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Több száz kilométer kerékpárút épül 2019-ig Magyarországon, nemzetközi kerékpárút lesz Dömös és Szentendre között a Szentendrei-szigeten át, új kerékpárutakat alakítanak ki a Dél-Dunántúl és a Dél-Alföld több pontján, az északkeleti országrészben, valamint Győrnél és az Őrségben.

A szerdai Magyar Közlönyben megjelent kormányhatározatok szerint az európai kerékpárút hálózathoz (EuroVelo) kapcsolódó út a Dömös-Visegrád-Kisoroszi-Tahitótfalu-Pócsmegyer- Szigetmonostor-Szentendre nyomvonalon épül meg.
A Vámosszabadi-Győr (10 kilométer), az Eger-Egerszalók (8 kilométer), Hortobágy-Debrecen (53 kilométer), Tokaj-Mád-Sárospatak (12 kilométer) és a dél-alföldi (7 kilométer) kerékpárutak jövőre készülhetnek el mintegy 2,6 milliárd forintból.
2019-ben adhatják át a Tiszafüred-Hortobágy (55 kilométer), a Siófok-Dombóvár (84 kilométer), a Pécs-Siklós (55 kilométer), a Dombóvár-Pécs (52 kilométer), a Szigetvár-Kaposvár (40 kilométer) és a Murakeresztúr-Őrtilos (16 kilométer) közötti kerékpárutakat; a beruházások összköltsége több mint 7 milliárd forint.
A 2018-2019-ben megvalósuló fejlesztéseket elsősorban uniós forrásból finanszírozzák.
A határozat szerint Kerékpárút épül Tokaj és Nyíregyháza között is, és elkezdődik fél tucat új útvonal tervezése.

January 14, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan government has banned international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from operating in the rebel-controlled Payinjiar county, according to confidential statement Sudan Tribune has obtained.

NGOs distribute relief items to civilians in Bor town of Jonglei state, 9 October, 2012 (ST)

South Sudan Nation Security Service, in a letter addressed to 8 international organizations in the area, advised these entities to cease from operating in a territory controlled by rebels forces allied to ex-First Vice President Riek Machar.

“You are hereby directed to cancel operations in and around Payinjiar (Ganyliel & Nyuong) from the effect of today 31-12-2016 and all your staff must immediately pullout from the area. All the flights to the foresaid areas are suspended. Also, boats from Juba to Payinjiar or from Payinjiar to Juba via River Nile are banned,” partly reads the statement.

Payinjiar has remained a stronghold of the rebels since the crisis broke out in mid-December 2013, and thousands of displaced persons live in the area.

Although the area remains under the control of rebel forces, relations have been strong between neighboring communities of Yirol and the Nyuong-Nuer, with trading activities being a common practice along each other's' borders.

Despite several attacks by pro-government forces to re-take the area from rebels, they have failed after facing fierce resistance from the opposition forces.

Last month, the rebels detained a Tanzanian who flew a chartered plane that landed at Ganyliel airstrip with a government commissioner aboard the plane.

Talks are reportedly underway with the rebels to have the commissioner freed.

Several aids workers confirmed to Sudan Tribune that all NGO staffs in the area were on Friday airlifted to Juba. These included national and international staffs as the government implements last month's ban on NGOs in the rebel-controlled area.

(ST)

Avec quelques jeunes pépites comme  IoT.BZH, le Morbihan ambitionne de devenir un maillon fort de la chaîne cyber. Le 1er concours Cyber West Challenge qui s'est tenu en décembre à Vannes a récompensé cette startup spécialisée dans la cybersécurité et la sécurisation des véhicules connectés. Financée à 80% par l'industrie automobile japonaise, l'entreprise vannetaise prépare une levée de fonds sous 24 mois et n'exclut pas de s'ouvrir aux secteurs du maritime, de l'énergie ou de la défense.

Jetzt berichten Albanische Medien, über die Einmischung der Vandalen NGO’s, EU, aus Berlin finanziert im Auftrage von Georg Soros in Mazedonien. Speziell hier der Hirnlose und korrupte Edi Rama, der die schlechteste Regierung aller Zeit in Tirana anführt und eine Drogen Export Steigerung von 400 % erreichte mit seinem Partner Ilir Meta. Manipulation der gekauften Verbrecher von Georg Soros in Mazedonien. Wo Georg Soros Leute auftreten, herrscht Weltweit Chaos und Korruption wie Betrug und Mord, rund um Privatisierungen. Manipulimi/ Rama si lojtar i Soros në zgjedhjet e Maqedonisë dhe Zaevi si “rojtar” skeme 14 Janar, 2017 0 Në 6 janar mediat në Tiranë trumbetuan me të madhe arritjen e marrëveshjes […]

Les délégations de près de 70 pays se réunissent, dimanche à Paris, pour tenter de relancer les négociations entre Israël et la Palestine. Mais le sommet est critiqué par le président israélien, qui l'a qualifié d'"inutile et truqué".

