June 6, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBoS) reported on Saturday that the monthly inflation rate has dropped to 19, 8% in May from 24, 3% in April.
The CBoS said in its monthly bulletin released Saturday the average index has increased by 5, 9 points in May, pointing the price index in urban areas reached 465, 9 points compared to 459, 3 points in April.
According to the bulletin, the price index of the food and beverages has reached 481,3 points compared to 468,7 points in April while the annual rate of price change in urban areas has decreased to 22% compared to 22,3% last year.
It also pointed that inflation rate in rural areas has dropped to 17, 7% in May compared to 20% in April, saying the tobacco group has registered 3% increase in price which is the highest increase amongst the various groups.
It should be recalled that the Sudanese cabinet last month approved a proposal from the minister of finance to increase the surcharge and VAT on tobacco products.
Sudan relies heavily on tobacco taxes to fund the federal budget which unofficial sources say brings most of the tax collections.
The CBoS added that the food and beverages group has registered the second highest increase in prices followed by the transportation group and the restaurants and hotels group, pointing the rest of the groups has seen slight price increase.
Sudan has been struggling with double-digit inflation since secession of the oil-rich south in 2011 but it has succeeded in bringing it down from a high of 46.8% in July 2014 to 25.6% in November of the same year.
The 2015 budget has a target inflation rate of 25% which is close to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections of 21%.
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June 6, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government has dismissed as “rubbish and unfounded propaganda” reports by the opposition forces led by former vice president, Riek Machar, announcing to have taken control of key oil facilities in the oil-rich Unity state following days of clashes that allegedly dislodged government forces from the strategic resource area.
The opposition group announced that they defeated government forces on Friday in a three-day fierce battle over the control of the main Unity oilfields, north of the state capital, Bentiu.
But cabinet affairs minister, Martin Elia Lomuro, in reaction to the report said he was not aware of the development, adding that the defense minister, Kuol Manyang Juuk, also briefed them on the situation on Friday in which he told the council of ministers meeting that government forces were still in control of the area.
“I am not aware of this report. What happened is that the rebels of Riek Machar have been launching offensive on the position held by our gallant SPLA forces in the areas north of Bentiu but they were repulsed in the battle that took place in Panakuac and our forces contained the situation,” Lomuro told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
“This was the report the council of ministers received from the briefing of the minister of defense, General Kuol Manyang,” he added.
He said it was therefore incorrect to say the rebels had taken control of the oil fields in Unity state, arguing that government forces were in control of the area.
Lieutenant General Bapiny Monytuil, a brother to pro-government Unity state governor, Joseph Monytuil, and powerful militia commander allied to president Salva Kiir's government, said it was not true that their forces were defeated as reported by the rebels.
“That report is wrong. There is no such a thing. The grass around Unity oil field has never fallen and it never felt the presence of the rebels in the area let alone report of having taken control of the area,” he also told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
The rebels, he claimed, attempted to move towards the Unity oil fields but they met stiff resistance from the pro-government forces at Panakuac area and were defeated, describing capture of the oilfields by the rebels as wishful thinking.
South Sudanese army spokesperson, Colonel Philip Aguer, also denied in a separate interview that the rebels took control of the area, describing the report as “incorrect and baseless propaganda.”
“These are baseless propaganda. The SPLA forces in Unity state are in firm control of the security situation. The Unity oil field is under maximum security protection and control of our forces,” he said.
The clashes, he said, took place as a result of the attack carried out by rebels outside the reported location.
“It was in Panakuac and they were repulsed. They never made any attempt to move forward after the defeat,” Aguer claimed.
Gordon Buay, a former militia spokesperson now one of the representatives to the government's mission in the United States told Sudan Tribune separately that the reports were “false and misleading.”
“What the rebels have reported is not correct. They have not taken control of Unity oil fields. Our forces are in control of the situation. What they are saying is a lie,” he said.
Sudan Tribune could not independently verify the counter-claims by both sides in the armed conflict.
The rebels vowed to target the oilfields in the two oil-producing states of Unity and Upper Nile to deny the government access to oil revenues which it allegedly uses to finance the war.
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June 6, 2015 (JUBA) – A high ranking South Sudanese military officer on Saturday reiterated claims that neighbouring Sudan, from which the young nation seceded in 2011, had been providing heavy weapons to armed opposition fighters allied to the former vice-president, Riek Machar.
“For a very long time, we have precise information that the government of Sudan provides all types of weapons and supports, including hosting and training the rebels and militia groups operating against the government of the republic of South Sudan before, during and after independence,” Major General Manyok Barac, SPLA's 5th division commander in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
General Barac was reacting to reports that armed opposition fighters have expanded scope of military operation to the areas under his command and that they have seized strategic areas in the region.
