Africa

December 7, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Carter Center Wednesday announced that a delegation of experts has started meetings in Khartoum with the Sudanese stakeholders to explore ways to bring peace in Sudan.

The African Union with the support of German government and Troika countries seeks since several years to end the armed conflicts in Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. However since last August the peace talks are deadlocked over cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access deals.

"The meetings are not part of the official mediation that the African Union is conducting, but rather supplemental, exploratory gatherings designed to begin to identify points of common ground among all key Sudanese parties," said a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

The five-member delegation of experts met on Wednesday with several government officials at the Sudanese presidency, , the National Assembly, the Sudan Armed Forces, the National Intelligence Service, the National Dialogue, and others, the statement said.

On Thursday and Friday, the visiting team will meet with "representatives of Sudanese groups advocating for the interests of women, youth, traditional communities, and the poor. It will also meet with armed and political opposition actors".

"The Center is prepared to meet with all Sudanese stakeholders," further stressed the statement.

The delegation of experts includes Roelf Petrus Meyer former South African minister who negotiated the end of Apartheid regime with the National Congress Party, Monica McWilliams an Irish politician and a delegate to Ireland's Multi-Party Peace Negotiations, Amine Ghali of Tunisia, former member of a national body on transitional justice after the Tunisian revolution, Miriam Coronel Ferrer of the Philippines, former government chief negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Karim Thabetn, a former UN development programme in his country the Yemen.

The independent American center, which had long presence in Sudan and contributed to the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, is one the rare Western non-governmental organization that the Sudanese government was keen to work with and its founder former U.S. President Jimmy Carter had been received at different times by President Omer al-Bashir.

“The Carter Center has a long history in Sudan and is invested in its success,” said Jordan Ryan, vice president of the Center's peace programs and a participant in the meetings. “We want to do whatever we can to help bring peace to its people, and we think facilitating meetings like this is a small way we can contribute to the peace process."

"This week's meetings are exploratory, but we hope they will be the first in a series,” he pointed.

(ST)

Expressing deep concern over the serious political polarization resulting in a deterioration of the security, economic and humanitarian situation in Libya, the Security Council today reiterated its support for the United Nations envoy for Libya, who leads efforts in facilitating implementation of the political agreement signed about a year ago.

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) – A physical confrontation occurred between two senior staff at South Sudan's president office, an eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Monday.

The incident happened between the acting chief administrator, Ambassador Bol Wek Agoth and one Thiik Thiik Machar, a nephew to the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

The two officials are said to have bitterly argued over an outstanding payment that was meant for Thiik, with the latter accusing the acting chief administrator of "sleeping on his job and having run down the president's office into bankruptcy"

Thiik further accused Agoth of having vacated his office at the general administration block of the office of the president and always hanged around the president for unnecessary attention, neglecting his responsibilities, a source told Sudan Tribune.

In the ensuing confusion, however, the acting chief administrator reportedly responded by accusing Thiik of demanding to be paid from what was not budgeted.

The two officials were reportedly restrained by other colleagues and Thiik was asked to immediately vacate the presidential palace compound.

An aide to President Kiir, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed outrage over the matter, but did, however, admit that staff morale was of late very low within the presidency.

The president's office was recently in the spotlight after it emerged that about $280 million went missing from a safe. An official within the presidency, however, denied the alleged theft incident.

(ST)

December 7, 2016 (JUBA) – The Governor of Northern Liech, one of South Sudan's newly-created states has dismissed reports that he switched allegiance from government in fear that he would be removed from his position in the upcoming gubernatorial reshuffle.

Northern Liech state governor Joseph Monytuil (Photo: Larco Lomayat)

Joseph Nguen Monytuil is in his area in response to the president's directive asking all governors to be at their headquarters to be close to the people they govern and to help in the dissemination of the peace agreement, which the government with armed and non-armed opposition signed in August 2015.

In an interview with Sudan Tribune, Northern Liech state information minister, Lam Tungwar said the governor, himself and the entire state administration were surprised by what he described “as unfounded and baseless lies by anti-peace elements in the state”.

“I went to the office of the president and met with the minister in the office of the president to clear the air about these allegations. It is not true the government has defected. He is still with the government and is now in the state for the mission assigned to him by the president”, Tungwar exclusively said on Wednesday.

He said the state government would lodge a legal pursuit of those behind the allegations, which he described as defamatory in nature.

In October, South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir threatened to dismiss state governors who use public resources to pay luxury hotels instead of remaining with their respective constituencies in the states.

President Kiir expanded the country's 10 states to 28 a year ago – a move criticized as violation of the August 2015 peace agreement, which was signed based on the 10 states and the economic challenges.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 7, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) –South Sudan Students union on Wednesday urged all South Sudanese residing in Ethiopia to immediately cease all activities concerning election process due to the current state of emergency declared by the Ethiopian government.