By Chuor Deng Chuor

The world knows that Ateny Wek Ateny is supposed to be the Press Secretary and official spokesperson of President Salva Kiir. but the reality of the matter is that Ateny has become a lone press secretary operating in his own world with no official access to the President that he claims to represent.

Ateny's frustrations of late have come to the public and I bear witness to how he tore into the President during one of the evening I spent with him and few other fellows that were accompanying him at Juba Grand hotel in Juba.

Because of frustration, Ateny has now adopted to criticizing the personality of the President openly arguing that President Kiir is a person with no vision for this country and that he will lead the country to a total destruction and complete failure.

Before his appointment to his current position as Press Secretary of the President, Ateny was a fierce critic of the President and his government through writing on his daily column on Citizen newspaper “Beating the Drum of Truth” as well as on his daily TV show on Citizen TV.

At the state politics, Mr. Ateny Wek was a staunch supporter of Gen. Dau Aturjong Nyuol, criticizing the then Northern Bahr El Ghazal State Governor and the current Chief of General Staff of the SPLA Gen. Paul Malong Awan Anei. During the crisis in 2013, Ateny circulated a wild rumor that he was the one who recommended Gen. Malong to the President to be appointed as Chief of General Staff of the SPLA and continued to says that up to date as one of his achievements in the Office of the President as if the President does not know who is Gen. Paul Malong Awan.

Ateny appointment to the Press Office of the President was then viewed as an attempt to silence him and to use that energy for something constructive that will better the country but Ateny is proving difficult, “always a rebel will remain a rebel”.

One of his colleagues from the Office of the President told me that Ateny is aggrieved about the fact that the President doesn't want him around him under any circumstances. He hardly get any directives from the President on what to do or not, he further told me that Ateny was banned by the President in 2013 through a directive to the former Minister in the Office of the President, Hon. Awan Guol Riak that he does not want to be accompanied by Ateny during any trip which was resisted by Ateny but at the end he relented when he reached the point of losing his position because of that resistance.

The same source revealed that Ateny since his appointment as Press Secretary in 2013 was seen travelling with the President on two occasions only; one trip was to Paris, France in 2013 and the last one was to Kampala, Uganda in 2014. On those two trips, Ateny showed complete disrespect to the Ministers accompanying the President.

Another bizarre incident was during the trip to Kampala, Uganda. Ateny was asked by the President to leave the meeting hall for him to meet one-on-one with his Ugandan counterpart, but stubbornly, Ateny insisted that he should attend whatever meeting with the President. This enraged the President and Ateny was left to stay on.

And this became one of his many woes that made the President to sanction him from traveling with him.

This standing order from the President still hurt the Press Secretary up-to-date because it make him miss out from getting official briefing and the real issues discuss by the President on his foreign trips.

It has further disable Ateny to have clear picture about the activities of the President so that when he speaks, he speaks with confidence and authority reflecting the fact and truth about the President. It has also affect Ateny from briefing the President on current affairs as well as media related issues as done by press secretaries of other heads of State.

All what he tell the public are his own assumptions and analyses or sometimes through other colleagues close to the President. This pose a question; how can he speak in the name of the President that he does not meet and share with him what he should tell the public?

Another big mistake Ateny did when he assumed his duties as Press Secretary in the Office of the President was to get into confrontation with the President's Office Manager Ms. Ritah Kiden. She is the most feared aide to the President because of her close relationship with the President which no one knows other than two of them and their God who created and put them together to work in the same office!

Ritah is regarded as the real advisor to the President on all matters and crossing paths with her can land you in unthinkable position. Ritah has exploited that relationship with the President and has continued to play a negative role between the President and all the other aides of the president including Ateny. She is so trusted by the President that he can't do without her and that was the reason why she was appointed as an Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to secure her a better future after the President leaves office, God knows when!

What the President does not know about her trusted aide Ritah Kiden who is waging feud between him and other staff in the office is that, she talks ills against him (the President) like when he described the President as “drunk and staggering” during a trip to Torit in 2012. She is also critical of the President's personal weaknesses including how he has failed to manage the affairs of his own family.

