Sudan Tribune

June 12, 2018 (RABAK) - The government of the White Nile State said it would transfer 25,000 South Sudanese refugees from an overcrowded camp to a newly erected camp in July.

More than 25,000 South Sudanese refugees would be transferred from the overcrowded Khor Al-Waral camp to Al-Jami'ia camp in Al-Salam locality.

The director of the department of organizations and refugee affairs at the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in White Nile Mustafa al-Fadil said the transfer of refugees aims to reduce overcrowding and prevent the spread of epidemics.

He pointed out that the move comes in line with the international charters that prevent overcrowding inside refugee camps, saying the transfer of refugees would be carried out in coordination with aid groups and humanitarian work partners.

In August 2017, Sudanese interior ministry said it decided to divide Khor Al-Waral camp into three camps, together with a number of measures to control the security situation.

The decision came five days after riots occurred at Khor Al-Waral camp where a mob of refugees set fires to tents before to looting stores and humanitarian services buildings. Also, there were reports that four Sudanese teachers have been raped.

Earlier this year, the chairman of the technical coordination committee for refugee affairs in White Nile State, Altayeb Mohamed Abdallah said the number of South Sudanese refugees in his state has reached 150,000 refugees.

Over 2 million South Sudanese refugees have been displaced as a result of the conflict that hit the world's youngest nation in mid-December 2013.

According to the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of 15 January 2018, the total South Sudanese refugee population in Sudan stood at 770,110.

Other sources estimate a total of 1.3 million South Sudanese refugees in Sudan, but this data requires verification.

South Sudanese refugees in Sudan have reportedly been distributed in four states including the White Nile, South Kordofan, East Darfur and Khartoum states, amid concerns the current numbers will rise.

In August 2016, Sudan officially declared that South Sudanese fleeing war in their country will be treated as refugees, which opens the door for the UN to provide them with aid and fund aid programs.

The UNHCR said 3,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan in the first half of January 2018.

According to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), an estimated 200,000 new South Sudanese refugees are anticipated to arrive in Sudan in 2018.

(ST)

June 12, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government on Tuesday said the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) has postponed a visit of the special envoy of the chief African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki to Khartoum.

Head of government delegation for talks for peace in Darfur Amin Hassan Omer speaks to reporters in Addis Ababa on Friday 20 November 2015 (ST Photo)

Earlier this month, Sudan's Presidential Envoy for Diplomatic Contact and Negotiation for Darfur Amin Hassan Omer said a delegation from the AUHIP would arrive in Khartoum on 4 June to discuss ways to resume peace talks.

However, Omer announced the AUHIP has delayed the visit but he didn't elaborate on what motivated the postponement.

In press statements on Tuesday, Omer said Mbeki's envoy may arrive in Khartoum after the Eid al-Fitr holiday to meet with the government negotiators, stressing his team's readiness to resume the peace talks with the rebel movements.

On 16-17 April, delegations representing the Government of Sudan, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi held a two-day meeting in Berlin to reach a pre-negotiation agreement.

The parties failed to conclude a declaration of principles for the talks because the armed groups demand the creation of new and independent implementation mechanisms for a subsequent peace.

However, the two holdout groups for the first time accepted the principle of negotiating on the basis of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

Following a briefing by the mediation team on the challenges they face with regard to the peace process, the AU Peace and Security Council on 20 February 2018 urged the non-signatory groups in Darfur to commence, within three months, engagement for peace on the basis of the DDPD.

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)

June 12, 2018 (JUBA)- South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Tuesday accepted the resignation of the chief whip of the ruling SPLM's in the parliament and appointed a new successor to ensure that the MPs of the majority party back the government and vote as the party desires.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit speaks to the National Legislature on the occasion of the inauguration of the three years extension of his mandate, on July 8, 2015 (Photo Moses Lomayat)

On 29 May, Atem Garang de Kuek resigned from the leadership of the SPLM whipping system following a disagreement with the Speaker of the National Legislative Assembly Anthony Lino Makana who refused to increase the salaries and emoluments of Members of Parliament.

In a meeting held on Tuesday at the SPLM House in Juba, President Kiir who is also the SPLM Chairman backed Makana's position and approved de Kuek's resignation, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The SPLM leader, also, appointed Stephen Ajongo Akol Unguec as the new SPLM Chief Whip in the National Legislative Assembly.

De Kuek invoked the economic situation and the rampant inflation in the country to justify his demand to increase the salaries but the same argument had been used against his request which may open the door for similar demands from the other government institution particularly the army and civil servants.

The Chief Whip meets regularly with the President to give backbench MPs' views and warn of any impending upheavals among the majority's MPs.

(ST)

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

This article comes against the backdrop of the statement attributed to Sudan's ruling regime as saying that it is the “Time for UNAMID to leave Darfur” http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article65601

It is known that In May, the Security Council (SC) will be briefed on the 60-day report of the Secretary-General on the AU/UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The mandate of UNAMID expires on 30 June. It is a known fact that every June of the year, a report is submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on UNAMID's performance in the Darfur region, the security situation and the safety of the Sudanese citizens in their areas, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs), and then the necessity of the continued presence of the UNAMID is endorsed or otherwise a contrary decision would be arrived at. Now is the time to evaluate it.

