Africa

April 18, 2018 (JUBA) – Members of the United Nations Security Council Committee, established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan, were briefed by the Panel of Experts on South Sudan in connection with the Panel's final report, which was submitted in pursuance of paragraph 2 of resolution 2353 (2017).

The UN Security Council votes unanimously to impose sanctions on those blocking peace in South Sudan (Photo: UN/Devra Berkowitz)

During the deliberations, held on 11 April, the Committee reportedly considered the Panel's findings with respect to the political and security situation in South Sudan; violations of human rights and international humanitarian law; obstruction of humanitarian and peacekeeping missions; and arms procurement and the implementation of the sanctions measures in war-torn South Sudan.

The Committee also considered recommendations set out in the Panel's final report, partly read a statement Sudan Tribune obtained.

The Committee, it further stressed, also received a briefing by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, which provided updates on developments in South Sudan since the last briefing by the Special Representative to the members in March last year.

However, it was noted that while the young nation was facing the conflict for the fourth consecutive year, violations against children had increased considerably compared to the preceding two years.

The UN had verified over 1,000 incidents of all six grave violations against children, affecting close to 1,400 children in South Sudan.

During the 11 April meeting, the recruitment and use of children by all parties in South Sudan's conflict, was assessed to be endemic.

“The office concluded that children were not just used on an ad hoc basis to temporarily boost military capacities of parties to the conflict or to provide services,” the statement noted, adding that children of South Sudan were the very fuel of the war, abused in a systematic and sustained manner which enabled the war effort to continue.

The world's youngest nation has been mired in conflict between the government of President Salva Kiir and rebels led by Riek Machar, the country's former first vice-president since mid-December 2013. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced almost over 2 million people from their homes, including over a million refugees who have fled into neighbouring nations

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April 18, 2018 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese presidency has dismissed as propaganda reports alleging presidential adviser on military affairs, Daniel Awet Akot has been placed under house arrest, causing speculations and warning such actions could spark unrest.

Daniel Awet Akot (ST)

The presidential adviser on security affairs. Tut Kew Gatluak denied that Akot is under house arrest, saying he was unaware of the top aide's detention.

“I am not aware of this allegation. I spoke to Gen Daniel today and he did not indicate he has been arrested”, Gatluak told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

The presidential press secretary, Ateny Wek Ateny also denied the allegation, saying Akot is working normally and nobody has ever tried to raise security details around his residence or anywhere.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the speculation and attempts to reach the presidential aide failed he could not easily be reached on his known phone contacts.

Sources, however, attributed the speculations to comments in which he protested the manner the government under President Salva Kiir has been managing the affairs of the nation since becoming an independent from neigbouring Sudan.

The top aide admitted that the government was not functioning, citing non payments of the government employees by the state for more than six months now.

Akot, also a leading member of the faction of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement under president Salva Kiir was speaking during the funeral ride of late Morwel Abergut in Juba on Friday evening during which he urged people of Greater Lakes State to abandon all government positions and go back home to cultivate and focus on farming.

He urged his people to stop working against each and unite as Lakes State citizens.

This is the first time a Member of SPLM/A High Command came out clearly against Juba Administration. Awet who hails from Gok state formerly one of Greater Lakes state counties was furious while addressing a large crowd from Greater Lakes state.

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Intruders stormed into the Nigerian upper house and took the symbolic mace.

April 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government accused Darfur armed group of rejecting all the compromises proposed by the international mediators to reach a declaration of principles paving the way for peace talks to end the 15-year conflict.

On Tuesday evening the delegations representing the Government of Sudan, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi ended two-day discussions in Berlin without signing a pre-negotiation agreement.

The two sides say willing for a negotiated settlement but failed to agree on how to proceed. The government put on the negotiating table the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, but the armed groups say they want a new process on new bases, not this framework text signed in July 2011 with other former rebel groups.

Amin Hassan Omer, the head of the government delegation issued a statement on Wednesday morning saying the two movements refused all the proposals made by the mediators and were determined to impose some conditions before the negotiations.

The two groups their positions, "although the government had agreed to all the propositions drafted by the mediation," said Omer. "It is clear that the brothers on the other side are not yet ready to go through the peace process with all its benefits," he further said.

Minnawi, on Tuesday, said the government delegation insisted on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) as the only basis for negotiations and rejected the proposals and concessions they made in order to break the stalemate.

ACCUSING FINGER TO THE AFRICAN UNION

For his part, JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim Wednesday reiterated that the government's insistence on the DDPD as the basis for the talks led to the failure of the meeting.

He further said the statements of AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui on Darfur peace process encouraged the government to harden its position and "significantly contributed to the failure of the talks".

Ibrahim said the government adopted this tough position thinking that the African Union now raises a big stick and the armed movements are forced to accept what is dictated on them.

Following a meeting held on 20 February 2018, the Peace and Security Council said concerned by the "unnecessarily prolonged" process for peace in Darfur.

The Council further pointed to "the lack of commitment on the part of the non-signatory Darfur armed movements" and urged them to engage discussions with the government on the basis of the Doha Document for peace in Darfur (DDPD).

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April 18, 2018 (JUBA) The authorities in South Sudan have shut down the BBC's FM relay stations in the capital, Juba and in the town of Wau.

The decision, an official said, was taken after the London-based radio ignored requests to pay arrears, despite a reminder in January.