Many students attended the electoral processes that last nearly ten hours at South Sudan Embassy in Kampala on Saturday Nov. 19, 2011 (ST)

In October, Addis Ababa has declared a six-month state of emergency after waves of violet anti-government protests claimed lives of hundreds of people.

The office of the Electoral committee here in Addis Ababa called on all students in Ethiopia to rather focus on their study until the decree is lifted.

The students' election was scheduled to take place by 20th of December 2016 in order to usher in a new leadership but has been postponed and will be held once the state of emergency is lifted.

“The election is now being call off because the electoral committee sees the importance of respecting the law and order of this country,” James Yuot chairman of the Union told Sudan Tribune.

He urged the candidates to bear with the emergency situation until the situation is normalized.

“The office of the electoral committee will immediately issue a statement once the state of emergency is lifted,” Yout added.

The union further urged all students to abide by the constitution of the country with regard to carrying out campaign related issues and mobilization of students for new leadership.

It advised candidates from announcing anything different to the subject matter.

The Union's electoral body which was formed a year ago has the mandate to carry out the election so that the students can have a new leadership in order to continue with the agenda of peace building and peacemaking among the south Sudanese students living in Ethiopia.

South Sudanese Students Union in Ethiopia (SSSUE) was founded more than 7 years ago.

The Union has members' more than 3,000 students across the Ethiopia including those under government sponsorship and private students.

The Union has been here in Addis Ababa has objectives of uniting the South Sudanese students living in Ethiopia and promoting peace.

It further raises funds to provide support for the needy and encourages harmony among exiled South Sudanese.

(ST)

December 7, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Western nations have expressed concern over detention of Sudanese opposition leaders and recent crackdown on press saying government actions would hinder efforts for holding an inclusive national dialogue.

SCoP leader Omer al-Digair (ST Photo)

Following the government decision to raise fuel and electricity price on November 3rd, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) launched a large arrest campaign and detained more than 40 opposition figures from the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) , National Umma Party (NUP), Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), Arab Ba'ath Party, National Alliance Forces (NAF) as well as civil society activists and journalists.

Also, the NISS carried out mass seizure campaign against newspapers during the last couple of weeks and confiscated various Khartoum dailies more than 21 times.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, Sudan's Troika, European Union and Canada expressed concern about “the detention, apparently without charge, of a number of political leaders either in anticipation of protests or having protested government economic moves”.

“We are also aware of Sudanese authorities seizing newspapers and engaging in other forms of censorship, allegedly for reporting on expression of political views” read the statement.

The western nations further said “the arrest of political leaders for non-violent dissent risks hindering efforts for an inclusive National Dialogue that involves all the relevant political forces in Sudan in line with the African Union Roadmap, which we all support”.

“We call on the Sudanese authorities to allow the people to exercise their right to freedom of expression. At the same time, we urge those exercising their fundamental rights to express their opinions peacefully,” added the statement.

However, Sudanese foreign ministry denounced the Troika statement terming it as "unacceptable attempt to interfere in Sudan's internal affairs" .

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Garib Allah al-Khidir further said the statement is "unjustified interference", adding it lacks information and credibility, according to the official SUNA.

Last month, the government lifted fuel, electricity and drug subsidy. The government decision led to significant increase in the general price level and exacerbated the already dire living conditions.

The government move stirred a large wave of protests across Sudan and prompted large segments of the Sudanese people to engage in a three-day civil disobedience from 27 to 29 November.

(ST)

December 7, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said the Higher Coordination Committee to Follow Up on the Implementation of the Dialogue Outcome has been endorsed after adding some new members.

Members of the national dialogue general assembly and President Omer al-Bashir attend the third session of the internal process in Khartoum on August 20, 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

On Monday, the Dialogue Higher Coordination Committee known as 7+7 dissolved itself and approved the formation of an extended committee to follow up on the implementation of the dialogue outcome, said 7+7 member.

NCP political secretary Hamid Mumtaz on Wednesday said the Future Forces of Change (FFC) led by Al-Tayeb Mustafa, Umma Party led by Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi and the Alliance of National Forces led by Mustafa Mahmoud have been added to the new committee.

He told the semi-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) that the new members have been notified, saying no presidential decree was needed to approve the inclusion of additional members to the committee after they were agreed upon among the political parties participating in the dialogue.

However, the chairman of the dialogue support body, Ammar Al-Sajad, said they refuse the NCP decision to approve the new committee and threatened to withdraw from the national dialogue.

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, Al-Sajad demanded President Omer al-Bshir to immediately interfere to stop the decision, describing the decision to dissolve the 7+7 committee as “serious move”.

He said the move constitutes a clear violation of the Dialogue Roadmap, pointing the NCP seeks to disavow its commitments towards the implantation of the dialogue outcome.

