Sudan Tribune

July 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Sunday issued a decree to extend the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones until October 2017.

According to the presidential decree seen by Sudan Tribune, the decree comes in continuation of the “government's approach to national dialogue and to allow the holdout groups to join the peace process”.

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

In June 2016, President Omer al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities. In December, he extended the ceasefire for one month following a two-month extension declared in October.

Last April, the Sudanese Council of Ministers extended the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N, and two of Darfur movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi, and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) last October extended for six months the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan they declared in October 2015 and April of 2016.

Following six days of talks in Addis Ababa last August, the armed movements and the government failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access in Darfur and the Two Areas prompting the African Union mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan's national dialogue committee is now seeking the intervention of regional and continental leaders to bring together the country's rival leaders for a face to face meeting.

An elderly politician, who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said a delegation is in South Africa to meet the leader of the armed opposition faction leader, Riek Machar and his team.

“The objective of going to South Africa is to meet Dr Riek and his group to seek their views to see how from their perspectives they would like the current situation to be addressed. The team will also talk to the ANC [African National Congress] leadership, particularly President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa,” he said.

According to the official, optimism is high that the South African leaders will convince President Kiir and his main political rival to that the two can come together and talk as part of confidence-building.

“We are pushing for this because it will raise hopes and boost the dialogue itself”, he added.

The official, however, claimed there were some “people in the middle trying to frustrate their efforts to bring the two rival leaders together, but added that all efforts were underway to success.

The dialogue body is reportedly considering the return of the South Sudanese rebel leader so he can participate in the upcoming general elections to take place at the end of the interim period.

“Our people want peace, they want stability and those who fled needs to return but they cannot return if the conflict is still continuing. It has to stop and to stop; some painful decisions have to be made and we are asking brother Riek to lead the way. He should open his heart,” the official exclusively told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

He added, “It is not easy, but the country should be rescued. We are telling the president to exhibit leadership and painful decisions”.

Sudan Tribune has reliably learnt that, during their visit to South Africa, the dialogue committee delegation met Ramaphosa, but not Machar.

The South Sudanese rebel leader, who fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in August last year after fierce fighting, lives in South Africa.

The official said another high-level delegation meeting the exiled leaders will visit Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia and other East African countries, including Sudan to meet the country's former political detainees, Lam Akol and General Thomas Cirilo.

Over a million people have fled the world's youngest nation since conflict erupted in late 2013 when Kiir sacked Machar from his post.

(ST)

July 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Saudi Ambassador to Khartoum Ali bin Hassan Jaafar has urged Sudan to take “clear stance” on the ongoing Gulf crisis, accusing Qatar of seeking the backing of two states with regional ambitions, Turkey and Iran.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar over allegations that the country funds “terrorism”, an accusation that Qatar denies.

They presented Qatar with a list of demands to end the crisis that has roiled the Gulf, giving Doha 10 days ultimatum. The 13-point list includes shutting the Al-Jazeera TV network, cutting back diplomatic ties with Iran, severing relations with the Muslim Brotherhood and ending Turkey's military presence in Qatar.

However, Doha on Saturday rejected the demands, saying “the world is not governed by ultimatums”.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

In an interview with the Khartoum-based Al-Sudani newspaper on Sunday, Jaafar praised the distinct relations between Sudan and Saudi Arabia, saying these ties are growing steadily.

He pointed to Sudan's neutral stance towards the ongoing Gulf crisis, saying we appreciated Sudan's initial position on the crises.

“However, if Qatar rulers insisted on rejecting the demands of the four countries and decided to escalate the situation and scramble for countries with ambitions in the region such as Turkey and Iran, we hope our Sudanese brothers will take a clear stance,” he said.

He added the current crises “is not about relations among countries but rather the security of the Gulf and the Arab nation”, saying “that is why we wish Sudan to take a clear stance on the crisis”.

In recent years, Sudan has developed close diplomatic ties with both Saudi Arabia and UAE, especially after it broke its decades-old relations with Iran.

Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab investor in Sudan with more than 590 projects.

In 2016, Saudi investments in Sudan increased to $15bn compared to $11bn in 2015.
The estimated size of UAE investments in Sudan is $11 billion approximately, of which about $5 billion are projects in progress while the rest are still in pre-execution phase.

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

Also, Sudan has maintained long-standing and robust relations with Qatar over the years. The tiny Gulf state supported Sudan politically and economically when the country faced an international isolation.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels which culminated in the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in 2011.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan's armed opposition forces loyal to the former First Vice-President Riek Machar claimed the Juba government has allegedly started recruiting civilians and students living in refugee settlement camps in northern Uganda.

Leaders of South Sudanese refugees address a rally at Bweyale camp, April 30, 2016 (ST)

The deputy spokesperson for the armed opposition faction, Lam Paul claimed an official from the prime minister's office intercepted 63 South Sudanese refugees being ferried from Uganda to South Sudan.

“If the government of Juba was able to prevent the Nuer students in protection of civilians' camps from attending the examination, how can they transport refugees to do it yet they ran from danger?” he asked.

According to Lam, two more refugees were picked from Bidi-Bidi refugee camp, allegedly through the influence of Yei state governor.

Officials from the Juba government were not available to comment.

The rebel official also appointed fingers at government forces allegedly carrying out several attacks on innocent civilians, claims Sudan Tribune could not substantiate.