The security situation in Darfur has improved, but the causes of the conflict and their related consequences are still largely unaddressed. Human rights violations and abuses, such as sexual and gender-based violence and violations against children, continue to be perpetrated with impunity.
http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2018-05/sudan_darfur_37.php
Thus, contrary to the lies and fabrications of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) regime in Sudan, it is not the time for the hybrid operation in DarfurtoleaveIn the critical circumstances in which citizens suffer the scourge of crimes and the escalation of violence against them caused by the Government of Sudan (GoS) allied former Janjaweed militias currently renamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The regime's claims of a low level of violence in Darfur are a false lie. Omer al-Bashir's militias continue committing crimes against the internally displaced persons' camps and as well as attacking the villages of the voluntarily returned (IDPs), specifically in Jebel Marra area and in the Khamsa Dagayig – translated to five-minutes - camps in Zalingei, where 11people were killed and 11 injured along with a new massacre on Idan village for voluntary repatriation in South Darfur. It is noteworthy that more than 7 attacks have taken place in the villages of voluntary return in the state during the past two months, which negatively affected the desire of the displaced to leave the camps of displacement. The Janjaweed Tribal Militias are wreaking havoc on large swaths of Darfur. Earlier, reports indicated that the Aradeiba camp in Garsila was the target for the Government forces and the allied militias of the so-called Rapid Support Force (RSF), as well as the repeated attempts by the government of Sudan to remove and evacuate the Kalma camp for the Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) in Nyala using force. Thus, one will say that in the circumstances, nothing tangible has been achieved in terms of security and safety of civilians in Darfur to justify to prompt the exit of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Moreover, any attempts for the withdrawal of the UNAMID Mission based on the false reports by the genocidal (NCP) regime about the stability of security in the Darfur region will be surrounded by hazards and disasters for civilians, particularly those in displacement camps. Of the ironies which the obstinate (NCP) regime tended to opt for to camouflage the crimes it perpetrates is the news item saying that the government of Sudan is backtracking on its plan to forcibly evict camps for displaced people in Darfur after repeated attacks by its militias on displaced returnees."If We Return, We Will Be Killed “has been the slogan that consistently raised throughout the years of the Darfur crisis by the internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Darfur region and the refugees in Chad who are allegedly called voluntary returnees because the militias allied to the (NCP) regime will have the means to eliminate them. https://www.hrw.org/legacy/backgrounder/africa/darfur1104/6.htm

UNAMID's Presence in Darfur is indispensable, despite its weakness, reduction in its number and equipment, and the continued threat of its withdrawal from the region because it is the only refuge used by Sudanese citizens in Darfur when the threat of the tribal militias strike.

As noted previously, the presence of UNAMID, despite its weakness and especially after the reduction of its components, will continue to be a near-safe haven for civilians in all five Darfur states when their safety is threatened by government forces and their militias.

As one commentator said about the National Congress Party (NCP) regime's asking and saying to the UN that it is time for UNAMID to leave Darfur:” This is a stunning statement to hear, the ruling party who wanted the UN AMID to leave Sudan so that, they would continue killing innocents civilians in the region. UN has already failed to protect the (IDPs) who were looking for safety and protection in the camp for years, since independence in 1956; Sudan's government has been campaigning against their own citizens”!

The claims of the NCP regime that three factors of disarmament campaign, national dialogue and the voluntary return of IDPs and refugees have contributed to achieving the current level of security are blatant lies and fabrications that denying The grim reality on the ground in Darfur.

The UNAMID exit strategy from Darfur by the tripartite working group has shown abject failure and brought a plethora of disasters to the people of Sudan In Darfur, in particular, the (IDPs) and other civilian populations of the region. Evidence for this is clear to those who do not have a hidden agenda behind the curtain, as does the ruling regime led by the Génocidaire, war criminal and the fugitive from the global justice Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, who is struggling day and night to get rid of internally displaced camps (IDPs) and UNAMID, as they symbolize clearly to the world and the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the main cause of the tragedies of the people of Sudan in the Darfur region during the past fifteenlean years of the crisis.

As for the renewed call for the so-called “exit” for the UNAMID, there is nothing new. That “Exit” had taken place in fact since June 2017when the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) decided to draw down the UNAMID by withdrawing the Military Personnel by 44% and that of the Police component by 30%, the Closure of 11 Team sites in the first phase and the withdrawal of the Military component from another 7 Team sites in the second phase. The question that increasingly imposes itself is what remains of UNAMID in the Darfur region so that it can be the focus of the repeated and boring talk? The United Nations Security Council seems absent from what is currently happening in the Darfur region or is perhaps trying to turn a blind eye to it for the purpose of the rapprochement between the ruling regime of the National Congress Party and the United States of America since Donald Trump's administration came to power, while heinous crimes against the civilian populations are continuing in the Wars ravaged Darfur region. It is strange that the Security Council of the United Nations (UNSC), asserting that security has settled in the entire Darfur region, except for some pockets in the top of the Jebel Marra Massif, where the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM/A) forces led by Abdul Wahid Mohammed Ahmed Nur, who refuses to declare a unilateral truce or enter into Peace negotiations!

At this juncture, it seems appropriate to remind the (UNSC) of the statement related to Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on Darfur which reads:”Darfur will remain unstable and unpredictable so long as the root causes of conflict remain unaddressed."
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/darfur-will-remain-unstable-and-unpredictable-so-long-as-the-root-causes-of-conflict-remain-unaddressed

Mr Ambassador Matthew Rycroft continued saying Darfur is at a crossroads. Down one path lies continuation of 14 years of conflict, 14 years of bloodshed, impunity. He added saying:” Darfur is at a crossroads. Down one path lies continuation of 14 years of conflict, 14 years of bloodshed, impunity. It's a path that has forced 2.6 million people from their homes. It's a path littered with persistent violations of international humanitarian law, human rights violations and abuses, and persistent sexual and gender-based violence. And it's a path, simply, that Darfur has been on for too long.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/darfur-will-remain-unstable-and-unpredictable-so-long-as-the-root-causes-of-conflict-remain-unaddressed

It is an all-agreed opinion that the Darfur issue is a political one and has to be resolved as such. Furthermore, for United Nations and African Union Mission for Darfur (UNAMID) to fulfil its mandated duty to protect civilians, the mission requires unfettered access throughout Darfur, not just for a few days, or even for a few weeks, but on a sustained basis. The Change of the International Mission to Darfur UNAMID from Peacekeeping to peacebuilding has so far shown no tangible peace on the ground especially for the safety of the civilian Sudanese citizens in Darfur. The main reason is the restriction of the movements of the Mission by the Government of Sudan (GoS) from accessing the vulnerable populations of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and those voluntarily returning to their original homes most of which have been occupied by those mercenaries brought by the (NCP) regime from the neighbouring countries to fight the proxy warfare.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1954 until his death in 1968 has been quoted as saying: “Peace & Inspirational Quotes. Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that”. Martin Luther King, Jr.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=quotes+about+peace+building&oq=quotes+about+peace+building&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.14633j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

“If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class and our nations; and this means we must develop a world perspective”. Martin Luther King, Jr.
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://peacealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/mlk_world-perspective_vs2_sm.png&imgrefurl=https://peacealliance.org/t
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.https://peacealliance.org/tools-education/peace-inspirational-quotes/

At the end of this article we can say that the sustainable peace desired for the people of Sudan in the Darfur region is difficult to achieve if it is not impossible in light of the presence of the genocidal criminal, the fugitive from the international justice Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir on the helm of Sudan for his fear of the gripping hand of theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) in the event the peace is achieved for the territory that was the cause for his pursuit by the Court located at TheHague in the Netherlands aiming to arrest him since 2009.

