Africa

September 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The national dialogue coordination body (7+7) and the government agreed to stop political detention, press censorship, and to ensure freedoms of political parties and individuals during the dialogue process.

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)

During the recent past weeks, Sudanese security agents arrested a number of political activists from different opposition parties including the Sudanese Congress Party , Baath and Reform Now Movement who campaigned for democratic reforms and freedoms through sporadic public meetings organised in the markets and public squares advocating .

The political secretary of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) Kamal Hassan Omer stated on Thursday that the 7+7 committee reached an agreement providing to ensure public freedoms in the country during the upcoming national dialogue conference scheduled for 20 October 2015.

The dialogue's mechanism and the government agreed "to ensure that the spirit of dialogue dominates the political arena during this period and that freedoms are available. Also, there will be no arrests for any political activity conducted by individuals or parties in order to enable the dialogue to reach its ends and achieve security, peace and the unity of the country," Omer said.

"A large number of parties agreed to join the dialogue but they want the mechanism to provide guarantees that there will no arrests during the period of dialogue," he further added.

He pointed that the 7+7 requests to lift press censorship during the dialogue period.

The national dialogue committee on Thursday decided to meet the concerned officials at the Sudanese presidency to organise the tasks that would be handled by the different services to ensure the success of the internal political process.

Omer again reiterated his party's opposition to the involvement of the international community in the dialogue stressing the latter caused the separation of the South Sudan. He however said the pre-dialogue meeting will only be held with the rebel groups to discuss guarantees for their participation in the dialogue conference inside the country.

The Sudanese government and the 7+7 committee reject the preparatory meeting proposed by the African Union Peace and Security Council to facilitate the dialogue.

On the other hand, the rebel groups announced earlier this week their readiness for a six-month cessation of hostilities in order to contribute to the political process inside the country but stipulated that Khartoum must accept the inclusive pre-dialogue meeting with the participation of the opposition and civil society groups.

Following a series of internal rifts within the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and its supporters in the Islamic Movement, President Omer al-Bashir proposed in January 2014 to hold a national dialogue to end armed conflicts and to reach a political consensus on a permanent constitution in Sudan.

The imitative was welcomed by the opposition PCP, National Umma Party, Reform Now Movement. However, the NUP and RNM decided to suspend their participation following the arrest of the NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi in May 2014.

Since the NUP and RNM joined calls by the alliance opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) and rebel umbrella Sudanese Revolutionary Front to create a conducive environment through the end of war, release of freedoms and liberation of political detainees.

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Former South Sudan's vice-president and leader of the armed opposition faction, SPLM-IO, said the fuel tank explosion which reportedly resulted to over a 100 people dead and many more injured was a tragedy that should be investigated.

The designated first vice-president paid his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their loved ones in these untimely deaths.

“This is a great tragedy which has in a single day befallen our citizens in Western Equatoria state. On behalf of the SPLM/SPLA and on my own behalf, I pay my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic incident,” Machar said in a statement on Thursday from his office's media official.

The incident occurred on Thursday, according to reports, when a fuel tanker carrying petrol overturned on the road about 7km from Maridi town, prompting hundreds of residents in the area to rush to the scene to get fuel which was spilling down from the tanker.

A gunshot by unknown person maybe to try to disperse the crowd, or with ill intention resulted into the explosion of the tanker, killing over a hundred people instantly, with some dying later on.

But the rebel leader's spokesman said there was need to thoroughly investigate the incident.

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (JUBA) – An independent newspaper has been ordered by security agents in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, not to publish stories on Friday, a source told Sudan Tribune late on Thursday.

South Sudanese journalist and editor, Nhial Bol , reads a copy of the Juba Monitor, with a heading referring to the killing of journalist Peter Moi of The New Nation newspaper, on August 21, 2015 (Photo AFP/Samir Bol)

The Juba Monitor newspaper, which is owned by a former BBC correspondent, a South Sudanese national. Alfred Taban, has been told to stay off on Friday after publishing an opinion critical of the government soldiers' crackdown on civilians in Wonduruba payam of Lainya county in Central Equatoria state.

“We are told not to publish on Friday and our editor-in-chief, Alfred Taban, has been called to attend a meeting at the office of the national security on Friday,” a source asking to remain unanimous in fear of repercussions told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

Alfred Taban wrote an opinion castigating the behaviours of the army in Wunduriba payam that led to displacement of tens of thousands of people, with some local reports suggest that up to 80,000 have been displaced in Lainya county for the past one week of army's random shooting at civilians in the area suspected to host rebels.

Wunduruba payam of Lainya county is home to the current government minister of cabinet affairs, Martin Elia Lomoro.

He said the aggression of the army amounted to creating more enemies to the government of president Salva Kiir, a move that is against a peace agreement signed last month.

