Abyei area and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, without prejudice to the responsibilities of the relevant authorities.

In essence, it said it had stepped up security measures particularly in and around Amiet common market, which is a vital economic hub for different tribal groups including Ngok Dinka and Misseriya.

UNISFA urged all communities and groups to support the mission in its efforts to maintain the peace and stability Abyei experienced over the last two years.

The last two months, it said, have seen an upsurge in cases of cattle-rustling, carjacking attempts and robbery incidents in the disputed region, citing a grenade explosion in Amiet market, which injured some civilians in May.

UNISFA was approved on 27 June 2011 by the U.N Security Council in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 after a flareup in the South Kordofan conflict in June 2011. The Ethiopian army is its largest contributor.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (NAIROBI) – The Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has been urged to support the renewed peace process spearhead by leaders from the East African regional bloc (IGAD) and help galvanise the region into ensuring lasting peace and stability in South Sudan.

Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni speaks at the national dialogue launch in South Sudan, May 22, 2017 (PPU photo)

The call was made by South Sudan Young Leadership Forum (SSYLF) day before its members pay an inaugural visit into Uganda in their renewed call for leadership into the South Sudan conflict situation.

A forum of young South Sudan leaders, SSYLF, has an agenda that seeks to ensure South Sudanese youth take over the peace process.

According to the group, by addressing Museveni and calling upon him to take centre-stage to pro-actively push for a lasting solution to the South Sudan conflict, regional stakeholders will be reached to embrace fresh thinking and intervention to the South Sudanese crisis.

“The central role that president Museveni plays within the South Sudan crisis places him in a position of leadership to ensuring that peace process works and is inclusive of all including the youth” the SSYLF said in a joint statement issued on Tuesday.

It added, “This new approach is to infuse the inclusivity and full participation of the younger generation who have, over the years been overlooked in the unfolding events of the South Sudan conflict”.

Renewed violence broke out in the South Sudan capital, Juba when forces loyal to South Sudan president Salva Kiir clashed with those allied to his former deputy Riek Machar on the eve of last year's Independence Day, leaving over 200 dead. The incident forced the rebel leader out of Juba into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and later to Khartoum for treatment. He currently lives in South Africa.

Almost 2 million people are internally displaced in South Sudan, and more than 1.9 million South Sudanese have fled the country as refugees and asylum seekers since December 2013. Uganda is one of the countries in the region that shoulders a huge baggage of refugees fleeing the conflict.

On Wednesday, however, the delegation of the SSYLF will hold a public discussion in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, with a focus on discussing what options exist for addressing the crisis of leadership in South Sudan.

Campaigns on social media platforms will reportedly be under the hash tag “#NxGenSouthSudan” and “I am #NxGenSouthSudan”.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's First Vice-President and Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Salih on Tuesday has renewed commitment to implement the outcome of the national dialogue at the various levels of governance.

Salih, who chaired the first meeting of the Higher Coordination Committee to Follow-Up on the Implementation of the Dialogue Outcome Tuesday, called for the need to mobilise all resources to implement the dialogue recommendations.

The official news agency SUNA quoted the rapporteur of the committee Gamal Mahmoud as saying the meeting discussed the formation of the sub-committees; pointing they would follow-up on the completion of the state reform program as well as the implementation of the dialogue outcome.

He added the meeting also discussed compatibility between the requirements of the reform program and the dialogue recommendations, saying they agreed on the executive mechanisms to follow-up on the implementation of the dialogue outcome.

Following three years since President Omer al-Bashir launched the national dialogue initiative in January 2014, the National Consensus Government was installed last May to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government and the armed groups failed to sign a humanitarian truce and also due to Khartoum refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures aiming to create a conducive environment in the country before to hold the inclusive dialogue.

(ST)

July 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - U.S. Department of State Tuesday has considered that Sudan's commitment to the sanctions on North Korea is part of the five-track plan agreed by Khartoum and Washington last December for the permanent lift of economic embargo on the country.