Derek Landy the Irish writer and screenwriter has been quoted as saying: “You're under arrest for multiple counts of murder. You have the right to not much at all, really. Do you have anything to say in your defence?” https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/165168.Derek_Landy

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

June 11, 2018 (TONJ) - The governor of South Sudan's Tonj state, Anthony Bol Madut has fired his deputy, Manheim Bol.

Map of South Sudan showing Warrap state in red

Madut, in a gubernatorial order Sudan Tribune obtained, appointed Marial Abur, a former police commissioner, as the deputy state governor.

The governor also removed education minister, Deng Mayom Akeen, replacing him with Deng Deng Wek.

Other new appointments saw James Ayek (information), Lino Majok Achien (minister of physical infrastructure), William Deng Nhial (agriculture) while Manyang Agor is the local government minister.

The decree did not, however, specify any reasons for the changes made.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (JUBA)- The South Sudanese presidency has dismissed as “fake” news report, which claimed the country's first vice president, Taban Deng Gai in the coalition government proposed an initiative aimed at bringing together President Salva Kiir and his main political rival and leader of armed opposition faction, Riek Machar.

South Sudan First Vice President Taban Deng Gai addresses the general debate of the UN General Assembly (UN Photo)

Gai, reports widely circulated on social media indicated, protested to Kiir about his planned direct meeting with the rebel leader.

The letter, purportedly written by the first vice president, claimed he opposes the upcoming face to face meeting because Machar was no longer the leader of the armed opposition movement (SPLM-IO).

“SPLM-IO does not exist anymore after the SPLM [Sudan People Liberation Movement] reunification in early May. If you want to work with Riek Machar as an individual, just let me know because our deal does not recognize Riek Machar as the leader of the SPLM-IO. I hope you will reconsider my reasons as I presented to you at our last meeting,” partly reads the letter widely circulated on social media.

Gai said Machar would not give Kiir support if he is looking for someone who would provide him a support.

But while the South Sudanese presidential spokesman, Ateny Wek Ateny denied the report, sources at the country's presidency and officials loyal to the first vice president separately told Sudan Tribune that Gai was indeed unhappy with the arrangements, pointing to views that the new arrangement will either relegate or isolate him.

“Like many other fake documents before, the letter allegedly written by the First Vice President Gen. Taban Deng Gai is as fake as the person who forged it. The FVF could not have written such letter when he can speak to the President and make his view known to the President. So, this letter is just a fake one intended for public consumption by those who forged it. Please discard it”, said Ateny.

The presidential aide did not, however, deny or confirm whether president Kiir and Gai met and held talks about the upcoming direct meeting between him and Machar.

Meanwhile President Kiir has already expressed willingness to meet his political rival for face-to-face talks, with Sudan's Omar Al-Bashir set to mediate between the two.

Last month, the rival parties involved in South Sudan's peace talks concluded the Second Phase of the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia without striking a deal on the implementation of the governance and security arrangements.

Tens of thousands pf people have been killed in fighting between troops loyal to Kiir and forces led by his former deputy Riek Machar since 2013. The conflict has also left a quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million, either internally displaced or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) Monday announced they are preparing a platform for the positive boycott of 2020 elections considering it as "dead-end road" that would not lead to the peaceful transfer of power.

NCF leader Farouk Abu Issa (R) arrives at the premises of the National Umma Party on 12 April 2015 (ST)

Speaking at a Ramadan breakfast organized by the coalition of several left parties on Monday evening, an NCF leading member Mohamed Dia al-Dins aid they will adopt a "positive boycott programme," noting that its details will be announced later.

Dia al-Din stressed that the coalition does not consider any participation in the elections, which will take place after less than two years, in order to avoid confusion over their declared objective of the peaceful overthrow of the ruling regime.

He further pointed out that their position on the elections has no relation with the contested draft election law recently approved by the Council of Ministers, and which was strongly criticized by the parties of the national dialogue allied to the ruling National Congress Party.

The NCF recently slammed a proposition by some opposition forces to challenge the regime through the electoral process in 2020 if the government signs peace agreements with the armed groups and releases freedoms.

For his part, Sudanese Communist Party figure and leading member of the opposition alliance Siddiq Youssef said that change through the elections under the current situation is "dead-end road" pointing to the need to look for other alternatives such as the popular uprising and general strike.

Dialogue with the "regime" is simply a waste of time because this regime will not accept sitting for dialogue and reaching an agreement, knowing that at the end of the day they will be held accountable for the crimes they have committed," he said.

"So, this why we reject Mbeki's mediation and the African Union roadmap," he added.

The NCF which has been established in 2009, was the sole umbrella of the opposition groups but the difference over a negotiated settlement with the regime divided them.

Now, the National Umma Party, the Sudanese Congress Party, the SPLM-North Malik Agar are part of the Sudan Call, another opposition coalition that calls for negotiations with the regime and includes two Darfur armed groups.

The Popular Congress Party which was a member of the opposition NCF has now joined the National Consensus Government led by the National Congress Party.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (WASHINGTON) - UN Peacekeeping Chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Monday proposed to close all the UNMAID sites in Darfur region expect the greater Jebel Marra area and to increase peacebuilding and development.

Lacroix made his proposal during a briefing on an African Union-United Nations report on the strategic review of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. He said the mission needs to be adapted to Darfur current realities.

Based on the idea that the security situation is relatively stable, he said the peacekeeping should be focused in the site of continued conflict in Jebel Marra while the capabilities of the UN agencies, funds and programmes should serve to consolidate the fragile stability in the rest of Darfur.

"The area of operations would be reduced to 13 team sites in the greater Jebel Marra and the Mission headquarters moving from El Fasher to Zalingei, Central Darfur,". Lacroix proposed.

The 13 sites of peacekeeping in Jebel Marra have been identified in the report as Kutum, Saraf Omra, Kabkabiyah, Tawilah, Sortony and Shangil Tobaya (North Darfur), Zalingei, Nertiti and Golo (Central Darfur) and Kalma, Kass, Menawashei and Khor Abeche (South Darfur).

Further, the super camp in El Fasher will be transformed into a logistics hub.

In line with the two-year plan, "the Force strength would be reduced from 8,735 to 4,050 military personnel, and the police component would be reduced from 2,500 officers to 1,870," Lacroix said.