“The SPLA-IO strongly condemns these criminal and cowardice acts by the Juba regime towards innocent civilians who preferred to stay in the country other than going to refugee camps. We call upon our civilians to be vigilant of militias and spies being recruited by the regime amid the ongoing lootings, rape and killings,” he said.

About a million refugees have arrived in Uganda since the crisis erupted in Juba in July 2016, leaving Uganda as the country putting up with the largest number of refugees in the continent.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) Saturday said it would oppose the adoption of a new constitution, stressing that the priority should be given to ensure freedoms and to reach a just negotiated settlement with the armed groups.

SCoP leader Omer al-Digair (ST Photo)

The move comes following a recent call by President Omer al-Bashir for the opposition groups to participate in the drafting process of a new constitution before its approval by the Parliament. He said it would mark the beginning of a new phase of national dialogue.

"To express the general will, the constitution must be produced by a collective national mind formed through free and equal dialogue, but this is not currently available," said SCoP chairman Omer al-Digair in a press statement released on Saturday.

"The (government led) dialogue is not qualified to make up a collective national mind, because it was designed by the(ruling) National Congress Party, which controlled the drafting of its outputs in different ways, as it was mentioned by some participants," he said adding that it was not a comprehensive dialogue, because it didn't include all the political and social forces.

The opposition leader was referring to the boycott of the internal dialogue process by several opposition parties and armed groups.

Al-Digair said the problem is not in the lack of a constitution, but in the absence of respect for its provisions.

"The current Sudanese constitution of 2005 contains provisions that guarantee freedoms, respect for human rights, preserve human dignity and call for the rule of law, but practice proves that the Alengaz (Salvation) Regime does not respect the constitution," he emphasised.

To illustrate his remarks, he mentioned that the regime persists in its rejection to repealing laws that restrict freedoms, despite their violation of the constitution.

He went further to say the current Sudanese parliament does not represent the general will because the electoral process didn't meet the minimum conditions required for any free and fair elections. In addition, it was joined by new members appointed on basis of the government-led dialogue which was not inclusive, he said.

On Friday, SPLMN-Agar spokesperson Mubarak Ardol criticised al-Bashir's call for the opposition to join the constitutional process saying it aims primarily to buying time and diverting public attention.

He further said the regime seeks to forge the 2020 elections and give al-Bashir another term in office.

The government, the holdout armed groups and the National Umma Party (NUP) in August 2016 signed the African Union brokered the Roadmap Agreement, a framework for a political process to end the war and achieve democratic reforms.

However, after their failure to reach a humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement, the government endorsed the outcome of an internal dialogue process and called it the 'National Document'. Now It calls the opposition groups to join them in its implementation, while the opposition sticks to the need to implement the Roadmap which Khartoum declines.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (WAU) - South Sudan's Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) has given a $100,000 compensation to the family of Col. Al Fadil Meil Issa, a former staff member killed in Wau state.

Issa was killed at Hai Jazeera in January by a group of men after unknown people reportedly convinced him to come out of a United Nations camp.

Until now, however, motives behind the killing remain unclear.

Four people have been arrested in connection to Issa's death.

Wau town mayor, Mel Aleu Goc, said the four men who were arrested were staff members working inside the UN camp in Wau.

“After the investigation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Wau, it was stated that the four men confessed the roles they played in killing of the official,” said Goc.

He added, “They called Issa in the late hour before he was killed”.

Issa was a former member of the armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO).

“On behalf of CTSAMM, we would like to pass our condolences to the family for they have lost their loved one,” said Theresa Vurnes, a CTSAMM official.

Vurnes described Issa as an “outstanding” member of CTSAMM.

“The money is meant to take care of his family, to support them and show them that CTSAMM appreciates all the work their family member did,” further said Vurnes.

CTSAMM had earlier said it completed investigation into Issa's death.

CTSAMM is the body responsible for monitoring and verifying the implementation of a permanent ceasefire between the peace partners and oversee the transitional security arrangements. Its liaison officers monitor areas of conflict, to assess any violations of the permanent ceasefire and report their findings to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission.

The CTSAMM comprises representatives from the warring parties, former detainees, other political parties, the womens' bloc, civil society entities and youth. Other members are the eminent personalities, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, China, the Troika, the U.N Mission in South Sudan, European Union and IGAD partners' forum.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (WAU) – South Sudan government is too heavily deploy troops on the road that links the country's capital, Juba to Bor, an official has disclosed.

A overturned truck on the Juba-Bor road, which has become almost impassable as a result of the rainy season and its poor condition (ST)

The interior minister, Michael Chiangjiek said that the move came following an emergency security meeting, which was held in Juba on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by South Sudan's President Salva Kiir.

He said the meeting resolved that forces would immediately be deployed on Juba-Bor road as governments' security measure to combat road ambush killings that were taking place in the area.

On 28 June, nine people were reportedly killed and seven others injured on Juba-Bor road. The incident took place when a passenger car carrying traders was attacked by unknown gunmen in Kubri Mohandisiin, located about 8 kilometres from Juba.

Last month, a similar attack left more than 30 people dead.

“One of the resolutions that we made was the immediate deployment of forces, namely the army, the police and the national security to the site so that they enhance the security of the road and at least ease the flow of the goods from Juba to Bor and from Juba to Boma state,” said the interior minister.

