Africa

August 12, 2015 (BOR) - Elites stalling South Sudan's ongoing peace process ahead of the 17 August deadline set by regional mediators should face high level sanctions and asset seizures as part of United States president Barack Obama's "Plan B" strategy, a new report said.

U.S. President Barack Obama holds a meeting on South Sudan with IGAD leaders at his hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia July 27, 2015. Pictured at the table are: Obama (clockwise from the top center), U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, African Union Chairperson Dlamini Zuma, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Ghandour, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice. (Photo Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Enough Project's report, entitled, "Beyond Deadlock: Recommending Obama's Plan B on South Sudan", devises ways to force the warring parties to end the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly two million.

President Obama warned of grave consequences if South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar failed to sign a final peace agreement by Monday next week.

South Sudan's information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, told the state-owned SSTV they were yet to agree with the rebels on the proposed protocols of power sharing, security arrangement and allocations to government at national and states levels.

“We have not agreed on power sharing, the power of the powers of the president and what the rebels call first vice president. We have not agreed on the percentages whether at the national and states levels. With this, we cannot deceive ourselves that there will be peace”, he said.

During his recent visit to East Africa, President Obama said that if the two warring sides miss the deadline, “the international community must raise the costs of intransigence.”

"If they miss [the 17 August ], then I think it's our view that it's going to be necessary for us to move forward with a different plan and recognize that those leaders are incapable of creating the peace that is required,” he said during his visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"More sanctions are part of the story, but the real game changer in South Sudan will be a transnational commitment to trace, seize and ideally return the billions that have been stolen from the South Sudanese people by their own leaders,” Akshaya Kumar,Sudan and South Sudan policy analyst at Enough Project said in the report.

"That money, and continued access to patronage networks, lies at the heart of elite motivations driving the ongoing conflict", he added.

Obama's Plan B strategy, Enough Project report stressed in its report, should involve high-level asset freezes and travel bans, a global arms embargo, and the prosecution of grand corruption and atrocity crimes, including natural resource pillage as a war crime.

John Prendergast, a director at Enough Project, said: "With each passing day it looks like a Plan B will be necessary in South Sudan. If August 17 passes by with no agreement, the US government should launch an aggressive diplomatic strategy at the UN Security Council to secure a global arms embargo and impose a second round of high-level sanctions designations against South Sudan's leaders and their financial enablers".

South Sudan's warring factions have one last chance to end the country's over 20-month civil war and sign a compromise agreement proposed by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediators facilitating the ongoing negotiations.

According to the report, pressure from President Obama and other world leaders at such a pivotal moment in negotiations has already set in motion the most serious peace deliberations to date.

"The United States must be prepared to take swift action on the promised Plan B should the parties once again fail to agree to and implement peace. The United States must follow through on the president's strong words with equally strong action, both unilaterally and at the UN Security Council, where so far only six ground commanders —who hold little in the way of personal wealth or assets outside of South Sudan—have been designated for sanctions", it further stressed.

STRENGTHEN REGIONAL EFFORTS

Building on efforts to tackle corruption and money laundering in the region, US should offer additional legal and technical support to improve regional sanctions enforcement.

"The US should prioritise programs that enhance the operational capacity of regional financial intelligence units to identify and freeze the assets of designated individuals," says the report.

"The United States should also urge Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda to submit reports on their efforts to enforce UN sanctions as required by UN Security Council Resolution 2206," it added.

REGIONAL PEACE PROJECTS

It said the US and Chinese governments should jointly review bilateral and multilateral funds earmarked for regional infrastructure projects in East Africa to assess the feasibility of additional investments given risks presented by South Sudan's ongoing.

"This review should make clear that active regional sanctions enforcement will be considered a key risk mitigation factor", reads the report extended to Sudan Tribune.

TACKLE CORRUPTION

President Obama should direct the US Department of State, the US Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI to provide inter-agency support to the US Department of Justice's Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative and focus on investigating instances of grand corruption in South Sudan, Enough Project urged in its newly-released missive.

"The US should also encourage Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda to actively contribute to global efforts to trace, seize, freeze, and return the proceeds of corruption to the people of South Sudan by sharing intelligence through the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Eastern Africa," its report further recommended.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The head of Darfur peace implementation follow-up office state minister, Amin Hassan Omer, said that the former South African president Thabo Mbeki is not tasked with peace process in Darfur region.

Amin Hassan Omer (Photo SUNA)

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Omer reiterated the government's commitment to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), underscoring the regional and international support to the framework agreement reached in July 2011.