He blamed the situation of growing military strength of the rebels on Khartoum for allegedly providing them with weapons to challenge the government's military superiority.
"Artillery, anti-aircraft systems, advanced weapons systems; they have supplied more than 1,000 units of this kind to the rebels of Riek Machar,” he further alleged.
He cited revelations from military intelligence reports and investigations from war captives from the armed opposition fighters, which he claimed confessed that Sudan was providing them with weapons.
“Some of these militiamen have abandoned this business and took advantage of the presidential amnesty. They themselves accepted they received support from Sudan and these statements were made public,” he said in an indirect reference to their current allied militia leaders in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile states.
Barac accused Sudan of carrying out attacks in areas deep inside South Sudanese territories and that it had delivered large quantities of heavy, advanced weapons to the armed opposition fighters.
The high ranking military officer also said prisoners of war from the rebels in recent military offensive in Western Bahr el Ghazal state have confessed receiving weapons, training and all types of supports from the Sudanese government.
But the rebel leadership earlier dismissed reports that they were getting military support from Sudanese government, claiming its forces got their supplies from captured towns from the government troops or from those changing allegiance from the government to the opposition faction.
This latest accusation against Khartoum by Juba comes after resumption of fighting in the previously relatively calm region of Bahr el Ghazal.
Khartoum has also been accusing president Salva Kiir's government of allegedly hosting, training and arming Sudanese rebels inside South Sudan, including Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) to fight against Khartoum.
South Sudanese rebels also accuse Juba of allegedly using Sudanese rebels and foreign troops from Uganda to fight the war for them.
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June 5, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's national legislative assembly on Thursday refused to pass ‘Martyrs' Funds Bill', demanding to define its beneficiaries in a more inclusive manner. The bill shall become a legal document intended to allocate money for widows and orphans of the victims of the South Sudanese civil war for independence.
Tabled for the second reading by Alfred Wol Malith, the parliamentary chairperson for gender, child, social welfare, religious affairs, youth and sports, the martyrs' bill if enacted into law was to help mobilize resources, improve and promote welfare of the martyrs' families in the country.
“This will be done through soliciting funds for implementing planned programs,” said Malith in his presentation to the parliament.
Malith also limited qualification of the beneficiaries of the program to the victims of the last Sudan's civil war between 1983 to 2005.
Members of parliament (MPs) including its leadership however argued that the bill required further scrutiny by concerned specialized committees as well as public hearing to define a martyr, orphan and widow in the several decades of collective struggle in the region.
They cited what they said were several loopholes in the language of the bill including the age of a child for the martyrs, as many are now aged, or which war could be considered to have resulted into South Sudanese martyrs.
Tulio Odongi, the government's chief-whip, who is in charge of the ruling party (SPLM) caucus in the parliament, said the bill was not scrutinized by justice and legal committee as required by the parliamentary code of business, urging for the document to be returned to undergo the process.
“If they [MPs from justice committee] were not involved then we are sending it back to the committees so that they iron out that,” said Odongi.
“The second issue is truly for the bill to be taken for the public hearing so that people contribute effectively to the definition of who a martyr is? The values, and the areas in regards to the martyrs, this is very important,” he added.
South Sudan counts 1955 – 1972 Anyanya One war with Sudan as part of liberation history as well as the SPLM led 1983—2005 that ended with 2005 peace accord, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Referendum on self-determination, the cornerstone of the CPA, resulted to independence from Sudan in 2011.
“When we talk about martyrs, when did the war start? We will have to talk of wars that happened more than fifty years ago. That means all of us are children of martyrs,” said Aleu Ayieny Aleu, former minister of interior and MP representing Tonj county of Warrap state.
Aleu further proposed that the bill should instead be named as ‘Disabled, Widows and Orphans Funds' to suit the current commission of War Disabled, Widows and Orphans.
Deputy speaker of parliament, Mark Nyipuoch Ubango, as a result ruled for the bill to be taken for public hearing before it would be returned to parliament for further deliberations and passing.
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June 6, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Two Russian pilots abducted last January in Central Darfur state by an unknown armed group have been freed and transferred to the capital, Khartoum, Sudanese government officials said on Saturday.
On 29 January unidentified militants kidnapped two Russian pilots working for a company contracted by the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in the capital of Central Darfur state, Zalingei as they were on board a bus in the city.
The two pilots, Sergei Cherepanov and Mikhail Antyufeev, arrived at Khartoum airport from Zalingei on Saturday afternoon. Both appeared in good health as they attended a press conference at the airport with the Russian ambassador, Mirgayas Shirinsky and Sudanese officials.
A senior National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) officer involved in securing the pilots' release said security forces had detained the abductors.