The governor of South Sudan's Jonglei state said Juba-Bor road needed to be secure as it was the lifeline for returnees who have started returning from the refugee as well as displacement camps.

“It will also enable people in Greater Jonglei move to venues where they can participate in the national dialogue,” said Phillip Aguer.

“This road will also facilitate the national dialogue because we want Greater Jonglei to come together and talk for the government to know exactly what is affecting us. Insecurity affects food security and this is the result of poor agriculture,” he added.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman on Sunday would lead his country's delegation to the African summit in Addis Ababa, said the official news agency SUNA.

Vice-president Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman

Last week, SUNA quoted Sudan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir as saying President Omer al-Bashir will participate in the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

However, the agency on Sunday said Abdel-Rahman will lead Sudan's delegation to the summit without giving further details on why al-Bashir wouldn't attend the meeting.

The 29th Ordinary Session of the Summit of the African Union has kicked off last Tuesday and will continue until July 4th, 2017 under the theme “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”.

The Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union will take place from the 3rd to 4th July 2017.

Member states will mainly deliberate on the continent's peace and security, with the renewed fighting in South Sudan, situation in Somalia and crises in Libya among the issues top on agenda for African leaders to be deliberated upon during the summit.

Also top of the agenda for discussions at the summit are situations in Central African Republic, Mali, Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), Burundi and the Darfur region.

The previous summit held in Addis Ababa last January witnessed the return of Morocco to AU after over three decades of absence from the pan-African body.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The former U.S. envoys to Sudan Princeton Lyman and Donald Booth have called on the Congress to support the five-track engagement plan with the Sudanese government urging legislatures to not take actions that could undermine the plan.

Princeton Lyman (Reuters)

Washington is involved in a five-track engagement process with the Sudan over the permanent lift of sanctions. 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.

In a letter sent to the members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at the House of Representatives on Thursday, the former envoys along with the former U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Sudan Jerry Lanier urged “caution in rushing any new legislative action” that might undermine progress on the strategy.

“We believe that now is not the time for legislation that would complicate our sanctions regime and confuse our diplomatic strategy. Introducing new benchmarks—especially those that cannot be effectively measured or achieved—will not help us in realising our objectives,” read the letter.

The former envoys pointed that the engagement plan “represents an acknowledgement that sanctions alone had long failed to produce the changes we all hope to see”, urging Congress and Trump Administration to show unity in carrying forward the plan, and in turning early progress into sustained reform.

“Progress on the agreed tracks in this first phase of engagement, and lifting the agreed sanctions, moves the U.S and Sudan to the next phase of engagement, to include more steps toward respect for human rights, sustained humanitarian access, and a lasting peace,” read the letter.

“Stopping the process now would undermine progress to date and prevent forward movement. It would also bind the hands of the new administration and erase the momentum it has inherited,” it added.

The former envoys warned that any delay in the implementation of the five-track process “would damage U.S. credibility and squander the opportunity now before us”.

They further said “we must continue to work with those who seek long-term reform and Sudan's re-integration into the global community. And we must avoid doing any favours for Sudanese hardliners who represent the worst of the government, and who oppose the very objectives we are seeking to achieve”.

Last month, Bloomberg, a business and market news agency, cited an anonymous source familiar with the decision as saying key aides to the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have recommended full lift of sanctions.

Also, sources in Washington say the security agencies, CIA and FBI, and the U.S Army strongly back the lift of sanctions saying that cooperation with Khartoum is crucial for America strategic interests.

Rights groups and activists plead for a delay of sanctions in order to improve human rights records and promote democratic reforms.

Observers point that the failure of opposition groups to sign a humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement supported by the State Department weakened any effort in this direction and propelled arguments put forward by the security agencies.

(ST)

July 1, 2017 (JUBA) – A senior official from South Sudan's ruling party (SPLM) has dismissed reports alleging that underground talks aimed at persuading President Salva Kiir to step down from the helm were currently ongoing.

Daniel Awet Akot (ST)

Daniel Awet Akot, a presidential adviser on military affairs, said he was not aware of any underground talks at either the SPLM leadership, the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) or at regional forums.

“We need to put these allegations and rumour to rest. There are no talks of secession now. If President Salva Kiir wants to retire, if he wants to leave politics at will, he will come out in person and tell the SPLM leadership that it is time for him to step down and the SPLM leadership will go through normal procedures and processes to select the successor,” Akot told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.

He added, “This is how it's done worldwide, especially if you look at the history of revolutionaries. Look at how CCM [Chama Cha Mapinduzi] in Tanzania did their change of leadership when Julius Nyerere decided to leave politics. He was not forced to step down”.

Akot, who sits at the political bureau of the SPLM, said late Nyerere and Nelson Mandela, ex-African leaders who lead revolutions in their respective countries, ceded power without any agitation.

“There was no coup to remove Nyerere from power by the colleagues, even when he saw it wise and fit to block Benjamin Mkapa in favour of Ali Hassan. There was no uprising. He did so because he knew who would fit as the right choice to manage the affairs of the people of Tanzania at the time,” said Akot.

“That did not mean he did not like Benjamin Mkapa. He [Nyerere] liked him that was why he later became the president after Ali Hassan served. He was looking for someone from within the leadership who would maintain and establish a strong system and encourage peaceful coexistence and harmony, not only among members of the party but also across the country. The same is true for Mandela in South Africa. So why do people rush?” He asked.