The US imposed comprehensive sanctions on Sudan in 1997 (US Embassy in Khartoum website)

The State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert issued a statement reiterating that his government is committed to the lift of sanctions within three months "if the Government of Sudan (GOS) sustains the positive actions that gave rise to" the initial decision taken by the former President Barak Obama.

He further enumerated the areas of the five track commitment saying it includes the cessation of hostilities in the conflict areas, the humanitarian access to civilians in the war zones, cooperation to address regional conflicts and the support of US counterterrorism efforts.

The spokesperson further announced a number of additional conditions that are not part of the initial five-track plan citing clearly human rights and religious freedom practices and sanctions on North Korea.

"Beyond these key areas connected with the potential revocation of most sanctions on Sudan and the GOS, the Administration is also committed to intensifying engagement with the GOS on a broader range of vital issues, including our ongoing dialogue on improving Sudan's human rights and religious freedom practices, and ensuring that Sudan is committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea," said Nauert.

The additional benchmarks reflect the concerns raised by human rights activists and Congressmen who pleaded for the inclusion of these matters now not in a second phase as it was suggested by the State Department.

Also, it shows the failure of Arabs' pledge to convince Washington to take into account Sudanese participation in the anti-Iranian alliance led by Saudi Arabia and their military participation the Yemeni war.

"The United States will revoke the sanctions if the GOS (Government of Sudan) is assessed to have sustained progress in these areas at the end of the extended review period," he said.

He also reassured that the general license issued by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, remains in place and authorises U.S. persons to process transactions involving persons in Sudan; engage in imports from and exports to Sudan, and engage in transactions involving property in which the government of Sudan has an interest.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (YAMBIO) – More than 40 people have died as a result of hunger in Mvolo county of South Amadi State, authorities disclosed Tuesday.

The map of Western Equatoria in red

The state coordinator for Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Wilson Moga attributed it to influx over 25,000 displaced persons into Mvolo county.

“In Mvolo, we have a serious hunger as a result of the dry spell and due to influx of IDPs [Internally Displaced Person] from some payams who were displaced due to conflict between cattle keepers and farmers in Mvolo county and because of the crisis in the country we have people who came from Yambio, Maridi, Mundri and other places who fled due to conflict in those area," Moga told Sudan Tribune.

“Since 2015, we have a serious drought in Mvolo which resulted into poor harvest and people could not plant well as it used to be in the previous years. As per now people are surviving on wild fruits and very few people have vegetables that they are feeding on, but this is not enough for the entire population," he added.

In response to the crisis, Moga said, the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) are assisting primary health care centers handling children suffering from malnutrition and other diseases within the county.

The official appealed to other partners to visit Mvolo and assess the conditions being faced by women and children in the county and offer the necessary assistance.

An estimated 1.1 million children in the country are acutely malnourished, according to UNICEF. In addition, children lack clean water, which has led to the ongoing outbreak of cholera – the longest and most widespread in the country's history – with 10,000 cases reported, the majority children.

The civil war in South Sudan has raged on for the past three years with such viciousness that parts of the country are bereft of food and a third of the population fled their homes.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (YIROL) – Over 20 people were killed in a cattle raid carried out by suspected armed youth from Western Lakes state, an official said Tuesday.

A cattle keeper carrying a gun in Lakes state (File/ST)

“At around 2:00am [local time], a cattle camp called Dhiaudiet was attacked by armed youth from western Lakes state and raided thousands of cows, killed people, including children and women," Abraham Makur, Eastern Lakes state information minister told Sudan Tribune.

He added, "So far, 20 people are confirmed dead and the governments of Eastern Lakes and Western Lakes states are in communication to track the raided cows”.

Abraham Makany, whose brother was shot during the raid, said Yirol hospital was overcrowded.

"This [Tuesday] morning, a very heavy attack occurred in the cattle camp called Dhiaudiet in which many people lost their lives and many were wounded. They [attackers] also took all the cows in that cattle camp," narrated Makany.

Official from Western Lakes state, however, denied accusations that their youth were involved in the cattle raid, while strongly condemning the unfortunate incident.