The veteran journalist suggested army's “rebooting” and restructuring to reflect a diverse composition of South Sudan. He lamented that all South Sudanese communities have to send sons and daughters to the army who are entrusted to propel nationalism as opposition to tribalism.

Juba Monitor is the only independent English language newspaper after the Citizen was shut down by the security in July. Citizens newspaper's chief editor, Nhial Bol Aken, said he had to quit journalism last week after receiving a series of threats against his life.

At least 9 journalists have been killed so far and many more tortured or imprisoned by government's security personnel for the past four years after independence in 2011.

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) has condemned the ongoing offensive by president Salva Kiir's forces against their bases in Central Equatoria state.

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar addresses a news conference in his office in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, August 31, 2015. (Photo REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri)

In a statement issued on Thursday, SPLM-IO led by former vice- president, Riek Machar, said government forces have continued to violate the ceasefire and target civilians in Wunduruba payam, south of the capital, Juba.

“We have been receiving disturbing reports of ongoing ceasefire violations by soldiers of Salva Kiir. They have continued to attack our bases in Wunduruba payam at Lainya county while at the same time targeting civilians in the area,” said Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

He also said president Kiir's forces on Wednesday attacked civilians in Mundri county of Western Equatoria state, shooting at civilians in Jambo and Lui areas, looting property and burning houses to ashes.

“We condemn this barbaric act by the regime,” he said.

Dak said many civilians have been killed by government troops in the area while thousands more have been displaced and in dire humanitarian situation.

He accused the government of violating the ceasefire deal with the intention to try to regain territories from the opposition faction before it could declare positions controlled by their forces.

He said this is the same strategy the government has been attempting to implement in other states including the two oil-rich Unity and Upper Nile states, which shall be governed by the opposition governors for 30 months in accordance with the peace agreement signed in August.

“The regime's intention is to try to capture territories we have been holding. The plan is to claim control of these areas so that their military team could declare them as their areas of control at the workshop on security arrangements in Addis Ababa,” he said.

He called on the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to monitor and verify the violations and for the international community to condemn these violations.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

September 17, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) –A report released by a research project, said that Ethiopia is on course to become world's fastest growing economy.

A general view of the Friendship City Center shopping mall in Ethiopia's Capital Addis Ababa May 26, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

The new report "One foot on the ground, one foot in the air" released by the UK-based Think tank group Overseas Development Institute (ODI) forecasts for Ethiopia said Ethiopia's economy would significantly accelerate in the coming three years.

The case study highlighted major strides in massive agricultural investment, a sector which employs three in four Ethiopians, and a government committed to pro-poor spending to halve its poverty.

It also explores progress achieved in material wellbeing in Ethiopia, measured by reduction in income poverty, and two key contributors to material wellbeing: education and employment.

“Ethiopia's stability and consequent ability to make long-term plans and investments in education, agriculture and infrastructure over the past 20 years has allowed the country to make great leaps in development” the report said.

Some critics consider the stability in the country was the outcome of the government's systematic repressive practices, or at least of the restricted contestability of national and local politics.

However, the horn of Africa's nation, according to the report, has experience over the past two decades contains significant lessons that can be applicable in different country contexts.

Ethiopia has managed to decline extreme poverty vastly making it one of the successful countries in the world in the fight against poverty.

According to the report, poverty has fallen to 37% from 63% between 1995 and 2011while maintaining low level of income inequality.

Also, the report points that the agricultural sector, which the country's economy is hugely depend on, has cut poverty by 7% between 2005 and 2011.

Maintaining teams of agronomists across vast rural areas to boost productivity by recommending best agricultural practice and scientific innovation was mentioned as one of the practices the country used to achieve development.

“Further, a doubling of Ethiopia's road network in two decades, which has allowed more farmers to bring their produce to market,” said the report.

The notable takeaway lessons from Ethiopia's experience in sustainable developmental goals is firstly, “Centering government policy on a single goal - poverty reduction - and taking a multidimensional approach can encourage ministries to work more comprehensively and consistently”

The second strategy the report mentioned is, “Integrating social sectors into broader economic planning and high rates of pro-poor spending benefit the economy”.

Thirdly, “Long-term planning and a clear division of responsibilities can build the foundation for broader transformation”

Development Progress is an ODI project which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is a four-year research project that aims to measure, understand and communicate progress in development.

ODI is the UK's leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues.

(ST)

By Steve Paterno

The last British soldiers who ever served and stepped feet in South Sudan were South Sudanese, people not of British origins, but typical South Sudanese.

When Great Britain entered the Sudan in late ninetieth century with the aim of colonizing the land, they ended inheriting South Sudanese soldiers who were serving under the fledgling Ottoman Empire. The British immediately noted the bravery, discipline and dedication of those newly discovered South Sudanese soldiers in the continent. Therefore, to the advantage and manipulation of British, those brave soldiers could help them accomplish their primary goal. That primary goal was the defeat of Mahdiyah regime. When those soldiers put their skills into work, without doubt, the Mahdist's Dervishes, who by then overran the Ottoman Empire out of the country, were crashed without much contest and in no time at all.