Here again, the report provides more details about the timetable indicating that by 31 December the forces will be downsized from 8,735 to 5,470 military personnel. Then, by 30 June 2019, the overall strength of the force would be reduced to 4,050.

The United Nations and African Union emphasized that the two-year plan and the exit of UNAMID are basically linked to the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), particularly the dispositions related to land ownership, protection of civilians and basic services to civilians in Darfur.

"We also call on donor countries to provide the necessary financial support so that early recovery, peacebuilding and development activities can be undertaken in a sustainable manner," stressed the report.

The Security Council will renew the UNAMID mandate by the end of the month, before its expiry on 30 June.

LIFT OF ARMS EMBARGO

Sudanese deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Magdi Ahmed Mofdal called on the Security Council to consider the lift of arms embargo on Darfur region, arguing that the need to deploy Sudanese troops in the region after the UNAMID withdrawal justifies this measure.

"The current situation has demonstrated the importance of enabling the Sudanese armed forces to take the initiative and extend their control on the whole region of Darfur and fill the vacuum after the departure of UNAMID forces. This situation requires the lifting of arms embargo on Darfur," said Mofdal.

The Sudanese diplomat further called to review the individual sanctions on some Sudanese officials.

"There are two options with regard to the listed individuals, namely, either to delist them from the sanctions list or to list Abdel Wahid Mohamed al-Nur in implementation of the Council' resolution (1591 (2005)), which warned about his designation on the sanctions list," he said.

On 10 May 2018, in a consultations meeting on UNAMID, the Sudanese ambassador extensively spoke about the case of al-Nur and requested the 15-member body to "carefully consider" al-Nur's case.

"The ongoing normalization of the situation in Darfur shall not be held hostage to the misjudgements, bad faith and whims of Mr Abdel Wahid," he said.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Council of Ministers on Sunday has approved the 2018 elections law amid objection of several political forces participating in the national dialogue.

Sudanese electoral workers begin the process of counting votes for the presidential and legislative elections in Khartoum on 17 April 2015 (Photo: AP/Abd Raouf)

In press statements following the cabinet meeting, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs Ahmed Saad Omer praised discussions over the draft law, saying it would lead to rational political practice and free and fair elections in 2020.

For his part, the chairman of the Umma Party for Reform and Development Ibrahim Adam said discussions over the draft law were transparent, saying it would help to create broad political alliances and implement outcome the national dialogue.

He expressed hope the law would result in a true democratic transformation and smooth transfer of power.

However, several political parties who participated in the government-led national dialogue and are part of the National Consensus Government (NCG) have rejected approval of the 2018 law.

In a press release on Monday, the leader of the Reform Now Movement (RNM) Ghazi Salah al-Din Attabani said they were surprised by the government's move to approve the elections law.

He added the government has “started off on the wrong foot”, saying the move violates the recommendations of the national dialogue and the sound political practice.

Attabani demanded the government to immediately stop the endorsement of the current law and to issue a new law that achieves national unity.

Also, the Popular Congress Party (PCP), who also rejected the government move, has invited the political parties participating in the national dialogue to meet on Monday evening to discuss the elections law.

On the other hand, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said the current elections law doesn't reflect a true consensus will, pointing it would continue to consult with its allies to form a broad front to develop democratic laws.

In October 2016, the political forces participating in the government-led national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalised by transitional institutions.

The NCG was installed in May 2017 to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

The rebel groups and opposition parties refused to join Khartoum process as they demand the government to end the war and ensure freedoms in the country ahead of the dialogue.

Also, last month, a coalition of some opposition left parties, the National Consensus Forces (NCF), announced the boycott of the 2020 elections, saying it won't meet with the ruling party to discuss these elections.

On the other hand, several opposition groups that are part of the opposition Sudan Call forces consider participating in the next general presidential elections in 2020 if the regime of President Omer al-Bashir provides needed guarantees for a fair election and ensures freedoms.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The humanitarian commission in Darfur said a third batch of Sudanese refugees has arrived in Tina locality in North Darfur State from Chad.

In press statements on Sunday, the deputy commissioner of refugees in Darfur Mugeeb Ulrahman Mohamed Yacoub said 62 families including 187 refugees have arrived in Tina.

He pointed out that two families lagged behind due to health reasons, saying the returnees have been transferred to their original villages in Kutum, Kernoi, Kabkabiya and El-Fasher localities.

Yacoub added each returnee has received $200 whereas the disabled received $250, saying each family received $400 for shelter as well as foodstuff for three months.

The deputy commissioner called for providing farming equipment and seeds for the returnees in order to integrate them in their local communities and promote production.

He also demanded the government to provide further support to resettle the returnees, saying his commission would embark on arrangements to receive the fourth batch of returnees immediately after the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

On 31 May 2017, Sudan, Chad and the UNHCR signed two separate tripartite agreements on the voluntary return of Sudanese refugees from Chad and Chadian refugees from Sudan.

Also, the three parties in January 2018 signed an operational plan for the repatriation of 20,000 Sudanese refugees from Chad to Darfur region during this year.

However, despite the signing of the agreement, only 53 Sudanese refugees returned to Darfur prompting the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to call for integrating Sudanese refugees in Chad within the local community as a result to their refusal to return to Darfur 15-year after the beginning of the conflict.

UN reports say the security situation in Darfur has largely improved but stress that the lack of infrastructures and services prevent the return of refugees and displaced persons to their areas of origin.

Chad hosts over 300,000 Sudanese refugees residing in the eastern region of the neighbouring country not far from the border with Chad.

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)

June 11, 2018 (JUBA) - Paul Malong Awan former South Sudanese army chief of staff, said he is not interested in a position but the departure of President Salva Kiir from power, saying the latter has overstayed his worth.

According to a statement dated on 8 June 2018, Malong's spokesperson said Kiir has failed his mandate and it was now time for him to relinquish the mantle of leadership to the people of South Sudan to decide who would be their next leader, instead of the government continuing to use divide and rule policies.

"The best advice that should be offered to Kiir is that he relinquishes his position to give people an opportunity to get for themselves a new leader with new ideas and new direction," said Malong's spokesperson, Sunday de John.

“Tell him directly that Malong does not want a position but Kiir exit”, de John further added.

The opposition spokesperson explained his South Sudan United Front under the leadership of the former army chief, was looking for a lasting solution to the crisis, not positions to the opponents.

