Sudan Tribune

January 1, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudanese celebrated the New Year quietly without reports of large scale violence, resulting in appreciation of successful security efforts.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit (R) joins the congregation during Christmas prayers at Kator church in Juba, South Sudan. Dec 25, 2010 (Photo: Larco Lomoyat)

Security in Juba was ramped up with deployment of the army, national security service officers and the country's police throughout the capital city.

People turned out late into the night in large numbers in Juba and went to various locations for parties.Importantly, no celebratory gunshots were fired in Juba following orders from Bilpam that it will clamp down hard on rogues.

In Torit, Bentiu, Bor, Malakal, Yei, Yambio, Wau, Maridi and Renk all was quiet.

Last week, the South Sudanese army in collaboration with different security organs have beefed security, setting up check points, searching and seizing illicit weapons from those carrying them without permission.

Acting SPLA spokesperson,Dominic Santo, described the exercise as a disarmament campaign in Juba to recover illegal weapons and to boost security situation in the capital before New Year's celebrations.

The measure comes in the wake of escalating insecurity and rampant killings and clashes between government forces and armed bandits at night in the city, which have led to several deaths since Dec. 2013.

“The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) with other members of organized forces has begun an operation of collecting illegal firearms from civilians in Juba,” said Santo.

He said they believe there is a huge amount of illegal firearms in the wrong hands in the city, which has seen a rise in robberies and attacks from armed bandits.

The army will not hesitate to use “necessary force” if necessary, he stressed

(ST)

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

The reader shouldn't believe that we are in this window in an attempt to cite the poetry of the famous English poet and novelist William Shakespeare in any way. Nevertheless, some racing thoughts occurred from the position where they have been trapped making me taking this approach in the opening of this article. There seems to be something in the air as we near the turn of the year 2016, which the winter chill can't quite dispel!

The NCP regime President Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir threatened and made an ultimatum of putting an end to rebellion by the end of December 2016 by force unless the rebels came endorsing and signing the outcomes of the National Dialogue; the rebel groups continue demanding justice and equality in power and wealth sharing in Sudan without marginalising any Sudanese community while the International Community keeps lip service based on intersecting interests of respective countries with the despotic entity in Khartoum. But the real question is what will move Sudan closer to lasting peace?! The answer abstains tight lipped! In other words, the answer to those questions remains under wraps of the eternal oblivion! Since that is that, who would put the bell around the Lion's Neck, borrowing from the folklore Wisdom gleaned from traditional animal stories.

The ruler of the NCP regime Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir has continued to threaten the armed rebel movements with doom and gloom and annihilating them by the time he tended calling 'the hot summer' unless .they give up armed rebellion, surrender and enter into a peace process he prescribed without any concessions. It is worth noting that the rebel factions took up arms more than a decade ago regarding the issue of the people of Sudan in Darfur.

Moreover, the regime of the NCP-led by the genocidal criminal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir decided to take the Janjaweed militias who have already carried out the crimes of genocide in Darfur, as new notorious proxy war tools and renamed for camouflage the Rapid Support Force (RSF) led by a former criminal mugger and armed robber, now being promoted to the rank of a Major General, similarly to the Major General in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). However, the loyalty of this militia falls under the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and has nothing to do with the (SAF). It is a known fact that NISS, which is the Intelligence and Security Services, its first and last allegiance is to Omar al-Bashir who generously bestows unlimited amounts of money from the Sudanese public purse. The reported figure amounts to four times the budget allocated for Education both Public and higher education and about six times the health budget. The total budget allocated for the (RSF) amounted to 3 billion and 220 million Sudanese pounds to support the Janjaweed militia forces. The RSF operates throughout Sudan including the Far Nilotic regions besides Darfur, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile Ingessana and Sudanese-Libyan borders. Furthermore, and as it is well known that the European Union (EU) had paid a large sum of money to the regime of the NCP to fight illegal immigration coming from the Horn of Africa through Sudan and then to Libya to EU countries. The money paid by the European Union was estimated as 100 million Euros. That amount of money has been transferred to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by former Janjaweed militia commander Mohammed Hamdan, better known as “Hamitti”. Moreover, the ruling regime of the NCP suffered from institutionalized corruption which led to bankruptcy and the accumulated foreign debt which made Omer al-Bashir survive on begging and engage in mercenary warfare in which Sudan participated in the Saudi Arabia led war in Yemen, code-named Operation Decisive Storm. What was referred to above indicates without doubt that the genocidal criminal fugitive from international justice and the global pariah , Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir has taken wars as tools for survival, and as well as his character of advocating warlike policies becoming a warmonger par excellence. Omer al-Bashir remains responsible for waging civil wars of attrition against the Sudanese civilian population in the region of Darfur since February 2003 and followed by warfare in the two territories of South Kordofan or Nuba Mountains along with his never-ending war in Ingessana of South Blue Nile State. Worse to come is that Omer al-Bashir and his regime besides warmongering, he is famous for reneging covenants he concluded and signed with parties in dispute. This trait of revoking peace agreements signed caused prolongation of the civil wars in Sudan. Ndjamena and Abeche in Chad, Abuja in Nigeria and Doha in the Gulf State of Qatar where peace agreements signed but reneged by the NCP regime, remain witnesses. Other obstacles to peace in Sudan include the NCP delegation to Addis Ababa. In spite of the acceptance of the armed opposition to go to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa shuttling the round trip to attend the meetings, which the former South African president Thabo Mbeki, the pro-Bashir regime, calls for did not succeed because the National Congress Party (NCP) delegation did neither has the desire nor the authority or mandate to enter into real serious negotiations leading to sustainable peace to resolve the intractable issues of Sudan.

Besides igniting the senseless civil wars of attrition ruling regime of Omar al-Bashir imposes repressive draconian laws against all kinds of freedoms in the country, such as freedoms of speech, press and assembly and peaceful protest where the security services – NISS- arbitrarily arrests opposition members in the political parties and activists and placing in prisons and subject them to the oppression and torture. The massacre of September 2013 when the NCP riot forces killed in cold blood more than 200 peaceful protestors in Sudan stands vividly as a witness to the insistence of Omar al-Bashir adherent to the principle of shoot to kill using live ammunition anyone who dares to oppose the arbitrary and failed policies of his regime. The Sudanese people who famed for initiating uprising and ousting dictatorial regimes in 1964 and 1985 are capable to bring about political change again. The three-day public political event planned from 27 to 29 November 2016 under the banner of ‘Civil Disobedience' proved success. It was followed by another similar event on Monday December 19, 2016 to coincide with the 61st Anniversary of the Declaration of the Independence of Sudan from within the Parliament on Monday 19 December 1955. It is noteworthy that Abdulrahman Mohamed Ibrahim Dabaka, Member of the Parliament and Deputy for the Nyala Baggara Electoral Constituency was the first who proposed Sudan's independence from the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium from inside the Parliament.