Back to the point, Mr. Ateny Wek Ateny is there in the Office of the President on accommodation terms and not as an effective and regarded spokesperson of the President. The best option for Ateny now is to tender in his resignation and go back to his previous job of writing since his views have change about how the President is running the country.

Double speak is not the best strategy as you cannot serve two masters at the same time. Supporting the President when he is there and talking ills against him in social forums is an unacceptable to individuals like me to whom Ateny is trying to air his frustration.

The writer is a human right activist and student of Political Science at Juba University. Email him on: chuordeng@gmail.com

Halte au feu c’est le terme utilisé par les militaires pour faire cesser des tirs intempestifs, meurtriers le plus souvent. Les plus anciens d’entre nous conservent le souvenir de cas particulièrement dramatiques, notamment en France pendant la guerre d’Algérie.

Cet appel vise le président de la Commission européenne objet d’attaques incessantes et de toute nature depuis sa nomination. Elles me semblent excessives et surtout contreproductives. La dernière en date : l’ex Premier ministre du Luxembourg, aurait empêché l’UE de lutter contre l’évasion fiscale lorsqu’il était à la tête de son pays, selon des documents révélés récemment par le quotidien britannique The Guardian et le Consortium International de Journalistes d’Investigation. Cette information a été reprise et amplifiée ces dernières semaines par toute le presse et ces attaques ne datent pas d’aujourd’hui, bien avant même d’être investi comme président de la Commission

Rappelons que les pays européens ont été appelés à collaborer dans la lutte contre l’évasion fiscale, depuis près de 20 ans, au sein du comité « Fiscalité des entreprises » crée par le Conseil européen en 1998, également appelé groupe Primarolo. Cette enceinte est méconnue oubliée, rarement pour ne pas dire jamais citée dans le cadre de la lutte contre l’évasion fiscale. Euractiv vient de rafraichir notre mémoire (cf. pour en savoir plus). Les petits pays, mais ils ne sont pas les seuls, y sont les plus ardents et les plus habiles dans ce genre de sport, l’évasion fiscale. Le terme de LuxLeaks est devenu la dénomination emblématique la plus connue, accolée généralement à celle de scandale. En effet c’est bien de scandale qu’il s’agit. Il ne s’agit pas de le minimiser ou de l’étouffer. Mais de grâce ne harcelez pas inutilement Jean-Claude Juncker. Au temps lointain où il était premier ministre, peut-être n’a-t-il pas fait preuve de toute la vigilance et de toute la détermination souhaitées, mais c’est ancien et il semble sincèrement engagé dans la lutte, une lutte gigantesque et à l’issue incertaine. De grâce n’affaiblissons pas Jean-Claude Juncker inutilement car c’est l’Institution que nous affaiblissons et par les temps actuels ce n’est pas notre intérêt.

En effet avec sa lucidité bien connue, Pierre Defraigne dans un article de la Libre Belgique vient de sonner l’alarme « l’Europe ne peut plus désormais compter que sur elle-même ». Pénétrons nous bien du sens et de la force de ces mots, de ce que cela veut dire concrètement pour la vie de tous les jours, de chaque jour et pour les rapports géostratégiques internationaux. Dans un tel contexte, ne nous privons pas inutilement d’un allié précieux à la vaste expérience. Les personnalités européennes d’une réelle envergure sont trop rare pour s’en priver de façon irréfléchie, voyez les difficultés que l’on a à remplacer Martin Schulz, l’ancien président du Parlement européen. Cela me rappelle cet excellent et talentueux collègue du Parlement européen qui critiquait avec ardeur la Commission européenne chaque fois qu’il me rencontrait et multipliait les sarcasmes jusqu’au jour où je lui posais la question : que feras-tu le jour où il n’y aura plus de Commission celle-ci ayant disparu sous les attaques en tout genre ? Il m’a alors répondu avec une parfaite bonne foi : « comme les chiens il ne me restera plus qu’à aboyer à la lune » (crier inutilement). Redoutons que nous ne soyons un jour la victime de ce genre de comportement. Travaillons à faire prendre conscience dans les Etats membres qu’ils n’ont pas de meilleurs alliés que la Commission elle-même, c’est sa nature institutionnelle. Dans ces attaques il y a un aspect sournois qui vise avant tout non pas Jean-Claude Juncker, mais la construction européenne elle-même.