The commissioner of Amonyping county in Western Lakes state, Mawet Manuer said his region was peaceful with no armed youth member within his administrative area.

“All cattle keepers in my territory are present. I have cross checked with their leaders and everyone is within. I think Eastern Lakes state came under attack from armed opposition fighters seeking cattle for their feeding," explained Manuer.

Armed youth from Western Lakes state recently expressed dismay with the state government after they protested the re-appointment of by President Salva Kiir of Matur Chut Dhuol as the new governor. He replaced Abraham Makoi Bol.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (JUBA)- The Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) for South Sudan peace on Tuesday held discussions with President Salva Kiir and the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai during which he urged the two leaders to propose concrete measures for a sustainable ceasefire.

JMEC Chairman, Festus Mogae, briefs the UN Security Council, on the implementation of the peace agreement on 31 March 2016 (ST Photo)

“The success will depend on the willingness of all parties to make concrete proposals and make compromises for the sake of peace in this country,” Festus Mogae told reporters shortly after meeting President Salva Kiir at the presidential palace in Juba on Tuesday

Mogae, who held separate talks with the two leaders, sought their viewpoints on the revitalization process and recommendations on how the process can be made to achieve the desired goals.

He gave an update on the regional consultations that led to the convening of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Extra-ordinary Summit in Addis in June.

The head of the Peace monitoring group met outlined the objectives of the High-Level Revitalization Forum, saying it needs for parties to propose “concrete measures” to restore the permanent ceasefire, return to full implementation of the Agreement and develop a revised timeline towards democratic elections.

Mogae outlined the revitalization process is not a re-negotiation of the Agreement but “a window of opportunity” for all parties and other estranged groups willing to return to or join the implementation to do so within the framework of the Agreement.

Meanwhile cabinet affairs Martin Elia Lomuro said the revitalization of the peace Agreement does not amount to renegotiation but a way to explore the opportunities to speed up the implementation of the Peace Agreement. He described the meeting as very cordial and productive.

Lomuro said foreign ministers from Intergovernmental Authority on Development member countries will on Wednesday convene a meeting in Juba for the purpose of revitalization of the implementation of peace Agreement

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (KAMPALA) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement –North under the leader of Abdel Aziz al-Hilu (SPLMN-Hilu) has called on humanitarian groups to return to Blue Nile state, assuring it will facilitate such action.

The troubled state witnessed recently tense fighting between the two factions of the SPLM-N, as Malik Agar who leads the other faction accused the Nuba Mountains backed faction of al-Hilu of seeking to destabilise his leadership in his home region the Blue Nile state and instigating intercommunal fighting.

The tribal clashes broke out between the Ingessana tribe of Malik Agar and the Uduk, an ethnic group supporting calls for self-determination launched recently by al-Hilu. As a result, hundreds of civilians fled to refugees camps in Maban in the Upper Nile state, South Sudan.

Reached by Sudan Tribune to comment on the humanitarian situation in the Blue Nile and the neighbouring areas, Sila Musa Kanygi who identified himself as the SPLMN (Hilu) Secretary General said that the movement would do the best it could to ensure safe humanitarian corridors for aid groups that willing to provide aid to civilians in the conflict-affected areas.

“The humanitarian organisations stopped their operations in the Blue Nile (State) because of irrational policies which were put in place by the previous administration. These policies have now been revised to allow resumption of the activities of the humanitarian organisations in the area,” said the rebel official who is allied to Abdel Aziz al-Hilu group.

Kanygi pledged the support of SPLMN-Hilu the new civil administration in the rebel-controlled area in the Blue Nile state, saying they are going to cooperate with any aid groups who are willing to return the Blue Nile in areas under their control.

“On behalf of the Blue Nile people and their new leadership, I express my gratefulness to all humanitarian actors for their generous support during the last period".

"I would like to inform all donors who are supporting the people of Blue Nile with humanitarians needs and also those NGOs who used to work in Blue Nile and had suspended their activities due to the irrational policies that had been adopted by the former SPLA-N Chairman Malik Agar and his colleague Yasir Arman to come back to Blue Nile Region and resume their normal activities helping our people who are currently in urgent need of the humanitarian support,” Kanygi said.

