Africa

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Italian government has granted 600,000Euros to fund a food and nutrition project in eastern Sudan which will be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Photo of a Beja tribesman in eastern Sudan (Jeffrey GettlemanThe New York Times)

In a statement released on Thursday 3 September, the Italian Development Cooperation office in Khartoum said the project will address to the food and nutrition needs of rural families in areas affected by natural disasters in Kassala and Red Sea states.

"The Integrated Food Security and Livelihoods Project (IFSLP) will target 7.500 households (45.000 people) from four localities, including Telkok and Rural Aroma in Kassala State, and Sinkat and Derdub in Red Sea State," said a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

“The rural poor in Eastern Sudan, particularly in Red Sea State, are not among the communities targeted for humanitarian funding under Sudan's Humanitarian Response Plan, despite the protracted crises that they face,” said Abdi Jama, head of FAO office in Sudan.

The project will introduce climate-smart agriculture technologies to transform and reorient agricultural system to support food security in the two states which are affected by the climate change.

"These activities are designed to increase access to local food by boosting agricultural and livestock production, which is an important way to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition for local families and communities" said the statement.

The Italian Development Cooperation has focused its interventions in Eastern Sudan since the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 and implemented several health and rural development projects..

“We are aware of the critical situation in the Kassala and Red Sea States. This is the reason why strengthening the livelihoods of rural communities is a priority for the Italian Development Cooperation. We are happy to deepen the collaboration with FAO to fight food insecurity and malnutrition in Eastern Sudan,” says Italian Ambassador to Sudan, Fabrizio Lobasso.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's minister of finance, Badr al-Din Mahmoud, said the visit of president Omer al-Bashir to China has set a solid ground for a new breakthrough in relations between the two countries particularly with regards to the economic aspects.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, September 1, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Parker Song)

Bashir and his accompanying delegation including ministers of foreign affairs, oil and transport among others arrived in China on Monday to participate in celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Mahmoud told the official news agency (SUNA) on Saturday that the agreements signed with the Chinese government would contribute positively to the mobilization of the Sudanese economy.

He said that he discussed with his Chinese counterpart ways for trade, economic and financial dealings between the two nations, saying China will offer new preferential loans that would be allocated to increasing production and exports.

The Sudanese minister disclosed they agreed to promote banking cooperation between the two countries and to use the Yuan in settling financial transactions and scheduling Sudan's debts.

He pointed that a joint committee would convene in Khartoum soon to discuss ways for economic cooperation between the two countries.

Mahmoud added that the Chinese leadership is keen to push forward cooperation in gas and oil besides addressing Sudan's debts through increasing production particularly in the oil domain.

He revealed that they agreed to establish a joint maritime line company, saying the foundations of the partnership would be set during the coming few days.

“Also among the gains achieved during the visit [of Bashir] was the agreement to buy new trains [from China] and to maintain the broke trains,” he added.

Mahmoud further stressed they completed the agreement pertaining to financing the rail road linking Port Sudan to Ed Damazin besides linking Sudan to Ethiopia.

China has been Sudan's largest foreign investor particularly in oil and telecommunications after western firms shunned the East African nation due to conflicts and sanctions.

HIRE-PURCHASE OF SHIPS AND PLANES

Meanwhile, the Sudanese minister said they agreed with China to lease seven ships and two aircrafts through the hire-purchase.

“The two planes would remain registered under the name of the Chinese company until the ownership is being transferred to Sudan airways,” he said.

He pointed the ships and the aircrafts will arrive in Sudan within a few days accompanied by technical teams.

Mahmoud added that an agricultural agreement covering areas of agricultural technology and manufacturing has been signed during the visit, stressing it would promote agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
“It [the agreement] would positively impact on increasing production and productivity for some important crops,” he said.

The minister pointed out that the understandings with the Chinese side covered industrial cooperation in the various fields besides the continuation of cooperation in the mining sector and the establishment of a free-trade zone in the Red Sea.

“Security and military industry cooperation would push forward relations between the two nations,” he added.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - A group from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) affiliated with Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Saturday has blocked the main road linking Khartoum state to the Northern state for several hours and looted passengers' property.

RSF troops in camouflage and draped with ammunition show off the spoils from a major clash with the rebel (JEM), in Nyala 13 May 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that RSF on Saturday morning blocked the highway near Al-Gaili oil refinery, 25 kilometres north of Khartoum, adding they forced the vehicles to stop and stole passengers' property.