Omar al-Bashir and his regime are in the belief that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would ensure the survival of his ruling of Sudan and continue in power forever protecting him from apprehension by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and subjects him to trial at The Hague on the background of the heinous crimes his regime committed against the people of Sudan in Darfur. It is worth mentioning that Marshal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir admitted that he only killed ten thousand and not three hundred thousand citizens as claimed by the enemies of Sudan.

The Sudanese people represented in their various components and in their political affiliations and segments need to acknowledge the fact that the genocidal criminal Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir will not give up power in Sudan as long as the ghost of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague continues haunting him. Furthermore, of the tricks and plots that Omar al-Bashir woven to distract the Sudanese people from the important issues that concern them, preoccupy their minds and prolong his stay in office ruling Sudan forever. In order to achieve that end, al-Bashir announced the so-called national dialogue or Wathba, at the beginning of 2014. Wathba turned out to be a series that has no end. The outputs of the ‘National Dialogue' proved devoid of the dialogue liabilities longed to by the Sudanese people. Worse, the final conference of the Wathba at the Friendship Palace in Khartoum in October 2016 renewed the term of office for Omer al-Bashir to rule Sudan until the year 2020! And thereby the elephant generated a rat, as the saying goes!

Mehmet Murat ildan (MMI), the Contemporary Turkish Novelist & Playwright, Thinker), Member of the International PEN Writers was quoted as saying “There is no difference between a rabid dog and a warmonger!” http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3164882.Mehmet_Murat_ildan

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/

December 31, 2016 (JUBA) - Civil servants in South Sudan say they face numerous challenges including expulsion, suspension without pay or voluntarily quitting work due to low pay.

South Sudanese citizens exchange money at the bank (Reuters)

Government employees receive between 300 South Sudanese Pound (SSP) for grade 17 and 3,000 SSP for senior directors as monthly wages. Private members of the police, army and other organised forces gets lower than $15 monthly.

The South Sudanese Pound (SSP) lost about 80% of its value since December 2015 when the government allowed free floating exchange rate regime, effectively increasing prices of basic commodities in the market.

"I receive 1,500 SSP monthly and that can barely purchase a 50kg bag of flour for my family," said Denis Loro, a national government employee.

A 50kg bag of maize flour costs 2,000 SSP or more in Juba. Loro must, however, travel from his home to work daily, paying 20 SSP for two ways or 400 SSP for a month.

"That transport expenditure does not include my feeding and that of my family and the salary is not paid on time," he added.

Loro is one of thousands of South Sudanese whose earning has diminished due to high inflation. Government employees only receive salaries for November in December. Others have not been paid for October, November and December 2016.

"With this host of problems, you are required to go to work everyday and if you fail to report to work, your salary will deduced or you are fired from work," said a ministry of interior employee, declining to reveal his name.

He said many workers had their salaries "detained" by senior management for reporting to all for only two to three days.

"They would say your salary is detained until you explain you never came to work," he added.

Government employees had their salaries increased by 300% in February 2016 but the inflation out compete the pay rise.

"One has to choose to quit the job voluntarily because your earning does not help your family or the government may fire you for not reporting to work daily," said James Duang, also a government employee.

Duang said the choice is hard to mark but the economic is taking the toll.

Economists say ending the war in the world's youngest nation would help revive the economy beside increasing the oil production in Upper Nile and Unity States.

(ST)

December 1, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President, Salva Kiir is due to visit the country's main prison next week.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir waits for the arrival of his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta, in Juba on May 23, 2013. (Photo Reuters)

Kiir, sources told Sudan Tribune, will in his first ever visit to the prison meet Juba Central Prison authorities as well as inmates, less than a week after his deputy James Wani Igga made a similar visit.

Igga had earlier informed Juba prison authorities about the president's consideration of granting amnesty for several inmates imprisoned for various offenses across the country.

The move, he added, was part of efforts by the South Sudan leader to implement the national dialogue initiative.

Observers, however, say for the president to personally go to prison as promised, sends a strong message to skeptics who doubt the success of the dialogue initiative.

The president, they argued, is now mostly likely to win over so many people who doubt his dialogue initiative by giving his visit to the nation's central prison a symbolic significance.

Under Article 101 (H) of South Sudan's Transitional Constitution 2011, the President has the authority to “confirm death sentences, grant pardons, and remit convictions or penalties according to this Constitution and the law”.

The President, under Article 5.2.16 of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), has powers to “Confirm death sentences, grant pardons, and commute convictions and penalties in accordance with the law.”

By visiting the detention facility, the president would have taken a giant step forward in his efforts to reach out to South Sudanese in the new spirit of national dialogue.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (ED-DAEIN) - Security authorities on Saturday have arrested three gunmen accused of killing a resident and injuring a police officer in Al-Fardous locality, some 60 kilometers south of Ed-Daein, East Darfur state capital.

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Saturday that “four masked gunmen attempted to carjack an ambulance coming to the hospital in Al-Fardous locality to transport a patient to Ed-Daein hospital”.

He added that the perpetrators failed to carjck the ambulance following fierce resistance from the police officer, saying the latter sustained serious wounds while a son of a medical assistant working at the hospital was killed.

The same witness pointed the security services have apprehended three of the gunmen, saying the search is ongoing for the fourth perpetrator.

According to the witness, the incident caused widespread discontent among residents because it comes after the long periods of calm and stability in the area.

In a separate incident, unknown gunmen on Thursday killed a cattle trader in Abu Jabra area, 25 kilometers east of Ed-Daein and fled to an unknown destination.

Security conditions in East Darfur have recently witnessed remarkable improvement following fierce clashes between Ma'alia and Rizeigat tribes that claimed dozens of lives.

(ST)

December 30, 2016 (RUMBEK) – Authorities in South Sudan's Western Lakes state have formed a joint military taskforce to crackdown on highway robbers along Rumbek highway.

They forces, officials told Sudan Tribune, are fully mandated to shoot anybody carrying illegal firearms on the highway.

The decision was reportedly reached as part of efforts by intellectuals from the state, backed up by area lawmakers, to ensure the new state is free from illegal firearms.

The Western Lakes state local government minister, Benjamin Makuer Mabor was tasked to execute what intellectuals and legislators resolved during their meeting.

“Shoot anybody carrying illegal firearms – let him/her put down the gun or shoot him/her to death,” partly reads a resolution from the meeting.