It is not clear how the rebel faction would facilitate the work of aid workers in the landlocked territory without a humanitarian agreement with the government.

The Sudanese government and the SPLM-N negotiating teams failed to reach an agreement on humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel-held areas in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.

Khartoum rejected rebel demands for direct delivery of humanitarian assistance from neighbouring countries. Also, it refused a demand to transport 20% of the relief directly to the SPLM-N areas in the Blue Nile.

On the other hand, the SPLM-N negotiating team led by Yasir Arman declined an American proposal to deliver medical humanitarian aid to civilians in the SPLM-N area directly by aeroplane after its inspection by the government.

The SPLMN-Hilu official said that the Khartoum-based Government of Sudan continues Aerial bombardment and ground offensives during the six years of war has created dire living conditions in the area.

“The ongoing acts of war have destroyed clinic-health centre, schools, water points and all social service facilities in the area. Due to the situation mentioned above, people are not able to produce food for themselves and no medicines had been distributed, schools are not working and children lost their chance to education. We appeal to the international community to support our people in Blue Nile Region”, he said.

Different sources said the two factions stopped the fighting in the Blue Nile state among calls for direct discussions to avoid new clashes in the future.

(ST)

July 11, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Khartoum Steven Koutsis has ruled out the possibility of a setback in relations between his country and Sudan regardless of the U.S. Administration's decision on economic sanctions.

In press statements on Tuesday, Koutsis said “the Sudanese-U.S. relations will witness an important development, whether or not the economic sanctions on Sudan have been lifted”.

“Everyone is waiting for the U.S. Administration's decision on the sanctions tomorrow, Wednesday but we do not want to go back, no matter what the decision is,” he said.

Last January, former President Barack Obama issued an executive order providing temporary relief from many U.S. sanctions against Sudan that have been in effect for almost 20 years.

Washington is involved in a five-track engagement process with the Sudan over the permanent lift of sanctions on Sudan. By the 12 July, based on an interagency report including the State Department the President Donald Trump is expected to issue a decision on whether to maintain or to remove the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

The five-track process includes the fight against terrorism, Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Sudan's role in the peace process in South Sudan, Sudan's peace and the humanitarian situation in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

On Monday, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said Khartoum wouldn't accept from Washington any decision other than the permanent lifting of economic sanctions imposed on the country.

(ST)

July 12, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday has delayed the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan for a three-month period until next October saying more time is needed to appreciate the permanent revocation of the 20-year embargo.

On 13 January 2017, former President Barak Obama decided to cancel permanently the sanctions on Sudan but delayed the implementation of the decision for a six-month period to encourage Khartoum to take further actions on the resolution of armed conflict and other political processes aiming to restore freedoms in Sudan.

Based on the assessment done by an interagency team led by the State Department, President Trump has to decide on 12 July on whether Khartoum implemented the five-track plan negotiated with the Sudanese government. He has the choice between approving the lift of sanctions or reinstating the sanctions considering that Khartoum failed to meet the agreed deal.

In a short executive order released late on Tuesday night, President Trump decided to amend the decision of the former President Obama by "striking "July 12, 2017" and inserting in lieu thereof "October 12, 2017".

The order said the delay is needed to better assess the "policies and actions of the Government of Sudan, including additional fact-finding and a more comprehensive analysis of the Government of Sudan's actions".

Different reports mentioned the lack of consensus between the White House and the State Department over lift of the sanctions on Sudan and the growing opposition in the Congress. 53 U.S. lawmakers have recently urged President Trump to delay the permanent lifting of U.S. sanctions on Sudan.

"Several people familiar with the discussions told the Financial Times that the state Department and the National Security Council at the White House were split over what to do and that the decision would come down to a “nail-biter”," said the Financial Times on Tuesday.