Pour en rester aux problèmes institutionnels, il y a un combat de beaucoup plus prioritaire que de s’attaquer au président de la Commission, aussi imparfait soit-il. C’est la réforme de la loi électorale et tout particulièrement la désignation du président de la Commission. Des progrès importants ont été faits lors de la dernière élection mais ils sont insuffisants nous nous en rendons compte : les plaintes concernant le déficit démocratique restent nombreuses. Il n’y a pas d’élus dans toutes ces structures technocratiques, dit-on de façon un peu rapide. Même le Parlement européen n’arrive pas à convaincre malgré les progrès réalisés lors des dernières élections de 2014. Le pas suivant serait donc, outre le dispositif actuel, l’instauration de listes transnationales . La liste de qui arriverait en tête serait celle où serait choisi le président de la Commission en attendant le jour où il serait possible de faire une élection au suffrage universel directe avec un seul collège, celui des députés élus. Nous sommes profondément convaincus de la nécessité d’un système intégré de partis politiques au niveau européen pour favoriser un véritable débat sur les politiques européennes qui ne seraient pas entièrement phagocytées par les politiques, les enjeux nationaux et par les personnalités politiques nationales.

Les données sont connues et ont été mises sur la table avec le rapport de Danuta Hubner et Jo Leinen. Depuis les choses sont claires dans leur simplicité : le Conseil bloque. Il faut reconnaître que la procédure de réforme de la loi électorale ressemble davantage à une révision des traités qu’à une procédure législative ordinaire. Le Conseil doit approuver à l’unanimité les propositions du Parlement européen et les Etats membres doivent ratifier conformément à leurs règles constitutionnelles respectives. Il faut reconnaître aussi de façon réaliste que seules des approches successives, pas à pas et en plusieurs temps (au moins deux) permettront de progresser. Enfin il faut reconnaître que par le passé et maintenant, la procédure de l’élection et de leurs enjeux sont insuffisamment expliqués aux électeurs. Le temps presse et les élections c’est dans deux ans en 2019, demain matin ! Un des premiers objectifs est de préserver la pratique de 2014 et exclure la possibilité pour le Conseil européen de revenir aux temps antérieurs à Lisbonne où le choix du président de la Commission procédait d’arrangements obscurs conclus par les chefs d’Etat, toutes portes fermées. La désignation de candidats chefs de file par les partis politiques européens devra être une disposition contraignante dans le futur Acte électoral. Cela devrait consolider la procédure électoral actuel, mais aussi accorder aux partis politiques européen, en raison de la loi européenne un rôle formel lors, si c’est possible, des prochaines élections européennes. Les électeurs devront être avertis, éclairés, la visibilité des partis politiques européens devra être assurée sur les bulletins de vote par une disposition qui le rend obligatoire.

Pour en revenir à notre propos initial et au-delà de toutes ces considérations, il reste vrai que lutter contre l’évasion fiscale, lutter sérieusement reste une obligation impérative, prioritaire, de tous les instants, mais c’est un combat homérique, titanesque, de longue haleine pour plusieurs générations. Pour autant, il ne faut pas minimiser les succès acquis : les communiqués de l’OCDE, du G20, de nos gouvernements sont peut être trop triomphaux, mais les progrès sont réels. L’échange automatique d’informations entre les fiscs de 80 pays se met en place, le secret bancaire Suisse appartient au passé dans ce qu’il avait d’implacable, le rapatriement de capitaux cachés rapporte des milliards et il est donc de plus en plus difficile d’y échapper. L’OCDE a adopté de nouvelles règles contre l’optimisation fiscale des multinationales. Il y a des progrès à faire, certes mais on doit cependant s’interroger honnêtement : les gouvernements n’ont-ils pas pris de bonnes mesures ? L’écart peut encore être resté grand entre les déclarations officielles et les actes. La police fiscale manque d’effectifs, parfois de façon dramatique en termes de capacité d’investigation, de répression, de moyens humains et matériels, paradoxe alors que les pénalités et redressements fiscaux rapportent gros aux finances publiques.

En matière de lutte contre la fraude fiscale, il semble bien qu’on a dépassé le stade des faux-semblants. La bataille n’est pas perdue d’avance. Sous prétexte qu’une bataille n’est pas encore gagnée on ne doit pas renoncer à en livrer une autre : édifier des institutions fortes pour l’Europe. Pas d’Europe forte avec des Institutions faibles ! Le temps du militantisme européen et de la participation citoyenne est arrivé. Dans l’attente, ménageons de façon réfléchie le président de la Commission. Halte au feu !