Rumbek, the Western Lakes state capital, has witnessed several highway robberies with authorities blaming it on nomadic pastoralists who often move with illegal firearms.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Saturday has declared extension of the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for one month, disclosing that a higher committee would be established to draft a permanent constitution for the country.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as “Two Areas” since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

Last June, al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities in the Two Areas. In October, he extended the ceasefire for a two-month period, and renewed call to the armed and political opposition groups to join the internal national dialogue process.

In his address on the occasion of Sudan's 61st Independence Day, al-Bashir declared “the extension of ceasefire, except in the case of self-defence, for one month in order to make the holdout opposition think positively to join the dialogue”.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in October extended for six months the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile and south Kordofan they declared in October 2015 and April of this year.

Following six days of talks in Addis Ababa last August, the armed movements and the government failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access in Darfur and the Two Areas prompting the African Union mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

Al-Bashir further underscored his government commitment to implement the outcome of the national dialogue, saying the dialogue's doors are still open for the opposition to sign the National Document.

He disclosed that a higher committee to draft the permanent constitution would be formed during the coming few days, saying the constitution will be approved by an elected parliament.

The Sudanese President denied that the dialogue coordination body known as 7+7 was dissolved; saying new members have been added to it in order to follow up on the implementation of the dialogue recommendations.

Since January 2014, al-Bashir has been leading a national dialogue process whose stated aims are to resolve the armed conflicts, achieve political freedoms, alleviate poverty and the economic crisis, and address the national identity crisis.

Last October, the political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn't agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudanese army in collaboration with different security organs have beefed security, setting up check points, searching and seizing illicit weapons from those carrying them without permission.

Acting SPLA spokesperson,Dominic Santo, described the exercise as a disarmament campaign in Juba to recover illegal weapons and to boost security situation in the capital before New Year's celebrations.

The measure comes in the wake of escalating insecurity and rampant killings and clashes between government forces and armed bandits at night in the city, which have led to several deaths since Dec. 2013.

“The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) with other members of organized forces has begun an operation of collecting illegal firearms from civilians in Juba,” said Col. Santo.

He said they believe there is a huge amount of illegal firearms in the wrong hands in the city, which has seen a rise in robberies and attacks from armed bandits.

The army will not hesitate to use “necessary force” if necessary, he stressed.

(ST)

December 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - South Sudanese Petroleum Minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkouth Sunday arrived in Khartoum for talks with his Sudanese counterpart on the oil transit fees, as result of the collapse of oil prices.

In August 2013, South Sudan agreed to pay to Khartoum $9.10 for the oil produced in Upper Nile state and $11 for that of Unity region. Also Juba agreed to pay the Transitional Financial Assistance (TFA) to the average of the agreed oil transportation fees.

Despite the rise in oil prices recently to over $54 for the barrel, they remain far from the over 100 dollar per barrel when the two countries signed the oil deal in 2013.

Leading a delegation including officials from South Sudan central bank, finance and oil ministry, and the Nilepet, Gatkouth is expected to sign an new agreement Monday.

The official news agency SUNA reported that oil Minister Mohamed Zayed Awad held a meeting with the visiting minster to discuss the renewal of the oil agreement which will expire by the end of the year.

The visit comes after a meeting of joint technical committees chaired by the undersecretaries of oil ministries in the two countries on the review of oil fees to cope with the falling oil prices.

Minister Awad said his ministry is willing to provide Juba with all the data related to oil blocks in South Sudan. Also, he reiterated readiness to train South Sudanese oil workers.

According to SUNA, Gatkouth called to strengthen joint cooperation as they plan to resume oil production in the Unity region outside Bentinu. He added that such cooperation will benefit to the two countries.

(ST)

December 18, 2016 (PRETORIA/NAIROBI)- South Sudan rebel leader, Riek Machar has rejected President Salva Kiir's call for national dialogue in the war-torn nation, describing the move as “bogus”.

First Vice-President Riek Machar (L) and President Salva Kiir (R) listen to the national anthem following a ceremony during which Machar was sworn in on April 26, 2016. (Phot AFP/Samir Bol)

In an interview with the Associated Press (AP) from South Africa, Machar said there must be peace talks to end the civil war before any such dialogue, as announced by the president, takes place.

Last week, President Kiir announced an inclusive dialogue which he says will be led by “eminent personalities” accepted as credible, genuine and trusted by all rival parties in the young nation.

Addressing members of South Sudan's Parliament in the capital, Juba Wednesday, President Kiir asked for forgiveness for all the wrongs he could have committed.

"National dialogue in my view is both a forum and process through which the people of South Sudan can gather to redefine the basis of their unity as it relates to nationhood, and sense of belonging," said the South Sudan leader.

"In the light of national endeavor, I am calling upon all of you to forgive one another, enter dialogue with one another in your personal capacities, embrace yourself," he added.

However, although the South Sudanese leader did not mention Machar's name in the speech, he insisted that armed groups opposed to his government will be represented at grassroots level.

Tens of thousands have been killed in South Sudan's civil war, and more than a million refugees have fled the country. The United Nations recently warned that South Sudan is at risk of genocide as fighting escalates in the southern Equatoria region of the country.

DIALOGUE WELCOMED

Meanwhile, South Sudan's former political detainees have welcomed President Kiir's “belated” call for a national dialogue.

“We are happy that he has finally listened to the yearning of the people of South Sudan for dialogue and broader engagement to resolve the current conflict, heal and reconcile our nation,” Kosti Manibe, a member of the ex-detainees, said in a release.

He said meaningful dialogue will be possible if, and only if, certain principles are adhered to as has been suggested by many experts and those concerned South Sudan's current situation, citing transparency and public participation; credibility of the convener (preferably an institution with political and moral clout); the agenda to address the root causes of the conflict; clear mandate that appropriately tackles structure, rules and procedures; and agreed objectives and outcome of the dialogue.

“We encourage all the political actors and stakeholders to come up with their view on the dialogue being proposed,” said Kosti.

“In the end, our objective is to pull our country out of the present quagmire and put it back on the track of state and nation building on new basis,” he added.

(ST)

December 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Several Sudanese officials have downplayed the December 19th civil disobedience describing the general strike as “big zero” and “nonsense”.

Large segments of the Sudanese people have engaged in a three-day civil disobedience act from 27 to 29 November to protest the recent austerity measures and the lack of freedoms.

Activists have launched a wide electronic campaign to mobilize the Sudanese to engage in a second civil disobedience action on December 19th.

Opposition forces and armed groups expressed support for the general strike and called upon their affiliates to play an active role to ensure its success.