"Darfur file remains the responsibility of the international community which was a witness to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur" he further said, and pointed to the support of the Doha text by the United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League.

During a short visit to Khartoum on 3 August, Mbeki met President Omer al-Bashir and discussed with him the ongoing efforts to hold the national dialogue and resumption of his activities to facilitate the internal political process.

Following the meeting, several officials including presidential assistant, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, expressed the government interest for talks with Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) to end the four year conflict in the Two Areas.

Hamid also said Darfur rebels have to sign the DDPD and to negotiate a security arrangements agreement dealing with the disarmament, demobilization and integration process.

The head of Darfur peace office further told reporters that the rebel groups have no presence inside the country.

"They are now in Libya, South Sudan or tourists in other countries," he said.

However, he stressed the government's willingness to reach a peace agreement "with those who want peace" and commit themselves to the DDPD, adding that the file of those who continue to refuse peace will be considered as "security file".

In line with the decision 456 of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), Mbeki is tasked with the facilitation of national dialogue process. According to his mandate he has to convene talks for a cessation of hostilities agreement followed by security arrangements deal.

After what, he has to convene a national dialogue preparatory meeting to discuss the procedures and matters related to the internal process, including the guarantees for the rebel delegations .

(ST)

August 11, 2015 (JUBA) –The head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Ellen Margrethe Loej has stressed the need for peace and stability in the nation.

The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Ellen Margrethe Loej, speaks to the media during a visit to Western Bahr el Ghazal state on 23 September 2014 (ST)

Loej, also special representative of the UN secretary general in South Sudan, visited Warrap state, a region that has witnessed communal violence in recent months, Tuesday.

“The people of Warrap and of this country deserve peace and stability, and I encourage people across the state to refrain from violence and to foster community dialogue and resolution of conflicts in peaceful ways,” she said in the Warrap capital, Kuacjok.

The visit, UNMISS said in a statement, was part of efforts to obtain first hand knowledge of the situation in the state, but did not specify which issues were particularly discussed.

Clashes between Aguok and Apuk communities of South Sudan's Warrap state over cattle grazing area has cost many lives and displaced hundreds of peple in the region.

Governor Nyandeng Malek issued an order on Monday for disarming civilians. Armed youths, locally known as Gelweng have been accused of fuelling sectional feuds.

The gubernatorial order, effective within 72 hours, instructed civilians to voluntary handover guns and the army to forcefully seize them from non-complying individuals.

UNMISS described as "fruitful" Tuesday's meeting between Loej and governor Malek.

“UNMISS remains committed to the people of South Sudan,” said the UNMISS chief.

“The mission is actively involved in conflict mitigation and community support,” she added.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese rival warring parties have not made any significant progress on most of the contentious matters at peace talks currently underway in Addis Ababa, capital of neigbouring Ethiopia. This is despite mounting regional and international pressure on the two sides to reach a consensus and strike a deal by 17 August deadline.

South Sudanese foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin talks with members of the opposition delegation after a special consultation in support of the IGAD-led peace process in Khartoum on 12 January 2015 (Photo: Reuters)

South Sudan's information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, who speaks for the government delegation, said on Wednesday that none of the outstanding issues has been resolved with the rebel group since direct negotiations resumed last week.

“None of the outstanding issues which were left pending in other negotiations have been agreed upon,” said minister Lueth, in a statement broadcast by the state owned South Sudan television (SSTV).

Many contentious issues on governance, security arrangements, wealth and power sharing as well as accountability, compensation, reparation and reconciliation are yet to be agreed upon by the parties.

Lueth expressed scepticism at reaching a deal by the 17 August, but said there was still opportunity at the level of the two principals to reach a consensus when they convene before the deadline reaches.

“I doubt reaching an agreement by the 17th, but the final decision is not with us but with the principals,” he said in reference to president Salva Kiir and the leader of the armed opposition Riek Machar.

“When they come, they will have to resolve that, whether to sign or not to sign,” he said.

Bishop Enock Tombe, head of the faith-based groups participating at the talks said in a separate interview that the regional mediating team has reduced the number of delegates from the warring parties and the former political detainees to at least 12 members from all parties.

“The number of participants has been reduced. There will now be twelve members from all the sides to help them reach consensus. The three groups called leadership committee are discussing contentious issues but until now, there is no significant progress on the contentious matters,” explained Tombe.

IGAD-Plus said it would incorporate into its peace compromise proposal any agreement reached on the outstanding issues, but will however impose its proposed agreement in areas where there is no agreement between the warring parties.