“The kidnappers and their equipment and their vehicles are now under our control,” Lieutenant General Taj al-Sir Osman told journalists, without identifying them.
Shirinsky, for his part, said no ransom was paid to secure their release, stressing they were being freed peacefully and without use of force.
He added the two pilots were transferred to the hospital to undergo medical tests.
The spokesperson of Sudan's foreign ministry, Ali al-Sadiq, said the NISS, in the early hours of Friday morning, managed to free the two Russian pilots who have been kidnapped since last January.
He said in a press release that NISS had set up an operations room to resolve the crisis cautiously in order to preserve the safety of the hostages.
The operations room “collected sufficient information in a short period about the whereabouts of the two hostages and monitored the movement of the kidnappers and those who provide them with support and assistance,” he added.
Al-Sadiq praised what he called “the great national effort” made by the NISS, hailing the stance of the Russian government and its embassy in Khartoum and their understanding of the complexities of the situation during the release operation.
He also pointed to the disciplined conduct of the employer company of the hostages as well as the close monitoring and continued support offered to the NISS by the local authorities in Central Darfur state.
“All of that led to the success of the release operation without losses or damages,” he added.
The foreign ministry further said the government would remain vigilant and keen to protect the safety of all foreign workers across the country and will deter those who seek to destabilize the country.
UN CHIEF WELCOMES THE RELEASE
UN chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the released of the two Russian pilots and called to investigate the circumstances of their abduction.
"The Secretary-General commends the efforts made by UNAMID and expresses his appreciation to the Governments of Sudan and Russia in securing their safe release," said a statement issued by the office of the UN spokesperson .
the statement further called on the Government to "launch a full investigation" to elucidate the kidnapping .
Unidentified gunmen kidnapped the two contractors while they were onboard an unescorted UNAMID minibus in Zalingei.
Darfur has been the scene of fierce conflict between the Sudanese government and three rebel movements since 2003. The conflict has left 300,000 people dead and around 2.5 million others displaced, according to UN figures.
UNAMID has been working in Darfur since early 2008. It is the second largest peacekeeping mission in the world, containing 20,000 troops, policemen and personnel from several countries.
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June 5, 2015(BOR) – The practice of wife inheritance is the main cause of the increasing spread of Human Immune Virus (HIV) in villages across South Sudan's Jonglei state, health officials disclosed.
Presenting a report on the health situation in Jonglei, the state health minister, Angok Kuol, said HIV infection rates were high among pregnant women visiting antenatal care facilities in the counties.
“Women are under high risk. For instance, out of 740 women who visited antenatal care facilities, 10 were found positive with the virus. This is a big number,” Kuol told lawmakers in the assembly on Friday.
According to a 2012 survey conducted by the national government, Jonglei was found to have HIV infection rate of 1.3 %, while Western Equatoria state topped with 6.8%.
The minister said the population remained at risk, if immediate measures were not taken inform the various communities in the counties on the dangers of the disease.
Practices of wife inheritance is mainly common among the Murle, Nuer, Dinka and Anuak communities who hail from South Sudan's largest and most populous state.
Lacks of awareness on the dangers of the disease, coupled with the misconceptions on condom use, have worsened HIV infection rates.
Also, most of the health facilities providing assistance to the population have been destroyed in the country's ongoing conflict.
“By the time of the war, we had 650 patients under ARVs, but 175 of them lost the follow up during the crisis, we could not trace them when we came back. Till now, we don't know whether they are dead or alive”, Kuol said in his report to lawmakers in Bor.
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June 5, 2015 (RUMBEK) - Civil servants in Lakes state counties are at odds with the finance ministry, which withheld their payments over failure to submit financial reports.
Six counties, officials told Sudan Tribune, are yet to submit their reports to enable the ministry track how grants allocated to the county authorities were utilised.
The counties include, Wulu, Yirol West, Cueibet, Yirol East, Awerial and Rumbek East.
The director general in the finance ministry, Dut Riak said money would be withheld until county officials submit their financial reports.
“We need papers that tell us how money was used. We wired money through their accounts, but reports on how money was used were not presented,” said Riak.
He says they still demand accountability reports from as far as August 2014.
“[For] those counties that brought in their financial reports about the usage of conditional operating costs, we are prepared now to release their salaries,” said the official.
“There are some counties that have brought in their operating cost financial report on how the operation cost had been used. But if there is no financial report, we suspend the money until you bring the financial report explaining how you used the money because we account for this money to the national government,” he stressed.
He said the money would be released as soon as they get the accountability reports.
Lakes state has, in recent week, experienced unexpected increases in prices of essential goods and services, with a litre of fuel now priced at SSP 16 from SSP 10.
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June 5, 2015 (NYALA) - Firing guns in the air in celebration by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Friday forced the Sudanese army to shoot heavy machine guns in the air to stop them as the militiamen caused mass panic in capital of South Darfur state.