The State Department was advocating that the soft approach is more productive than the tough regime of sanctions imposed in 1997 and its additional sanctions of 2006. The American diplomats said the lift of economic embargo can better help to bring the regime of President Omer al-Bashir achieve peace and democratic reforms but also cooperate in the fight against terrorism and join regional alliances. They further pointed to the other remaining sanctions saying they can be used to convince Khartoum to implement political reform.

Human rights groups and activists called to postpone the permanent repeal at least for six months and to add a new track for the human rights in Sudan. However, they remain silent over the peace process because of the internal divisions among opposition forces.

Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour Monday said that any decision other than the permanent lift of sanctions is “illogical and unaccepted”, pointing that Sudan has met all commitments towards five-track engagement plan.

Yasir Arman the Secretary General of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North led by Malik Agar (SPLMN-Agar) welcomed the decision saying it "is a victory for justice and the innocent people of Sudan".

"Today victims, human rights defenders, displaced persons and those who are denied their right to humanitarian access among others will receive with joy President Trump's decision to delay the lifting of sanctions on Sudan,'' Arman said.

"We thank all those who have been clear on the political situation in Sudan and they were mindful of genocide and war crimes continuously being committed by the Sudan government," he further added.

For his part, the Founding Director of the Enough Project John Prendergast praised the three-month delay and called for a new track of engagement with Sudanese government "that is focused on addressing the core issues that keep Sudan in perpetual crisis and kleptocracy".

"This new track should be tied to a new set of smart, modernised sanctions that spare the Sudanese public and target those who are most responsible for grand corruption and atrocities," Prendergast further said.

Omer Ismail, Project Senior Adviser at Enough Project said that "Washington and Europe have powerful leverage they can wield to change the calculations of Sudan's corrupt and brutal rulers, by implementing a modernised program of network sanctions and financial pressures.”

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - A court in Khartoum on Monday has ordered journalist and civil activist Amal Habani to pay 10,000 pounds (SDG) fine or serve four months in prison after being convicted on charges of obstructing public official while performing his job duty.

An agent from the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) filed charges against Habani claiming she refused to follow his orders while he was covering the trial of a group of rights activists last November.

At the time, the non-governmental Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) network said the NISS agents beat and detained journalist Amal Habani after she left a courtroom in Khartoum where she attended the trial of a group of civil society activists.

JHR quoted Habani as saying her car was intercepted by the NISS agents while she was leaving the courtroom, pointing she was detained and her mobile phone was seized under the pretext that she took pictures of NISS agents.

“A NISS officer slapped me on my face, and I was released after two hours of detention and they gave me back my mobile phone,” she said.

Habani added the security agent didn't flash his NISS badge, saying she demanded him to show a proof that he belongs to the security apparatus as required by the law.

Dozens of activists and opposition leaders made moves to pay the fine before Habani being transferred to the Women Prison in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.

However, Habani's husband, Shawqi Abdel-Azim, told Sudan Tribune that his wife declined to pay the fine and refused to allow the activists to pay as well, choosing to serve the four-month jail term.

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (JUBA) – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Monday said its Mongolian peacekeepers prevented the abduction of internally displaced people by two armed individuals wearing South Sudan army (SPLA) outside the protection of civilians site in Bentiu, Unity State on Saturday.

A Mongolian Quick Reaction Force, it said, was deployed to the scene when the mission first noticed the soldiers harassing civilians.

“The troops fired warning shots over the heads of the soldiers who were also behaving aggressively towards the peacekeepers, including firing at them. The soldiers fled to the bush,” the world body said in a statement.

"No casualties were reported,” it further underscored.

The U.N said it reported the incident to the SPLA leadership in the region, who assured the mission that the matter would be investigated.

According to the U.N, as of 30 March 2017, a total of number of civilians seeking safety in six Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites located on UNMISS bases was 214,979 including 117,654 in Bentiu, 30,559 in Malakal, 38,833 in Juba UN House, 1,956 in Bor, 651 in Melut and 171 in Wau and 25, 155 Western Bahr El Ghazal state's adjusted area.