Last week, President Omer al-Bashir said his government wouldn't be overthrown by the “WhatsApp”, pointing he wouldn't hand over the country to the activists who hide behind the “keyboards”.

Sudan's Presidential Assistant and Deputy Chairman of the ruling party Ibrahim Mahmoud told reporters Sunday that “the outcome of the previous call for civil disobedience was zero and the upcoming one would be a big zero”.

He denied that his government is holding any political detainees, but he was so quick to say “that is not part of my job”.

Commenting on the recent crackdown on the press, Hamid said the authorities have the right to take all the necessary measures to maintain the security and stability if there is any security threat to the country.

The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has recently intensified crackdown on newspapers for publishing news reports and articles on the nationwide civil disobedience act which took place between 27 and 29 November. During the last three weeks, it seized copies of various dailies 23 times.

Also, the NISS launched a large arrest campaign and detained more than 40 opposition figures from the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) , National Umma Party (NUP), Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), Arab Ba'ath Party, National Alliance Forces (NAF) as well as civil society activists and journalists.

Meanwhile, vice-president Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman said the civil disobedience “wouldn't achieve anything”, calling on the youth to launch an electronic media campaign to increase production in the country.

Abdel-Rahman, who addressed the program “Youth for Production” in Khartoum on Sunday, said true independence is to achieve national will and self-sufficiency, sending a message to who he called the “saboteurs” saying you “won't be able to break our will”.

For his part, the chairman of the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) party and Health Minister, Bahar Idris Abu Garda, has criticized the opposition forces who supported the civil disobedience call, saying they are “unserious and have no political alternative”.

Commenting on the National Umma Party's (NUP) support for the general strike, the former Darfur rebel leader told reporters on Sunday that “al-Sadiq al-Mahdi has no alternative political project”, saying any person has the right to oppose or change the government through the “legitimate means”.

He called on the opposition to lay out its alternative programme first and then call for general strike, saying “any civil disobedience without an alternative programme is doomed to fail”.

On the other hand, the leader of the rebel Sudan people's liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) Malik Agar on Sunday released a short audio message where he calls on the Sudanese army and other regular forces to stand by the sudanese people and to join the general strike.

DETENTION CAMPAIGN CONTINUES

Meanwhile, the opposition forces have announced more detentions among its members across the country as the date of the civil disobedience approaches.

The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) on Sunday said the NISS arrested a number of its members in various parts of Sudan including Ahmed Hassan Ahmed in the White Nile state, Zaki Masour and Ahmed Bort in Atbara, River Nile state, Mohamed Koko and Mohanad Ramadan in Khartoum East and Mohamed Al-Tayeb in the Gazeera state.

It added the NISS has also summoned Zaineb Ahmed Abdel-Bagi, Kamal Mohamed Al-Ni'ma, Hamad Kashar and al-Amin Maarouf to its headquarters in Al-Managel, Gazeera state.

Also, the National Umma Party (NUP) on Sunday said the NISS detained its member Aymen Hamad Bakr in Al-Obayyed, North Kordofan state.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 18,2016 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ethiopian authorities said on Saturday that thousands of suspects arrested under the state of emergency decree would be freed.

Demonstrators chant slogans while flashing the Oromo protest gesture during Irreecha, the thanksgiving festival of the Oromo people, in Bishoftu town, Oromia region, Ethiopia, October 2, 2016 (Reuters Photo)

Ethiopia declared a state decree last October after anti-government protests that sparked in Oromia region over territorial, political and economic rights turned violent claiming hundreds of lives.

The command post tasked to oversee the implementation of the six-month long state emergency announced that a total of 9,800 detainees will be freed on Wednesday next week.

Those to be freed next week are among the 11,607 suspects jailed in the first round measures taken following the imposed state decree.

It said the detainees had received training ahead of planned release from detention.

At a press briefing he gave to local journalists, Ethiopian defense minster and Secretariat of the command post, Siraj Figesa, however said 2,449 individuals suspected to have been responsible in inciting and spreading the violence will come before court.

The minister further said that an additional 12,500 suspects have been arrested in second round measures which Sudan Tribune understands would bring the total figure of suspects arrested after the decree to over 24,000.

However Siraj said those second round detainees will be released after completing training might face justice based on criminal roles they had.

He added that the command post has detained 19 groups of mobsters who had been at the forefront in escalating the violence.

Since last year the horn of Africa's nation had been engulfed by unprecedented wave of violent unrest which killed at least 500 people.

The state emergency imposed in a bid to contain the violence has among others led to restrictions on movement of both citizens and diplomats, ban on internet, social medias and some news outlets.

A new report released this week based on a research conducted jointly by Amnesty international and Open Observatory Network Interference revealed that Ethiopian government has blocked access to WhatsApp and to at least 16 news outlets between June and October while tensions strain in the Oromia region.

The report added that Ethiopia's move to block social media as well as news outlet's was "illegal" and further expressed concern that the censorship might become institutionalized under the state decree.

The state emergency, country's first in about quarter a century has also gave police power to arrest and to search anyone's home without court authorization.

Last week, Ethiopia partially lifted ban on internet and access to social media.

The minister said the country has put in place a system to control individuals who attempt to incite violence via mobile internet service.

(ST)

December 18, 2016 (JUBA)- The South Sudanese army (SPLA) chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan has downplayed fears of impending genocide, describing it a work of anti-peace elements.

President Salva Kiir, (L), accompanied by army chief of staff Paul Malong Awan, (R), waves during an independence day ceremony in the capital Juba, on July 9, 2015 (Photo AP)

He said this on Friday during a military function where several military officers, who underwent training, were passed at the general headquarters in Juba.

“We are all Equal people in South Sudan, and there is nobody who is superior to others in South Sudan, we should not do things based on tribal basis, because anybody can be a leader of this country”, he said, adding that the country belongs to all the 64 tribes of South Sudan.

He cited General Joseph Lagu and Genral Gismalla Abdalla Rasas as some of the leaders who served because of the leadership abilities, but not their tribal affiliations.

The general also stressed the need to respect rules and laws of the country.

“We as South Sudanese should respect the rule of law and work for the future generation; our times have or will soon come for us to leave the power to you. You the graduates of today will be the leaders of tomorrow, so you must show good example to the people of South Sudan by doing the right things all the time regardless of where you are coming from”, he explained.

Last month, the United Nations special advisor on genocide, Adama Dieng warned that the South Sudan violence risks spiraling into genocide, urging the world body and the international community investigate grave human rights abuses in the nation.

South Sudan has been riven by ethnic violence since the eruption of armed conflict between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and forces supporting Riek Machar in December 2013 .

A peace agreement was signed in August 2015, but violence has resumed in different parts of the country since July 2016. Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced.