The two parties, IGAD-Plus said, should sign a final peace agreement by 17 August, next Monday, warning of tough measures against any party that will refuse to ink the proposed deal.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government and army dismissed reports alleging it played an instrumental role in the defection of the top rebel commanders from the leadership of the former vice president, Riek Machar, claiming the differences were purely over the manner in which Machar managed the movement.

South Sudan's defence minister, Kuol Manyang Juuk, pictured following a cabinet meeting in Juba on 17 January 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

“It is not surprising to hear because it has always been the result of a rebellion without objectives. This was expected because this is not the first time rebellion under Machar has never managed to remain intact,” said South Sudan's defence minister Kuol Manyang Juuk, in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

“You know what happened when he (Riek Machar) defected from the SPLA in 1991 with Lam Akol. They never stayed together. They went and torn apart that movement. Lam went his way and took his own way,” explained minister Juuk, in response to the announced defection of a number of senior rebel commanders who claimed to have disowned their commander-in-chief, Machar.

The top defence official however explained that the division within the rebel leadership was not the work of the government but allegedly due to differences between Machar and some of the commanders.

“Reports [of] their differences have been in the news for quite sometimes and so what those of Peter Gatdet did yesterday [Tuesday] was to formalize what has been in the circulating in the media all this long about their differences with Riek,” he said.

Juuk said the reasons put in the declaration statement which denounced the rebel leader's leadership were issues which, he said, had nothing to do with the government.

“They are purely their own issues,” he said.

Presidential advisor on decentralization and intergovernmental linkages, Tor Deng Mawien, said in a separate interview that the government was ready to negotiate with any group willing to lay down their arms and return to the country to pursue peaceful dialogue without the use of violence.

A statement purportedly signed by Major General Peter Gatdet Yakah, former rebels' chief of general staff or operations was issued from the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and circulated on Tuesday in the media.

General Yak, together with Major General Gathoth Gatkuoth and few others said they were no longer part and parcel of the movement under the leadership of Machar. They also called for exclusion of president Salva Kiir and Machar in a transitional government of national unity.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (MAGWI) – South Sudanese armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) said rebel forces stationed in Magwi county in Eastern Equatoria state and loyal to former vice president, Riek Machar, clashed on Wednesday with government forces in the area.

The map of Eastern Equatoria state in red

A spokesman for the newly appointed governor of the rebel established Imatong state, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, said government forces attacked positions of the opposition forces in the area but the attackers were repulsed.

“Today, 12/08/2015 at 5:00am, pro-government forces in a flagrant violation of Cessation of Hostilities Agreement attacked our forces in Magwi west area of Magwi county,” said Major Auwas Simon Pidomoe, who signed as information press secretary and spokesperson of the Imatong state governor, in a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

He claimed that government forces were defeated and in “hot pursuit” leaving behind casualties, adding that 1 AK47 rifle, 1 PKM machine gun and a Samsung smart phone were captured by the rebels in the clashes.

Pidomoe further explained that the operation was led by commander Lam Paul under the command of the battalion commander, Michael Odogtoo.

He called on president Salva Kiir to step down, saying the rebel forces will not recognize his presidency.

“The government of Salva Kiir is illegitimate to the fullness of its actions and scope and we do not recognize it. Kiir must step down to avoid plunging the country into total chaos,” he said.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

Rebels in the past claimed to have forces in Eastern Equatoria state under the overall command of Major General Martin Kenyi. No significant military operations have however taken place in the area since the outbreak of the war in December 2013.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (JUBA) – At least six people starved to death as a result of lack of food in a remote part of South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria state, officials said on Wednesday.

The map of Eastern Equatoria state in red

The state has been hit by drought following prolong period of insufficient amounts of rainfall that resulted into crop failure. Budi county is the worst affected, officials said.

“We registered the last six cases last week at the eastern side of the county. They were found in the homes on different days, here the hunger is too much and the people are trying but it's too much now,” said Felix Makuja, the Budi county commissioner.

Makuja claimed there could more unreported deaths in some parts of the villages remain inaccesible due to poor road networks and no phone links to main administrative towns.

Eastern Equatoria state information minister, Mark Akio, admitted there were cases of death due to starvation in Budi, but could not ascertain how many people actually died.

“It is only Magwi county that harvested some maize and other food crops in the phase one of the farming. In other counties, the crop died due to lack of rains,” said Akio.

Eastern Equatoria falls in the green-belt of South Sudan and is known for its agricultural potentials.

LOCALS ATTACK RAINMAKERS

For local communities, the drought is not a natural occurrence, but rather the work of spiritual diviners, locally referred to as rainmakers. On Tuesday, angry youth reportedly attacked a renowned ainmaker in Torit, the Eastern Equatoria capital and killed him.