Pour en savoir plus : principales sources d’information

Euractiv https://www.euractiv.fr/section/euro-finances/news/juncker-accuse-davoir-bloque-la-lutte-contre-levasion-fiscale/

Réforme de la loi électorale http://www.taurillon.org/reforme-de-la-loi-electorale-de-l-union-europeenne-vers-un-marche

Pierre Defraigne : La Libre Belgique « que faut-il à l’Europe pour avancer http://www.lalibre.be/debats/opinions/que-faut-il-a-l-europe-pour-avancer-opinion-586e9e3dcd708a17d559ea4a

 

 

 

Classé dans:Citoyenneté européenne, DROITS FONDAMENTAUX

January 13, 2017 (BOR) - Unity and love for one another among the people of South Sudan and their elected government is essential for success in the country, former Vice-President, Abel Alier Kuai, said.

Abel Alier speaking to the public in Bor on January 13, 2017 (ST)

Alier made this remarks during a reception organized and conducted by the Jonglei state government in Bor on Friday.

The former Vice-President, who was visiting his hometown after more than 30 years, expressed delight having witnessed both the independence and post-independence of the young nation.

He urged the people of South Sudan to embrace peace, love and unity.
“Unity and love are essential for the people and government in South Sudan,” said Alier.

He added, They are the basis [of development], we got independence, I never knew it would come when I am alive, I want [you] people [to] hold your hands together, I want love among you”.

The former Vice-President said he was deeply concerned that people were lacking basic needs like food in the country, urging those who are in a position to assist to unconditionally help others.

The spirit of sharing little resources will help those in need, he stressed.
“If you find someone who has not eaten for two to three days, and you have something, give him”, added.

He said the warn reception given renewed him and raised his moral.

Born in 1933, Alier is a South Sudanese politician who served as the Vice President for Southern Sudan from 1971 to 1982, a year before Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) came into effect.

The veteran politician was also President of the High Executive Council of Southern Sudan's autonomous region from 1972 to 1978.

(ST)

January 14, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudan says it will only accept the deployment of the United Nations Security Council-authorised regional protection force if a new resolution is passed, arguing that resolution under which the forces were to be deployed elapsed.

South Sudan's information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, speaks to reporters in Jonglei state capital Bor on 25 December 2014 (ST)

The council of minister, during its Friday meeting, reportedly resolved that the period during which the deployment of the regional protection force should have been deployed had elapsed and that any deployment should be done under a new mandate.

“The UNSC resolution that authorised the force lapsed on December the 15th 2016. Unless the UN wants to deploy the force as part of normal UN force, their mandate must be legally unambiguous and up to date”, said South Sudan information minister, Michael Makuei.

The cabinet, official added, resolved after the weekly meeting that the UNSC needed to issue a new resolution to deploy the regional protection force in South Sudan.

Observers argued that the new demand is part of a strategy to justify initial rejection for deployment of regional protection force, which the government had long opposed.

Early this week, the acting head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Moustapha Soumaré said he met with the South Sudanese Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Martin Lumoro during which the latter assure that the young nation's government's position remains unchanged on the deployment of the regional forces.

The UN official had requested clarification on various press reports, which cited senior government officials saying government had changed its position on the deployment of the protection force.

Lomoro said government's position was in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions that it would continue to facilitate the deployment of the regional force.

The Security Council, in its Resolution 2304, decided that UNMISS force levels be increased to a ceiling of 17,000 troops, including 4,000 for a regional protection force. UNMISS also confirmed that in preparation for the arrival of the protection force, it continues to be engaged in discussions with the coalition government as to the various modalities for the new force, including where they would be deployed.

(ST)

Le professeur Peillon est l'invité surprise de la primaire de la gauche. Mais le candidat, dernier à s'être lancé dans la course, a eu le temps de préparer un programme. « Mes quatre enfants sont grands,...

« Il va montrer qu'il sait cheffer », prévient samedi matin un proche de François Fillon, à son arrivée du conseil national des Républicains. Façon de donner le ton et d'annoncer la riposte à venir du...

Vingt personnalités, parmi lesquelles Etienne Balibar, Serge Slama, Mireille Delmas-Marty, Thomas Piketty, Christine Lazerges, interpellent les candidats à la présidentielle.