Al-Sajad further stressed the 7+7 committee should remain in place until the end of the transitional period according to the Dialogue Roadmap.

Since January 2014, 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.

In April 2014, he held roundtable meetings with opposition parties, created the 7+7 committee with some opposition and government-allied parties to oversee the process, and drew up a “roadmap” and timeframe for the national dialogue.

Last October, the political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the national document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn't agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.

December 7, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan president Salva Kiir vowed to remove barriers to unity, stressing that his government would not spare efforts to promote harmony and peaceful co-existence.

President Salva Kiir adresses a joint press conference on 9 July 2016 (Reuters Photo)

President Kiir made these remarks during a meeting with representatives of Jikany community in Juba who visited him at the presidential palace in Juba on Tuesday to declare the allegiance of the community to him and his administration.

Jikany is a clan within ethnic Nuer section in Bentiu area. The clan is found around Guit, the home county of the first vice president, Taban Deng Gai. The group was led into the meeting by Geng Kuony Puok, the chairman of Guit community in the capital.

Kiir, the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) reported, said he did not forget them and would soon visit the area.

“Don't say I have forgotten you. I will come to you in your areas and there we will take to you message of peace. We will work together with you to heal our divisions and unify our country. When people are unified there is nothing they cannot do,” said Kiir.

He added, “I'm therefore asking you to stand together and work for implementation of the peace agreement”.

Renewed violence broke out in the young nation in July when the country's rivals forces clashed in the capital, Juba, leaving more than 200 dead and displacing thousands on the population.

At least 3.6 million people in South Sudan are currently facing severe food shortages, the highest levels ever experienced at harvest time with the crisis is likely to worsen when food from the current harvest runs out next year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), announced Friday.

The agency further says the number of people facing severe hunger is expected to rise to 4.6 million between January and April next year and increase even more from May to July unless aid is scaled up.

(ST)

In our series of letters from African journalists, Mannir Dan Ali considers why the Nigerian president is finding it hard to please anyone.

Kenya's high court rules that a government directive to collect data about HIV children is unconstitutional.

Long queues in Ghana during elections to choose a new president, after candidates made a peace pledge.

A Kenyan rights group says police have killed more than 80 mainly Muslims in extrajudicial killings over four years.

An Egyptian woman, said to weigh 500kg, is to be airlifted to India for weight reduction surgery.

Voters in northern Ghana have a special way of reserving their place in polling station queues.

A correspondent working in South Sudan says he has been deported for being too critical of the government.

Nigeria's women's team insist they will not end their sit-in at a hotel in Abuja until they are paid outstanding bonuses of US$23,650 per player.

By Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro

On 22 December 2015, at around 12pm, I received a call from the National Security Service (NSS) summoning me to their headquarters for a meeting. I drove to the office and, when I arrived, Akol Kuur, the Director General of internal security, informed me that I would be detained. I spent the next four months and five days living in a cell on the top floor of a two-story prison, located in the back left corner of the NSS Jebel headquarters. I was never charged or presented in court. I was released on 27 April 2016, but left over 30 other men behind, many of whom are still there. I write this public appeal on their behalf.

The men I lived with at the NSS were mostly from the Equatorias and Western Bahr el Ghazal and were arrested arbitrarily at different times and places in 2014 and 2015. I interacted with them one by one and asked them why they were there, but most did not know. They were all suspected of supporting the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) in one way or another—the illiterate warden in charge of the prison called us all “political detainees.”

I believe that some of them are as innocent as any villager who does not even know what government is. A person who was picked from a remote village, who cannot speak English or Arabic, who was not caught with gun in hand, who had never before even seen Juba, how can such a person be a “political detainee”?

Even if some were IO supporters, none among them had been charged or taken to court. In reality, many of them are there because they happened to offend someone who has a friend in the NSS. I can confirm that there is nepotism, sectarianism and discrimination in the detention process.

I am afraid to think of how many of my fellow detainees might have now died. We were fed beans with posho, sometimes rice, sometimes lentils, every day and only once a day. The prison building was like a container made of concrete—there were no windows, and no ventilation. Some nights, they would lock the metal doors and we would suffocate.

The warden had a very terrible leather whip—one lash would make you bleed. When new detainees arrived, I heard them cry. Some nights, detainees would be taken away and not brought back. One detainee tried to hang himself with his sheet in the toilet because the frustration of being arbitrarily detained was too much. Some suffered from high blood pressure or had other illnesses, but did not receive treatment. In that prison, I witnessed a lot of things that I still can't understand.

When the Peace Agreement was signed between the South Sudan government and the IO in August 2015, these young men thought they were going to be released as the agreement called for the release of all those “detained in relation to the conflict.” They all waited. But even after the IO arrived in Juba in April 2016 to form the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), these prisoners were not freed.

The day of my release, Akol Kuur and his team warned me to keep quiet and not talk too much, because they would be following me. I told them that I was not taught to lie; that I cannot keep quiet when I see things going wrong.