“Youth killed a chief thought to have powers over birds. They accused him of allowing the birds to destroy crops,” said local government minister, Lokai Iko told Eye Radio.

“So on the 8 [of August], we got also a report that one of the brothers of chief Oyalala was killed by the youth; purporting that [he] was also obstructing the rain,” he added.

Despite its potential agricultural land, South Sudan still imports food items from its neighbours. The situation have been worsendes by the ongoing conflict and weakenimg of the local currency against the United States Dollar required to imports into the country.

Eastern Equatoria officials urged humanitarian agencies and the national government to intervene to save lives. Its not clear how many people are exactly affected by hunger.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Top South Sudanese rival leaders in the country's 20-month long civil war are expected to join direct negotiations between their delegations on Thursday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, opposition's spokesperson has confirmed.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (L) and former vice-president turned rebel leader Riek Machar (AFP)

President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, turned armed opposition leader, Riek Machar, have reportedly been called to Addis Ababa by the mediation of the East African regional bloc, IGAD, to join the talks as the 17 August deadline for them to sign a final peace agreement approaches.

“Yes, our chairman, Cde Dr. Riek Machar, has been informed to meet Salva Kiir in Addis Ababa on Thursday,” said Machar's press secretary, James Gatdet Dak.

He said Machar had already returned to Addis Ababa from his official mission in Pretoria, South Africa, and was ready to meet president Kiir in the Ethiopian capital.

Dak added that many contentious issues have remained unresolved in the ongoing negotiations between the delegations of the government and the opposition group.

IGAD-Plus said it would incorporate into its peace compromise proposal any agreement reached on the outstanding issues, but will however impose its proposed agreement in areas where there is no agreement between the warring parties.

The two parties, IGAD-Plus said, should sign a final peace agreement by 17 August, next Monday, warning of tough measures against any party that will refuse to ink the proposed deal.

Sources close to the recent meeting of regional leaders in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, however said President Yoweri Museveni was attempting to convince Ethiopian, Kenyan and Sudanese leaders to extend the deadline, arguing that the proposal was reportedly from the “White man.”

The Monday meeting of the four countries between the two presidents of Uganda and Kenya, prime minister of Ethiopia and foreign minister of Sudan however concluded that the deadline should remain in place.

Another regional meeting of the heads of state and government is expected to take place on 15 August in Addis Ababa to further discuss the South Sudan's peace process, two days ahead of the deadline in preparation for the signing of the peace agreement.

Rebel leader's spokesperson said the opposition group is committed to the IGAD-led peace process in Addis Ababa, expressing hope that the rebels' proposed amendments would be incorporated into the proposed IGAD-Plus text to sign the agreement.

MACHAR COMMITS TO ARUSHA PROCESS

Dak also said the armed opposition group is committed to the reunification process of the ruling SPLM party in the Tanzanian town of Arusha.

He said Machar this week had held discussions with the South African deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa, while in Pretoria, on the importance of completing the SPLM intra-party reunification process in Arusha.

He said Machar explained to the South African leadership the need to complete the process of the party's reunification in Arusha so that it could also be ready for implementation together with a peace agreement which would emanate from the peace process in Addis Ababa.

He further stressed that there were still aspects of the party's road map agreement that needed to be worked out in Arusha so that it became a ready document for implementation.

“It is important that the reunification document is worked out and translated into the SPLM party's constitution. Work on basic documents of the party should be completed in Arusha,” he said.

He pointed out the commitment of the opposition's leadership to the reunification process, saying more discussions with the mediators will take place in this regard.

(ST)

August 12, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government disclosed that it received $1 billion dollar in central bank deposits from Saudi Arabia in July and August.

Sudanese State's Minister of Finance Abdul-Rahman Dirar (finance Ministry Website)

"Sudan's central bank received an investment deposit from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of $1 billion. Last month we received $500 million, and we received the second part this month," Finance ministry Undersecretary Abdel-Rahman Dirar told reporters according to Reuters.

Dirar did not disclose the terms of this deposit such as the interest rate or maturity date.

Last month, Dirar told Bloomberg in an interview that Arab Gulf states have provided Sudan with $2 billion in concessional loans recently.

He declined to name the donors or detail when the funds were received except to say that they would be repaid in “coming years”.

Sudanese officials have previously said that they expect to see large cash inflows from Arab Gulf states following Khartoum's decision to join Saudi-led military coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen last March.