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Monday has seized copies of Al-Zawiya and Al-Zaem sports newspapers for publishing stories on the ongoing crisis of the Sudan Football Association (SFA).

Sudan National Football Team (Reuters)

On Friday, the International Federation of Football Associations, FIFA decided to suspended the activities of SFA for the first time since it joined the world football governing body in 1948.

The decision came after a group backed by the government was declared the winner of SFA election, despite FIFA had ordered the suspension of the elections for six months.

Following what, the police evacuated the SFA premises forcefully upon a decree from the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and handed over the building to the winning group, a move that was considered direct government intervention.

On Sunday, the NISS instructed sports newspapers to not publish any stories holding government institutions or public figures responsible for the suspension decision, urging them to calm the situation and help to resolve the crisis.

In a press statement on Monday, the editorial board of Al-Zawiya newspaper said the NISS agents came to the printing house at 1:00 am (local time) on Monday and confiscated the print runs of the sport daily.

It added the seized copies included articles and Op-Eds discussing reasons and consequences of the crisis, calling to take those responsible for the suspension to court including the Youth Secretariat at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

The NISS rarely seizes or suspends social and sports newspapers but it routinely confiscates political newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations agencies in Sudan have praised the government for improving humanitarian access and voiced their support for the lift of sanctions stressing that such a "constructive engagement" paves the way for more progress on the pending issues.

The statement of the UN agencies working on development, emergency, recovery and transition activities comes 48 hours before the announcement of a decision by President Donald Trump over the revocation or maintenance of economic embargo on Sudan.

The improvement of humanitarian access to the conflict-affected areas is one of five matters Sudan pledged to allow in a deal reached with the U.S. administration last year before the permanent lift of economic sanctions in July 2017.

"The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Sudan acknowledges that there has been a marked improvement in humanitarian access over the past six months, since Executive Order 13761 was signed on 13 January 2017, as a result of improved engagement between the Government of Sudan and humanitarian actors.

The UNCT pointed to directives issued by the government in December 2016 to facilitate the humanitarian access saying the UN agencies and aid groups reached inaccessible areas in Darfur region particularly the mountainous Jebel Marra area.

Also, the UN humanitarian bodies underlined that now they reach the government controlled areas in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states but the humanitarian access to the rebel-controlled areas in the two states remains a "challenge".

The government and the SPLM-N since more than a year have declared a unilateral cessation of hostilities but they failed to reach a humanitarian deal. Washington made some proposals to break the deadlock but the parties still at odds because the rebels demand a direct safe humanitarian corridor from the neighbouring Ethiopia to the SPLM-N areas in the Blue Nile.

The UN agencies further mentioned Sudan's cooperation to deliver international humanitarian aid to the displaced persons in the South Sudan where a civil war has devastated the young nation despite the regional efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict.

"While the UNCT recognises that regulatory improvements can take time to fully materialise on the ground and that some issues remain to be addressed, the past months have clearly shown that constructive engagement is the best way to maintain the progress already made, as well as to collectively resolve pending issues," said the statement.

"The UNCT looks forward to the decision that will shortly be taken on the sanctions, and is committed to continuing its engagement in order to further improve humanitarian access," it further said.

The Sudanese foreign ministry welcomed the statement by the UN agencies in favour of the permanent repeal of economic sanctions on Sudan

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its satisfaction with the facts and evidence highlighted in the statement, which emphasised the close cooperation between Sudan and the international community in humanitarian issues at the regional and international levels," further said the statement.

In Washington, the Founding Director of the Enough Project, John Prendergast, issued a statement on Monday reiterating his call for the administration of President Trump to delay the permanent lift of sanctions on Sudan.

The Sudanese regime "continues to obstruct humanitarian access while more than a million people urgently need food and life-saving aid and continues its relentless attacks on religious freedoms including demolition of churches and denial of freedom of worship," he said.

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (PRETORIA) – The South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in his capacity as special envoy to South Sudan, congratulated the government and people of South Sudan on their celebration of the occasion that marked six years of independence.