Akot said not all who join revolutions eventually become presidents.

“If it is because of old age, which is what I hear being cited as the reason for pushing for changes, then who says all those who joined the revolution anywhere become the presidents all together, even if one has to serve for one month as the president,” stated Akot.

He further added, “That is something impossible”.

President Kiir, elected in March 2010, recently vowed not to step down by force, insisting it would set a bad precedent for the young nation.

South Sudan was plunged into conflict in December 2013 as the rivalry between Kiir and his then-Vice President, Riek Machar, turned into a civil war. The fighting, which has often been along ethnic lines, triggered Africa's worst refugee crisis, with over three million people fleeing their homes.

(ST)

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

The Friday, June 30, 2017 marks the 28th anniversary of the military Coup d'état, led by the notorious National Islamic Front (NIF), the global Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) which undermined the democratically elected government in Sudan to litter the land with corruption, genocidal killing, displacement and impoverishment. During their reign Sudan became a rogue and pariah state in the eyes of the world because of the criminal acts practiced by the gang of the ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP). At this moment we remember a huge number of revolutionary figures who martyred and went as the victims of the crimes of Omer Hassan Ahmed al- Bashir and the entourage of his regime. We remember and salute the martyrs of the Darfur region, the martyrs of Kordofan, the martyrs of the south of the Sudan and the martyrs of the Manaseer region, martyrs of Gezira and the martyrs of Port Sudan. The Sudanese people will remember the killing of Majdi Mahjoub, pilot Girgis and Doctor Ali Fadul along with the martyrs of Ramadan 28, martyrs of the area Manaseer and Kajbar and the martyrs of the Intifada and the martyrs 19 September 2013.

During these times, we remember prisoners of war and prisoners of conscience who have been languishing in the in the prisons of the ruling regime of the outgoing National Congress Party and we commend and highly value their great signs of steadfastness. We hope Healing for wounded everywhere in the swathes of Sudan.

The National Islamic Front (NIF), as soon as rested assured on the helm, considered the people of Sudan in the Southern Sudan, region of Darfur and the marginalised territories as its prime archenemies and declared Jihad warfare against the civilian Sudanese citizens. They classified Sudanese people according to the concept of either with us or against us. In their quest for empowerment, (NIF) hard-liners adopted a policy of dismissal of government employees allegedly thought potentially disloyal under the pretext of the so-called 'Public Good/Interest'. Thus, hundreds of workers and officials in the Civil Service have been dismissed and replaced by inept unqualified individuals affiliated to the (NIF). The (NIF) Putschists gave the nickname of (Dismissal for Pubic Good) that phenomenologically farcical process.

Furthermore, they portrayed the war against the Southern Sudan, Sudan People's Liberation Movement Army (SPLM/A) Rebels as a Jihad employing the regular Sudan Armed Force (SAF) and the militia Popular Defence Forces (PDF) which they portrayed as Mujahideen. The Majority of the (PDF) were conscripts from amongst high school, college and university students. Regular TV programme calling for jihad against the infidels known as (In the backyards of redemption) accompanied. NIF described their dead as martyrs and described the other dead in southern Sudan war as (Matt Fetaiz), the phrase means that others slain by their army as Rotten Fetid Corpses- according to their own words and phraseology. On the political front, the putschist regime dissolved the parliament, political parties and their representatives, who were members of it and imposed emergency laws all over the Sudan, and seized the banks and they by virtue of a deterrent decreed penalty included lynching for every person who owned hard foreign currencies such as the US dollar, British Pound after the forfeiture and the confiscation of the amount. Moreover, they claimed that they came with what they called as Civilisational Project and Apostolic Orientation for the Islamisation of Sudan and the people of the country. Furthermore, they claimed that they will fight America and Russia which their Torment has approached they have met what hurts them, so to speak! However, hypocrisy is lanyard as the popular saying goes, and very soon the putschists agreed secretly with the US intelligence agency (CIA) to provide intelligence on the movements of Islamic jihadist terrorists that had taken Khartoum as a safe haven refuge.

The putschist entity of (NIF) had committed a heinous crime against their companions in the Sudan Armed Force (SAF), which included non-commissioned officers and officers of more than thirty on the pretext that they were involved in an alleged military coup attempt against them. The Execution of those 28 military officers took place on the Holy Month of Ramadan, which coincided April 23, 1990, in an ugly image representing treachery and betrayal. Thus, began the first step towards dismantling the Sudanese army in favour of the lords of the National Islamic Front (NIF) until the armed forces have become a monopoly; but later replaced by the Janjaweed militias and mercenaries that waged proxy civil wars on behalf of Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and his entourage against the Sudanese unarmed noncombatant civilian citizens in Darfur where crimes of genocide have been systematically committed, 28 years on today's date.

Darfur Forced to Take up to Arms
Moreover, when the people of Darfur who have suffered from systematic marginalisation by the successive governments led by the political elites, the majority of whom were descendants from the Northern Region since the Independence of Sudan in January 1956 from British colonialists rule. The then Brigadier Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, virtually the leader of the regime, said publicly that he would not negotiate with anyone who did not carry weapons. Bashir's statement forced the young men of the Region to take up to arms on February 2003 in quest for the legitimate rights of citizenship which include wealth sharing and power sharing and removal of systematic marginalisation and chronic deprivation which they and their people suffered and rights have been denied for so long. Moreover, they included those grievances in the Black Book imbalance of power and wealth in Sudan written around the end of the year 1999 by intellectuals from the Darfur region, a group led by Martyr Dr Khalil Ibrahim Muhammad, Allah forgive him and bless his soul.