The same eyewitnesses said that a police patrol unit passed by the incident's scene but was unable to confront the RSF, stressing the heavily armed militiamen continued to disrupt the traffic for several hours without intervention from any government authority.

They added that the angry RSF also attacked restaurants and shops near Al-Gaili area and embarked on looting their property and merchandise without being stopped by any party.

The Sudanese government didn't comment on the incident.

RSF continued to block roads and loot passengers' property whenever the government fails to pay their financial accruals.

Late last year, the militiamen also blocked the same road to protest against the delay in the payment of their monthly salaries.

The RSF, which is widely known as the Janjaweed militias, were originally mobilized by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2003.

The militia was reactivated and restructured again in August 2013 under the command of NISS to fight the alliance of rebel groups from Darfur region, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states following joint attacks in North and South Kordofan in April 2013.

(ST)

September 5, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's army chief of staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, on Saturday requested the United Nations and United States of America to monitor the permanent ceasefire till regional countries set up a military observers' team.

In this photo taken Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, a government soldier stands in the oil-rich town of Malakal (Photo AP)

The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) said the UN and U.S. can monitor the declared by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar ten days ago but both sides continue to trade accusations of violations without being verified by independent monitors.

“The SPLA called upon the members of the international community, particularly the UN and the U.S. to provide a joint monitoring and verification mechanism,” the SPLA spokesperson Col. Philip Aguer, told reporters when he read a statement signed by Gen. Malong in Juba on Saturday.

“This interim joint monitoring and verification from the UN and U.S. will help fill the gap created by IGAD compromise peace agreement,” said Aguer.

President Kiir signed the agreement on August 26, nine days after his former vice-president turned rebel leader Machar and former detainees leader Pagan Amum inked the agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

On 27 August President Kiir who was followed by Machar a day later, declared a permanent ceasefire. But both sides continue to accuse each of carrying out attacks.

The SPLA said the rebels attacked military ships travelling to Juba to Malakal this week, denying claims that they carried out attacks on the rebel positions.

“It is worth stating clearly that these ships left Juba before the peace was signed and never attacked any rebel held area along the way,” said Aguer.

“By the time the President signed the agreement, the ship had already covered more than 80% of the journey from Juba to Malakal,” he added.

The SPLA chief described the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediated peace document as “flawed” when it comes to the creation of the ceasefire monitoring and verification team.

“It is therefore important that this gap is closed by having an interim monitoring mechanism in place,” the statement added.

"The existing IGAD MVM shall transition to become the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), responsible for reporting on the progress of the implementation of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements (PCTSA); says the peace deal.

It further provides that the CTSAMM shall be chaired by a representative of IGAD, adding that representatives from the warring parties and South Sudanese parties and civil society groups as well as the AU, China, EU, Troika, and UNMISS, shall participate in the monitoring mechanism.

SPOILERS OF PEACE

The SPLA did not blame the SPLM-in-opposition led by Machar but pointed an accusing finger at the splinter rebel commanders that declared defection from the mainstream rebel group.

“There are spoilers of peace and it is a well unknown fact that part of the rebels of Riek Machar publicly said they will not honour the agreement,” said Aguer.

The SPLA calls upon those groups to join the IGAD mediation o address their grievances and give peace a chance,” he added.

(ST)

September 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese political forces participating in the national dialogue on Friday admitted that the internal political process will not meet the expected success without the participation of the armed opposition groups.

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

The ruling National Congress Party (NCP), the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) of Hassan al-Turabi rejected an African Union plan aiming to bring the holdout rebel and political groups to participate in the national dialogue through the organization of a preparatory meeting outside Sudan on the matters related to the process.

"The non-participation of armed movements will hamper efforts to achieve the desired success," said the chairman of the National Democratic Forum and member of dialogue coordination body Faisal Yassen who pointed to "the need to hold the pre-dialogue conference".

"We do not mind even if the preparatory conference is held in (the rebel stronghold of) Kauda" which is the capital of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) controlled areas in South Kordofan.

"We are not afraid of the preparatory conference," he further stressed.

The Sudanese government says the dialogue should be prepared and held by Sudanese inside the country without foreign intervention, arguing that previous initiatives didn't bring peace or stability to Sudan and the international community didn't implement its pledge in support of the signed deals.