(ST)

December 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Sunday said the Higher Coordination Committee to Follow Up on the Implementation of the Dialogue Outcome has approved the constitutional amendments.

Members of the national dialogue general assembly and President Omer al-Bashir attend the third session of the internal process in Khartoum on August 20, 2015 (Photo AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

On October 25th, Sudanese presidency deposited new amendments to the 2005 transitional constitution with the parliament, which allow to introduce a Prime Minister post, increase the number of national MPs and adopt the name of the Government of National Concord.

NCP deputy chairman and presidential assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid on Sunday said the endorsement of the new amendments by the committee is considered a first step toward the implementation of the National Document.

For his part, member of the committee and chairman of the Federal Truth Party (FTP) Fadl al-Sid Shuaib said the powers of the Prime Minister include the approval of the policies and initiation of the budget.

He demanded that the Prime Minister should be given the full power to appoint the government and present it to the president for final approval contrary to what has been stated on the amendments endorsed by the committee.

Shuaib denied that the new amendments have concentrated power in the president's hands, saying the latter's powers are already provided for in the 2005 constitution.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) party, Bahar Idris Abu Garda, has announced his party's preliminary approval of the amendments, saying it is an urgent issue.

Also, the chairman of the deputy parliament speaker and head of the emergency committee for constitutional amendments Badria Sulieman said the studied all amendments recommended by the dialogue committees, stressing the need to amend the provision pertaining to temporary decrees to enable participation of the new MPs.

Since January 2014, Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir has been leading a national dialogue process whose stated aims are to resolve the armed conflicts, achieve political freedoms, alleviate poverty and the economic crisis, and address the national identity crisis.

Last October, the political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn't agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 18, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) –A Saudi High-level delegation Saturday concluded visit in Ethiopia where it held talks with the premier and other ministers on a range of bilateral issues.

The Saudi high level delegation led by Ahmed Alkhateeb, the senior advisor at the Royal court of the royal kingdom of Saudi Arabia and board chairman of the Saudi development fund paid visit in the horn of Africa's nation from December 14-16, 2016

The delegation's visit comes weeks after Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, paid visit to the Saudi Kingdom.

During his visit last month, Hailemariam had called on Saudi investors and business people to invest in Ethiopia.

Following discussions between the two sides last month, king of Saudi Arabia Salman Bin Abdulaziz vow to send delegation of business and investors.

Both countries then have also agreed to boost their cooperation in trade and investment and to further work jointly on peace and security in East Africa and the Middle East

Here in the capital, Addis Ababa, the Saudi high-level Saudi delegation met Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn and foreign minister Workenh Gebwyehu and five other ministers.

According to the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs, the purpose of the visit is to explore investment opportunities.

It further intends to eye the potentials of Ethiopia in the energy sector and to discuss on how to cooperate on the development of renewable energy.

The delegation expressed the interest of the government of Saudi Arabia to develop and import energy from Ethiopia.

Ethiopian minister of Livestock and fisheries, Prof Fekadu Beyene, during his discussion with the delegation called on Saudi investors to engage in livestock investment, according to Gashaw Debela, senior public relation at the ministry.

“Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa and Saudi investors could therefore be benefited more if they invest in this sector,” said Fekadu.

Ahmed Alkhateeb to his side vow that Riyadh would provide necessary support for its citizens who would invest in Ethiopia.

A Source from foreign minister on Sunday told Sudan Tribune the latest visit aimed at enhancing political, social economic ties of the two countries.

I said dozens of Saudi investors and business men have pledged to invest in Ethiopia.

Last week a Saudi delegation has requested 100,000 hectares to invest in Alfalfa plant (livestock food) integrated project and in livestock processing.

The delegation has also paid visit to the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam and discussed with project manager Engineer Simegnew Bekele on the status of the construction.

The Saudi high level delegation dispatched by the Saudi king was drawn from various sectors among others from energy, finance and industry.

(ST)

December 18, 2018 (JUBA)- Several political leaders in South Sudan have expressed a profound fear questioning the likelihood of the success of the national dialogue President Salva Kiir has announced last week, throwing into doubt the viability of the process without participation of the key and influential political leaders.

Rebel General Peter Gatdet Yaka gestures as he speaks to South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar (not seen) in a rebel controlled territory in Jonglei February 1, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Speaking in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Sunday, General Peter Gadet, one of the holdout armed opposition groups said the dialogue would not succeed because of President Kiir being the patron in addition to the venue of the dialogue.

“That dialogue is already died. Why, because the person who is part of the conflict cannot be the same person to lead such a process. President Salva is the part of the conflict and he cannot be the patron. Also the venue of the national dialogue cannot be held inside South Sudan," Gadet told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

"A real national dialogue needs to be held outside the country if all other political and military leaders are to participate in the process of the national dialogue,” he further stressed.

Last Wednesday, Kiir launched a call for national dialogue to consolidate peace in the country, as he said.

He said the dialogue process, which will be guided by "eminent personalities and people of consensus" will involve "all the people of South Sudan".

The former Western Equatoria governor also said the national dialogue has no value because fighting is still continuing in different parts of South Sudan.

Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro said in a separate interview that guns must go silence first if the dialogue is to be conducted. He also emphasized for inclusivity, stressing that successful dialogue would include participation of other political and military leaders in and outside the country.

Also, Lam Akol, chairman of the National Democratic Movement for inclusive dialogue, stressing that embarking on a new inclusive political process outside South Sudan that will provide a forum for all to thrash out the root causes of the conflict and agree on the future of the country.

“Dialogue, according to Akol, would offer a better chance for a genuine peace to be attained in South Sudan. Peace that will pave the way for reconciliation and healing and provide a conducive atmosphere for enacting a permanent constitution for the country.

Following a special meeting on South Sudan on Wednesday, the UN Human Rights Council condemned the violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the country and called on the government to put an end to widespread atrocities and bring the perpetrators of past violations to justice.

Also, the Government of South Sudan was urged to appoint a Special Representative on sexual and gender-based violence.

The head of the UN's human rights commission for South Sudan, Yasmin Sooka, also reiterated that the country risked plunging into a crisis similar to the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.

"South Sudan stands on the brink of an all-out ethnic civil war, which could destabilize the entire region," she said.

(ST)

(ST)

By Salah Shuaib

The overwhelming desire to change the miserable situations created by the Islamic regime in Sudan should not make us forget the necessity of planning for a firm democratic transition, which some expect to happen soon. One of the biggest obstacles that ended the consolidation of change after the success of the October 1964 and April 1985 revolutions was the narrow, personal and partisan agendas that prevailed then over the national ones.