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

Barak Obama's Lifting of Sanctions off the genocidal regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan is based on weak, unconvincing, pretty flimsy excuses and very thin and insubstantial justifications. Let us look no further than the background of the Obama's Administration of justification for the suspension of US sanctions on Sudan.
And it focused on the following points:

1. Low level of violence in areas of conflict with evidence that all the previous years have seen a "summer campaign" against rebel positions, but this year.
2. Has been a marked increase in access to war-affected rates in all areas of operations without major incidents.
3. There has been the Sudanese government's commitment to promoting peace in southern Sudan and by refraining from supporting opponents of President Salva Kiir
4. Government of Sudan has allowed the US government to provide medicine and humanitarian aids to the affected people in conflict zones.
5. The government has amended the Commission of Humanitarian Affairs procedures and it became easier to obtain visas and movement permits - except in the areas of operations - has become easier than ever before.
6. Increased cooperation in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) file and allowed the Americans to make sure of the areas that have been suspected of the presence of the Lord by the army.
7. American wildlife management team has been allowed to follow wildlife and verify the ivory trade and forest products that were obtained illegally.
8. Finally, Sudan's cooperation in the terrorism file without any details
The foregoing are considered by the people of Sudan in Darfur as flimsy justifications for lifting sanctions off the Génocidaire Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir's regime that continued committing atrocious crimes in Darfur and other regions in Sudan including the use of Chemical Weapons.
Reference: Omar Gamar Eldin - Sudanjem link: goo.gl/4ajAC5

As the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States getting nearer and will be held on Friday, January 20, 2017, on the West Front of the United States, let us look at the account inventory – stocktaking - of the legacy of the Us President Barak Obama for the people of Sudan in Darfur, according to the promises announced during his campaign for the Presidency of the United States of America.

The conflict in the region of Darfur in western Sudan began in the 2003, when the Sudanese government led by Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir hired the notorious Arab militiamen better known as the Janjaweed to wage a proxy war against the people of the region. The result was thousands of civilians raped and tortured and more than 300,000 killed and more than 2.7 million people driven from their homes. The Bush administration called it genocide, as did U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

Speaking with SaveDarfur in 2006, then Presidential candidate Barak Obama made a sweeping promise that “we can't say never again and allow it to happen again, and as President of the United States I don't intend to abandon people or turn a blind eye to slaughter.” However, Slaughter went on unabatedly in the sight and hearing of the world and of course of Obama and his Administration at the US White House, in Washington DC. Since assuming the Presidency, President Obama's expressed dedication to ending the genocide in Darfur and combatting impunity in the region has fallen off the agenda. Moreover, President Obama's remarks before the African Union (AU) (Jul. 28, 2015) mirrored in part his previous comments on Darfur. He commented, “Leaders in Sudan must know their nation will never truly thrive so long as they wage war against their own people- the world will not forget about Darfur.” Speaking on dictatorships on the continent, Obama remarked “Africa's democratic progress is at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end.” Beautiful rhetoric and superfluous lip service, isn't it?! Sadly, inaction followed. And at worse, kudos and brownie points offered for free to al-Bashir and his criminal clique and the corrupt entourage.

The people of Sudan in Darfur and the survivors of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime genocide say OBAMA'S YES WE CAN HAS LET US DOWN.

Backing the perpetrators was not thought a character for Obama when he visited the Darfuri refugees camps in Chad (Oct. 18, 2008) early in the days he was poised for running for the US Presidency. However, lifting sanctions off the (NCP) regime was not expected of Obama on those days. It seems interests have overridden the moralities. This seems the final in the series of Obama's betrayal for the disenfranchised Sudanese people, survivors of genocide in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan. At this particular moment, the people of Darfur who have survived the Holocaust of the NCP might not get saddened by the departure of Barak Obama after his lean eight years in the White House at Washington DC.

The cumulative effects of the (NCP) regime crimes resulted into more than 300,000 deaths of men, women and children in Darfur. More than 3 million Darfuris displaced in recent years. The Genocidal criminal Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir has admitted that he has only killed Ten Thousand people and not three hundred thousand people in Darfur. President Omar al-Bashir is the only sitting head of state wanted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, for the crimes he has perpetrated against unarmed noncombatant civilian Sudanese population in Darfur. Furthermore, undeterred by his arrest warrants, Omer al-Bashir continues his crimes with impunity, expanding his bombing and attacks against civilians beyond Darfur to those in the Sudanese states of Ingessana in Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains in Southern Kordofan. While people of Africa appreciated the work of President Obama during his African tour on issues of economic development and human rights, the millions of victims who have been displaced, tortured, raped, and killed over the course of Bashir's terror regime remained on the sidelines. President Obama has assured that Darfur will not be forgotten early on. However, the horrors in Sudan kept ongoing and he did nothing to aid in the fight against impunity. People have attached a lot of hopes on President Obama for using his remaining months in office to take a harder stance against the Omer al-Bashir's regime, and fulfill his promises to the people of Darfur. But all those hopes faded away and went unheeded. And the people in Darfur felt that President Barack Obama's administration has reneged on promises and betrayed the people of Sudan in Darfur and his latter decision of lifting the sanctions as a dance with the genocidal butcher Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir on the skulls of the victims.