Contingents of those soldiers were then used to establish an expansion of British colony in Eastern Africa. In today's East African; in countries like Uganda and Kenya, the decedents of those soldiers are very much visible. Their distinctive community is referred to as the "Nubi." To this day, this unmistakable community of distinctive South Sudanese maintains their culture, speaks colloquial Arabic, and of course, they are considered outsiders within those East African countries, for obvious reason that they are typical South Sudanese. For they are South Sudanese who just happened to end up somewhere else as a result of British dominance during scrambled for Africa.

During World War I and II, those brave South Sudanese soldiers played pivotal role in winning victories in favour of allies forces. For examples, they successfully defeated the Mussolini's fascist soldiers along Abyssinia's frontier. Some of them went as far as Burma, deep in heart of Asia to confront and defeat axis forces, led by fiercest Japanese imperialism soldiers.

As the British were preparing for the hasty independence of Sudan, it was then obvious that the betrayal of the South Sudanese soldiers who for decades were standing alongside British soldiers was being put into motion. It was already cleared, by August 18, 1955, that the British were leaving the country and in process leaving their decades long allies under the mercy of Northern Sudanese Arab rule. As such, the South Sudanese soldiers reacted in the famous Torit Mutiny. The Torit Mutiny ignited like a wildfire, engulfing the entire major South Sudanese towns. The result of which was the dispersion of all the Northern Sudanese out of the entire South Sudan territorial region. South Sudan was free for a moment. A sense of a temporary freedom was ushered in.

The British, who were by then packing to get out of the country, decided mistakenly to intervene in most callous ways. They began to airlift Northern Sudanese soldiers, with more superior firepower, into hot spots in South Sudan. The British established contacts with the leaders of mutineers in South Sudan. The British then convinced those leaders of mutineers to surrender with guarantees to address their legitimate grievances.

Unfortunately, after mutinying and surrendering, the British participated into the arrest of those brave soldiers and jetted out of the country, abandoning the mutineers to rot under detention and mercy of the Northern Arabs. This act marked the beginning of the long Sudan's civil war. Since, then, the country has been embroiled in a vicious war, with South Sudan bearing much of the brunt of the violence. The British, particularly British troops never ever showed up in South Sudan at any point since then.

Now, it is ironic that the country, which abandoned South Sudan, their long time ally, is trying to come back after six decades. Surprisingly, Great Britain has just announced that it is intending to send peacekeepers troops into South Sudan. In a more serious manner, such ironic news must be viewed with skepticism and suspicion. First of all, Great Britain record in deploying peacekeepers around the world is pathetic, for a country that once claimed an 'imperialism where the sun never sets.' Britain only has few finger counts of peacekeepers in history who are being deployed for peacekeeping force. Second of all, Britain financial contributions into peacekeeping forces around the world is near no any of the world powers. Third, Great Britain troops disappeared of South Sudan since 1955. Hence, they are strangers as of today in the land that they were once respected. Fourth, they just betrayed South Sudan even though ignoring South Sudanese generosity in winning them victories for Britain's raison d'être. By now, Great Britain must also understand that out of its struggle, South Sudan is a country and pursuing its raison d'être, either independently or in cooperation.

In conclusion, the so much suspicious intention of Britain to deploy foot on the ground in South Sudan at this time and moment needs much scrutiny, especially given the fact that the last British soldiers in South Sudan were South Sudanese, not of British origins. Great Britain help for South Sudanese is much welcomed in other forms, but otherwise, much is desired with this move of foot on ground by someone who has been MIA for six decades.

September 16, 2015 (JUBA) - The caretaker governor of South Sudan's Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Akot Deng Akot has issued an executive order disolving the entire cabinet.

Map detail showing South Sudan's border state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal

The decree, read on SSTV Thursday evening also saw four county commissioners removed.

No replacements were, however, according to statements broadcast by the state media.

Th caretaker governor, in a separate decree, sacked his deputy Salva Chol Ayat, replacing him with Deng Deng Akuei. No reasons were given for the new changes.

Neither the caretaker governor's office nor the information ministry reacted on the matter.

Last month, president Salva Kiir appointed Akot as the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state while Chol, who was then acting caretaker governor, became Akot's deputy.

A former police commissioner, Akot is considered a key ally of the ex-state governor, Paul Malong Awan, who now doubles as the army chief and ruling party head in the state.

The transitional constitution of South Sudan mandates that a by-election be held within 60 days of removing a state governor. The country is yet to witness such an election.

(ST).

September 17, 2015 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese economy will improve if the hurdles caused by its ongoing conflict are removed and donors reinstated funding to government projects, the country's finance minister, David Deng Athorbei said on Wednesday.