The Janjaweed unleashed to run havoc
When the army and Janjaweed militias of the regime subjected to defeats at the hands of gallant Darfur armed movements rebel forces in all locations and battle fields, the Khartoum government has decided to take revenge on civilians rather than confronting the rebels. It unleashed the Janjaweed militias to wreak havoc and corruption on earth, burning villages and looting the property of citizens and killing women, kids and the elderly. Based on the war crimes perpetrated in the form of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant to apprehend the head of the regime Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir. Furthermore, the (ICC) issued arrest warrants of the former Defence Minister Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein and Ahmed Mohamed Haroun, former state minister of interior, and Ali Abdelrahman Kushayb, leader of the Janjaweed militias, all of whom remain fugitives from international justice. Moreover, the NCP regime in order to be capable of carrying out further atrocious crimes against the people of Sudan in Darfur worked relentlessly for getting rid of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). However, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) continued extending the period of the (UNAMID) Force yearly. Accordingly, the UN Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union have considered extending the Mandate of (UNAMID) for 12 months, until 30 June 2017, without modifying its priorities or adjusting its authorised troop and police ceiling. http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2016/510.

NCP regime waging War on Citizens while swathes of Sudan's land occupied by Foreigners
The (NCP) regime has been waging futile warfare against fellow citizens while swathes of the soil of Sudan remain under the occupation by foreign neighbouring countries. These are the Sudanese territories occupied by the Egyptian army in Halayeb and Shalateen In addition to an area of 600 thousand in Fashaga occupied by Ethiopia. The (NCP) regime behaves, as the popular proverb says, he behaves as a lion on unarmed noncombatant civilian citizens of Sudan in Darfur though just an Ostrich in wars with who attacked and seized a vast swathes of areas of the dear homeland!

Inciting Intertribal Warfare
Furthermore, in the Darfur region, the regime of the NCP sought in addition to the crimes of genocide to fragment the eternal social fabric of the citizens by dividing the region into five states based on the tribal lines. As expected, that led into tribal strife and intertribal warfare. Worse, the regime held a bogus referendum for the revocation of the region so as the word and opinion of the people of Darfur fragmented and divided toward their vital issues. Thus, the NCP regime vehemently opposed to Darfur remaining as one region and opted for dismantling it into warring tribal cantons with fragmentation of the social fabric.

Systematic Government Corruption Widespread
The epidemic of government corruption remained widely spread in the decadence era of the (NIF). They looted the country's oil and gold revenues to foreign banks under the names of relatives of influential people in the regime of the National Congress Party accounts. Furthermore, the putschists as well as sold the major productive state institutions such as the Gezira irrigated agriculture project, Sudan Airways, Sudan Shipping Lines, Sudan railway corporation and privatisation of education and health services and so on! Moreover, they sold the famous Sudan House in the Knight Bridge neighbourhood in London cheaply to a crony investor of the (NCP) regime as well selling the airstrip of the Sudan Airways (Sudan air) at Heathrow Airport. For the legalisation of corruption, the Islamism regime of the (NCP) decided to urge the religious Sheikhs affiliated to it introducing the so-called (Tahalul), meaning biodegradable decomposition and disintegration, which according to their Religious Fatwa removes “Haram” and make it Halal! Still the worse is on the way. The racist supremacist elements in the regime made the unity in Sudan unattractive to the citizens of Southern Sudan through racism by making them take the option of secession and formation of their own nascent state, South Sudan, in 2011. There are plenty of calamities brought about by the ruling regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) to the disenfranchised people of Sudan, but the space does not accommodate the entire reminder.

The genocidal criminal Omar al-Bashir and his Islamism claiming entourage will remain held responsible for the heinous crimes they perpetrated in the rights of the Sudanese people over the 27 lean years of oppressive putschist regime. Thus, autocracy and reign of terror continued for past 27 years despite the fact that the people of Sudan used in the past staunch advocates of fighting for freedom, October 21, 1964, and April 1985 Revolutions as examples.

Unlimited support the genocidal criminal Omar al-Bashir from the African Union
Omar al-Bashir and his regime took proxy civil wars of attrition safe haven to protect him from the International Court of Court's (ICC) grip, which has been pursuing him since 2009. This is in addition to the support he receives from the Dictators Club called the African Union (AU) based in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Most of the members of the forum there are afraid of the spin of the circle upon them and fall under the accountability of the international Tribunal. The majority of the Club Members practised systemic repression and continued committing atrocities against the people of their countries.

Support from Some members in the International Community
The (NCP) regime receives political support provided by some permanent members of the UN Security Council. That support is in lieu of the intersecting interests in the form of intelligence on terrorism by the Islamic Jihadi groups from Egypt, Libya and other neighbouring countries, which take Khartoum as refuge on their belief that the Islamist regime of the National Congress Party would give them protection.