The president Omer al-Bashir further accused Western countries of supporting rebel and opposition groups and using it to topple his regime.

But observers say the government is confusing the Sudanese street by insisting on its international isolation and the imposed international sanctions despite the secession of South Sudan.

Further, the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi refuted the government refusal of international participation in the dialogue process saying they just want through the pre-dialogue meeting to end war and to agree on the confidence building measures creating a healthy environment for the internal process.

Speaking in a talk show at Radio Omdurman, Yassen said the dialogue body will meet the diplomatic foreign missions in Khartoum to brief them on the ongoing preparations for the dialogue which is scheduled for 10 October.

He also said they are ready to meet the armed groups and al-Mahdi stressing on the need to involve him in the political process saying his NUP cannot be ignored.

Yassen said the last August communiqué of the Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) which insists on the need for the pre-dialogue meeting, is "not entirely negative".

The problem of absence disturbs school systems and ends in the students' dropping out of school.

However, a leading member of the National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP), Ahmed Fadel who co-signed the famous 5 September agreement with the AU High Level Implementation Panel on the national dialogue said the African roadmap "opens the door for foreign intervention".

Fadel further called on the government to "urgently undertake diplomatic initiatives to address the risks of the AUPSC decision and to cut the road for such initiatives".

NLJP leader Tijani al-Sissi last Wednesday criticised the AUPSC's decision on the national dialogue and accused the African body of interfering in Sudan's internal affairs.

(ST)

The United Nations envoy facilitating efforts to restore peace in Libya said today that real progress was being made as the participants wrapped-up the latest round of the political dialogue process, which has been taking place in Geneva.

Wrapping up a four-day mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Kyung-wha Kang, called strongly today for creative ways to reignite donor engagement and ensure that one of the world’s most protracted crises does not “fall off the humanitarian radar.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Major General Muhammad Tayyab Azam of Pakistan as the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

A lack of funding in Sudan could have serious repercussions on the ground, the World Food Programme (WFP) said today, warning that the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, which serves as a vital aid link in the country, needs nearly $10 million to remain operational.

The human rights situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is far better than it was at the height of the conflict in late 2013 and early 2014, but is still a cause of anxiety for both the country’s own inhabitants and the United Nations, the world body’s human rights chief said today.

Hissène Habré Trial to Resume

(Dakar, September 4, 2015) – The trial of the former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré on charges of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and torture will begin in earnest on September 7, 2015.

Expand Share The long-awaited trial of Hissène Habré, was adjourned almost as soon as it was opened, as an outburst from the former dictator of Chad caused a scene in the courtroom.

When the landmark trial before the Extraordinary African Chambers in the Senegal court system formally opened on July 20, Habré had to be removed from court after an outburst. Habré’s lawyers then refused to appear and the trial was adjourned, giving new court-appointed lawyers time to study the case.  

“After 25 years of campaigning and 45 days waiting patiently, the survivors will finally get their day in court,” said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch who has worked with the victims since 1999. “Hissène Habré may try to create more disturbances, but he does not get a veto on whether he should be tried, or if the victims get justice.”

Habré has refused to communicate with the court-appointed lawyers, and it is expected that he will try to have them taken off the case. The president of the court, Gberdao Gustave Kam, has made clear, however, that in keeping with Senegalese law and international practice, the lawyers are needed to safeguard the rights of the accused and the integrity of the proceedings.

Habre is accused of tens of thousands of political killings as well as systematic torture during his rule, from 1982 to 1990. The trial is the first in the world in which the courts of one country prosecute the former ruler of another for alleged human rights crimes.

Habré is standing trial before the Extraordinary African Chambers in the Senegal court system. The chambers were inaugurated by Senegal and the African Union in February 2013 to prosecute the “person or persons” most responsible for international crimes committed in Chad between 1982 and 1990, the period when Habré ruled Chad. Judge Kam, of Burkina Faso, president of the Trial Chamber, will hear the case along with two senior Senegalese judges.

The trial is expected to last two months, with about 100 witnesses and victims expected to testify.

“If I get a chance to look Hissène Habré in the face, I will do it without fear,” said Fatimé Sakine, 53, a secretary who was subjected to electroshocks and beatings during 15 months in prison from 1984 to 1986 and who is in Dakar for the trial. “I want to know why we were kept rotting, why so many of my friends were tortured and killed.”