Cyril Ramaphosa (File photo Reuters)

Ramaphosa was appointed special envoy by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma to assist in the reunification of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and bring to an end conflict that has affected the nation since 2013.

“South Sudan's national day, on Sunday, presented an opportunity for the country's leadership and citizens to reflect on the unity and vision for a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan that led to the achievement of independence six years ago,” said Ramaphosa.

The South African official also commended South Sudan President Salva Kiir and the people of South Sudan on the launch of the national dialogue that was aimed at uniting and reconciling the people of South Sudan following the devastating conflict they had experienced and continued to go through.

On 1 July, Ramaphosa met the dialogue steering committee members in Johannesburg, at which he appreciated the strategic intention of the committee to ensure the inclusivity of the dialogue.

During their meeting, however, Ramaphosa assured the steering committee members of South Africa's support by sharing experiences from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“He [Ramaphosa] hoped the Sudanese dialogue would yield positive outcomes,” the South African presidency said on Monday.

Two years after South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, President Salva Kiir accused his former vice president of plotting a coup against his regime, triggering the violence that has killed thousands of people.

(ST)

July 10, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan president Salva Kiir has urged the country's citizens to choose patriotism, embrace unity and pursue common vision instead of placing individual vision and interests above that of the nation.

President Salva Kiir addresses delegates during the swearing-in ceremony of FVP Taban Deng Gai at the Presidential Palace in Juba, July 26, 2016. (Reuters/Jok Solomun)

He said people have powers to change the current situation in a manner that will benefit and develop South Sudan instead of tearing it down to the disadvantage of all.

“We have the power to bring about change that will benefit and develop this nation, the country that we all dreamed to have and cherish. We must embrace a collective vision, and more importantly we must have the courage to pursue it by all means,” said Kiir.

The South Sudanese leader said South Sudanese do not regret their choice to secede from Sudan despite their differences that still needed to be resolved.

“Six years into our independence, many critics have questioned whether it was wise for the people of South Sudan to choose independence, simply because we have not been able to solve our differences amicably. Our answer to these critics is that the people of South Sudan do not regret their decision. I am confident that if the referendum for independence were to be held again today, the people of South Sudan would still choose to be free,” Kiir said in a speech repeatedly broadcast by the state owned SSBC.

Kiir admitted that the course the country took after independence has not been smooth, but accepts that the task of nation building ‘takes time, commitment, dedication and stability.'

“It is not a process that happens overnight. Together, we embarked on this journey of managing politics and implementing state bureaucracy,” said Kiir.

He said many people, were pessimistic when the National Dialogue was first launched but in the last two months it has gained support both internally and in the international community.

“It is therefore incumbent upon all of us; both government and opposition, to let the national dialogue succeed,” stressed Kiir.

South Sudan broke away from its northern neighbour in July 2011 after 98% of its population overwhelmingly voted for separation in a referendum held in January that year. However, two years after South Sudan gained independence from Sudan, President Kiir accused his former vice president Riek Machar of allegedly plotting a coup against his regime, triggering the violence that has killed thousands of people.

Also, a peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed amid renewed violence outbreak that has displaced millions of people into neighbouring countries.

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July 10, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir says some armed opposition faction fighters have been integrated into the national army and have accepted to respond to the unilateral ceasefire he declared while launching the national dialogue initiative in May.

"I am glad to report to you that some of the armed rebel groups across the country have accepted our call for peace through the National Dialogue and have largely abandoned rebellion. In response, the government has accepted to integrate these forces under the framework of the 2015 Peace Agreement,” said Kiir.

The South Sudan leader said the nation's citizens needed to be given the opportunity to live in peace and to be productive economically.

“This can only happen when all parties to the conflict accept and honour the ceasefire”, he added.

Kiir called on the armed groups to reciprocate the ceasefire, which his government has declared and respect the cessation of hostilities agreement and allow for achievement of a permanent ceasefire.

“We will continue to call upon those who are still carrying arms and persuade them to respond. It is no longer justifiable to fight on as this only leads to loss of innocent lives, the destruction of properties, and delays in building our country. War is not an option,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol, minister of electricity and dams said independence will remain for generations, though the current situation has frustrated many citizens, a majority of whom are angry with the current leadership for failing to meet expectations.