EU –Sudan Agreement to Curb Migration exodus from the Horn of Africa to European shores by rewarding the Génocidaire Omer al-Bashir
It is not so exciting or surprising if we look at what the European Union (EU) recently trying to strike a deal with Khartoum. (EU) planned for reaching an agreement with the ruling regime in Sudan for reducing migrants coming from the Horn of Africa countries to Europe through Libya. Germany is to provide an amount of one hundred million euros to Sudan, in addition to the establishment of camps in Eastern Sudan for refugees from Eritrea and Ethiopia, and Somalia. Moreover, there is other additional package of facilities for the training of Sudanese police in Germany to carry out the task of reducing immigration to Europe. They ignored and flouted all the crimes committed by the head of the ruling regime of the NCP, Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir against humanity against the people of Sudan in Darfur, and fugitive from international justice and indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Machiavellian doctrine of end justifies the means continues in operation.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UNAMID Size and Mandate Change in Darfur
To make bad situation worse, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decided to reduce the size of the UNAMID Mission in Darfur by 50% and as well as changing its Mandate from Peace and Security keeping to Peace Building Mission on the pretext of cost where US has decided to reduce its financial contribution and/or that insurgence in Darfur has allegedly become thing of the past based on reports by the Sudanese government and some UN report writers! As for the people of Sudan in Darfur, UNAMID Exit or change of its primary mandate would Open Gates for Anarchy, more Lawlessness and hell on earth in Darfur.

We know that The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last time has renewed the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until Friday the 30th June 2017.

More importantly as well is that the reduction of UNAMID forces leads to the removal of the only international witness to the violations of the ruling regime of the National Congress Party, the genocide criminal in the Darfur region. The people of Sudan in Darfur have always advocated the need to strengthen the UNAMID mission and develop its forces by adding troops from Western countries to take an active role in achieving security. Furthermore, the instability in the Darfur region, the continued armed conflict and the continuing crimes of the cloned Janjaweed militias loyal to the ruling (NCP) regime the rapid support forces (RSF) militia all push for the renewal of the joint peacekeeping a Nazi-UNAMID, despite its weak performance, but its departure or the reduction of its personnel or change of its mandate will compromise security and derail the safe unfettered delivery of relief to the needy. Thus, the only international witness will lose the regime's crimes against the people. More suffering in Darfur would become inevitable and it will result in cloning the ongoing failure in achieving peace to the war-torn Darfur region.

Removal of the Decades-Long Trade and Financial US Sanctions
The recent security rapprochement between the administration of new US President Donald Trump and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) regime could lead to the lifting of trade and economic sanctions entirely by the first half of July 2017 as decided by former US President Barack Obama at the last moment of the end of his term in office.

The rewarding of the genocidal criminal, the fugitive from the international justice, has become the justice of this era of decadence, where politicians in the international community are running behind interests humanity has become something of the past that has no place in the world of international politics today under the hegemony of the single pole! Thus, the pre-existing interests come before the values preserved in the corridors of the UN building in New York, Manhattan!

Edmund Burke the British-Irish Politician, Author, Orator, Political theorist, and Philosopher has been quoted as saying: (All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent).

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

June 30, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) Friday has denied informing Egyptian health authorities about a cholera outbreak in Sudan, following reports about medical screening for Sudanese arriving in Cairo.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Cairo airport started to examine passengers coming from infected areas including the Sudan.

Recently, Sudanese officials declared the existence of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) in several regions including Khartoum. Instead, U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, in a warning to its nationals in Sudan, spoke about a cholera outbreak.

Also, Sudanese opposition groups accused the government of covering up cholera outbreaks in the country pretending it was only acute watery Diarrhoea.

Reached by Sudan Tribune, WHO representative in Sudan Neema Al Gasseer distanced the international health body from the decision of the Egyptian authorities.

"We would like to emphasise that the World Health Organization does not advise any country to take a unilateral decision to examine internal or external travellers from the country in accordance with the international health regulations signed by the Member States, including Sudan and neighbouring countries," she said.

The Head of Cairo Airport Quarantine Medhat Qandil told the news agency they screen passengers coming from Khartoum to verify reported cholera outbreak in Sudan. But he didn't specify their source.

Relations between the two countries are strained as Khartoum stopped the importation of Egyptian farming products following reports about cases of strawberries from Egypt causing chronic hepatitis and other diseases.

The two countries who have other differences over border areas failed to resolve this issue of agricultural goods and products.

Sudanese health authorities say more than 270 people were killed by the AWD outbreak since August 2016. Most of the epidemic hit border areas with the South Sudan, particularly the While Nile and Blue Nile states.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The United States on Thursday said it is “very concerned” about Sudan's human rights record, urging Khartoum to make stronger progress regarding the five-track engagement between the two countries.

UN independent expert on the human rights situation in Sudan Aristide Nononsi (UNAMID Photo)

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.

“The United States remains very concerned about Sudan's human rights record, including the continued closing of political space, and restrictions on religious freedom, freedom of expression, including press freedom,” said the U.S. embassy in Khartoum in a press release on Thursday.

“We continue to monitor the Government of Sudan's progress in the five key areas noted in Executive Order 13761 to determine if it has met the order's requirements for the lifting of certain sanctions in July 2017. In this process, we have pressed to ensure Sudan has adhered to its unilateral cessation of hostilities in conflict areas and ceased all indiscriminate aerial bombardment, a key human rights concern” added the press release.

According to the press release, Washington continued to stress “the protection of human rights is deeply intertwined with peace and security”, saying “while we have worked for progress in the five areas, we have also engaged intensively on human rights concerns”.