“Throwing positions to opponents may not necessarily solve the crisis. We need an honest conversation with ourselves where we will be able to alter the architecture of our governance structures to effectively respond to the suffering of our people,” stressed the statement.

Awan, according to de John, was reacting to a letter allegedly written by the chairperson of Gogrial Youth Union asking President Kiir to engage in negotiations with former colleagues and comrades like Paul Malong Awan.

The result of such negotiations, according to the letter which the group later disowned, should culminate into a peace that would give positions to Malong and others.

The group later having written to the president. It remains unclear who wrote the letter circulated on the social media. But, officials at the South Sudanese presidency denied receiving any letter from the youth, though admitted reading social media reports about the letter.

(ST)

By Telar Deng

The events that led to the 2013 dissolution of the cabinet can be traced back to the deep mistrust that fermented back in 1991 when leaders failed to close ranks. After the 1991 Nassir declaration, President Salva Kiir Mayardit did not see eye to eye with Dr Riek Machar. He had developed a strong dislike for him because he believed that Rebellion was not to be rewarded. On January 6th, 2002, after vigorous negotiations, the declaration for the reunification of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) was signed in Nairobi.

Upon signing of the declaration for the reunification of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Dr John Garang de Mabior the co-signatory to the declaration travelled to Yei where he held the leadership council meeting. They discussed and approved a document that allowed Dr Riek Machar back as the 3rd in command.
Throughout the discussions, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, then a commander, who was evidently furious, demanded that the matter be subjected to voting and indeed it was but unfortunately the ballot went in favour of Dr Riek Machar. James Wani without bitterness accepted to take the fourth position in the hierarchy of the SPLM. However, this order didn't go down well with Kiir.

Later on after Dr John Garang's death, President Salva took the leadership of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, subsequently; Riek and Wani were second and third in command respectively in the SPLM hierarchy. In 2008 convention, Salva and his group wanted to replace Riek as the 1st deputy chairman of the SPLM with Wani Igga and Taban Deng Gai to replace Pagan Amum as the secretary general of the SPLM. This cemented Kiir and Riek's sour relations for the second time.

Through the strenuous efforts of the elders, Moulana Abel Alier, General Joseph Lagu, amongst others from Warrap, the planned efforts to change the leadership were averted and status quo was maintained in order to avoid the disintegration of the party. This was the beginning of the power struggle from within the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

With all these turns of events from the year 2002 to 2008, Salva felt that within the government and within the party, he could not consult either Riek or Pagan on any matters including the formation of the cabinet.

On the 5th of March 2013, attempts were made to reconcile Salva and Riek in a meeting that was chaired by Deng Alor and attended by Wani Igga, Kosti Manibe, John Luk, James Kok Ruea, Paul Mayom Akech, Pieng Deng Majok and James Hoth Mai. The attempt to reconcile Kiir and Machar failed. What transpired was that Riek declared to challenge President Salva Kiir in the upcoming SPLM convention and Pagan also declared his intentions to be a candidate for the chair of the SPLM. Since there was no headway, the meeting was adjourned. It was to be reconvened at a later date, but this never happened. With all this opposition, Kiir realized he was under serious political challenge from Riek and Pagan within the party. This then made Salva take his first step; he withdrew his delegated powers from Riek as the Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan. He went ahead and cancelled the national reconciliation process that was chaired by Riek Machar and he reconstituted it and gave it to the church leaders.

Salva realized that he could not form the cabinet without assistance from his vice president and Secretary general of the Party, he decided to reinstate un-officially the Politico-Military high command with the membership of himself (Salva), Wani Igga, Daniel Awet Akot and Kuol Manyang. The four avoided all party and government structures and went ahead with their plans and conducted series of meetings.
It was at those meetings that the President made most, if not, all political decisions. Consequently, in 2013, it is this group of the four members of the defunct Politico-military High command that made all the decisions to dissolve the entire cabinet and appointed a new cabinet to the exclusion of those Salva suspected to be against him or who seemed to be allies of Riek.

After all these, Riek Machar, Pagan Amum and everyone else who was relieved of their constitutional posts played their cool with the intention of making a comeback in the national convention that was to be held in December.

The convention was held and Riek and those who were alleged to be his allies raised a few issues of contention. These were issues that President Salva Kiir and his allies and Dr Riek Machar and his allies could not agree on.

The issues of contention were:
1. The method of voting either show of hands or secret ballot.
2. The chairman of the party who is Salva Kiir should not appoint five per cent of the total members of the convention. Riek wanted this to be scrapped out.
3. The deputy chair should be elected by the convention instead of being nominated by the chair to the national liberation council for approval. Riek wanted this to be subjected to the convention and not at the whims of the chair to appoint him and not to appoint him.

On the 14th December 2013, the national liberation council deliberated on these three contentious issues. Salva Kiir and his allies outwitted Riek by mobilizing members of the national liberation council to defeat any proposal from Riek and allies Therefore Riek and allies were defeated. On the 15th December, Riek and his allies boycotted the meetings of the National liberation council. After the boycott, the rest of us and the public woke up to gunshots at about 10:15 pm. The rest remains history.

As the events unfolded, it became very evident that there was a power struggle within the party and the government. The prime movers of the said power struggle were, President Kiir, the Secretary General Pagan Amum and his then Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. The differences they had polarized the government, the public and the party and it was no longer cohesive. President Salva Kiir and allies believed that it was a power struggle, However Riek, Pagan and allies maintained that it was not a power struggle. To them, it was about the nature of the state, democracy and the rule of law.

I have noted that I have on many occasions been blamed for misadvising the President on the dissolution of the cabinet then, yet I, like many of you learnt of the same when it was already too late. Importantly, the main issues raised by the parties that were formed after the incident have never raised the dissolution of cabinet as their reason for opposing Salva Kiir but they raised issues such as lack of democracy, proper governance, the rule of law in the country, nature of state and other issues that are in the public domain.

After I left the country for my assignment in Russia, there have also been quite a number of issues that have been dealt with contrary to the constitution and the August 17th, 2015 peace agreement. I will list just but a few that we all know:

1. The creation of 28 states (which are now 32), the government-led delegation to Addis peace talks in 2015, objected to Riek's suggestion on the formation of 21 states (this was based on the 21 Districts during the British colonial rule) and argued that 10 states are maintained. This was then signed and incorporated into the peace agreement but as soon as they left Addis Ababa, the President went and decreed into law the creation of the 28 states.

