Africa

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October 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan security apparatus seized entire print runs of two newspaper Thursday and summoned their editors in chief, 24 hours after calling European Union Ambassador in Khartoum to protest the organisation of meeting with Sudanese journalists.

The Sudanese authorities used to confiscate newspapers for covering opposition activities, publishing critical opinion articles or sensitive news, but this is the first time they punish journalists for meeting with foreign diplomats.

The newspapers seized on Thursday morning were Al-Tayyar and Al-Jareeda, journalists from the two newspapers told Sudan Tribune. They added there was no official reason for the move.

Al-Jareeda Editor-in-Chief Ashraf Abdel Aziz told Sudan Tribune "the reason of the confiscation may be their participation himself and Osman Mirghani the editor-in-chief of Al-Tayyar in a meeting with the European ambassadors and the U.S. charge d'affaires.

Also, the two journalists were summoned by the National Intelligence and Security Services for questioning about their participation in a meeting with the western diplomats on the press freedom and the difficulties they are facing.

In a joint statement issued on 2 October, the EU and U.S. diplomats about the meeting said that "the importance of strengthening the freedom of the press and the freedom of opinion and expression in all media outlets, including online media, was stressed by all".

Furthermore, "concern about the constraints placed on these freedoms in Sudan, particularly with regards the ongoing newspaper seizures was also expressed".

The statement said the European and US diplomats pledged to engage with the Sudanese government for a constructive dialogue on the freedom of the press and the freedom of opinion and expression.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (NEW YORK) - The chair of UN Sanctions Committee on Sudan's Darfur weapon embargo said the presence of Darfur armed groups has diminished in South Sudan but it is growing in Libya, threatening regional security.

Ambassador Joanna Wronecka who is also the chair of South Sudan sanctions committee made her remarks during the quarterly briefing to the Security Council members on her committee's work, on Wednesday 3 October.

"While the presence of Dafuri armed groups in South Sudan had declined due to diminishing support from the South Sudanese authorities, their presence in Libya continued to grow," she said.

Her statements confirm previous UN reports about the "mercenary activities" by armed groups from the Darfur region " with South Sudanese government and the different warring parties in Libya.

Also, in January 2018, UN experts urged Sudan's neighbours Libya and South Sudan to stop supplying Darfur armed groups with weapons and ammunition.

The polish diplomat told the Security Council she sent letters to the Chairs of the South Sudan and Libya Sanctions Committees, suggesting continued cooperation and joint consultations with a view to monitor the presence and activities of Darfur rebel groups in Libya and South Sudan.

The purpose of this cooperation is to "develop a common approach on how to best prevent them from engaging in activities threatening regional peace and security," she stressed.

Further, she said her committee is considering the imposition of sanctions on Darfur rebels involved in South Sudanese and Libyan armed conflicts.

"I also sent a letter to the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts and requested that the Panel prepare and submit to the Committee for its consideration statements of case for the possible listing of individuals and entities that the Panel deems to meet the listing criteria delineated in paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005)," she said.

Wronecka pointed she advised the panel of experts on the Darfur's arms embargo to cooperate and exchange information with the Libya and the South Sudan Panels of Experts with regard to the activities of Darfuri rebel groups in Libya and in South Sudan.

While the armed groups deny the reports about their involvement in the internal wars in the two neighbouring countries, the UN panel of experts on Darfur reiterated its accusations in a second report to the UN Security Council last August.

According to the confidential report disclosed by the AFP on 16 August 2018, the armed groups are "reportedly building up their military capabilities in order to be ready to return to Sudan when the environment becomes more conducive".

Regarding the increasing presence of Darfur's armed groups the panel said that "Libya has emerged as an important source of financing for Darfuri armed groups".

The chair of the 1591 Sanctions Committee said the Sudanese government continue to pour weapons to Darfur, stressing this transfer without obtaining the required approval of the Committee is a violation of the UN arms embargo.

"The Government had cited Security Council resolutions stipulating that the primary responsibility for protecting civilians rested with Sudanese authorities, which required military equipment," she said.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (JUBA) - The SPLM-IO Governor of Bieh State urged the fighters of the Sudan People's Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) to abide by the signed revitalized peace agreement and to fully ceasefire on fronts.