But the Saudi ambassador in Khartoum, Faisal Hamed Al-Muallah, dismissed these speculations saying they are only prepared to offer investments.

The value of the Sudanese currency has eroded dramatically following the secession of the oil-rich south and the central bank has been unable to defend it in the market because of low currency reserves.

Meanwhile, presidential assistant Musa Mohamed Ahmed on Wednesday discussed with the Saudi ambassador ways for promoting ties between the two countries.

Al-Muallah said in statements following the meeting that relations between the two nations are strong and well-established, expressing his country's keenness to support Sudan in development and education domains.

He pointed out that the meeting discussed bilateral ties and the new items which have been added to the agenda of the joint ministerial committee, saying those items would enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The Saudi envoy further said the meeting discussed the situation in the Gulf states besides the recent development of the war in Yemen.

Last April, the Saudi minister of agriculture, Abdel-Rahman Ibn Abdel-Muhissn al-Fadli discussed in Khartoum opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in the service, trade and economic domains.

Also, a high-level technical delegation from Saudi Arabia discussed in Khartoum ways for implementing the Arab food security initiative in Sudan.

According to the Sudanese government, the Arab Gulf states investments in Sudan amounts to $20 billion including $10 billion from Saudi Arabia followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with $6 billion and Kuwait with $5 billion.

(ST)

The United Nations Security Council today called on all of Guinea-Bissau’s political leadership to resume dialogue in order to work together in the governance of the country as it emerges from previous periods of instability.

The Government of Burundi should immediately seize the opportunity for dialogue and forge a “new path,” United Nations and international envoys declared today, condemning the wave of recent attacks in the crisis-torn country and urging parties to show “restraint, leadership, and vision.”

August 12, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The opposition Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) said the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has detained on Wednesday a female member of the party and continues to summon three other leading figures on a daily basis.

SCoP secretary general Abdel-Qayoum Awad al-Sid told Sudan Tribune that NISS summons Widad Darwish, Khalid Omer Youssef, and Magdi Okasha from morning till midnight every day.

Last Friday, SCoP said that NISS detained its youth secretary, Magdi Okasha, from his home in Kafuri suburb in Khartoum North.

Two days earlier NISS raided the home of the foreign affairs assistant of the SCoP president Khalid Omar Yusuf in al-Gireif suburb of Khartoum and detained him without charges. They were both released later.

SCoP official pointed that Darwish refused to report to the NISS office on Tuesday, saying that a NISS force came to her home in al-Thawra neighborhood in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman on Wednesday and took her to an unknown destination.

He said that Darwish just returned from a long trip to Cairo where she sought medical treatment, saying NISS officers interrogated her about her stay in Egypt.

Awad al-Sid added that daily summoning of Youssef and Okasha is considered full detention, saying that both party members have suffered from NISS's seizure of their cars.

He demanded the immediate release of the detainees or putting them to trial, asking NISS to stop harassing SCoP cadres.

NISS enjoys wide-ranging powers of arrest, detention, search and seizure under the country's 2010 National Security Act.

COMPLAINT TO THE POLITICAL PARTIES AFFAIRS COUNCIL

Meanwhile, the SCoP official said they filed a complaint with the Political Parties Affairs Council (PPAC) urging them to interfere to preserve rights of the party members.

He said the legal department at the PPAC told them that they would consider the complaint and respond to it in September.

Awad al-Sid criticized the way the PPAC dealt with the complaint which contained serious violations committed by the NISS against their members on a daily basis, describing the dragging procedures as “intentional injustice”.

The SCoP complaint which was extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday said that constitutional and legal rights of its members and leadership have been violated; pointing the party is registered according to the PPAC regulations.

The complaint pointed that the NISS detentions and summoning against the SCoP members was mainly due to public speeches delivered by them, saying those speeches are part of the peaceful expression of the SCoP political vision.

It is worth noting that SCoP continued to hold speeches in public areas such as the markets and gathering places to urge the citizens to resist the government policies.

The complaint said that being a member of the SCoP doesn't constitute a crime but rather an open option for the Sudanese people according to the bill of rights which allows freedom of choice and organization according to the political parties' law.

It further demanded the PPAC to carry out its duties and ensure respect of all organs to the law as well as preventing the NISS from violating the SCoP right of holding peaceful political actions.

(ST)

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Farid Zarif, of Afghanistan, as his Special Representative for Liberia and head of the United Nations Mission there, known as UNMIL.

Vowing “decisive action” on reports of sexual exploitation committed by United Nations peacekeepers deployed to the Central African Republic (CAR), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he has accepted the resignation of the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, scheduled a special session of the Security Council on the matter, and pledged the Organization’s commitment to bringing any and all perpetrators of such abuse to justice.