The RSF fighters shot guns in the air to celebrate the recovery of an stolen vehicle on the road of Nyala-Kas on Friday, expressing their jubilation as they are now are involved in the war against bandits and armed gangs.
"A RSF unite managed to recover a vehicle stolen from Kas county and when entering the city of Nyala, they started to fire guns in the air. In reaction, the Sudanese army shot heavy guns in the air as the area (where the shooting took place) is classified as a zone of operations," the spokesperson of South Darfur state government told Sudan Tribune.
Abdel Latif Ali Idris said that the army was not informed about the celebration by the militia which is part of the National Intelligence and Security services, adding that the shooting did not hurt any person but just caused panic in the town.
The firing took place in Nyala neighbourhood of Giir .
This week, RSF elements recovered eight vehicles belonging to the hybrid peacekeeping mission. The unescorted convoy was ambushed in Doma area, South Darfur.
During the recent months, the militiamen have played a significant role in the government campaign against the rebel groups together with the army.
The irregular forces have been praised by president Omer al-Bashir personally following the defeat of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) near the border with South Sudan last April.
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June 5, 2015 (RUMBEK) – At least 6 policemen and 4 soldiers from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) were killed on Thursday when fighting erupted between armed youth and security forces in Akot payam of Rumbek East county in the war-ravaged Lakes state, located in the center of South Sudan.
Among the dead included two civilians, bringing the confirmed number to 12.
A top officer in Rumbek central police at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) confirmed to Sudan Tribune the initial death toll with fears that the number of the dead could rise as tensions were still simmering. He said the soldiers were killed in a military barrack when it came under attack by pastoralist youth group hostile against the government.
An eyewitness in Rumbek said he also saw SPLA forces being dispatched to Rumbek East county, the scene of the clashes, with fears that the fighting would resume any time soon between government troops and pastoralists.
Claims by rebels allied to former vice-president, Riek Machar, under the overall command of Brigadier General Khamis Abdel Latif, that they were responsible for the fighting in the area were however rubbished as false by the government.
State minister of information and communication, Dhiel Wal Takping, said the state government had sent it forces to contain the rising insecurity which rebels could take advantage of and turn into a rebellion against the state government loyal to president Salva Kiir.
“We have sent in forces to control that situation- the civil populations are going about their normal life but government will deal with robbers along roads – the common ambushes will be countered by our forces,” Takping told Sudan Tribune.
He explained that the clashes between government's forces and Akot payam pastoralist youth group erupted when a pastoralist was killed by SPLA forces.
“The pastoralist was found looting passengers between Atiaba and Akot jungle, so that SPLA car was passing and immediately SPLA got him looting passengers. So the pastoralist was ordered to lay down his firearm but the pastoralist opened fire on SPLA car wounding one soldier. So immediately the SPLA soldiers shot him dead as part of self-defence,” he said.
However, activists rubbished minister's statement terming it as propaganda. Moses Ater who visited the scene said that government forces were imposing aggressive attitude over the pastoralist youths. He accused forces of imposing to disarm pastoralists while the state is under serious threat of rebellion.
“I just spoke to wounded pastoralist's youth here in Adol healthcare unit. The SPLA and police were problematic because they are very harsh to people – the need to disarm cattle keepers they found on roads without proper order. They youth act angrily toward organized forces and that resulted into death of six policemen and four SPLA soldiers,” Ater argued.
Lakes state authorities have acknowledged that local communities were not in their control or cooperating, saying the public had refused to share information with security agents of the government in ending the crisis in the South Sudan's central state.
Lakes state has been embroiled in cycles of revenge attacks with many citizens blaming government for allegedly failing to curb insecurity. Hundreds of citizens have been killed over the last few years due to inter-sectional fighting between ethnic Dinka sections in the state.
The situation recently worsened when a joint force of the police and military withdrew from all hotspots in the state, claiming they had no way to collect information due to communities' failure to cooperate with the state authorities.
Data from the state's CID reported an increase in crime-related incidences coupled with rising rebellion within the volatile region.
Youth activists and traditional authorities have repeatedly called for the removal of the military caretaker governor Matur Dhuol amid claims he had failed to stem the violence. President Salva Kiir has however overlooked these calls.
Dhuol was appointed in 2013 after president Kiir sacked elected governor Chol Tong Mayay.
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June 6, 2015 (JUBA) – Community leaders and politicians from South Sudan Western Equatoria state have demanded that the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) unit in its Mundri West county be relocated, owing to the gross misconduct of the soldiers.
The decision came after a one-day meeting held 27 May in the capital, Juba.