The SPLA-IO forces during their arrival at Masana Biira in Wau on 07, August 2017 (ST)

The SPLA-IO held a three-day meeting for the senior military officers in Bieh state in the Greater Upper Nile region to disseminate the peace agreement ahead of the implementation of the security arrangements on 12 October.

The conference was officially opened by the SPLM-IO State Governor Brig. Gen. Simon H Duol Bol and Rt. moderator Gabriel Gatluak Chol on Monday the first of October, said John Daniel Bol the Secretary of Information Bieh State.

"In his closing remarks Governor Chol told the SPLA-IO commander in the state and military officers to observe the permanent ceasefire in their controlled areas in Bieh state and to open the humanitarian corridors, "Bol said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Further, he directed to protect civilians and create conducive conditions for the safe and voluntary return and, resettlement of refugees and displaced people to their areas of origins.

The commander of SPLA-IO Sector Three Lt. Gen. Thomas Manor Dhol, on Monday, said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the key issues pertaining the revitalized Peace agreement which was inked in the Ethiopian capital Addis Abba on 12/09/2018.

In line with the revitalized peace pact, the parties have to brief their troops about the peace agreement and to encourage them to reconcile with the others who are now their peace partners.

(ST)

October 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The head of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) proposed to the opposition Sudan Call to amend a Roadmap Agreement they signed with the government two-and-a-half years ago in a way that they participate in the elaboration of a new constitution and take part in the upcoming elections of 2020.

In Mars and August 2016, the Sudanese government and the opposition alliance respectively signed a roadmap for peace in Sudan providing that the warring parties end the war, negotiate peace agreement and together with the opposition political groups hold a preparatory conference before to return to Sudan and participate in the national dialogue process and a constitutional conference.

However, the parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal and a humanitarian access agreement in Darfur and the Two Areas for different reasons. As a result, the government held its national dialogue conference and formed a national consensus government to implement its recommendations.

In a letter sent to the chairperson of the Sudan Call Sadiq al-Mahdi on 25 September and seen by Sudan Tribune, AUHIP Chair Thabo Mbeki says that conditions have changed since the signing of the RoadMap Agreement (RMA) two-and-a-half years ago on 8 August 2016.

"It is therefore inevitable that the Signatories to the RMA will have to consider and agree to an amended RMA, while maintaining the central goal of reconstructing Sudan through a Constitution negotiated and agreed through an inclusive process," Mbeki said.

He further stressed that the opposition groups should be more flexible because there would be no new national dialogue conference, and proposed that RMA signatories agree on a cessation of hostilities and a humanitarian access deal.

After what they will directly "participate in an Inclusive process to negotiate and adopt a new Constitution for Sudan," he said putting aside the preparatory meeting and the confidence building measures such as the press freedom.

After the end of the constitutional process, they will participate in all inclusive processes which would prepare for the general elections of April 2020. These preparations include " the necessary Electoral law and ensuring that the conditions exist to hold peaceful free and credible elections".

The mediator did not set a date for the resumption of the peace talks but urged to send him a response before 25 October, pointing out that his mandate will terminate by the end of year.

The African Union Peace and Security Council used to renew his mandate during its last meeting for the year before the holidays on 18 December or one or two days before.

SUNAD CALL DISAPPOINTED

Sudan Tribune failed to get a reaction from an opposition official on these proposals which espouse the declared position of the Sudanese government since more than a year.

However, several sources close to the opposition alliance which gathers armed and political groups said consultations are taking place among the Sudan Call forces inside and outside the country before to response to the chief mediator.

The sources pointed that "the general mood is not in favour of these proposals". Some went further to question the mediation's independence due to the increasing pressure from Khartoum which sought recently to convince the African Union to change it.

However, others said "The opposition would only express readiness to meet him to explain their position but they would not accept to resume talks on the basis of his proposals".

The talks for a ceasefire with the SPLM-North failed because the government refused to allow humanitarian corridor to bring 20% of the relief from outside the country through Ethiopia. Last December the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu said they want all the humanitarian aid be brought from outside Sudan.