Africa has made great strides towards eradicating polio but the job remains to be finished through strengthened immunization campaigns and surveillance measures, according to the United Nations.

United Nations-supported measures put in place to protect them from the Ebola virus have helped keep classrooms free from any infections in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today.

By Joseph de Tuombuk*

The efforts to return peace in South Sudan have become so convoluted and tortured because there's a concerted effort by the West and its IGAD allies to solve all problems ailing South Sudan in one go. The West wants to completely revamp South Sudan political landscape and introduce hybrid regime change. It sees the IGAD-led peace process as the way to achieve this goal. The IGAD countries have their own well-known interests that they would like to protect. So, the peace process that should have been limited to crafting a political roadmap that would allow parties to compete on a level playing field, has now become so complicated that it will die under its own weight. Meanwhile, South Sudanese are caught in a deadly game with no end in sight. The so-called IGAD-plus ‘compromise document' is another item on a long list of failed efforts to come up with one-size fit all solution. Let's examine how the IGAD-led process has been a spectacular failure. But before delving into how messed up the IGAD-led process is, let's try to diagnose the genesis of the problem.

What transpired on December 15th?

It is known that the genesis of political crisis that led to an abortive effort to take over the power by force, has its roots in the SPLM's unresolved issues. The SPLM, whether many agree or not, is not a homogenous entity. It is a patchwork of political actors who have never really seen eye-to-eye, except when confronted with a single enemy in Khartoum. The SPLM should have been allowed to break up into its constituent parts that can become separate parties and compete against each other in elections. Riek Machar and his allies had an opportunity to form their party and take their case to the people of South Sudan. Even President Salva Kiir suggested as much; that those who disagree with him, ideologically or otherwise, should form their own party. For some unknown reasons, Riek and Co. refused to take a hint and instead started laying down ultimatums. Why was Riek so confident that he would challenge President Kiir? He had something up his sleeves, and tacit backing of the West. He believed that by taunting President Kiir to force his hand, a crisis would start and in the ensuing chaos, security apparatus allied to his faction would quickly gain control of Juba. Had Riek succeeded, he would have simply portrayed the power grab as a self-defense against ‘dictatorial' Kiir. The West was probably waiting to bless the outcome.

But things turned out differently. While Riek appeared to have been winning early skirmishes on the night of December 15, 2013, President Kiir quickly turned the tables and foiled what was turning out to be a well-concerted effort to take power. What happened in South Sudan could be described as a coup-on-the-fly. Coups come in differently flavors and shapes. The most commonly known type of a coup is one where a group of army officers capture critical infrastructure, arrest key government officials, liquidate those resisting, before showing up on some state-own broadcast networks to announce that they have ‘rescued' the country from mismanagement. The governing junta then coopts neutral or pliant political parties into the government. What happened in South Sudan on December 15, 2015 was something slightly different. The fighting within the Presidential Guard unit was intended to act as a catalyst for a far more nefarious action. Had Riek's operatives within the security forces prevailed, it is almost certain that President Kiir would have been killed along with resisting key personalities in his government.

The result would have been explained away as an ‘unfortunate' case where some elements within the Presidential Guard Unit initiated a disarmament of forces based on tribal affiliation, and thereby created a conflict with terrible and ‘unintended' results. The international community would have swooped in, ‘condemn' the tragic situation, and ask the new government to form a committee to investigate the tragic event. The committee would have most likely been headed by personalities from the West and international bodies. The outcome of such an investigation would have laid the blame on the dead guys. Case closed.

The Hapless IGAD Comes In

This brings me to the main theme of this paper. The IGAD-led process has complicated its work with little results to show. Early on, the negotiation parameters should have been set. The mediators should have identified the problems that culminated in the abortive coup. The main issue was lack of political space within the SPLM for those seeking to challenge President Salva Kiir. The mediators should have solved this issue by telling the rebels to form their own political party and take their case to the people of South Sudan. Instead, the mediators essentially allowed Riek's team to bring everything under the sun onto the negotiating table, starting with demanding President Kiir to step down. The government's team bears some blame. They should have told the mediators that some things are redlines and will not be entertained. If the IGAD mediators felt the need to bring everything to the table, that would have been the cue to return to Juba and let Riek come and take power.