The leaders, in their resolution, strongly condemned the army's behaviours and indiscipline, which they claimed resulted in the recent tragedy in Mundri.
They appealed to the various parties in the area to desist from further escalating the situation.
“Commends the positive role played by SPLA [Sudan People Liberation Army] division commander for his swift act to contain the situation and transfer those indiscipline elements outside the county. Likewise, urges the community and youth not to take the law into their own hand and allows the government the address the crisis and the law to take its course”, partly reads a section of resolutions Sudan Tribune obtained.
Last month's meeting further resolved that a state high level committee comprising of 15 members be constituted to present their recommendations to president Salva Kiir.
“In this same spirit, the people of Western Equatoria emphasise their stand for peace in South Sudan, Western Equatoria and in particular “Mundri” and call upon the SPLM/A Leadership to restore peace to South Sudan before the independence of the South Sudan on July 9th 2015, and most particularly before the 10th anniversary of the death of late hero Dr. John Garang De Mabior on 30th July 2015,” it stressed.
The leaders also extended condolences and words of sympathy to family, relatives and friends of all those who perished in the recent tragedy, including the late Mundri executive director, John Keliopa, members of the police, wildlife as well as army killed.
South Sudan's minister of water and electricity, Jemma Nunu Kumba, Kiir's legal advisor, Lawrence Korbandy, deputy speaker of the national assembly, Jasmin Samuel, deputy governor, Sapana Abui, state officials, among others, attended the meeting.
Western Equatoria officials recently accused the army of being tribal and violent against citizens and their properties, citing the killings and chaos in Mundri county.
“The army needs to be a national army instead of being from one tribe who can go on rampage like they did. You see how Mundri town had been devastated by the very soldiers who are supposed to protect the citizens,” the state information minister Charles Kisanga told Sudan Tribune last week.
He warned of a likely rebellion outbreak of the security situation was not addressed.
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June 5, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by former vice president, Riek Machar, said they have not received any official information about the published visit of the former detainees to their leadership for consultations on reunification process of the ruling party.
Former political detainees led by ex-cabinet affairs minister, Deng Alor Kuol, met with president Salva Kiir on Tuesday in Juba a day after their return from the neighbouring Kenya where they were released to in early 2014 and lived in the exile for over one year.
The mission, they said, was to revive the tripartite intraparty dialogue with the government which also included the SPLM-IO faction as per Arusha initiative on reunification of the three party factions.
Former detainees' spokesperson, John Luk Jok, after concluding the meeting with president Kiir and other senior party leaders in the government, announced that their team was also going to visit the opposition leader, Riek Machar, to discuss the process.
However, the rebel group said they did not receive from the former detainees any official information about their visit to Machar.
“Our leadership has not received official information or request about a planned visit by former detainees. We only read about it in the media,” Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune on Friday.
He also said the opposition faction had an appointed team by Machar that handled the intraparty negotiations in Arusha and would likely take part in the consultative meeting with the former detainees if official request reached the SPLM-IO and was approved by the top leadership.
Dak earlier said the rebel leadership would be willing to accord the ex-political detainees a forum to hear from them.
(ST)
June 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Amnesty International (AI) has called for launching appeals to secure the release of 171 detainees including college students, politicians and civil society activists arrested by Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).
AI said it has received numerous reports since the end of Sudan's general elections in April 2015 that the NISS crackdown on activities of political opposition groups and civil society has intensified.
“In recent weeks more than 221 students from Darfur were arrested by NISS and the police after violent clashes between the National Congress Party (NCP) student supporters and students from Darfur in five universities in Khartoum,” it said in a press release.
According to the rights groups, 157 students were released on bail after having been charged with various crimes while 37 students were injured.
Mohamed Awad, a leading member of the NCP student organisation, was killed during clashing between supporters of the ruling party and students from Darfur region at the East Nile University in Khartoum North last April.
It added that currently there are 12 members of the opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) in detention, saying that four of them are facing criminal charges punishable by death including complicity to execute a criminal agreement, undermining the constitutional system and calling for opposition of the public authority by violence or criminal force.
It also pointed out to the arrest of the secretary general of the Sudanese Consumer Protection Society (SCPS), Yasir Merghani, and the activist, Nasreen Ali Mustafa, who have been detained since 25 May.
It noted that Merghani has always been known for his strong presence on issues pertaining to consumers and corruption in the importation of goods, saying that Mustafa has raised concerns about the alarmingly high number of unreported incidents of sexual harassment and abuse in some schools buses in Khartoum state.
It should be recalled that NISS had seized copies of 10 newspapers from the printing press and suspended 4 of them indefinitely on 25 May for publishing Mustafa's statements.
The SCPS was formally established in 1998, it has been very vocal on consumer rights issues and corruption in regards to consumer goods. SCPS has been advocating for strong consumer protection legislation in Sudan.