“This case is a milestone in the fight to hold the perpetrators of atrocities accountable for their crimes, in Africa and in the world,” Brody said. “It's taken many years, and many twists and turns, but in the end a group of tenacious survivors have shown that it was possible to bring their dictator to justice.” 

Topic

• International Justice
• Torture

• Français

(Dakar, le 4 septembre 2015) – Le procès de l'ancien dictateur tchadien Hissène Habré, poursuivi pour crimes contre l'humanité, crimes de guerre et torture va reprendre pour de bon le 7 septembre 2015.

Expand Share Les deux premières journées mouvementées du procès de l'ex-dictateur du Tchad Hissène Habré, à Dakar, avant son ajournement jusqu'au 7 septembre.

Lorsque le procès historique devant les Chambres africaines extraordinaires au sein des juridictions sénégalaises s'est officiellement ouvert le 20 juillet, Habré a dû être sorti du tribunal après avoir déclenché des échauffourées. Ses avocats ont ensuite refusé de venir à l’audience et le procès a été ajourné pour donner aux nouveaux avocats commis d’office le temps de prendre connaissance du dossier.

 « Après une lutte de 25 ans et après avoir patiemment attendu 45 jours, les survivants vont enfin pouvoir se faire entendre devant un tribunal », a déclaré Reed Brody, conseiller juridique à Human Rights Watch, qui travaille avec les victimes depuis 1999. « Hissène Habré peut toujours essayer de provoquer d’autres perturbations, il ne dispose pas d’un veto sur l'opportunité de son jugement ou sur le droit des victimes à obtenir justice. »

Habré a refusé de communiquer avec les avocats commis d'office et il est presque certain qu’il essaiera de les récuser. Le président de la Cour, Gberdao Gustave Kam, a cependant clairement indiqué que conformément au droit sénégalais et à la pratique internationale, les avocats sont nécessaires à la sauvegarde des droits de l’accusé et au bon déroulement de la procédure.

Habré est accusé de dizaines de milliers d’assassinats politiques et de torture systématique sous son régime entre 1982 et 1990. Avec le procès de Hissène Habré, pour la première fois, les tribunaux d’un État jugent l’ancien dirigeant d’un autre État pour des supposées violations de droits humains.

Habré est jugé par les Chambres africaines extraordinaires au sein des juridictions sénégalaises pour crimes contre l’humanité, torture et crimes de guerre. Ces Chambres ont été inaugurées par le Sénégal et l’Union africaine en février 2013 afin de poursuivre « le ou les principaux responsables » des crimes internationaux commis au Tchad entre 1982 et 1990, quand Hissène Habré était au pouvoir. Le président Kam, du Burkina Faso, siégera aux cotés de deux juges sénégalais expérimentés.

Le procès devrait durer deux mois, au cours desquels environ 100 témoins et victimes sont attendus à la barre.

« Si on me donne la possibilité de regarder Hissène Habré dans les yeux, je le ferai, et je n’aurai pas peur », a déclaré Fatimé Sakine, une secrétaire âgée de 53 ans qui a été torturée par électrochocs et battue pendant les 15 mois qu’elle a passés en détention de 1984 à 1986. « Je veux savoir pourquoi on nous a laissé pourrir en prison, pourquoi mes amis ont été torturés et tués. »

« Cette affaire est un tournant dans la lutte pour que les auteurs d’atrocités rendent compte de leurs crimes, en Afrique et dans le monde », a déclaré Reed Brody. « Après des années de campagne et de péripéties, un groupe de survivants tenaces a montré qu’il était possible de traduire un dictateur en justice. »

Topic

• International Justice
• Torture

• English

The World Health Organization (WHO) today declared Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission after the disease had resurfaced in June, and as the country enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance, the number of cases in the rest of West Africa remained stable at three for the fifth consecutive week.

United Nations staff in the Central African Republic (CAR) learned on 30 August that a girl was allegedly sexually abused around a year ago by a member of the French military force there, known as Sangaris, according to the world body’s human rights chief.

As the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda opened today, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict said that it served as a powerful reminder to military leaders accused of similar acts that justice will ultimately prevail.