A man from South Sudan displays new currency notes outside the Central Bank of South Sudan in Juba on 18 July 2011 (Photo: Reuters)

Addressing a meeting organised to solicit support from the international community and leading economists, Deng said restoring peace will enhance mobility, increase oil exploration and restore donors' trust to release funds to tackle budget deficits.

"All these economic hardships are a result of the absence of peace and if peace was there would be no such economic hardships,” the South Sudanese finance minister told a meeting attended by several European diplomats in the country's capital, Juba.

“It is the result of war which is in the country, the insurgency in rebel [held] areas that has made it very difficult for us even to bring food from Renk [Upper Nile state]," he added.

South Sudan's economy, which depends on oil revenues, shrunk after the conflict led to closure of the oilfields in Unity state in December 2013. The reduced oil output, coupled with low global prices of crude oil, led South Sudan government to operate on a deficit budget, leading to severe reduction in overall expenditure.

For instance, the SSP 10.3 billion budget, approved by South Sudan parliament last week, contained a SSP 3 billion deficit. The price per barrel of oil is currently placed at $50 despite the ministry of petroleum initially estimating the price at $40.

This, economists argue, means the correct deficit figures could even be much higher.

The finance minister said the government was committed to fully implement the peace agreement and hopes that the international community will help the country financially.

He also hinted that government was working to ensure accountability and transparency.

“The other issue which we presented to them [donor representatives] is that soon there will be lots of expenditure. There will be people coming from the rebel areas to Juba and some of them will need accommodation [in hotels]. How does the international community come in to help our people. We also presented [this] to them,” added Deng.

The Norwegian ambassador to South Sudan, Tone Tinnes congratulated the government of South Sudan signing the peace agreement and its determination to implement it.

“We will continue to support the South Sudanese people. We are also looking on how we can assist and work together with the transitional government in implementing the peace agreement,” Tinnes told reporters shortly after the meeting held in Juba.

The Norwegian diplomat did not, however, specify what form of support it was extending.

Norway, one of the Troika countries, alongside the United States and Britain funded the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace mediation for South Sudan.

Donors channelled most aid to humanitarian since the conflict began 20 months ago.

The war was meant to officially ended with the signing of peace agreement by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar last month. According to the accord, Machar will become the first vice president in the transitional government of national unity that will run the nation for 30 months. The transitional government is to be formed by November.

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (WASHINGTON) – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in South Africa said that it will await the conclusion of the appeal process by the government on the case of a visit by Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir to the country last June.

Sudan's President Omer Hassan al-Bashir greets his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma (L) at the Palace in Khartoum February 1, 2015 (REUTERS/ Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Bashir's attendance at the African Union (AU) summit in South Africa last June sparked a diplomatic and legal mess for the government there which not only violated the International Criminal Court (ICC) obligations but also an order by a local court to prevent the Sudanese leader from departing pending a decision on whether to extradite him.

The ICC issued two arrest warrants for Bashir charging him with war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

The North Gauteng High Court in South Africa had reprimanded the government in its ruling last June for flouting its own laws saying that they undermined the country's constitutional democracy in allowing Bashir's exit.

It also called on the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) “to consider whether criminal proceedings are appropriate” against officials who facilitated Bashir's departure.

But the NPA said they will await an appeal process to complete before contemplating any charges.

"No, we are not going to consider the matter right now," National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said on Wednesday according to News24.

"They will petition the Supreme Court of Appeal and we deem it prudent to wait until the appeal process is finalized," Mfaku added.

The South African government was dealt a new legal setback this week when the High Court refused to allow it to appeal the June ruling before the Supreme Court of Appeals (SCA) saying that the matter is now moot with Bashir out of the country and that they have no chances of prevailing on appeal anway.

The judges reiterated that Bashir enjoyed no immunity as the government asserted in its arguments before the court and that the ICC Act of 2002 enacted by the parliament trumped the Immunities Act which the state used as justification for ignoring its obligations as a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

“We do not hold the opinion that the appeal has reasonable prospects of success at all. President al-Bashir enjoyed no immunity from arrest or from prosecution under customary international law as a serving head of State.”

The government can still seek a hearing by the SCA despite the ruling though some local legal experts said SCA could refuse to take up the case. They have 20 days to take that route.

Speaking in Washington after meetings with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said: "The government is busy studying the outcome and we definitely would take the matter up at the appropriate time”.

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese 1st Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh confirmed that his government is poised to send ground troops to support forces loyal to Yemeni President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi in its battle with Houthi rebels and their ally former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

FILE - Sudanese military forces parade in their tanks during Independence Day celebrations in Khartoum (REUTERS/MOHAMED NURELDIN)

After months of military stalemate, the alliance with troops from United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia alongside forces loyal to Hadi recently started making gains on the battlefield by retaking the strategic city of Aden and four other southern provinces and are closing on the capital city of Sana'a amid intensification of airstrikes.