The Motto continued since Darfur Genocide as follows:
Don't Let Bashir Get Away With Genocide. It is time for justice to be served. 14 YEARS BASHIR HAS EVADED INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE & REMAINED FUGITIVE. On March 4, 2009 the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir for 7 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. On July 12, 2010 the ICC issued an additional warrant adding 3 counts of genocide for the ethnic cleansing of the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa tribes.

The first reaction of condemnation for the lifting of sanctions on Sudan came from the US Member of the United States House of Representatives, Senator Jim McGovern), a senior House Democrat representing Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district and leading voice on Sudan. Senator McGovern said: “I am angry and deeply disappointed that the last act by the Obama Administration on Sudan policy is to ease sanctions against a genocidal regime when there has been little to no change on-the-ground in the human rights and humanitarian crises suffered by the Sudanese people”. http://mcgovern.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mcgovern-statement-on-new-obama-sanctions-policy-for-sudan
Tom Andrews Published On April 14, 2015 an article titled: Dying in Darfur: President Obama's Forgotten Promise- http://endgenocide.org/dying-in-darfur-president-obamas-forgotten-promise/
Rebecca Tinsley, Journalist and human rights activist wrote an article titled: Last Chance for Darfur: US Congress presses Obama to act. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-tinsley/last-chance-for-darfur-us_b_9836834.html
The article reported that a group of 120 legislators are calling on President Obama to use his final months in office to “exercise leadership” on human rights abuses in Sudan.
And Obama hasn't used the bully pulpit to personally talk enough about Darfur. The bitter disappointment of the people of Sudan in Darfur for the positions taken by the outgoing US President Barack Obama will remain in the modern history log.

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

January 14, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on Saturday has welcomed the appointment of Jeremiah Nyamane Kingsley Mamabolo as Joint Special Representative and head of hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Jeremiah Nyamane Kingsley Mamabolo (UN Photo)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, JEM chief negotiator Ahmed Tugod expressed his movement's readiness “to fully support; cooperate and closely work with the new chief to bring about peace and stability in the region”.

“At the same time, [JEM] reminds the new chief that although the protection of civilians represents the core mission's mandate, the developments on the ground and the events that occurring regularly clearly indicate that the mission is far behind the level of physical protection of the conflict affected population or response to civilian under imminent threat,” he said.

“The attacks on civilians in Nertiti and Geniena were clear manifestation of what we are saying, therefore; more work to be done to enhance and increase the capacity and availability of the UNAMID forces to respond and protect the civilian under immediate threat,” he added.

Tugod stressed that existence of a comprehensive genuine peace process is essential, pointing the “tasks of the missions cannot be achieved unless there is a lasting peace”.

On Thursday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced the appointment of Mamabolo of South Africa as UNAMID Chief.

He replaced Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi of Nigeria who left the mission last week, one year after his appointment.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the western Sudan's region.

It is the world's second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

UN agencies say there are nearly 2.5 million displaced persons in Darfur, despite the signing of peace agreement in Doha in July 2011.

(ST)

January 14, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese security service Saturday has prevented opposition leaders from leaving the country to participate in a meeting of the Sudan Call forces in the French capital Paris.

The 20th meeting of the armed and political opposition groups is designed to discuss the organizational structures of the alliance and also will consider ways to support peaceful protests and civilian disobedience in the country.

The Sudan Call forces inside the country, and the National Umma Party (NUP) issued two separate statements to announce the travel ban on their delegations imposed by the National Intelligence and Security Services.

The delegation of Sudan Call forces is composed of Omer al-Digair, chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party, Kamal Ismail of the National Alliance Party and Yahia Hussein of the Sudanese Ba'ath Party.

While the delegation of the National Umma Party included, deputy chairman Mohamed Abdalla al-Doma, deputy chairman Merriam al-Mahdi and secretary general Sarah Nougdallah. The party leader Saldiq al-Mahdi and other members will travel to Paris from Cairo.

Sudanese authorities didn't issue any statement on the ban.

However, informed sources said the decision of the security services depends on the agenda of the meetings, pointing that this time Khartoum believes they seeks to coordinate the actions of the political and military factions to topple the regime.

Khartoum in the past allowed the opposition groups inside the country to meet with the rebels every time the African Union mediators or the facilitators backed such move but this time seemingly nobody informed the government about the meeting or its agenda, Sudan Tribune has learnt.

The peace talks are deadlocked since last August. The facilitators, Germany, Uganda and the U.S. organized informal meetings with or between the two parties, but failed to narrow the gaps in the positions of the parties over cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements.