“We have raised at all levels our concerns regarding jailed activists, newspaper confiscations, church demolitions, constricted political space, and restrictions on personal and religious freedom. Moving forward, we want to see stronger progress in these areas by the Sudanese government,” read the press release.

Washington further underscored it would remain “committed to the Sudanese people and to continued policy engagement with the Government of Sudan, and the opposition, to realise peace and further the protection of human rights in Sudan”.

U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Khartoum recently brushed aside calls to link the normalisation process of bilateral relations with the situation of human rights in Sudan saying the process embargo aimed to end Khartoum's support for terrorist groups and bring peace in Darfur.

However, rights groups keep calling on the need to define a new track for peace and human rights in Sudan before to decide on the permanent lift of sanctions.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (JUBA) - The command of Sudan Sudanese army (SPLA) has contained a rift among soldiers deployed on the front line in the northern part of the country, after fears that a split could undermine the capability of the government army in that troubled area.

A high-ranking military officer told Sudan Tribune on Friday that a decision by some officers and soldiers loyal to the former SPLA chief of staff deployed to the former Unity State caused a headache to the command until Gen. Paul Malong had to be approached by the community leaders and his political friends to talk to them to drop their plan to leave in their areas of their deployment.

“There was a misunderstanding between units of our forces in Leer. They were those who were deployed there as part of reinforcement to bolster the fighting strength of the 4th division infantry. These units were from different divisions in the country. Some were taken from the headquarters and others from other divisions. They were deployed for specific reasons for a specific period but they overstayed and they felt they need to be replaced”, explained the military officer.

The officer said a majority of these soldiers come from Aweil of Bahr el-Ghazal region and instead of asking for a permission to return home, they prefer going to their families in Aweil even before replacement is made.

“It is a big challenge but thanks God the former chief of general staff intervened and was able to speak to them urging to remain in their positions (on the front line against the enemy) and they listened to him. Now they are waiting for the replacement so that there is no security vacuum”, said the officer who did not want to be identified.

Several military sources and politicians with direct knowledge also confirmed that an intense situation emerged between different units and soldiers loyal to Paul Malong.

Observers say the rift meant to protest the removal of former chief of staff from his position, pointing their feel personally harmed by this decision because their regional dignitary protected their rights and families if something happened to them.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLMN-Al-Hilu) said its leader Abdel-Aziz Adam al-Hilu has arrived in areas under its control in South Kordofan state for the first time since he was appointed to his position.

In a statement on Friday, SPLMN-Al-Hilu spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi confirmed the arrival of al-Hilu “ to the liberated areas of the Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan region on 29/6/017 for the first time since he was installed by the SPLM/N Nuba mountains liberation council on 7/6/2017”.

“He was received by Maj. Gen. Comrade Gagod Mukwar Marada, SPLA/N Chief of Staff and BRIG. Gen Comrade Ezekiel Kuku Talodi, commissioner of Tobo County and a large number of civilians and military leaders. The region was full of joy and popular celebrations which lasted for the all night” read the statement.

As a result of a rift that started earlier this year and its successive developments, the SPLM-N is now split into two factions one led by Malik Agar and the other by his rival al-Hilu.

Al-Hilu, who gained the support of the Movement's army, has removed Malik Agar from the leadership of the armed group together with the Secretary General Yasser Arman after they rejected his demand for the self-determination.

CALL FOR UNITY

Meanwhile, the SPLMN-Agar has underlined readiness to exert every possible effort to unify the SPLM-N according to the vision of the New Sudan.

In a statement on Friday, SPLMN-Agar spokesperson Mubarak Ardol reiterated that the Chairman of the Movement, and the Secretary General, are ready to relinquish any executive positions and support a new interim leadership that would be selected on the basis of seniority in the Leadership Council until holding the general convention.

He called to take advantage of the current crisis to renew the vision of the Movement, saying it is in the best interest of the people of the Two Areas and the Sudanese people to have a strong and unified Movement.

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

Talks between the two sides under the auspices of the African Union for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since last August.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLMN-Agar) led by Malik Agar has criticised statements by President Omer al-Bashir in which he urged the political forces to participate in the drafting of the permanent constitution.

In a speech at the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) headquarters on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr feast on Monday, al-Bashir said the permanent constitution would be drafted in the coming period on the basis of the National Document.

He vowed to launch a broad dialogue on the constitution before to send the draft to the National Assembly for approval, saying the document would then be presented to the Sudanese people in a referendum for final approval.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday, SPLMN-Agar spokesperson Mubarak Ardol said al-Bashir's call aims primarily to buying time and diverting public attention, pointing the regime seeks to forge the 2020 elections and give al-Bashir another term in office.

He added the 2005 constitution issued under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the NCP government and the SPLM/A has been “torn up” and was replaced by a distorted version representing views of the NCP.

Ardol underscored the SPLMN-Agar wouldn't respond to al-Bashir's call to draft the constitution or engage in the government-led dialogue, describing it as “a farce”.

The SPLMN-Agar further called on its political and civil society allies and in particular the Sudan Revolutionary Front, the Sudan Call and the National Consensus Forces to refuse and boycott al-Bashir's call.

It pointed out that al-Bashir's call was intended to reach the African mediation and the international community, saying “we would make it very clear to the latter that we aren't concerned about this call”.