In an interview with the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, Saleh said that Sudan did not think twice about joining the Saudi-led Arab military coalition formed last March to reinstate Hadi and flush out Houthi fighters from cities they overran.

“The reality is that what is happening in Yemen is very unfortunate and has exhausted the Yemeni society and posed a threat to the security of the country of the Two Holy Mosques and therefore Sudan had no choice but to announce its actual participation on the ground to protect the people of Yemen and their resources from the futility of the Houthis and outlaw politicians,” the Sudanese VP said.

Saleh said that the security of Sudan and Saudi Arabia is interconnected and as such protecting it “did not require a lot of thinking so we were the first participants in the sorties and our planes arrived there [in Saudi Arabia] early on”.

“Now there are preparations we are working on now at the level of ground forces to send the equivalent of a full brigade to confront the Houthis in Yemen,” he added.

The Sudanese official said that the Yemeni President discussed the military assistance they needed during his recent visit.

“We are currently waiting for the signal to carry out this [deployment],” he added.

Saleh denied that a recent decision by Iran to stop funding of a bridge and a water plant in Khartoum was in retaliation to shutting down their cultural centers and for joining the Saudi alliance in Yemen.

He said that the suspension of funding was related to financial considerations and not political ones stressing that their ties with Tehran are based on mutual interests and not as a means to target other countries.

Observers believe that economic pressures faced by Sudan caused by multiple military conflicts, US sanctions and most importantly the loss of oil due South Sudan's secession in 2011 prompted the government to reconsider its regional alliances.

Late last year, Sudanese authorities ordered the closure of the Iranian Cultural Centre in the capital Khartoum and other states and asked the Iranian cultural attaché to leave the country in a move seen as a gesture of goodwill towards the Arab Gulf states.

The Iranian government has formally opposed the military operation in Yemen, but did not comment on the Sudanese role or their strategic shift away from Tehran.

But the pro-hardliner Mashregh newspaper in Iran fiercely attacked president Omer Hassan Bashir and described him as an ingrate.

Bashir “found a better meal and traded Iran's generous help for a seat at Al Saud's table,” an article on the newspaper said according to Al-Monitor website.

The article stated that given Sudan's closing of Iran's offices, maybe Sudan's support for Saudi's bombing of Yemen was not unexpected, but “at the same time, everyone who is aware of our country's support and help of [Bashir] during the most difficult times of his rule, did not expect this level of political immorality and obscenity.”

(ST)

September 17, 2015 (JUBA) - Over 100 people are feared dead after a fuel tanker exploded in Sudan's Western Equatoria state county of Maridi Thursday, authorities said.

The map of Western Equatoria in red

The incident occurred about 20 kilometres from Maridi town. Several other people were reportedly injured during the huge explosion.

The government of Western Equatoria state has declared three days of mourning to remember victims of the blast, amid fears the death toll could rise further.

The executive director of Maridi county, John Ezkia said nearly 1,000 people had gathered to collect fuel leaking from the overturned tanker.

Other sources told Sudan Tribune the death toll could exceed 100, with dozens wounded.

The state caretaker governor, Patrick Zamoya appealed for assistance to aid the victims.

“We have declared three days of mourning and call upon the UN, the international red cross and the national government to send any help as soon as possible,” said Zamoya.

The fuel tanker was moving from the South Sudanese capital, Juba to Yambio town.

The United Nations Mission in the country (UNMISS) conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the government, people of South Sudan and the families of those who lost their lives.

The mission said it dispatched an emergency patrol to the site to assess the situation, adding, "A special flight carrying a medical assessment team arrived there a few hours ago".

(ST)

By Eric Reeves

The Obama administration has, by all measures, done a very poor job of responding to the complex challenges in Sudan and South Sudan, and to the vast humanitarian crises exacerbated by short-sighted policy decisions. Even so, a remarkable opportunity has presented itself, one that allows the administration to create an important legacy for the two Sudans, one that would endure long after the end of President Obama's term in office.

In June 2014 the Department of Justice convicted BNP Paribas (BNPP), the French banking giant, of criminal financial activities benefiting the Khartoum regime in Sudan. This regime has for the past twenty-five years tyrannized and waged war against its own people. As a consequence of its criminal actions, BNPPP was obliged under the terms of the plea agreement to pay a forfeiture and fine that together totaled approximately $9 billion. Predictably, with so much money on the table, various U.S. entities were scrambling for a piece of this vast pie.

But from the pie, DOJ committed explicitly to providing restitution to those who were "directly and proximately harmed" by the actions of BNPP (the language is that of presiding District Court Judge Lorna Schofield). No one fits the most obvious sense of this phrase better than the people of greater Sudan.