The Sudan Call forces, which negotiate with the government in a process brokered by the African Union, last November and December supported calls by Sudanese activists to overthrow the regime of President Omer al-Bashir through a civil disobedience campaign.

On Thursday, the security service prevented the Chairman of Civil Society Initiative, Amin Mekki Medani, and his family from travelling to Cairo where he planned undergo a surgery.

(ST)

January 14, 2017 (KHAROTUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has described the United States decision to ease economic sanctions imposed on Sudan as a positive move saying it would pave the way for developing normal relations between Khartoum and Washington.

Following his meeting with the committee tasked with following up on the dialogue with Washington on Saturday, al-Bashir said the decision comes as Sudan completes the national dialogue process and heads to establish the government of national concord.

In a statement seen by Sudan Tribune, al-Bashir instructed the committee to continue the dialogue with Washington “until removing Sudan from the US list of states sponsors of terror”.

It is noteworthy that the committee includes representatives from the ministries of defence, social welfare and finance besides the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) and the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).

For his part, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said the committee held 23 meetings with the American officials in Khartoum before reaching the decision to lift the sanctions.

“We held meetings with the [US] Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Defence, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury and other bodies,” he said

He pointed that the meetings were held away from the media in agreement with the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

According to Ghandour, the two sides discussed five tracks including the fight against terrorism, Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Sudan's role in the peace process in South Sudan, Sudan's peace and the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

He stressed that Sudan have shown commitment to implement the Roadmap agreed upon during the talks between the two sides.

“We are committed to all tracks … we combat terrorism and we are keen about peace in South Sudan and we seek to achieve peace in Sudan and we don't support the LRA,” he said

The U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday has signed an executive order to ease sanctions against Sudan enabling trade and investment transactions to resume with the east African nation.

In a letter to Congress announcing the changes, Obama said the move intends to acknowledge Sudan's efforts to reduce internal conflicts, improve humanitarian access to people in need and curtail terrorism.

He pointed that the easing of the sanctions would not take effect for six months and would be dependent on the findings of a progress report on Khartoum's actions.

In the mean time, the U.S. Treasury Department authorized Americans to do business in Sudan and export products there, effective immediately. It also unfroze Sudan's assets in the U.S.

Sudan has been under American economic and trade sanctions since 1997 for its alleged connection to terror networks and remains on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror. The first batch of sanctions restricts U.S. trade and investment with Sudan and block government's assets of the Sudanese government.

Additional sanctions in relations with the conflict in Darfur region were introduced by two Executive Orders in 2006.

(ST)

January 14, 2017 (JUBA) - The Norwegian government has denied it's involvement in an alleged plot to assassinate the chief of general staff for the South Sudanese army (SPLA).

South Sudanese army chief Gen. Paul Malong Awan speaking at a Dinka Malual community meeting in Juba on 1 November 2012 (ST)

"These are false accusations and a willful and gross misrepresentation of Norwegian policy, which for so long has focused on contributing to peace and development in South Sudan and for its people,” partly reads a statement on the website of the Norwegian embassy in South Sudan.

It added, “Norway does not hold any opinions, nor interfere, in the democratic leadership in any countries”.

The Norwegian government, the statement stressed further, categorically rejects the allegations made on 12 January, 2017 that representatives of Norway together with Troika colleagues were involved in discussions reportedly aimed at changing the current leadership in the young nation.

The meeting was allegedly held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Norway's statement was in response to a release issued by the acting spokesman of the SPLA, which claimed the Troika nations (including Britain and United States) met with anti-government elements in Nairobi and allegedly plotted to assassinate the SPLA chief of staff, Paul Malong Awan.

The statement portrayed Malong as an obstacle to the regime change agenda and that achieving this implies that he is either killed or sanctioned.

In November last year, the U.S. requested the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on the leader of the armed opposition (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, Malong and the information minister for hampering South Sudan's peace process.

(ST)

La Mission des Nations Unies au Soudan du Sud (MINUSS) a confirmé ce weekend qu'elle continuait ses discussions avec le gouvernement national de transition sud-soudanais sur la Force de protection régionale comptant de 4.000 soldats, qui a été autorisée par le Conseil de sécurité en août dernier mais n'a toujours pas été déployée.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan has confirmed that it continues its discussions with the transitional national unity Government on a 4,000-strong regional protection force, which was authorized by the Security Council last August but has yet to be deployed.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan has confirmed that it continues its discussions with the transitional national unity Government on a 4,000-strong regional protection force, which was authorized by the Security Council last August but has yet to be deployed.