This is why I am appealing to the government of South Sudan to either release these young men in detention or charge them and take them to a court of law so that justice is seen to be done. I urge Taban Deng to insist on the release of the detainees whose liberty has been taken away in the name of IO.

The author is a former Governor of South Sudan's Western Equatoria state

December 6, 2016(BOR) – Five people were killed and two children abducted in separate attacks within South Sudan's Jonglei state, despite the peace accord signed between the Dinka and Murle ethinic tribes.

Jonglei state governor, Phillip Aguer speaks during the independence occassion July 9, 2016 (ST)

Local authorities in Twic county on Monday reported a brief confrontation between Dinka herders and suspected Murle cattle raiders in the village of Baping, where three Murle men died.

Two other people were also killed in Kongor village and another child abducted in the Monday night attack. All these were carried by suspected Murle criminals, officials told Sudan Tribune.

Two women were also killed in another attack in Bor North county.

Kuol Bol Ayom, the area member of parliament, said the attack, which occurred at 11pm (local time), was perpetrated by suspected Murle criminals who went away with a child after killing the mother.

“The attack took place at around 11pm, in which the mother Abiar Ruk was killed, with one other woman inside the same house. The criminals abducted a 10-year-old-girl, Awuoi Achieu Thon”, said Ayom.

This incident occurred just two days after the peace conference began in Boma state capital of Pibor, to bring the two ethnic communities to live in peace and forgive one another.

Bol said the criminals who normally abduct children usually do it for profit making, saying they should be brought to face justice.

Boma and Jonglei states government witnessed the signing of the local peace deal brokered by the government with support from the United Nations to bring together Dinka Bor and Nuer ethnic tribes.

(ST)

December 6, 2016 (JUBA) – The government of South Sudan on Tuesday ordered immediate deportation of Justin Lynch, an American scribe working for the Associated Press (AP).

Lynch was reportedly taken to Juba airport and put on a Uganda-bound plane.

The journalist, known for his extensive coverage of human rights violations in the young nation, was told he was being deported for his work, which never pleased South Sudanese authorities.

According to the AP, prior to Lynch's deportation, South Sudanese security agents seized his mobile phones and allowed him to pack his bag.

Top executives from the agency defended the journalist, saying they will ask for explanation from South Sudan government on the American scribe was deported.

"Any move to suppress legitimate journalism and truthful reporting shedding light on humanitarian crimes is wrong and should be condemned. We hope that the government of South Sudan will reconsider its actions," Ian Phillips, AP's vice president for international news told the agency Tuesday.

When contacted, however, South Sudan's Minister of Information Michael Makuei reportedly said he had no knowledge of the deportation, but will look into the matter.

South Sudan is ranked 140th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders 2016 World Press Freedom Index, falling 26 places since the start of its civil war in 2013.

(ST)

December 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Armed pastoralists Monday closed the road linking Nyala and El-Fasher the capital towns of South and North Darfur states and seized passenger buses in Darbat area, in East Jebel Mara locality , 160 kilometers west of Nyala.

The nomad said they intend to protest against the theft of 250 camels by an armed gang in Kator area on the border between North and South Darfur. The unknown armed robbers drove the stolen camels to the mountainous areas of Jebel Marra.

On Tuesday, eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that a group of armed pastoralists Monday had ambushed a convoy of passenger buses in Darabt area and seized 25 commercial trucks coming from Nyala.

The armed militia refused to release the passengers until they get back their stolen camels and threatened to permanently close the road if armed robbery continues in the area, according to the eye witnesses.

The security committee in East Jebel Marra headed by Commissioner Hassan Adam, met pastoralists representatives and secured the release of passengers and the trucks.

But the armed men refused to open the strategic road to Darbat for traffic, forcing the trucks coming from Nyala to return to Al-Wihada locality and the trucks coming from El-Fasher and Khartoum to go back to El-Fasher.

The security committee in East Jebel Marra County has contacted the commissioner of Tawilla distric in North Darfur and discussed ways to return the stolen camels and secure the joint borders between the two localities.

A local merchant in Darabt, Mohamed Yagoub, told Sudan Tribune that some 65 trucks usually arrive to the weekly Monday market in the area from Nyala, El-Fasher and Omdurman to transport the local products especially fruits. He added that the road closure caused them severe financial damage.

Darfur has been a flashpoint for lawlessness and violence since t2033 when armed groups took up arms against the Khartoum government. The government says it forces pacified the region, but armed gangs continue to carry out criminal activities.

Sudanese authorities vowed to protect civilians and to collect arms but its plans to disarm militias are not yet implemented.

The United Nations estimates as many as 300,000 people have been killed and almost 3 million people have been displaced during the ongoing conflict. According to the UN Human Rights Council, 400,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced.

(ST)