For the talks with the armed groups in Darfur , the parties failed to make progress on the cessation of hostilities or the humanitarian access alike. However, in a meeting held earlier this year in Berlin, the armed groups accepted to negotiate on the basis of the Doha document for peace in Darfur but still they disagree with Khartoum on the implementation mechanism.

Recently, Khartoum announced the acceptance of a new humanitarian proposal but the details of the proposal are not yet made public.

(ST)

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By Rita Lo-Lodu

It is now nearly two years since these two activists disappeared in Nairobi under mysterious circumstances. They were kidnapped by the Kenyan security on the orders of some in?uential South Sudanese politicians who were, like them, rebels but they switched to the government.

The relatives of these two men up to now do not know their whereabouts. Their abduction followed the one of James Gatdet Dak, the former spokesman of Dr Riek Machar who is now languishing in Juba main prison under poor health conditions. James was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for an incitement and death by handing on the charges of treachery, not based on concrete evidence.

The verdict was passed in what human rights organizations believe was a kangaroo court. It is important to stress here that the two Opposition activists are said to have been abducted on the orders of the big ?shes in the Juba SPLM-IO formed after the 2016 well-planned incident that saw Dr Riek to ?ee Juba.

It is worth mentioning that these two men have not done much damage worse than their abductors now occupying senior government positions in Kiir's administration.

The families had, on more than one occasions, approached the Amnesty International and Human rights Watch in order to secure their unconditional release but efforts remain futile.

We are all aware that President Kiir issued a number of Executive Orders even before the peace pact pardoning many detainees, rebels and political dissidents. The relatives need to know why the two gentlemen are still missing and the person behind their disappearance and who is refusing to have them release like any other rebel.

I thank the President of the Republic of South Sudan for pardoning political culprits including those who mobilized their tribesmen to oust him from power in 2013.

The Kenyan government has a bad history of handing over oppositions to their governments to be liquidated. The case of Dong Samuel and his colleague is not the ?rst of its kind.

Informed sources in Nairobi con?rmed that they were kidnapped by desperate Kenyan Security men who have been bribed by a senior of?cial of SPLM-IO in Juba.

The point here is that the relatives must be told whether these men are alive for them to be charged in a competent court of law or disclose their ?nal fate.

Dong Samuel hails from Lou Nuer where the mighty popular and notorious white army come from whereas
Aggrey is from Moru tribe of Western Equatoria.

They have relatives who deserve to know their whereabouts. They have been held incommunicado for ages and it is now time to tell the relatives and the public about what actually happened. They are South Sudanese who deserve to live or die honourably.

If those who organized, funded and coordinated the activities of the SPLM-IO from 2013 to 2015 and whose agenda was to topple the Kiir's government by bullet, could be forgiven and are now the ones enjoying the oil money and the revenues, why not Dong and Aggrey if the rebellion has become the main source of wealth accumulation?

I believe the same kindness that forgave them should be extended to the two gentlemen, after all, they have no armed groups. They were just media activists. They should bene?t from the goodness of the President of South Sudan who is known and used to forgiving and accommodating the rebels for the sake of peace, unity and territorial integrity.

The relatives are nervous but fearing for their lives and so they do not want to speak out. The agreement provided for the release of the POWs and the political detainees.

They are politicians and so are covered by the agreement. It cannot only be Dong Samuel and Aggrey who should be considered to ultimately pay for Dr Riek and Taban's 2013 deadly rebellions which have destroyed major towns with massive losses of lives and properties.

As a human right expert, I call on the abductor (s) of these active men to inform the public about what happened to them and how? It may later turn tribal if it is not seen well as some credible sources revealed.

It may cause another inferno inside Juba town between their relatives and the abductors. Their people will not keep quiet when those suspected of having kidnapped their sons are enjoying the freedom they were denied to.

They rebelled like their leaders now with the government and who have turned against their subordinates to prove falsely to President Kiir that they are loyal by victimizing those who refused to join them.

The ?ght to get them released will not stop until this call is heeded. Please, tell their relatives where they are and set them at liberty to enjoy the fruits of peace.

The author is a Human rights Lawyer and activist and can be reached by rita2007@gmail.com

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