Indeed, in the aftermath of the fall of these aggressive military dictatorships, our political elites focused on inheriting the two regimes' governmental assets and positions without thinking about reviewing the structure of the state itself, and subsequently these acts had clearly contributed to undermining the October and April democratic processes.

Since democratic politicians sank, during the democratic processes, in reliance on election outcomes as a means to control and then monopolize the achievement of their raw programs, major political mistakes emerged to pave the way for military officers, with an ideological background, to retake power.

Most of the Sudanese influential politicians assume that societal reform could only be achieved through political tools or procedures, such as creating a new democratic order, parties, newspapers, an election committee, and institutions that deal with judicial, executive and legislative issues. However, the real reform of the country's historically miserable situations would be essentially achieved through cultural, enlightening and educational policies.

In analyzing Sudanese politicians' discourses and behaviors, one, unfortunately, would notice that they neglect, or not realize if you will, the contributions the democratic figures had historically provided to reform Sudan with enlightened works during the democratic and authoritarian periods alike.

There are significant and magnificent legacies of a number of national reformers who have played a better role compared to top political leaders to bring us to this stage of enlightenment, in which we are now aware of the meaning of freedom and democracy, and how we should consider adopting a just and workable reform.
In fact, those national figures who have introduced enlightenment helped the country's activists now have a national sense that will inevitably make Sudan recover. Such a national sense is due to the enormous sacrifices made by democratic elites in the whole spaces of enlightenment, and it is not made by those initiating political thought only.

To be sure, the political schemes applied by Sudan's military regimes and democratic governments were responsible for the great tragedies that befell the country. Undoubtedly, political mistakes may vary among Sudan's national and ideological components, and military plots may still coincide with each other regarding their policies or acts against democratic transparency across this party or that party, but democratic contributors in the fields of enlightenment, media, and arts have consistently been - during promising and frustrating moments – accumulating tremendous efforts to educate the Sudanese people on the importance of achieving democratic governance.

The current efforts that the country witnesses to change the brutal, Islamic regime have to be associated with intellectual insights of how the coming transitional period can learn from the past mistakes, which included ignoring the restructuring of the state methodologically, culturally and administratively, linking religion with the state, and insisting on isolating multiculturalism from various national activities.
I believe that changing the brutal regime in Sudan, without changing the structure of the state that has helped the country's dictators to produce such egregious massacres, will not end the governance crisis of the country.

The writer is a Sudanese journalist. He can be reached at salshua7@hotmail.com

By Amjed Fareid Eltayeb

For three days in November 2016 (starting the 27th), Khartoum and other urban areas in Sudan were ghost cities. Silent streets, empty if not entirely absent public transportation vehicles, and closed shops were the normal scenes of the day during the three days of the so-called Civil Disobedience.
Sudanese people chose to follow a call for civil disobedience that went viral in social media following the announcement of the latest economic measures. The unbearable increase in the cost of living included a massive surge in the prices of some critical items like food and medicines. The vast success and wide response to the first call for the three-days public strike of November inspired another one. Social groups called for another one day civil disobedience in the 19th of December. This second call received public support from mostly the entire political and syndicalistic spectrum in Sudan.

Mr. Jones of Sudan and his Snowball

The enraged momentum was slowly building up before the propagation of the disobedience's call. Sudanese doctors went in a nationwide strike that continued in an interrupted manner during the months of October and November. on the 27th of October 2016, Security Services (NISS) started detaining doctors in the leadership of the strike. Doctors were demanding the government to provide the basic life-saving equipment in public hospitals and to increase its expenditure on the health sector and services which is very tiny (varies between 2% to 4% of the annual budget compared to 70% of the budget directed to sovereign, security, and defence sectors). This miniature expenditure is preventing doctors of saving lives in emergency departments due to the lack of basic equipment and drugs. The Central Committee of Doctors (CCD) raised an attractive slogan for their demands; (For the Citizens) which appealed to people and availed huge popularity and support for their movement.

Concurrently, on the 23ed of October, popular and political forces announced a public strike in Algerif Shariq suburb of the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The citizens of this eastern extension of the capital alienated themselves from all aspects of government authority for three consecutive days. The area witnesses a longstanding dispute between the government and the locals over land ownership. The government is trying grab the traditionally owned, fertile agricultural lands on the banks of the Nile from the local citizens and sell it to investors.

On the third of November, the Government of Sudan announced its new economic measures. The measures included floating of the Sudanese Pound which led to a huge surge in the prices of almost everything. The increase in the prices of medications and drugs was the most notable. The cost of essential life-saving drugs went over the roof with an average increase of 150%. The measures were announced against a public pledge from the government when passing 2016's annual budget in the parliament of no increase in prices during the year. This pledge had gone with wind long ago before these latest measures as soon as the end of January 2016 witnessed a threefold increase in the price of cooking gas.

Political forces strongly opposed and criticized these measures publicly. The government responded by launching a wave of detentions of political leaders. The list of detainees included most of the leading staff of the Sudanese Congress Party and the Secretariat of the National Consensus Forces alliance in addition to tens of political activists. The detainees' list continues to grow massively. Estimates of their numbers reached over 200 in different areas of Sudan by the second week of December.

However, several demonstrations against the economic measures took place in Khartoum, Madani, Gadarif, Atbra and other cities of Sudan. The impact of the measures on the pharmaceutical products launched another trade-unionistic response. Pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies went on a one day strike objecting the new unbearable prices of drugs. Over 200 pharmacies closed its doors on the 19th of November, all over Sudan. The Pharmacists Association called to a public meeting which was addressed by the State Minister of Health (Sumia Okud). The minister tried to defend the economic measures by proposing alternatives for poor classes. Many of the pharmacists including representative of the pharmaceutical companies responded back, exposing the falsehood of her speech with numbers from the current market. Later, the majority of the meeting attendees walked out accusing the minister to be delusional. Yet, another hashtag demanding to restore subsidies to medications went viral in social media and gained extensive coverage in Arabic and Middle Eastern traditional media.

This political build-up was very close to the public mood. Calls for resistance spread all over social media groups. On September 17th, Social female group in Facebook called and conducted a symbolic protest in Africa Street in the centre of Khartoum near the premises of the ruling National Congress Party. The protest raised slogans against the increase of the prices. Security forces attacked the protesting women with its usual brutality and excessive violence. That treatment provoked people to join the protest. NISS forces arrested tens of the protesters on that day. Wondering on how to deal with this new type of social activists who have little if any political affiliations, NISS handed them to the police who presented them to trials on charges of public nuisance. Further demonstrations took place by secondary schools' students all over Khartoum North city of the capital in the 24th of November. NISS reacted to that by raiding schools, arresting teachers and accusing them with sedition.