AI stressed that NISS maintains broad powers of arrest and detention under the National Security Act 2010, which allows suspects to be detained for up to four-and-a-half months without judicial review.
“NSS officials often use these powers to arbitrarily arrest and detain individuals and to subject them to torture and other forms of ill-treatment”, it said
Under the same law, NSS agents are provided with protection from prosecution for any act committed in the course of their work, which has resulted in a pervasive culture of impunity.
The rights group further said the recent constitutional amendments passed by the Sudanese parliament on 5 January 2015, have exacerbated the situation, stressing they accorded sweeping powers to the NISS allowing it unlimited discretion to interfere in political, economic and social issues.
It called for sending appeals to president Omer al-Bashir and ministers of interior and justice to reveal the whereabouts of the detainees immediately and urge them to either charge the detainees with an internationally recognizable offence or immediately and unconditionally release them.
The rights group also said the appeals should call on the authorities to give the detainees access to lawyers of their own choosing and allow them visits from their families besides ensuring they are not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment.
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June 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - A delegation from Sudan's native administration left for the United States on Friday to urge the US administration to lift the economic sanctions imposed on the country.
Isam al-Sheikh, a businessman who launched the popular initiative, said a delegation including 14 tribal chiefs would visit the US for two weeks, pointing they will hold meetings with congressmen and the state department officials.
Al-Sheikh, who spoke at a press conference on Thursday evening, said the delegation would focus on popular meetings to improve ties between the two peoples.
He pointed out that US senators will visit Sudan to assess the situation in the country particularly regarding claims of extremism and terrorism.
The Sudanese businessmen are the first to be affected by the sanctions which impose an embargo on the Sudanese banking establishments prevent them from dealing with the international banks.
The initiative targets civil society groups and congressmen with the hope that they can understand their point of view that the sanctions mainly affect only Sudanese people not the government.
Benjamin Moeling, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Khartoum, for his part, expressed his country's readiness to accept any initiative aiming to promote public diplomacy between the two countries.
He pointed that the American people welcome the visit of the tribal chiefs, saying they had earlier invited several Sudanese youth, media workers and businessmen to visit the US within the framework of the public diplomacy.
Sudan is on the US list of countries supporting terrorism since 1993 and also subjected to economic sanctions since 1997.
Last February, the Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour concluded a rare visit to Washington where he held talks with senior officials at the White House and State Department.
The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti also visited Washington separately in February to participate in the National Prayer Breakfast together with US president Barack Obama and international dignitaries.
Following the visits of the senior Sudanese officials to Washington, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Steven Feldstein paid a five-day visit to Sudan.
During the same month, the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that is amending Sudan's sanctions regime to allow exports of personal communications hardware and software including smart phones and laptops.
Washington acknowledges Sudan's cooperation in the fight against terrorism, but attached new conditions to normalizing ties related to the end of the conflicts in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Sudanese officials however, insist that issues of bilateral relations should be discussed without interfering in Sudan internal affairs.
(ST)
June 5, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's Upper Nile state government has resolved to relocate its headquarters to Renk, a town farther north near the Sudanese border, in the light of sustained fighting between rebels and government troops over the control of the oil-rich state capital, Malakal.
In the meeting held on Thursday, it was decided by the council of ministers in which it resolved to move to Renk, according to state information minister, Peter Hoth Tuach.
“The state capital [Malakal] was seriously destroyed during the recent fighting and the government currently has no buildings to operate in,” said Tuach, explaining to Sudan Tribune in a phone interview the reasons compelling the already displaced government to move farther away from battlefields.
“Renk has got buildings that the state government will work in, the same buildings will also be the accommodation for the officials and electricity supply in the area is stable,” he added.
Tuach said thousands of citizens of Upper Nile state, apart from the civilians sheltering in United Nations' (UN) Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites, had already been displaced to areas near Renk.
He said the government would now remain in Renk whether the rebels ceased attacking Malakal or not because, he explained, “the people of Upper Nile are displaced to Renk area.”
This would be the third time the state government of the war-ravaged Upper Nile has been relocated due to over year-long fighting between forces loyal to president Salva Kiir and the opposition forces loyal to former vice president, Riek Machar. Senior government officials last year relocated to Renk, but moved back to Malakal, in a seriously unstable situation as the town changed hands several times.
When fighting resumed in the town in April and rebels recaptured the capital, the state government officials fled to Melut town near Paloch oilfields and operated from there. However, the state governor Simon Kun Puoch fled to the national capital, Juba, where he was issuing directives from a distance.
Rebels have also claimed to target Renk town, which came under shelling several times in the past few months. But when government forces took control of Wedakona on the west bank of the White Nile, it became an ease in securing the border town.