In referring to "harm" I mean to refer not only to "harm" suffered by Darfuris, but suffered also by the 370,000 Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad; by the vast numbers of people who are suffering and dying in South Kordofan and Blue Nile—and yet who are relentlessly denied relief aid by the Khartoum regime; by the communities of eastern Sudan, who have also been victims of the ruthless, militarized security state the regime has created—most austerely over the past four years. So, too, the people of Nubia in the far north, many of whom have been displaced by ill-considered dam schemes on the Nile River.

Importantly, there must be a considered response to the needs of the people of South Sudan, who endured many of Khartoum's worst military crimes committed in the years 2002 - 2008, the window of time for Sudan created by the Department of Justice "statement of facts" (South Sudan did not become an independent nation until July 2011). The Nuer communities of Unity State suffered particularly brutal attacks and civilian clearances in the oil regions.

Also conspicuous in this context, if rarely reported, is the terrible harm done to the people of the Abyei region. Militarily denied their right to a self-determination referendum by the Khartoum regime, the indigenous Dinka Ngok are daily moved further and further into Khartoum's expansive death grip. In flagrant violation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, containing an "Abyei Protocol," Khartoum effectively annexed Abyei, with no meaningful protest from any international actor of consequence—none.

Given the extraordinary levels of destruction, murder, displacement, land appropriation, as well as widespread and ongoing suffering and deprivation—and the acute lack of adequate humanitarian resources—it seems morally imperative that the Obama administration's Department of Justice view the BNPP restitution provisions as justifying the urgent provision of relief aid in greater Sudan. Although not clearly guided by legal precedent in this unprecedented criminal forfeiture case involving BNPP, the Department of Justice—including Attorney General Loretta Lynch—certainly has the power and discretion to expedite forfeiture funds that have been designated for "restitution."

So far, no money from the BNPP settlement has gone to the Sudanese communities harmed by BNPP's illegal financial support of Khartoum, although the Department of Justice is considering a proposal to do so. DOJ should strongly support the proposal and move ahead expeditiously; the people of Darfur and other displaced Sudanese communities are dying now:

Mortality rates owing to severe malnutrition among children in western Jebel Marra, Central Darfur, are rising rapidly. Nierteti Hospital is crowded with young patients from the areas of Guldo, Tor, and Golo, an activist told Radio Dabanga. "From 18 July until Thursday more than 15 children at Nierteti hospital died as a result of undernourishment," he said. "Seven of them died last week ... (Radio Dabanga, September 9, 2015)

We know also that the UN's High Commission for Refugees has warned that in 2016 there will be no funding for the 370,000 Darfuri refugees living in eastern Chad; and relief organizations are withdrawing from Darfur for lack of funding, leaving gaping holes in the humanitarian infrastructure created over the past eleven years.

So what impedes the decision to release at least part of the restitution funds destined for Sudan, which suffered from 72% ($6.4 billion) of the criminal activity on BNPP's part—financial activity that supported the Khartoum regime while it waged war on its own people?

• The humanitarian need is overwhelmingly clear;

• The predominant role of the Khartoum regime in benefitting from BNPP's criminal financial activities is beyond question—at the very least, 72 percent of those "directly and proximately harmed" by the action of BNPP. (Cuba, also part of the BNPP case, is unlikely to produce credible and comparable claims of harm, given conditions prevailing in the Caribbean nation during the time window created by DOJ's statement of facts;Iran was the beneficiary of only a very small percentage of illegal financial activity);

• The BNPP forfeiture funds are in the hands of the Treasury Department, which awaits instructions on how to disburse the $3.84 billion designated in the sentencing phase of the criminal trial (May 2015).

Treasury has received no such instructions, but President Obama could direct Attorney General Lynch to provide the means for rapid, highly targeted, supplementary humanitarian assistance—by means of the U.S. Agency for International Development—to people in desperate need in Sudan, South Sudan, and refugees camps in other countries to which many hundreds of thousands of Sudanese have been driven.

Internal displacement has also been massive in Sudan: in Darfur alone more than 2.5 million people are internally displaced, and increasingly at risk of attack by Khartoum's militia forces, particularly the Rapid Support Forces.

More than 1 million children under the age of five are severely or acutely malnourished. And at the same time funding shortfalls are biting deeply: less than 40 percent of what is needed for humanitarian purposes in Sudan and South has been provided by the international community. The UN very recently reported (September 6) that:

[T]he UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has a funding shortfall of $9.9 million which, if not addressed, will force the agency to close down air services at the end of the month. UNHAS passenger and cargo services are critical to facilitating humanitarian work in Sudan especially in remote locations where, due to lack of infrastructure, insecurity and lack of commercial alternatives.

Now is the time, Mr. President, for you to make your mark—at a critical juncture in Sudanese history; a detailed plan already exists, with widespread Sudanese support (http://sudancommunitycompensation.org/).

Your legacy, if actions are prompt, will be defined not merely by the diplomatic errors of the past but by your determination—now that you have the means—to deliver a partial but important form of justice and compensation to those communities of greater Sudan that have been harmed in terrible ways—ways materially assisted by the criminal actions of BNP Paribas in its gross abuses of the American financial system.

Eric Reeves, a professor at Smith College, has published extensively on Sudan, nationally and internationally, for the past sixteen years. He is author of Compromising with Evil: An archival history of greater Sudan, 2007 - 2012 (September 2012)

The Security Council today extended the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) until 30 September 2016, and authorized a reduction in the number of its personnel, as preparations continue for the security transition to the country’s authorities next year.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations human rights chief today spoke out against the coup d’état in Burkina Faso and called for the immediate release of the country’s transitional leaders.

The United Nations programme that works to combat HIV/AIDS is working with the Government of Kenya in a bid to end the AIDS epidemic in the country by 2030, through the creation of a new data-collecting tool to track progress in current HIV programming.

September 16, 2015 (KAMPALA) - At least 44,000 people have crossed the River Nile from South Sudan's oil-rich Unity state into neighbouring territories, a rebel official said.

Thousands of civilians fleeing violence seek shelter at a UN compound in Jonglei state capita Bor (Photo: UNMISS/Hailemichael Gebrekrstos)

Speaking to Sudan Tribune via satellite phone Wednesday, the rebel-appointed deputy governor of Phow state in Unity state, Johnson Kuol said those fleeing crossed the Nile from Guit county and Payikang areas to Kew administrative headquarters currently controlled by the country's armed opposition forces (SPLM-IO).

He said several clashes between their forces and pro-government troops in Upper Nile and Unity states forced more people to abandon homes and flee for safety reasons.

“Every day, we are receiving huge numbers of people from Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states and majority of these populations come from Guit County,” stated Kuol.

Majority of those who crossed for safety through Phow state needed umanitarian assistance, he said, describing their conditions as "desperate" and "life threatening".

“Many of the people arriving everyday here are in total crisis with severe hunger. They have no access to medicals, foods and shelters,” said the armed opposition official.

Kuol, however, urged humanitarians organisations to assess the conditions of those internally displaced in these areas before their conditions get out of control.

“These people are direly in need of serious assistance from international and faith based groups. Their conditions are too hard to predict since most of the children appeared to be having severe cases of malnourishment,” stressed Kuol.

The United Nations said most areas in Unity and Upper Nile states could not easily be accessed by aid agencies, due to continued hostilities between South Sudan's warring parties.

Some parts of the country also lack proper roads making it difficult for non-governmental organisations to deliver medicines and food aid to the worse-affected communities.

According to Kuol, the majority of those who fled from Atar in Jonglei, Payikang county of Upper Nile and Guit county in Unity state have temporarily settled in Giraf highland.

The low rainfall in some part of the country has resulted into poor harvests, while continued fighting between the warring parties prevents people from cultivating crops.

A permanent ceasefire declared last month by both warring factions has failed to hold.

(ST)

September 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Presidents Omer al-Bashir and Yoweri Museveni reiterated their support to the peace agreement in South Sudan, and vowed to exert the necessary efforts to bring stability to the new nation.

Omar al-Bashir (R) welcomes Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni at Khartoum Airport for talks during an official visit to Sudan September 15, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The Ugandan president concluded on Wednesday a two-day visit to Khartoum where the discussions focused on the regional efforts to bring the two warring parties to implement a peace agreement they inked last August.

The Sudanese and Ugandan leaders stressed in joint communiqué issued at the end of the visit that their tow countries are directly affected by the 20-month conflict in South Sudan and vowed to spare no effort to prevent the resumption of hostilities in the neighbouring country.

Bashir and Museveni "expressed their willingness to work together under the umbrella of IGAD and the African Union to maintain peace, security and stability in the region and in the Republic of South Sudan," says the communiqué, which was inked by foreign ministers of the two countries.

In a closed-door meeting, the two leaders also discussed accusations of support to rebel groups but the two sides avoided to speak about what agreed in the discussions in this respect.

However, the final communiqué said the two countries agreed to enhance security cooperation and to reactivate a joint security committee. They also agreed to promote joint military training and cooperation between the two countries.

Bashir and Museveni further directed the intelligence and security services in the two countries to strengthen their cooperation and coordination in order to overcome the differences between the two sides.

Kampala accuses Sudan of harbouring the Lord Resistance Army of Joseph Kony in a remote area in Darfur region but Khartoum denies the accusation. On the other hand, Sudanese officials recently admitted that Uganda restricted the activities of the rebel groups who used in the past to hold their meetings in Kampala. However they say the rebel groups still have presence there.

Ghandour told reporters that the two presidents discussed the issue of rebel groups
President Museveni gave a lecture about the challenges facing economic development and peace in the Lakes region attended by president al-Bashir.

Before to leave Sudan he extended an invitation to al-Bashir to visit Uganda.

(ST)

September 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, has met with South Sudanese former vice-president and designated first vice president, Riek Machar, in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, said SPLM-IO media official.

South Sudanese opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar meets Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni in Khartoum, Sept. 16, 2015 (ST Photo)

The meeting between the two leaders, according to Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, took place at around 4:00pm in Khartoum on Wednesday.

“Yes, the two leaders, Comrade Dr. Riek Machar and President Yoweri Museveni held a meeting on Wednesday at 4pm in the Sudanese capital,” Dak told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday evening.

Although he did not provide details of the high profile engagement between the two, he said it was mainly on the implementation of the recently signed peace agreement to end the war in South Sudan, and particularly on implementation of security arrangements.

He said the meeting was a follow up of a previous meeting two weeks ago in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, between president Museveni and a high level delegation of the opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), led by deputy chairman, Alfred Ladu Gore.

“You know the peace agreement has provided for withdrawal of all foreign forces from South Sudan within 45 days from the date of the signing. This matter was discussed with the assurance from President Museveni that he will comply and pull out his troops from South Sudan,” he said.

In Khartoum, the Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour denied that Machar's visit was linked to the visit of the Ugandan president, and refused to confirm the meeting between them.

But a Sudanese official told Sudan Tribune under the cover of anonymity that the meeting was organised by President al-Bashir to ease relations and build confidence between Musveni and Machar over the presence of Ugandan troops in South Sudan.

Also, another source close to the file said that it was Museveni who asked Bashir actually to arrange the meeting between him and Machar.

During the meeting, Museveni extended an invitation to Machar to visit Kampala.

South Sudanese SPLM-IO has been accusing Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) of directly interfering in the internal war in South Sudan, calling on them to withdraw from the country.

Dak also said the two leaders discussed other bilateral issues between the two parties, which he did not disclose, but said were in the interest of full implementation of the peace agreement and strengthened relations between the two countries.

The opposition leader's spokesman further said Sudanese rebels harboured in South Sudan and fighting alongside president Kiir's government will also be disarmed and repatriated back to Sudan, in accordance with the provisions of the peace deal.

Machar, he said, also met with president Omer Hassan al Bashir and discussed the importance of full implementation of the peace deal in South Sudan as the two neighbouring nations to the north and south of the young nation are key in the IGAD mediated peace deal.

(ST)

September 15, 2015 (JUBA) - The United Nations secretary general, Ban ki Moon urged on Wednesday South Sudanese leaders to focus efforts on implementing the peace deal.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon (UN)

"I urge the two leaders to uphold the recent commitment they made to end this brutal conflict," he remarked in a brief statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Ki moon had welcomed the signing of the deal by South Sudan's President on 26 August, saying it was a "critical and necessary step" in ending months of conflict in the country.

He earlier expressed hope the accord would bring an end to the violence that has killed tens of thousands of people and forced over two million citizens to flee their homes.

The outbreak of the conflict was as a result of political fighting between President Salva Kiir and his former vice president, Riek Machar, which began in mid-December 2013.

According to the UN secretary general said that the over 20 months of conflict had "devastated" South Sudan and subjected its people to "unspeakable suffering."

He however said the UN stands ready to support the implementation of the agreement.

Ki moon, however, expressed concerns on the plights of over 200,000 people at the UN protection of civilian sites in South Sudan, in addition to thousands in need of assistance.

(ST).

September 16, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese army Wednesday carried out an air attack on two rebel-held villages in South Kordofan state where the bombs destroyed agricultural crops, said the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North.

An Antonov plane belonging to the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) at 10:00am dropped 11 bombs on two villages in Boram County of South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains area. Troge village was hit by six bombs while five other bombs were dropped on Angolo village, said Arnu Ngutulu Lodi SPLM-N official spokesperson.

In a statement he extended to Sudan Tribune late on Wednesday, Lodi did not mention any human casualties but stressed that the attack "caused huge destruction of agricultural crops".

He further accused the regime of targeting areas inhabited by civilian population.

The SPLM-N says the Sudanese war planes target areas inhabited by civilians and destroy crops as part of a scorched earth policy aiming to deprive the rebel of any support of local population.

On Sunday 13 September, the rebel group claimed that a Sudanese Mig jet fighter dropped three bombs on Um Serdiba area in Um Dorain County of South Kordofan. It pointed that the raid caused significant damage to agriculture farms.

The SPLM-N and two of its allies in Darfur region said ready for a cessation of hostilities in the war areas but called on Khartoum government to accept a pre-dialogue meeting proposed by the African Union to facilitate peace and an inclusive national conference on constitutional reforms.

(ST)