2. Currently, the Council of States is responsible for the creation of the counties. The local government act stipulates that the President creates the counties and then in consultation with the Local government chair then issues a warrant of the establishment. By default, the Council of States was allowed to exercise powers that are not stipulated in the local government act. The powers that the Council in this respect has are only two. These are the name of the county and the map of the county

3. In the August 2015 Peace Agreement that was signed, the President appoints ambassadors and other senior diplomatic representatives to foreign countries as proposed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and approved by the Council of Ministers but as it stands currently, President Salva Kiir Mayardit appoints, deploys and dismisses ambassadors and senior diplomats on his own volition. This has brought conflict between the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs who made a decision to stay out of South Sudan as the President has usurped all his powers.

4. The Civil Service Act is being violated. The President dismisses and appoints under secretaries without due procedure as stipulated in the civil service act.

Is it still Telar Deng advising the president to violate the August 17th, 2015 agreement, the Constitution, the local government act and the civil service act and other violations of the rule of law?

The author is the former South Sudanese Ambassador to Russian Federation and former presidential legal adviser

June 5, 2018 (LOL) – Omer Eshag Mohamed, a former information minister in South Sudan's Lol state has announced his decision to join the opposition movement led by ex-army chief, Gen Paul Malong.

Former South Sudan army chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan speaks at the presidential palace in Juba, November 16, 2017 (ST)

"After carefully thinking and analyzing all the options I had, I have finally decided that I will be joining SSUF/A under the leadership of General Paul Malong Awan because after the collapse of the peace talks in Addis Ababa, it is very clear that President Kiir and his team are not ready for peace," Mohamed noted in a statement.

The official, who quit the state government in May, openly accused President Salva Kiir of failing to lead the South Sudanese population.

“It is without a doubt that President Salva Kiir does not have the interest of South Sudan at heart. He is the obstacle for achieving peace in South Sudan,” the former-Lol state minister further wrote.

He added, “The president has a false sense of entitlement and believes he deserves an incentive in order for us to attain the peace we have been yearning for”.

Announcing he had officially joined South Sudan United Front (SSUF), an opposition movement led by the former army chief of staff, Mohamed blamed recent collapse of the peace talks mediated by the regional bloc (IGAD) on President Kiir's government.

Last month, the rival parties in South Sudan peace talks concluded the Second Phase of the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) without striking a deal on the implementation of the governance and security arrangements.

Tens of thousands pf people have been killed in fighting between troops loyal to Kiir and forces led by his former deputy Riek Machar since 2013. The conflict has also left a quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million, either internally displaced or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

June 5, 2018 (JUBA) - More civilians in South Sudan are without food in more places than ever before in the country's history, an international aid agency warned, saying an upsurge in fighting, lack of access and attacks on aid workers batters already food insecure communities.

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (File photo)

“The UN's deadly prediction of record numbers of hungry people in South Sudan is already unfolding from what I'm seeing,” Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), who is currently visiting the war-hit nation, said on Monday.

Food security experts warned in February that unless aid and access were maintained, a record 7.1 million South Sudanese would face ‘crisis' or worse ‘acute' food insecurity between May and July.

“From what I've witnessed and what displaced people tell me, a worst-case nightmare scenario is already on our doorstep. Widows tell me how their villages were burned to the ground, their husbands killed, and they are left with children they cannot feed nor protect,” said Egeland during his visit to Unity, a former South Sudan state.

“I am outraged by how rape has become a common feature of the conflict,” he added.

Since the February warning, large parts of South Sudan have seen an upsurge in violence. Renewed fighting in parts of Unity State in April displaced thousands of civilians. Thousands of others have also been forced from their homes in Equatorial state of South Sudan.

Much of Unity and the Equatorial States have become humanitarian black holes, where access to communities is close to impossible. We still do not see the full consequences of the widespread and indiscriminate violence.

Aid agencies face a relentlessly hostile operating environment. More than a hundred aid workers have been killed since December 2013. In April alone, there were 80 reports of aid workers prevented from delivering aid.

In May, however, NRC was forced to suspend an emergency food distribution in Unity State because of active fighting in the state.

In areas too insecure to travel by road, the only option is to airdrop food to communities in need, the aid agency further stressed.

“Food drops are desperate measures in desperate times. But without this lifeline, an already bleak situation would turn into a total catastrophe. With peace South Sudan with its vast fertile lands could easily be a breadbasket for Africa,” said Egeland.

“This is a brutal war carried out largely on civilians. Men with weapons and power are continuing a senseless conflict that end up costing lots of innocent lives including women and children,” he added.

South Sudan plunged into war in December 2013, barely two years after independence from Sudan, after a disagreement between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar deteriorated into a military confrontation.

Since then, tens of thousands have been killed by the fighting between troops loyal to Kiir and forces led by Machar. The conflict has also left a quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million, either internally displaced or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

(ST)

June 5, 2018 (JUBA) – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediation support unit has organized a two-day regional consultation meeting on the development of a draft mediation protocol in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.

IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan Ismael Wais (L) speaks during the closing session of Phase 2 on 23 May 2018 (IGAD photo)

IGAD, in a statement, said the concept behind the consultation with legal experts and the focal points from IGAD member states' ministries of foreign affairs is to provide ground for policy formulation to adopt the decision to draft a protocol on the mediation process.

The first step is to share with member states' representatives arguments that warrant a policy, to debate on the need for such a protocol, and discuss the benefits for IGAD to have it in place for conflict prevention and peacemaking, party reads the statement.

While opening the two-day meeting, David Buom Choat, the director of regional organization at South Sudan's foreign affairs ministry said the pre-policy consultative meeting on the mediation protocol was an important platform as it prescribes a roadmap for mediation interventions in political disputes and in accordance with the principles of international law of equal member states.

“We would want to see a Mediation Protocol that is comfortable and satisfied to all stakeholders, and which is in line with the policy of respecting the views of all member states in the region”, he added.

The programme manager for gender affairs at the IGAD Secretariat, Mubarak Mabuya stressed the importance of the workshop as key to strengthening IGAD's role in mediation and the effectiveness of interventions, while underscoring the importance of mediation as a tool for promoting sustainable peace and security in the region.

At the end of the workshop, however, a policy decision to establish a mediation protocol, and an Agreement on the outline of draft mediation protocol would have been attained as expected results.