Rebel sources renewed claims Renk would soon join the list of their priority targets together with the two remaining oil producing oilfields of Paloch and Adar where government troops have been deployed to defend it.
(ST)
June 5, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese rebels led by former vice president, Riek Machar, said their forces have taken full control of the main oilfields in Unity state on Friday after capturing the remaining Unity oilfields in the country's second oil producing state.
Rebels spokesperson said the oilfields fell under their control after defeating government troops in a three-day battle over the control of the strategic resource area.
“On Friday morning our forces from Division 4 took full control of the whole Unity oilfields in the oil-producing Lich (Unity) state. This is after defeating government forces over the control of the oilfields, north of the state capital, Bentiu,” rebel leader's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, announced on Friday in a statement to the press.
“In response to the government's ongoing full scale offensive against our positions, all the oilfields in South Sudan are our targets with the aim to capture and shut down their operations,” he said.
He accused president Salva Kiir's government of allegedly using the oil revenues to buy more “arms and hire mercenaries” in order to perpetuate the war in defence of “tyranny” at the expense of the suffering people of South Sudan.
Last year, the rebels captured Tharjiath oilfield, south of the state capital, Bentiu, and controlled some of the Unity oilfields, forcing them to temporarily shut down and reducing the oil production in the country by at least 40% from 265,000 barrels a day to 165,000 barrels per a day.
Unity oilfields has 126 wells and was being operated by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC).
Unity and Upper Nile states are the only two states in the three-year old country that produce oil. South Sudan also depends on the oil revenues from these two states by 98% of its overall budget.
Situated in Rubkotni county north of Bentiu, near Pariang county, government planned to resume oil production in the area to boost its dwindling revenues and inject in more hard currency as the dollar exchange against the local South Sudanese pounds has been skyrocketing, further magnifying a near collapse of the country's economy.
Dak further said after now capturing and shutting down production operations of all the oilfields in Unity state their next targets would be Adar and Paloch oilfields in the neighboring Upper Nile state.
“We have now thwarted the government's attempt to maintain control of the Unity oilfields in order to resume oil production in the state,” he said.
“Our next targets are Adar and Paloch oilfields in Upper Nile state. We will make sure the only two remaining oilfields cease to function as well.”
The opposition leader's spokesman said president Kiir's government was not for peace, accusing it of violating ceasefire agreements in belief of “imaginary” military victory.
He claimed that the defeated government troops from the oilfields were dispersed with some being pursued towards the state capital and others fleeing westwards towards Mayom near Warrap state.
(ST)
By Trayo A. Ali
The “Janjaweed” are coming. The blood thirsty carnivorous predator militias that created genocidal havoc in Darfur are making in again as the UNAMID busy talking withdrawal. With that notorious reputation of terror haunting Darfur people, the “Janjaweed”, with full vengeance, are sharpening knifes, machetes, hatchets and axes. Of course with their heavy machine guns on top of that preparation. All geared to accomplish their mission: “turn the already devastated Darfur into total ashes”.
“Not only am I back, bitch, I am back with a vengeance”, reads one “Janjaweed” post in the net.
All that “opportunity” is precipitated by the talks of withdrawal of the “much harassed” UNAMID. Its withdrawal, if materialized, would definitely means paving the way for the “Janjaweed” to enter and fill the vacuum.
Seriously speaking that is unacceptable move and the worst judgment that could happen. It only increases unfavorable chances and widens the gap in the much needed security in Darfur and unleashes the “Janjaweed” militia to effect the most ruining phase of genocide.
(1) Withdrawal? How? On what based and what ground?
Nothing on earth the most hated issue government harbor than the one of UNAMID presence on Darfur soil. Remember the “hissing and humming” government made in the early stages of the deployment process till it was able to drastically reduce the potential capability of the would-be deployed “force” to the level of what been coined as “African character”. It was the tasteless and colorless entity government wanted to be and fought for, the docile and submissive it got it. That was the genesis of the prevailing bullying and blackmailing policy visited on UNAMID.
(2) Zero Security on the ground
The UN knows very well (more than anybody else) the reality that; there is nothing anything similar condition to security of any kind on the ground including that of surrounding the mission's personnel. Not only in the already “ravaged” Darfur (where everybody is effectively in the IDP camps) but, as we reported earlier, nobody is safe within the entire Sudan for the mere fact of being a “Darfuri”. Look at the ongoing predicament of Darfur students who are being hunted throughout the country, from Port Sudan in the extreme East to Al-Genaina in the West and from Dongola in the up-North to Kosti and Danazeen in the South.