The secondary issue was the fear among rebels that the environment is not conducive to allow for a fair political contest. This is where the bulk of the negotiation should have been focused. To solve this issue, the mediators should have come up with specific timetable for elections. The elections would be supervised by IGAD with help from the international community. All parties would be allowed to take part in the election. Each party would formulate its position and what it promises to do for South Sudan, and take its case to the populace. Whichever party wins will then commence the institutional reforms agenda.

Instead, the IGAD process became captive various interests. The West, being the one footing the bill, has seen the IGAD process as its opportunity to institute what can be termed as a ‘hybrid regime' change. We can see this in the so-called ‘compromise' peace document that has been presented to parties and with a date (8/17/15) when the signed document is due. As far as the West is concerned, the ‘compromise' document essentially achieves its goal of ‘saving' South Sudan from itself. Maybe it is time to let South Sudanese make the decision themselves. This can done via elections. If the people choose Riek's party, then that would be end of that. He can then proceed with his so-called reforms without a care in the world. Some items such as federalism would require asking the people of South Sudan if they want federalism. If he losses, he will continue to make a case why people should choose his party. The government would have made a huge compromise by letting a guy who destroyed a third of the country to freely participate in elections without being prosecuted.

The Way Forward

South Sudanese should take charge of their own destiny if their country will ever return to peace. The problem is that the opposition is doing the bidding of the West. It is not that the West like Riek's insurgency; they see it as a way to radically change how South Sudan is governed. For now, Riek is serving as a pressure on the government. The IGAD-plus process and its ‘compromise' document will meet the same fate that has bedeviled all previous mediation efforts because it's a forced document. With the insurgency fragmenting into smaller factions, Riek just did a repeat of 1991. The only difference is that the West sees him as its hope of enacting change in the country. We might as well do a Libya-type deal and see where the chips fall. Tragically, South Sudanese will continue to pay enormous price because our country is caught in ugly machinations of the West. Can the government be reformed without uprooting it? Sure. A clean election with the participation of all parties is necessary and then we can talk about reforming security, economic, and political space.

*The author is a South Sudanese commentator and analyst. He can be reached at joe.tuombuk@gmail.com.

August 11, 2015 (LEER/MAYIANDIT) - South Sudanese rebels in the oil-rich Unity state have accused forces loyal to president Salva Kiir and their Bul-Nuer and Dinka Warrap allied militias of killing over 200 civilians, mainly women and children, last month in Leer and Mayiandit counties.

South Sudanese soldiers patrol the streets of Unity state capital Bentiu on 12 January 2014 (Photo: Simon Maina/AFP)

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday by press secretary of the rebel appointed governor of Unity state, Ruai Kuol Jal, he accused the pro-government forces of attacking civilians and continuing to loot their properties, in the south of the state capital, Bentiu.

“This is to tell the world that Juba regime and allied militias are continuing with their search for those who have gone to bush for hiding, killing them and abducted girls as sex slaves,” Major Weirial Puok told Sudan Tribune over phone interview.

The official claimed that government forces looted cattle and food stuffs belonging to vulnerable civilians in the area.

Kuong Kuony Dhol, Leer county commissioner for rebels allied to Machar also told Sudan Tribune in a separate interview that government forces were searching for the hideouts of the civilians to kill, torture or abduct them.

He accused the government of committing crimes against humanity following abduction of children and murder of civilians. Dhol claimed their forces were regrouping in several parts of the county to encounter attacks on pro-government offensive.

“We are in preparation for full scale resistance against these gangs whose aim [is] to finish the citizens after they looted their resources. For that matter you will hear different news whereby my station will not be Leer again but Mayom or Tonj,” he said.

He further said that pro-government forces killed 20 civilians in an area called Kumagap, a suburb of Adok Payam with other 80 people murdered in Philieny and Rubchiar between 28 July and 1 August.

In separate development, Mayiandit county commissioner, Mangouth Koang, told Sudan Tribune over satellite phone interview that dropped food items by World Food Programme (WFP) in Boor area were looted by forces allied to president Salva Kiir.

“These militias of Salva Kiir forces have attacked Boor area after WFP dropped food items to hungry civilians, but these food [items] including cows and goats of civilians were all taken by militias from Bul [Nuer] and Warrap [Dinka] with a backup from government forces,” he said.

The commissioner claimed they were also tracking movement of government forces which planned to attack Payinjiar county at the border with Lakes state which has been one of the strongholds of the rebels allied to the former vice president Riek Machar for the past 20 months of the civil war.

The armed opposition commissioner of Payinjiar county however said their forces were closely monitoring the activities of pro-government forces in Lake state to attack the area through water and land, adding they were ready to face them.