The vision of the IGAD mediation support unit is to establish regional viable mediation structures, to which predictability of processes and outcome is ensured, and the objectives of any mediation are governed by collective will and interest of all member states.

IGAD is an eight-member regional bloc established in 1996. Its members include, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and Eritrea.

(ST)

June 5, 2018 (NYALA) - Eight people have been killed and seven others injured seriously by unidentified gunmen at Higair Tunu village for voluntary return, 29 kilometres south-east of South Darfur capital, Nyala.

A women sets down besides the body of a victim killed by gunmen in Higair Tunu market on 5 June 2018 (ST Photo)

The native administrator of the village Issa Salih Fidaly told Sudan Tribune Tuesday that 5 gunmen on camels' back attacked a crowded market at Higair Tunu at 10.00 pm (local time) on Monday killing 6 people instantly.

He added 9 wounded had been transferred to Nyala Teaching Hospital, saying 2 of them died while receiving treatment.

Fidaly pointed out that the culprits fled south of the village, saying dozens of the victims' relatives gathered at the hospital on Tuesday morning forcing authorities to deploy police and security forces to protect the hospital.

He stressed the government and the security committee didn't dispatch any forces to pursue the perpetrators, saying the incident threatens to bring lawlessness situation back to the area.

Fidaly further said known criminals still carry their weapons despite government claims about the success of the disarmament campaign.

Since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, the government constructed several villages and vowed to support IDPs who return to their home areas.

However, the displaced complain that the security situation remains the same pointing to the government militia saying they continue to attack them and grab their land.

Last August, the Sudanese government launched a campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan.

The Sudanese authorities say the spread of weapons among the rival tribes in the region is one of the main causes of Darfur's instability.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million are displaced.

CONDEMNATIONS

Two armed groups, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North of Malik Agar (SPLM-N Agar) and the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdel Wahid (SLM-AW) condemned the attack on the civilians and called for international action against the regime.

SPLM-N Agar spokesperson Mubarak Ardol accused the government militiamen of perpetrating what he described as "a new chapter of the repetition of the third genocide in Darfur".

Ardol further announced the Movement's intention to establish contacts with international and regional rights to expose "this crime."

While the SLM-AW Spokesperson Mohamed al-Nayer called on the international community to protect civilians in Darfur and called to arrest the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and to hand him over to the International Criminal Court.

"Failure to arrest and prosecute him means more crimes and bloodshed against defenceless civilians," added al-Nayer.

JUST A QUARREL

For his part, South Darfur Governor Adam al-Faki minimized the motivations of the incident saying it was just a "quarrel" in the area's market.

He said there was a friction between four gunmen and a female market seller, adding they open fire when the people in the market intervened in the quarrel, killing immediately six people and two others died later after being transferred to hospital Nyala.

Al-Faki said the police arrested one of the four criminals adding search operations continue for the three others.

He said that the State Security Committee arrived at the scene of the incident and engaged discussions with residents to reassure them, stressing that the incident has nothing to do with any tribal conflict, and adding, "Even those who were killed in the incident were from several tribes".

Further, he announced the opening of a police station in the area and to deploy the army for the protection of civilians, reiterating that what happened was an "accidental incident".

The governor said the armed forces continue the weapons collection campaign but the army dispatches small units to track those who hide arms under the ground.

(ST)

June 5, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and Russia have agreed to forge strategic partnerships in all fields particularly the military domain in order to achieve interests of the two countries.

On Tuesday, the Sudanese army chief of staff Lt Gen Kamal Abdel-Maarouf al-Mahi met the Russian Ambassador to Khartoum Vladimir Zheltov in the presence of the Russian Military Attaché, Vladimir Gerasimenko.

Al-Mahi praised Russia's support to Sudan in international forums as well as its efforts to achieve peace and stability in the country.

He expressed Sudan's keenness to promote its relations with Russia, pointing to Moscow's continued economic and military support to Khartoum.

For his part, the Russian Ambassador expressed optimism over the future prospects of relations between the two countries, describing it as promising.

He described Sudan as an important African country and an old friend of Russia, expressing his country's keenness to promote relations with Sudan in all fields particularly the military domain.

Zheltov also expressed his country's readiness to provide the necessary assistance to enhance bilateral relations and forge economic, political and military partnerships.

During his visit to Russia in November 2017, President Omer al-Bashir proposed to President Vladimir Putin to build a military base on the Red Sea coast and to re-equip the Sudanese army with the Russian weapons including SU-30 fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles.

Politically, Russia is seen as a major ally of the government of al-Bashir that faces isolation from the West. However, economic cooperation between the two countries has remained very low, with a trade balance that does not exceed $400 million.

In December 2015, Sudan and Russia signed 14 cooperation agreements in different domains, including oil, minerals and banks.

(ST)

June 5, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Consul General in Libya Jamal Awad on Monday has inspected conditions of the Sudanese illegal migrants detained by Libya's Anti-Illegal Immigration Agency (AIIA) in Tripoli.

In a Facebook post, the AIIA in Tripoli said Sudan's Consul General's visit to the detained illegal migrants aimed to check on their conditions as well as to complete the required procedures to repatriate them to Sudan.

Meanwhile, the head of the AIIA Ramzi Ramadan Al-Hasi said the 240 infantry battalion has freed 74 illegal migrants detained by criminal gangs and human traffickers.

In press statements on Tuesday, Al-Hasi said the victims are from Sudan, Eritrea and Chad, saying they have been tortured by the human traffickers and haven't eaten for several days.

He pointed out that the victims have been handed over to the AIIA after they were freed, saying they have been subjected to medical examination.

Following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's 40-year-rule in 2011, Libya has slid into chaos and has become the most important transit country for illegal migrants to Europe.

In May 2016, Khartoum proposed to establish a joint force to monitor the common borders between Sudan and Libya to curb the movement of Darfur rebels and fight against illegal migration and terror groups.

The UN migration agency (IOM) in April 2017 said it had received reports about the existence of slave markets in Libya where West African migrants are being bought and sold openly.

Also, the CNN which investigated the reports broadcasted footage of a live auction where black youths are sold to North African buyers. The reported filmed by the journalists of the international news channel showed that the migrants are sold for $400.

Sudan is considered as a country of origin and transit for the illegal migration and human trafficking. Thousands of people from Eritrea and Ethiopia are monthly crossing the border into the Sudanese territories on their way to Europe through Libya or Egypt.