Residents at the Kakuma refugee camp in north-western Kenya will soon be able to buy charcoal produced in an environmentally-friendly way by local farmers as part of an innovative new alliance between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and MasterCard to support small farmers and poor families.

The United Nations Security Council today renewed an arms embargo on non-State actors in Liberia for nine months while terminating other sanctions on the country, including a travel ban and asset freeze on those deemed a danger to its stability.

“Tangible” results have been achieved for a political deal in Libya, but concrete solutions to the conflict will only be reached when all parties agree on a final draft, the United Nations envoy facilitating efforts to restore peace in the North African country said today.

September 01, 2015 (WASHINGTON/JUBA) - The United States has condemned the recent fighting in parts of South Sudan's Jonglei and Upper Nile states, warning that any of the parties violating the recently signed peace agreement would “face consequences”.

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

Both the government and the armed opposition faction have traded accusations of ceasefire violations, days after declaring a permanent ceasefire after last week's signing of the peace accord.

Mark Toner, the deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, said Monday that the recent ceasefire declarations by the government of South Sudan and the opposition, ordering all forces to cease military operations on 29 August, were welcomed as a step toward implementation of the agreement that now binds South Sudan's two warring parties.

“However, recent fighting by forces on both sides runs contrary to those orders and the terms of the peace agreement,” said Toner.

“We call on all parties to immediately cease provocative action and hostile engagement, and to further develop security arrangements at the planned security workshop starting September 5,” he stressed.

The US government, Toner further said, would work with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) partners to pursue, as needed, sanctions as authorised by UNSC resolution 2206. He, however, added that Washington would continue to stand with those who choose peace and are committed to faithful implementation of the agreement.

TRADING ACCUSATIONS

The South Sudanese military spokesman, Colonel Philip Aguer, told reporters on Monday that government forces were attacked by the armed opposition fighters in parts of Unity and Upper Nile states.

But the newly-appointed military spokesperson for the rebels, Col. William Gatjiath Deng, said the opposition forces came under separate attacks from government forces in Upper Nile and Unity states.

“The government troops attacked our forces in Tonga county [Upper Nile state] this late afternoon [Monday]. One of the government's barges has been burned by our forces and the fighting is still going on now,” Deng said in a statement on Monday.

Deng accused army of carrying out military offensives, despite a peace deal.

“We want to inform the people of South Sudan that government is sabotaging the implementation of the peace deal,” he stressed.

The rebel spokesperson called on the IGAD-Plus, African Union and the international community to investigate the continued violation of the ceasefire by government forces.

(ST)

September 01, 2015 (JUBA) – The governor of South Eastern Equatoria state, Louis Lobong has called on citizens to fully support the recently-signed peace deal between government and the armed opposition faction led by former vice president Riek Machar.

Eastern Equatoria state Governor Louis Lobong speaks at an event in Torit, March 2, 2012 (ST/Ijjo Bosco)

Speaking during a public rally held in the state capital, Torit on Tuesday, Lobong equally urged the population to welcome members of the armed opposition faction and forgive them for mistakes committed.

Lobong said the recently-signed compromise peace deal apportions 15% of state government positions to opposition parties.

We are waiting for the implementation of the democratic reforms in the signed peace deal to benefit all parties in the country, he said.

The governor, however, revealed that state political parties have been excluded from the power sharing agreement at state levels, but would be involved at the national level.

Lobong, also the ruling party chairperson in the state, further disclosed a meeting would soon be convened under his leadership to discuss so as to ensure other political parties are also represented.

“We shall not only want those who have taken arms and have chosen undemocratic means to be rewarded, but also those parties that have remained within the country and are sorting democratic channel, not to be punished,” he told the rally in the capital, Torit.

According to the governor, those who choose violence to attain power cannot be rewarded at the expense of agitators for peace.

William Odingila, the representative of political parties in the state, said they were ready to offer better alternatives of the government.

He urged the citizens to prepare for elections due in three year and ensure they voted wisely for those who will deliver services to them.

“We have given the SPLM [Sudan People's Liberation Movement] a length of time and it's only the SPLM that is fighting for leadership. This time, may one of the political parties also try to lead this country and we see if there is going to be a wrangle”, said Odingila.

Hundreds of Eastern Equatoria state community members, including, cabinet members, lawmakers, women and school children graced the rally at the Freedom Square in Torit.

(ST)