(ST)

August 11, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid reiterated the readiness of his government to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North to end the four-year conflict in Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir (C) meets with AUHIP chief Thabo Mbeki on 3 August 2015 (L) while his presidential aide Mahmoud Ibrahim Hamid appears on the left (Photo SUNA)

Hamid was interviewed by several TV stations and the official Radio Omdurman where he lengthily spoke about the commitment of the ruling National Congress Party to hold an inclusive process for peace and reforms in Sudan.

He said they agreed with the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and chief mediator Thabo Mbeki contact the SPLM-N rebels to prepare the ground for the resumption of negotiations in order to end the armed conflict in the Two Areas.

"We reiterated our readiness to resume peace negotiations with the SPLM-N whenever the other party is ready to reach a permanent peace agreement with the government," said the presidential assistant.

The Sudanese official underscored that his government seeks "a permanent ceasefire and not a cessation of hostilities agreement".

During the last round of talks held in Addis Ababa in November last year, the SPLM-N negotiating team insisted on a humanitarian cessation of hostilities enabling aid workers to reach the affected civilians in the war zones.

The Sudanese rebel group rejects the demand saying the government wants a security arrangements agreement including the disarmament of its combatants before to hold a popular consultation on the administrative situation of the Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

Hamid who seemingly will replace the former presidential aide Ibrahim Ghandour and lead the government delegation for future peace talks said they did not agree with Mbeki on a date for the next round of negotiations.

Also, he clearly rejected any discussions with the rebel groups in Darfur region, saying the Doha Document For Peace in Darfur (DDPD) proposes a set of solution for the conflict.

He added they can only sign a security arrangements agreements with them and then the armed groups can join the national dialogue process to discuss any other issues.

Last December, Mbeki adjourned indefinitely talks between the government and two groups, Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi. The rebels at the time called to open the DDPD and to widen the scope of negotiations.

The presidential aide hailed the efforts of the German government to facilitate peace and national dialogue in Sudan, adding that the American administration does not play any role for a negotiated settlement.

"US administration supports the dialogue within the framework of the Troika countries but Germany pushes strongly (to achieve peace and dialogue in Sudan)," he said when asked about the American involvement in the ongoing efforts for peace in the country.

The chief mediator is expected to meet the rebel groups in Addis Ababa during the upcoming days for a consultations meeting after his recent visit to Khartoum where he held talks with President Omer al-Bashir on 3 August.

(ST)

August 11, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid brushed aside the fierce skepticism surrounding the government's recently signed contract with a Russian mining company but acknowledged that the figures announced on gold reserves could well be exaggerated.

Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid

The contract was signed in late July with a company named as ‘Siberian' for mining concessions in the Red Sea and River Nile states. President Omer Hassan al-Bashir reportedly attended the signing ceremony which was not made public.

Sudan's minerals minister Ahmed Sadiq al-Karuri announced at the time that the company discovered 46,000 tonnes of gold reserves in these two sites with a combined market value of $1.70 trillion.

On top of the mammoth figure, skepticism grew deeper after a Sudanese consultant working for the ministry out of Moscow named Mohamed Ahmed Saboon tendered his resignation because of the contract with the company which he described as “unknown”.

Saboon also described the $1.70 trillion figure as “science fiction”.

Hamid, who is also the ruling party vice chairman, asserted in a television interview on Tuesday night that the Russian company is reputable and well known adding that its officials were part of a ministerial delegation that flew from Moscow to Khartoum recently.

However he admitted that the gold reserves figures may have been inflated.

"The figures put forward by the company about gold reserves may be 100% or 50% accurate," Hamid said.

The Sudanese official recalled that there were also skeptics when Sudan announced the discovery of oil in the late 90's.

The chairman of Siberian mining company Vladimir Jakov said in an interview with al-Sudani newspaper on Monday that he personally has a 99% stake in the company along with a Sudanese partner whom he declined to name.

Jakov pointed out that he suffered “irreparable” damage from the skeptical talk about the company in terms of his bank dealings and reputation in Russia and abroad.

He said that there is confusion and mix-up between the parent company which he named as Golden Stone Vasilievsky Rudnik Mine Siberian For Mining Company LTD that is based in Russia.

He said that Siberian is the Sudanese subsidiary of the parent company and officially registered in Sudan adding that they spent about $10 million in geological research.

The pro-government Sudan Vision newspaper said that the group was owned by the Russian government till it was sold to the private sector in 1993 after it tumbled due to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

It further said that it was bought by the current investors and Jakov who led the company to become strong again and he was awarded the order of achievement by president Putin in 2004 himself for his role in lifting the company again.

(ST)