“I know many South Sudanese are annoyed by the situation that engulfed our country but let us remember that the independence is there to remain for generations to come and tomorrow will be brighter, and after all many rising nations passed through this rough road. Be optimistic compatriots”, said Wol.

South Sudan has, for two years in a row, failed to commemorate its independence anniversaries, owing to the economic crisis that the young nation is currently facing.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced in South Sudan's worst violence since it gained independence from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011. The vote in a referendum was a key component of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

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July 10, 2017 (KHARTOUM) -The price of the U.S. dollar has witnessed a significant increase in the black market in Khartoum on Monday, settling at 19,4 Sudanese pounds (SDG).

U.S. dollar notes (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha Photo)

Traders in Khartoum told Sudan Tribune that the dollar price is expected to continue to rise in the coming days ahead of the anticipated U.S. decision on the permanent lift of sanctions on Wednesday.

They attributed the increase to the scarcity of the U.S. dollar and growing demand in the Sudanese market and the decline in remittances, saying the central bank doesn't inject enough amounts of Forex to meet the demand.

A trader who spoke to Sudan Tribune on the condition of anonymity said if Washington decided to lift the sanctions, the dollar price wouldn't decline significantly as had previously occurred due to the limited supply of dollar.

Last January, U.S. dollar price pulled back from 19.4 to 16.0 SDG on the black market following the U.S. decision to ease the economic sanctions but it soon rose again.

Last week, the director of Foreign Exchange Department at the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) Nur al-Din Mohamed Sulieman said they continue to provide Forex at the official rate for purposes of tourism and medical treatment abroad.

He told the official news agency SUNA on Monday that the CBoS hasn't stopped Forex supply for these purposes, saying the funds are provided through various banks including the Al-Tadamon Islamic Bank, Animal Wealth Bank and the Sudanese-French Bank.

The Sudanese pound has lost 100% of its value since South Sudan's secession in 2011, pushing inflation rates to record levels given that the East African nation imports most of its food.

Last November, the CBoS introduced an incentive policy, increasing the exchange rate in commercial banks by 131%. As a result, the U.S. dollar exchange rate went up in banks to 15.8 SDG from the official rate of 6.5 SDG.

However, this measure didn't halt the rise of the dollar against the pound in the black market.

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July 10, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour Monday said Khartoum wouldn't accept from Washington any decision other than the permanent lift of economic sanctions imposed on the country.

Last January, former President Barack Obama issued an executive order providing temporary relief from many U.S. sanctions against Sudan that have been in effect for almost 20 years.

Washington is involved in a five-track engagement process with the Sudan over the permanent lift of sanctions on Sudan. By the 12 July, based on an interagency report including the State Department the President Donald Trump is expected to issue a decision on whether to maintain or to remove the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

The official news agency SUNA on Monday quoted Ghandour as saying any decision other than the permanent lift of sanctions is “illogical and unaccepted”, saying Sudan has met all commitments towards five-track engagement plan.

He called on Washington to meet its commitment according to the engagement process, saying the American side continued to underline that the Sudanese side has met its commitment.

The top diplomat said Sudan looks forward to seeing the right decision to lift the sanctions permanently, stressing “Sudan by then would become an active partner to achieve desires of both nations to see a safe region” and promote cooperation for the benefit of the two countries.

He pointed that Sudan and the U.S. had enjoyed strong relations before the imposition of the sanctions, expressing the desire that relations could return to normal.

WARNING AGAINST ESCALATION

For his part, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ibrahim Ahmed Omer, has warned against escalating rhetoric against the U.S. if Washington decides to not lift the sanctions permanently.

In an interview with Al-Shorooq TV on Sunday, Omer urged to deal carefully with the sanctions file, saying the government should continue its efforts to convince the U.S. Administration and influential pressure groups of the importance of lifting the sanctions and its adverse impact on the Sudanese.

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