On the 23ed of November, a call for action started to take over the social media platforms. A call for civil disobedience by staying homes and boycotting works and business from the 27th to 29th of November grew rapidly. On the 27th, the striving call translated to reality. Streets were empty and shops were closed in most of the urban areas of Sudan. It was obvious that the call reached an extra mile further than the normal outreach of the internet. The word of mouth participated largely in increasing the outreach of the call, reflecting another sign of the extent of people's frustration with the government.

Many factors played significant roles in the success of this three-day general strike. The accumulation and build-up of the dissenting notion to the government over the previous weeks was among the reasons of the quick positive response to the call. The fear of the repetition of the 2013 massacre - in which the governmental security forces killed over 200 peaceful protesters who were demonstrating against similar economic measures announced by President Bashir - was another factor. The call for the so-called civil disobedience provided a safe alternative option for resistance. Ridiculously, earlier in December after the second call to disobedience spread, President Bashir challenged those who call for the disobedience and toppling his regime to come out and meet (…his forces) in the streets, accusing them of cowardness if they don't, because they tried before and knew what will happen to them, in refence to the September 2013 massacre.

Another factor of success was the decentralized manner of the call, which is largely related to the passive nature of the action its self (Do nothing and do not go out of your home). Everyone was a leader and every group and area was a centre. The social media groups had polls for almost everything related to this civil disobedience. Hashtags were voted for. Daily names of the group were publicly discussed and voted for. Political debates reverberated in the FaceBook group that was formed to launch the call. Everyone in the group that attracted over hundreds of thousands of members in less than a week time expressed their opposing views to the government. Demands such as Bashir resignation, stopping wars, dissolving the ruling party, and other demands were discussed and expressed publicly. Information about the widespread corruption was exchanged between the members of the group. Recognizably, the demand of government withdrawing its latest measures was popularly rejected on the ground that the problem is deeper than only these measures.

The huge success of the call re-established the public trust on the strength of their collective action. On the other hand, the populist notion of the call and its lack of organizational structure although facilitated the quick spread, did prevent the formulation of specific, concrete, and rational desired outcomes. Nevertheless, the 27th of November was a public vote of No to Bashir's regime and his government. The government can claim very little legitimacy in representing the people of Sudan after that day, if any at all.

The Civil Disobedience paved the way for further political momentum. In the 30 of November, Political entities including National Consensus Forces parties and the Civil Society Initiative delivered a well-articulated note to the presidential palace demanding President Bashir to step down. In December, 1st, The Sudan People Liberation Movement issued a statement reconfirming the preannounced stoppage of all negotiation with the regime, calling for unified centre for the opposition and the stepping down of Bashir to open the window for discussing transitional arrangements. Even the Popular Congress Party and other progovernment parties that participated in Bashir's National Dialogue criticised the government's latest economic measures. Let alone the abandoning rat of the regime's sinking ship, Ghazi Salah Eldin who took the opportunity to play all the cards again – after his recent re-joining of the joke of the National Dialogue- and saluted the disobedience and those behind it without frankly supporting the call for the next one.

It became obvious that any entity that align its self with regime now is committing a political suicide. It was recognizable that the president spent most of the time of these events outside the country in foreign visits. The latest visit was during the days of the disobedience to the UAE in what seems a failed attempt to attract foreign aid. About $2.1bn has been deposited in the last two years to Sudan's central bank by Saudi Arabia and other friendly states after Sudan cut its diplomatic and security ties with Iran, but it failed helping to improve the collapsing economy.

Economy 1.0.1: You Can Not Run, You Can Not Hide

The government's recurring austerity measures to stabilize the economy seems to be just like Don Quixote's tilting at windmills. No economic measures could solve a crisis that is political in nature. Similar measures have been announced in 2012, and 2013 (the latest fuelled an uprising during which the government killed over 200 protesters with evidence established of shoot to kill orders in the streets in order to calm it down). With an inflation rate that increases averagely by 40% a year since 2011 and just about $800m of foreign exchange reserves left in the central bank according to the IMF, Bashir's regime is seriously crumbling this time.

The price of the political failures of Bashir's regime is very expensive. The direct cost of war in darfur alone is around 5 billion US dollars a year. The war in the two areas is expected to be more costly. the funding of the paraformal militias which guard Bashir's reign is taking place outside the accounting systems and formal financial structure of the state, opening a large door for corruption and venality. The shortage in funding the public and social services is increasing with the majority of public funds directed to military and security sectors. However, the economic crisis of the current Sudanese government seems to be deeper and more structural in nature than the burden of wars alone.

The current Islamic Government of Sudan silenced multiple waves of public demonstrations triggered by the economic hardship with excessive force and violence since it came to power. Following the 1989's coup, the National Islamic Front (NIF) government decided to take the Sudanese economy on the path of free market economy. In 1992, the government formally adopted the Economic Liberalization Policy. A policy aimed at treating the economic stagnation of the country by restricting the role of the state to policymaking and reducing the expenditure of the public sector in social services sectors. Furthermore, the framework of this policy also included an extensive program of sale and liquidation for the state-owned institutions and companies. This led to severe reduction of the government income because of the liquidation of the profitable state-owned investments. The main reason behind selling these profitable investments was the wide spread of the corruption practices that was protected by senior governmental officials.

The first years of implementation of these policies took the country through very serious hardships. Rapid rising of the actual inflation reached 166% by year 1996 . The value of the local currency showed similar deterioration. With the absence of any foreign support, the burden of dept. continued to rise to reach reached about $ 17 billion in 1996. The GDP showed low level of annual growth that reached 1% in year 1994 .

The oil production achieved a relative economic stability. This had a larger significant role after the signing of the CPA that ended the long civil war in the South. The bless of oil production came with its curse. Since the first shipment of Sudanese oil exported in 30, September 1999, Sudan started to show the symptoms of the “Dutch disease”: the overdependence on natural resources discovery that leads to large increase in revenues associated with decline interest in focusing or developing of other sectors. Sudan witnessed total decline in the productive sectors, both industrial and agricultural with increase dependence on Oil export revenues. Petroleum sector represented 80% of total national export earnings in 2002, where formal financial reports showed a terrible decline in the rest of the goods especially cotton and oilseeds.
long-term social impacts resulted from these policies. The government expenditure did not put in account any measures to ease the hardships of its policy on the general population in the short or long terms. For example, 1998 annual budget allocated only 18% to goods and services and 7% to development . Most of the budget was directed to security and defence sectors in addition to the degenerative effect of the wide spread corruption in the absence of any accountability measures. The revenues of oil production were not used to support long-term improvements of the economy but it was rather used directly to support the budget deficit resulting of increasing governmental spending and import financing.