Ardol reiterated the SPLMN-Agar wouldn't participate in any political talks, saying they are ready to discuss only the humanitarian issues and ways to deliver assistance to the needy population in the Two Areas.

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

Talks between the two sides under the auspices of the African Union for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since last August.

Since January 2014, Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir has been leading a national dialogue process whose stated aims are to resolve the armed conflicts, achieve political freedoms, alleviate poverty and the economic crisis, and address the national identity crisis.

Last October, the political forces participating in the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalised by transitional institutions.

The holdout political opposition and armed groups refuse to join the process before to stop the war and create a conducive environment for an inclusive dialogue.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) - South Sudan's armed opposition group (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of First Vice-President, Taban Deng Gai, on Thursday officially began registering its forces on the ground to determine the size.

SPLM-In Opposition (IO) forces gather outside capital Juba, April 7, 2016 (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomun)

The exercise will be conducted in the north and south of Liech state.

South Sudan's Deputy Minister of Defence General Thoi Chany, along with other high-ranking SPLA-IO officials are in Liech state to launch the registration process.

The armed opposition forces, due to be registered, had been stationed in the state following the peace deal signed in 2015 between the two rival SPLM factions.

A spokesperson for the armed opposition faction, Dickson Gatluak underscored the need to identify the size of the army and logistics at hand before cantonment of the forces is done in accordance to the peace accord.

"All forces which had been participating in the combat in Unity state and other forces related to the conflict will be put in the containment where they will be assembled and separated," said Gatluak.

He said child soldiers would be handed over to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

"This is one of the biggest milestone taken by SPLM-IO leadership towards the implementation of the peace agreement", stressed Gatluak.

The armed opposition force commanders from Omer, Koch, Bentiu, Mandir and Leer counties will this week submit the lists. The team will also visit Yuai in Beih state and Nassir of Latajor state then after a visit to Bentiu.

Meanwhile, the security situation in these areas is reportedly calm and citizens are returning home after nearly four months of sheltering in the U.N camps.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (KAMPALA) - Journalists from Uganda and South Sudan have formed a network whose main objective is to address the information needs of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, their host communities and the internally displaced persons in South Sudan.

Journalists attend a briefing on new media laws approved by South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, on 9 September 2014 (ST)

The “Cross Border Network”, is expected to promote training and sharing of content between radio stations in both South Sudan and Uganda, especially in the areas hosting South Sudanese refugees.

“One Million South Sudanese refugees in Uganda is a significant population with unique information needs. Equally important is the information needs of their host communities,” said the Ugandan coordinator of the journalists' network, Moses Odokonyero.

“The network intends to address this existing gap,” he added.

According to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), about 1.2 million South Sudanese refugees currently live in Uganda.

Nearly two million internally displaced persons live in South Sudan.

South Sudanese refugees in Uganda and citizens require adequate information on situations in the two neighbouruing two countries.

“The collaboration between Uganda and South Sudan journalists will enable the relatives of the refugees in Uganda to get information about what is happening in South Sudan and for their relatives in South Sudan to know what is happening in Uganda,'' said Josephine Achiro, the South Sudan coordinator of the network.

The Cross Border Network was formed during a recent meeting from June 19- June 23 in Kampala supported. The meeting was supported by the German media development organization, DW Akademie.

Presently, however, the journalists' network has 24 radio stations from different parts of South Sudan and north western Uganda.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (WASHINGTON) – The United States has no plans to remove Sudan from the list of states that sponsor terrorism, according to a U.S. official.

The U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that an assessment is underway on Sudan's compliance with conditions stipulated by the previous administration to permanently lift comprehensive economic sanctions imposed in 1997.

“I don't want to get ahead of what will be announced, because that we just don't know yet. We're not sure what is going to happen with the sanctions,” Nauert said according to a transcript of June 22nd press briefing.

“The State Department is monitoring whether or not Sudan has sustained positive actions that gave rise to the executive order that was put in place earlier this year. So the State Department will make the final determination, but I just can't get ahead of what that is right now”.

But Nauert stressed that Sudan's terrorism designation will not change for the time being.

“I can tell you one thing, and that is the designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terror will remain”.

By July 12th, an interagency report is to be submitted to U.S. President Donald Trump which he will use to issue a decision on whether to maintain or to permanently remove economic sanctions on Sudan.

(ST)

June 30, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan's deputy information minister, Paul Akol Kordit has dismissed media reports, which quoted him praising removal of the ex-army chief by the president.

South Sudan's deputy information minister, Akol Paul Kordit speaking at a public rally in Juba on 11 February 2014 (ST)

He said media misquoted him on the matter.

I went to talk to the president [Salva Kiir] official issues related to my ministry. I have nothing to do with General [Paul] Malong or any person in South Sudan, Akol clarified.

Kordit demanded that a written apology be issued.

Last month, the director of internal security bureau, Akol Koor Kuc, on instructions from the president, deployed a large force in Western Lakes state with instructions to block Malong from traveling to his home village in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Malong said he left Juba to avoid any negative reactions from his supporters and those celebrating his dismissal from active service. He was later persuaded to return to Juba and agreed to work with president in the interest of peace and stability.

However, since his return to Juba, Malong complained of confinement and mistreatment of people seen close to him in different institutions, including the presidency and the army where some of the officers he deployed in key strategy units and departments were removed and replaced with new faces.

He has also been denied the freedom to travel outside the country.

(ST)