May be the UMAMID abandoned the reason why it's there been deployed. If the UNAMID primary purpose of being deployed in Darfur is to “protect civilian” from government militia, the “Janjaweed” aggression, protect IDPs from frequent raids and rape, then the reasons for UNAMID being there are still prevailing. It's even getting worst. Everybody now knows, including the UNAMID, the simple reality that, while the “Janjaweed” mission remained the same, the militias are today even better organized than any time before. They are trained, financed, equipped and even a big portion of it is organized under the official government security apparatus and known as Rapid Support Force (RSF).
The “Jamjaweed” havoc is gone far to the extent of targeting and preventing the UN agencies accessing the IDPs with food, medicine, water and shelter. The situation remained bizarre. One of the pity aspect of it is that, none of the UN agencies, including UNAMID, has any accurate or credible number of the ongoing “genocide related deaths” or that of the IDPs. All that coupled with the daily routine of aerial bombardments. Of course forgotten is the refugee's situation.
On the “peace process”, that is becoming an “abominable” issue.
With Qatar government virtually “vetoing” every attempt or initiative on the peace process with the argument that, everything should ends up with the document known as ”DDPD” which turned into a real recipe for continual chaos in Darfur. By the grace of Qatar the government is clinging on it till death to them a part. Discuss this issue with the UN and AU officials and the answer you get is Qatar.
(3) All has to do with the UN compromising position
So after ably reducing mission's capability to that of “African character” level, the government started imposing restrictions, including expulsion of the humanitarian agencies working in Darfur (as partners to UN), preventing the free movement of the UNAMID (in valagrant violation to what is stipulated in the Status of Forces Agreement-SOFA), editing and doctoring and UNAMID reports, refusing visa granting for the UN appointees to UNAMID, vetoing UN Secretary General envoys(including head of UNAMID and the Force Commanders), “neutralizing” AU official, classifying and labeling its official as “persona non- grata”, spying on their communication system, unleashing militia to ambush and kill UNAMID persons, bull-shitting the ICC and now is daring to eject the Mission by this cunning argument of “exit strategy”.
(4) Darfur minus UNAMID equals second phase of genocide
My argument doesn't sound contradicting either. I remember a journalist once posed me question that goes as “As the UNAMID presence does not please the government as well as its withdrawal will not please the movements, yet both sides criticize the “Mission” on equal foots, does not that sound contradictive?
My answer was like this: “The two criticisms come from different perspective and of different connotations. The government wants to expel the UNAMID all together, while the movements want the Mission to perfect its role. There is no comparison down here.”
So that tallies with today's position too. The UNAMID should be there and be re-enforced. One prerequisite is that the government should take its long hand off the mission and let free to operate respected peace keeping force. It's the UN to correct this situation. Nobody buys this feeble argument of “the government doesn't cooperate”. After all, how one can expect the criminal to willingly give his/ her neck to be hung it?
(5) Where is that slogan “Never again”?
If there is one sure thing terribly felt flat and failed to accommodate the case of Darfur, it's this internationally cherished slogan “Never again” before our eyes. However, under these circumstances it's crucial to rally international support that would influence to mitigate the unfolding of another genocide in Darfur. Thus, it's imperative for the Darfurians, international community (the UN and the AU in particular), “stop-genocide” activists and the media should move to stop this “withdrawal” palaver. What is needed now is the re-enforcement The UNAMID needs and not the abort of the mission.
The writer is a leading member in the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi and humanitarian secretary of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front. He is reachable at tmotoy60@gmail.com
Daniel Bekele is the Executive Director of the Africa division of Human Rights Watch, where he oversees a global staff and supervises research and advocacy. He also represents the organization before national and international organizations as well as government officials.
Prior to joining Human Rights Watch, Daniel practiced law in Ethiopia as a partner at Abebe Worke & Associates. He served as the legal department director and secretary of the board for United Insurance Co., and he managed Action Aid Ethiopia's policy research and advocacy departments.
Daniel has extensively consulted with non-governmental organizations including Oxfam, ARTICLE 19, Freedom House, and PACT, as well as with USAID and the World Bank. He has worked in varying capacities with numerous civil society organizations, and led the national-level campaign for the Global Call to Action against Poverty. Daniel's focus includes promoting African civil society organizations, human rights, and good governance.
In the 2005 parliamentary elections in Ethiopia, Daniel was actively involved in promoting human rights, and independent election monitoring, as well as peace initiatives in the aftermath of the post-election crisis. However, he was arrested by the authorities and spent more than two years in prison. He was internationally recognized as prisoner of conscience, and in 2009 received the Alison Des Forges Award for Extraordinary Activism and in 2010 was nominated for the Martin Ennals Human Rights Defenders Award and the Index Freedom of Expression Award. Daniel received a bachelor's in law and a master's in regional development studies from Addis Ababa University and a master's in legal studies from Oxford University, where he is completing a PhD in international law.
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