The independence of South Sudan that come to effect on the 9th of July 2011, created a new reality that exposed the structural and political crisis of the Sudanese economy. Sudan lost about one third of its land and 25% of its population. Most of the oil resources were in fields situated within the new country.

The loss of oil revenues was a major cause of unpredictable directions of Sudanese economy post 2011. Sudanese government tried to replace Oil export with export of raw gold. However, the progovernment militias control most of the gold mining fields. Government is leaving this control to the militias in order to buy and maintain their loyalty and continue using them in its extended civil wars. This prevented any actual use of gold revenues to achieve real improvements in the Sudanese economy. The burden of the debt is putting further hardship on the economy. It reached $48.2bn, 86% of which was in arrears at the end of 2015. This accounts to over 70% of Sudan's GDP. It is important to recognize that the principal debt was 16.1 billion, and the rest are interests and delayed repayment penalties. The accelerated growing rate for these debts returns to four basic factors;
• The rising of interest rates for the debt.
• The exports decline.
• The spending of these debts on non-productive projects.
• The wide spread corruption within the government officials.

Conclusion

With the political deadlock in the country, the current economic crisis seems to be the undoing of Bashir's regime. The accumulation of the public anger and unrest and the joining of new social groups to the active resistance against the regime are signs of the inevitability of change. The Khartoum Based National Dialogue proved to be just another tool of power centralization in the hands of President Bashir. The collapse of the AUHIP RoadMap agreement due the government's stubbornness in reaching humanitarian aid arrangement killed all hopes of reaching a peace deal with the fighting rebels. The Government proclaimed victory and end of war in Darfur is endangered by the fact that land ownership issues and militias attacks on local farmers and IDPs continue to take place.

The scene is open to many scenarios. The most dangerous scenario is an internal coup within the regime. The ongoing friction between the army and Rapid Support Forces -that strives to confirm its position as a legitimate and independent force- is a major hazard. Any military move to grasp the power seat this time will be faced with resistance from other institutionalised militarily forces.

With lack of other options for the government, the only safe exit for the country is Bashir agreeing to stepping down political arrangements for transitional period to take place. However, the government might succeed to do some relieving cosmetic measures, but it is doubtful to have long term impacts. The foreign powers who decide to support these cosmetic measures will be opposing the expressed will of the Sudanese people. Something that people do not forget easily. The international community continue to make remarks about the fear of chaos in the country if sudden change took place. These remarks ignore the fact that chaos is where Bashir's regime is leading us. Almost one third of the country is in a state of active war while the cost of life in the rest of the country is becoming increasingly unbearable. Let alone Sudanese people do have the right like the rest of the people of the world to choose who run their country.

Bashir mentioned before that he read Macbeth -actually his exact words were that he read for Shakespeare and Macbeth but who could question the intellect of a tyrant? - it might be time for him to recognize that Birnam Wood is actually moving this time.

The author is the spokesperson of SudanChangeNow

December 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) this week condemned the arrest of several Sudanese human rights defenders and urged Khartoum to free them.

Chairman of the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) Mudawi Ibrahim Adam (www.democracyandsecurity.org)

Nearly two weeks ago the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) arrested a Khartoum University Professor Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, his driver Adam El-Sheikh, and Akram Ahmed another rights activist repeatedly harassed by the security agent.

Adam's was arrested on 7 December after a first three-day protest from 27 to 29 November and before a call for a second general strike on 19 December.

"The Special Rapporteur notes that the constant arrests and detention of human rights defenders by security forces of the Republic of The Sudan is a tactic used by the Sudanese authorities to obstruct the work of human right defenders and activist, in their promotion and protection of human rights," said the ACHPR in a statement issued on 13 but extended to the ST on Saturday.

The rapporteur further condemned the detention of Sudanese human rights defenders and called on the government to "provide clarification" over the arrest of the three defenders to the ACHPR which is a quasi-judicial body established by the African Union to promote and protect human rights.

The "Immediately release all human rights defenders arbitrarily arrested and to refrain from repeatedly summoning, questioning and detaining human rights defenders; including Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam and Mr. Akram Ahmed," stressed the statement .

Sudan is a signatory of African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights since 1982, accordingly it has the obligations to guarantee fundamental rights including the right to "liberty and security of the person and to be protected from arbitrary arrests and detention; the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression".

Following the announcement of a new austerity plan increasing fuel and electricity prices last November, NISS arrested over 40 opposition figures and activists to prevent protests against these measures.

(ST)

December 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - U.S. government on Friday has expressed concern over Sudan's government “threatening rhetoric” and the crackdown on media in response to calls by Sudanese civil society for civil disobedience.

NISS has recently intensified crackdown on newspapers for publishing news reports and articles on the nationwide civil disobedience act which took place between 27 and 29 November. During the last three weeks, it seized copies of various dailies 23 times.

Also, in his address before a crowd in Sudan's eastern city of Kassala last Monday, Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir threatened to use force against opposition and challenged them to take to the streets if they want to topple his regime.

It is noteworthy that Sudanese activists have launched a wide electronic campaign to mobilize the Sudanese to engage in a second civil disobedience action on December 19th to protest recent austerity measures.

Several opposition forces and armed groups expressed support for the general strike and called upon their affiliates to play an active role to ensure its success.

In a press statement on Friday, U.S. States Department spokesperson Mark Toner urged Sudan's government to “respond to protesters with restraint, and encourage Sudanese authorities to take all necessary steps to allow citizens to exercise their right to freedom of expression”.

The statement reiterated Washington's concern “about the detention, apparently without charge, of a number of opposition political leaders and human rights advocates”, urging the government “to stop seizing newspapers and engaging in other forms of censorship of those who report on, or express, political views”.

Following the government decision to raise fuel and electricity price on November 3rd, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) launched a large arrest campaign and detained more than 40 opposition figures from the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) , National Umma Party (NUP), Sudanese Communist Party (SCP), Arab Ba'ath Party, National Alliance Forces (NAF) as well as civil society activists and journalists.

Meanwhile, Sudan's Foreign Ministry has described the U.S. States Department's statement as “inaccurate and unobjective” stressing his government's keenness to maintain security and preserve lives and property of citizens.

In statement released Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir said Sudan's constitution guarantees freedom of association, expression and publication in accordance with the laws in force.

“There are more than eighty political parties and twenty daily newspapers that reflect the intellectual and political diversity in the country,” he said.

He pointed to the positive atmosphere witnessed by the political arena, saying the implementation of the national dialogue outcome would help achieve sustainable development and the peaceful transfer of power.

(ST)