The East African nation has also forged a strategic partnership with several European countries and the EU to combat illegal migration and human trafficking.

(ST)

June 5, 2018 (KHARTOUM/JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir agreed to meet with his former First Vice-President Riek Machar in Khartoum, announced the Sudanese Foreign Minister upon his return from Juba on Tuesday.

President Kiir met with a Sudanese delegation headed by foreign Minister al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed including Oil Minister Azhary Abdel Gader and the head of National Intelligence and Security Services Salah Gosh, said the foreign ministry in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny described the meeting as fruitful, saying South Sudanese leader has commended the role the Sudanese government is playing in the peace process.

“The Sudanese foreign minister and the minister of oil came for bilateral talks and to deliver a message of his brother his Excellency the President of the Republic Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit. The message the Sudanese government have delivered to his Excellency the President is the message of assurance to continue to support peace so that stability returns to the country,” said Ateny.

The delegation conveyed to Kiir a message from President Omer al-Bashir proposing him to meet with Machar in Khartoum in support of the IGAD High-Level Revitalization Forum of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.

"President Salva Kiir thanked President Omar al-Bashir for the initiative, which he said reflected the spirit of brotherhood and loyalty between the two countries and the two brotherly peoples," said the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson.

Kiir welcomed the initiative and affirmed his government's readiness to participate in the meeting and to contribute to its success to achieve security and stability in South Sudan, he said.

Also, President Kiir praised Sudan's stand in support of South Sudan stability, pointing out that the stability of South Sudan represents the stability of Sudan, according to the statement.

For his part, Ateny Wek Ateny told reporters in Juba that the coalition government has accepted the president to meet rebel leader without condition.

“Initially, the stance of the government was not to meet the rebel leader, Riek Machar before denouncing violence but because the government is committed to ending war and bring peace to the country, the council of ministers has welcomed the proposal of the IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) and allowed his Excellency the President of the Republic to meet Riek Machar,” said Ateny.

However, the South Sudanese official pointed that Kiir did not receive an official letter from the chairman of the regional bloc mediating the talks, but he would like to meet Machar in Ethiopia instead of Mauritania as it appeared in a communique.

Last week, the IGAD, which is mediating a process for the implementation of a peace agreement signed in 2015, decided to organise a meeting between President Kiir and his main rival Machar.

The IGAD set June 30 as the deadline for the meeting between the two rival leaders.

The revitalization forum is stalled on issues related to the governance and security arrangement. But the mediators say they have hope that the two leaders make the needed concessions in the remaining outstanding matters.

The foreign ministry spokesperson said the Sudanese oil minister discussed with his South Sudanese counterpart the joint cooperation for the resumption of oil production in the troubled country

Also, Gosh and his South Sudanese counterpart discussed security issues and joint cooperation to achieve security and stability in the border areas.

(ST)

By Joan Nyanyuki

Gatwich, 34, was arrested by the South Sudan Military Intelligence Directorate in the aftermath of the July 2016 clashes in Juba and detained at the Gorom Military Base, 20Km south of Juba. During his initial arrest and interrogation, he was beaten and pierced with a dull knife. In detention, the ill-treatment continued.

Speaking to Amnesty International in December 2017, just after his release, he said: “In Gorom, you cannot talk. When we were heard talking, we are brought out, beaten and tortured. They used logs, bamboo sticks and belts for the beatings. If they decided to kill you, they will put a nail in your head, and make the rest of us watch.”

But Gatwich is not alone. He is amongst hundreds of people, mostly men, who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained by the National Security Service and the Military Intelligence Directorate since the conflict started in December 2013.

Another ex-detainee 49-year-old Joseph, reflecting on his life before two years of detention, told us: “You cannot talk about before. That's why people are dying in the sea in Italy. I cannot even send US$50 so my family can eat. The stresses that I have are (from) not being able to support my family. It is better for one to die.”

Some detainees have died in custody as a result of abuses, ill-treatment and lack of medical services. Others, like Gatwich and Joseph, struggle to get the medical and psychological care they desperately need to get back to normal life. Most former detainees have difficulties rebuilding their broken lives.

“Before detention, my life was okay. There was no problem. But since I was detained - I was there for three years and two months – life has become difficult. When they arrested me, they went to my house and took everything. I was released and found nothing. Now I can't afford to put the kids in school and pay rent. I cannot look for jobs because they took my documents when they arrested me, and my health is also not good,” said 32-year-old Moses.

The survivors spoke of how they often wondered whether they would ever make it out of detention alive, whether they would ever see their families again. Now they are free but live each day on edge with lingering fears of being re-arrested.

“I used to move freely without fear but now I have no protection and I am sure they are still following us to see whether their accusations against us are true. Most of us are traumatized; we need trauma healing,” said David, another 49-year-old another detainee, released in 2017 after three years in detention.

In addition to considerable mental anguish, a number described problems with their eyesight, they complained of high blood pressure, difficulty walking, among other medical conditions they contracted or were aggravated by the cramped, unsanitary conditions in detention.

Due to inadequate healthcare in South Sudan, where even primary health care for the general populace is provided by NGOs, former detainees are not able to get the medical or psychological attention they need and are entitled to.

Availability of and accessibility to mental health and psycho-social support services is extremely limited in South Sudan. Juba Teaching Hospital – the only public medical facility that provides psychiatric care – had capacity for only 12 patients as of July 2016. The country has very few practising psychiatrists.

While some NGOs provide support to released detainees, there is a general absence of tailored support for victims. Men are particularly disadvantaged. Although Amnesty International has documented that men are also subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, particularly when in custody, there are hardly any specialised health and support services for male victims.

Prolonged arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment have caused physical and psychological harm to hundreds. The South Sudan government must put an end to these violations, and ensure victims receive full reparation, including compensation for physical and psychological harm, and rehabilitation. The Government also must conduct independent, impartial investigations into reports of torture and prosecute those responsible in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

While the primary responsibility for the care of ex-detainees lies with the government, national and international NGOs have also a role to play by ensuring that their programmes cater to the full range of violations experienced by victims of South Sudan's conflict, including prolonged and arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, sexual and gender-based violence. Mental and psychological health interventions should be mainstreamed to become part of the standard healthcare package provided in South Sudan in view of the on-going crisis.

Joan Nyanyuki is the Amnesty International Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes