Africa

September 20, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Sunday has seized print runs of Al-Khartoum daily newspaper.

Members of Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) hold banners outside the National Council for Press and Publication (NCPP) premises in Khartoum in protest against repeated seizure of newspapers, on May 26, 2015 (ST photo)

Several journalists working for Al-Khartoum said that NISS was likely punishing the newspaper for publishing a cartoon ridiculing the government-led dialogue process.

It is worth mentioning that NISS has carried out a confiscation campaign against the newspapers since last Friday despite the promises made by the dialogue body known as 7+7 to take measures to create conducive climate including stopping arrests, lifting of censorship on newspapers and allowing public and personal freedoms.

NISS has seized copies of Al-Sudani newspaper on Friday and Saturday from the printing house for publishing a report on water pollution and a series of columns by the newspaper's chief-editor criticizing the arrest of the female journalist, Hiba Abdel-Azeem who made the report.

However, the confiscation of the print runs of Al-Khartoum newspaper represents a rare precedent because it was likely due to publishing a cartoon in the front page.
The caricature depicts the NCP in the form of a man struggling to reach the dialogue which was drawn in the form of a woman and saying “I love dialogues to death”.

Cartoonist Hashim Karouri who draw the caricature told Sudan Tribune that he meant to send a message saying that the ongoing dialogue is futile because it is fully controlled by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

He said that the Al-Khartoum has adopted a new editorial policy allowing cartoons to appear in the front page which is considered a rare move in Sudan's local newspapers.
Al-Karouri added that he doesn't belong to any political party, saying he takes the side of the Sudanese people who suffer from the spiraling cost of living and the differences among politicians.

He demanded the government to magnanimously accept the free criticism, saying “we don't mean to offend anybody but we speak a language understandable to the ordinary citizens”.

Sudan's constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.

Sudanese journalists work under tight daily censorship controls exercised by the NISS.
Journalists say that NISS uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

September 20, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's dialogue coordination committee known as 7+7 has welcomed the willingness of the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) to sign a cessation of hostilities for six months in the Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur.

3rd meeting of the national dialogue national assembly in Khartoum on Thursday 20 August 2015 (Photo - SUNA)

SRF factions including the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the SLM- Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) held a series of meetings in Paris from 10 to 14 September dedicated to the SRF roadmap for peace and national dialogue in Sudan.

The three rebel groups expressed their readiness to sign a cessation of hostilities for six months in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states and Darfur region provided that Khartoum be committed to the inclusive dialogue process and accept the pre-dialogue process.

Following a meeting held on Sunday, the 7+7 committee issued a statement emphasizing the need for holding an exclusive Sudanese dialogue on the bases of its roadmap approved in August 2014, the Addis Ababa agreement with the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) signed in September 2014 and the committee's statement on the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) resolution 539 in August 2015.

“We welcome the announcement by the armed movements in Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile to a cease fire in appreciation for president [Omer al-Bashir] decision in August 2015 to offer amnesty [for the rebels] and to declare cease fire”, the statement read.

On August 20 th, Bashir said he is ready to declare a two-month ceasefire in Blue Nile, South Kordofan states and Darfur region and renewed his offer of amnesty for the rebel who are willing to join the national dialogue.

The dialogue body further called on all the warring parties to immediately sign a cessation of hostilities agreement in order to protect civilians, provide humanitarian assistance and create an environment conducive for holding the national dialogue.

Also, it called for holding a meeting to discuss the necessary requirements for the participation of the arms bearers in the national dialogue, and praised the supportive role played by the African Union, friendly neighbouring nations and the international community to achieve peace and stability in Sudan.

Political and armed holdout groups refuse to join the dialogue process under the current conditions, asking first to stop war, allow humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel held areas and to ensure political freedoms.

Meanwhile, the political secretary of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) and member of the 7+7 committee Kamal Omer Abdel-Salam said in a press statement Sunday the meeting of the dialogue coordination body underscored the need to intensify contacts to bring in holdout opposition and rebel groups.

“It [the committee] also stressed the need to visit several states in the region to brief them on the developments of the dialogue and ask them to mediate to convince the armed movements and [opposition] parties to participate in the dialogue,” he added.

He told Sudan Tribune that delegation from the 7+7 committee will visit Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and Uganda to ask for their mediation to convince the holdouts to join the dialogue process.

Abdel-Salam also said that several heads of states and ambassadors will be invited to attend the official inauguration of the national dialogue on October 10th.

Regarding complaints of newspapers against repeated confiscations by the security services, Omer said they seek to protect freedoms until the current laws were amended, noting that dialogue's regulations state that the judiciary is the guarantor for liberties.

(ST)

September 20, 2015 (JUBA) - Authorities in South Sudan's oil producing Unity state have sent condolences to the government and family members of the victims who died in Maridi county, Western Equatoria state, where fuel tanker exploded resulting on Wednesday in the loss of more than 176 lives and wounding dozens others.

SPLA soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion pose at the SPLA headquarters in Nyang, in the county of Yirol East, on February 15, 2014 (Photo AFP/Fabio Bucciarelli)

Senior government officials, including president Salva Kiir, have issued statements expressing regrets and sent condolences and announced three days of national mourning. The national government announced on Friday that the incident would be mourned across the country.

Unity state's government, in a show of solidarity with the people and government of Western Equatoria state, issued a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Saturday extending heartfelt condolences and regrets for the loss of lives and destruction of properties resulting from the incident.

“On behalf of the Unity state government and the people of Unity state, I wish to extend condolences for those who have lost their lives and to express sympathy to their families and all those affected by the tragic accident,” the statement bearing the seal and official logo of Unity state reads in part.

Lam Tunguar, Unity state minister of youth, culture and sports told Sudan Tribune that the people and government of Unity state share the grief of the Western Equatoria state government and people during this difficult time.

“As the people of Unity state we stand with them in this hard time and this should be a time where all South Sudanese should come together to mourn this tragedy which had befallen our people in Western Equatoria state, particularly the family members of the tank explosion incident in Maridi county,” said Tunguar.

On the other hand, he added, the police should be more practical in cautioning truck and tanker drivers with dangerous liquids that they carry and state governments must also sensitize people on this of dangerous goods.

(ST)

September 20, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudan government has commemeded diplomatic efforts by its foreign affairs ministry to strenghten ties and relations with other countries.

South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin (L) meets with Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Ghandour (R) for talks under mediation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, September 10, 2015 (Photo Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)

The young nation's information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth told the state-owned SSTV that the council of ministers was, at its Friday meeting, briefed by his foreign affairs counterpart, Barnaba Marial Benjamin on his recent trip to East Africa and Russia.

The council of ministers, during its meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, reportedly praised Marial for his successful mission to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Russia.

"The council commended and appreciated the efforts exerted by the minister of foreign affairs in his recent regional tour of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and successfully ended his mission with a meeting with Sudanese foreign minister in Russia where he managed to secure the support of the Russian government to block the imposition of sanctions. As the government, we commend and appreciate the government of Russia, Angola, china and Venezuela with standing with us in our quest for peace," Lueth said on Saturday.

This is not time for sanctions. The people of South Sudan and the government need peace and support for implementation of peace agreement, not sanctions”, he added.

Meanwhile, Gordon Buay, a government representatives at its diplomatic mission in the United States separately told Sudan Tribune that the people of South Sudan were extremely delighted with the performance of their diplomats in Moscow for improving diplomatic relations between the world's youngest nation and the Russian Federation.

According to Buay, the friendly relationship between the people of the Republic of South Sudan and the Russian people goes back to the time of the armed liberation struggle.

“It should be noted that the former Soviet Union supported the SPLM/A militarily for eight years to fight for the freedom of the people of South Sudan. The support the SPLA Movement obtained from Russia during the cold war from 1983—91 gave the people of South Sudan the opportunity to liberate themselves from their oppressors”, he said.

South Sudanese diplomats in Russia, he stressed, did a "marvelous" job in persuading the Russian government to help bring together Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan.

Buay further explained that the bilateral talks, which took place on 10 September, 2015, and eventually led to joint communique from the foreign ministers of Sudan and South Sudan, could be credited to the diplomatic work of South Sudan diplomats in Moscow.

“Most importantly, the South Sudan diplomats in Moscow should be congratulated and appreciated for persuading the Russian Federation to reject and oppose sanctions that were proposed by some Western countries at the UN Security Council against individuals in South Sudan”, he said.

Russia was one of the countries that recognised the independence of South Sudan when it broke away from Sudan in July, 2011. This followed a referendum held earlier that year.

(ST)

By Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani*

President Omer Hassan al-Bashir made extravagant promises while addressing the nation on January 2014. His speech came to be known as the " leap" speech. He overused the newfangled word "leap", denoting reform, change, or transformation.

Despite the enigma shrouding the speech, making it open to different interpretations, we all embraced the message calling it constructive and timely. What happened in the next twenty months was an anticlimax.

A unique opportunity presented itself on 5 September 2014, when delegates from government parties, opposition, and armed groups signed an accord in Addis Ababa, under the auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel AUHIP. The ball was in the penalty area waiting for the striker, but the latter had other plans.

Twenty months after the enigmatic speech, the situation is worse. The four crises besetting the nation -the war, economy, foreign relations, constitutional reform- show no sign of abating. The government has decided to throw its own National Congress Party (NCP). Following its trademark technique, it decided to have its own national dialogue. The idea is to maintain intellectual discipline and keep control over the proceedings.

The talk of the town is of Kenana-2. In Kenana-1, not less than 600 dignitaries from all walks of life gathered at the posh resort of Kenana Sugar Factory to discuss Darfur. No one cared to send a decent invitation to the armed groups to attend. The result: an impressive gathering and a comprehensive final report. In the next few days hardly anyone remembered a thing of what the Kenana Conference produced, least of all the armed groups who were conspicuous by their absence. It was a classic case of the dog barking up the wrong tree.

Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani, is the chairman of the opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM)

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Sunday strongly condemned the military escalation in Benghazi and called for an immediate ceasefire, stressing the need to give the ongoing political dialogue a chance to bring the country&#39s conflict to an end.

The top United Nations humanitarian official for the Sahel today commended the immense generosity of the Government and host communities in Niger which are hosting those fleeing violence in neighbouring Nigeria, and called on the international community to take its responsibility for a greater share of the “humanitarian burden.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the release today of the Transitional President of Burkina Faso who was detained along with several other officials following this week’s coup d’état, and reiterated his demand that all those being held be freed immediately.

The number of attacks by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and neighbouring countries has risen, and half a million children have had to flee to safety in the past five months, bringing the total number of displaced children in the region to 1.4 million, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today.

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)