“On 22 January 2018, the minister [of information] wrote to them [BBC] cancelling the agreement and informed BBC to pay SSBC [South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation] all the arrears and come to negotiate the new agreement with SSBC, the media Authority and NCA [National Communication Authority], but after a month, they started giving conditions,” Magok Chilim, the director of SSBC said.

He threatened to sue the BBC should the broadcaster not pay its bill.

The BBC, in a statement, said it regret the decision to stop broadcasting "its news services to an audience of more than 400,000 in South Sudan”.

The broadcaster, however, said it was working hard to reach an understanding with South Sudan authorities to restore the service.

South Sudan, Reporters Without Borders said, still faces challenges, like censorship and harassment, which needed to tackled. In 2016, South Sudan ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, falling 26 places since the start of a civil war in 2013.

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April 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Ambassadors of the European Union (EU) on Wednesday have expressed concern about the situation of the people in the disputed Abyei region.

In a statement at the end of a two-day visit to the region, EU Ambassadors said the “objective of the visit was to examine the political, security, development and humanitarian situation on the ground”.

“The European diplomats held meetings with the leaders of Ngok Dinka and Misserya and Dinka Agok, representatives of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the UN Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) and other UN agencies and NGOs” read the statement

“During their stay, the European diplomats visited Todach and Agok. They had a walk around the Amiet common market and visited projects related to health and the empowerment of women” added the statement

According to the statement, “the European diplomats agreed that there is a need for improved basic services especially in the areas of water, education, health and rule of law”.

It is noteworthy that the EU delegation included ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway as well as the Special Envoy of Norway to Sudan and South Sudan.

Ownership of Abyei, a border region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, remained contentious after the world's youngest nation split from Sudan in 2011.

There is no joint administration between Sudan and South Sudan, as the Ngok Dinka refuse the formation of Abyei Area Administration and the Legislative Council. Instead, they call to hold a referendum without the Sudanese pastoralist Misseriya.

Now there are two committees one for the Misseriya appointed by the Sudanese government and another for the Ngok Dinka appointed by Juba government.

On 27 June 2011, the Security Council, by its resolution 1990, responded to the urgent situation in Abyei by establishing the UNISFA.

UNISFA's establishment came after Sudan's government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) reached an agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the area.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) provides that the contested territory remains part of the north until the organisation of a referendum determines its fate.

The difference over who will participate in the referendum prevents the two countries from holding the agreed referendum.

However, the Dinka Ngok organised a unilateral referendum from 27to 29 October 2013 to say they want to join the Republic of South Sudan.

Khartoum, Juba, the African Union and the international community refused to recognise the outcome of the vote.

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April 18, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said his country wouldn't accept any proposal to hold a referendum or allow joint administration for the disputed Halayeb triangle.

Speaking to the lawmakers on Wednesday, the Sudanese top diplomat renewed his country's non-negotiable right to full sovereignty over the region, saying the dispute should be settled either through negotiations or international arbitration.

He pointed out that Sudan recalled its ambassador to Cairo in response to the escalatory moves taken by Egyptian authorities to blur the Sudanese identity of the disputed region.

Ghandour stressed that Halayeb is an integral part of Sudan and that it remains a priority of the foreign policy, stressing their keenness to exercise a policy of restraint and non-escalation in order to preserve the eternal relations between the two countries and peoples.

He expressed hope the bilateral talks during presidential meetings or within the higher, quadripartite and political consultations committees would lead to an agreement on the issue.

The border triangle area of Halayeb, Abu Ramad and Shalateen, which is a 20,580 km area on the Red Sea, has been a contentious issue between Egypt and Sudan since 1958, shortly after Sudan gained its independence from the British-Egyptian rule in January 1956.

The area has been under Cairo's full military control since the mid-1990's following a Sudanese-backed attempt to kill the former Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt continued to reject Sudan's repeated calls for referring the dispute to international arbitration.

In April 2016, Cairo refused a demand by the Sudanese government to hold direct talks on Halayeb and Shalateen or to accept the referral of the dispute to the International Court of Arbitration.

The international law provides that the agreement of the two parties is needed to arbitrate a dispute with the tribunal.

In July last year, Sudan filed a notice with the UN, claiming that Egypt is occupying the triangle, and refusing to claim any rights for a third party.

In the same month, Cairo announced it would start oil and gas exploration in the Red Sea province, including the Halayeb triangle.

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April 18, 2018 (WASHINGTON) - In Phase II of the ongoing engagement with Sudan to normalize of relations, The United States will focus on the need for more progress in human rights and religious freedom in the east African country, said the State Department.

Last March a bipartisan group of 57 U.S. Congressmen wrote to John Sullivan Deputy Secretary of State who is tasked with the Sudanese file urging not to remove Sudan from the list of states supporting terrorism and normalize relations before to end the war, restore freedoms and human rights.

In a letter dated 16 April 2018, seen by Sudan Tribune, the State Department Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Mary Waters reassured the congressmen telling them the U.S. administration shares their goal.

"We agree that more progress is needed and are working now to design a "Phase 11" framework for our engagement. The Administration is considering including specific requirements along the lines of what you suggested in your letter, especially with regard to human rights, including religious freedom," wrote Waters.

In October 2017, Washington announced the end of the 20-year embargo on Sudan in line with the "Five Track Engagement Plan", in which Khartoum agreed to a cessation of hostilities with the armed groups, opened unfettered humanitarian access in the conflict-affected areas, agreed to support efforts for peace in South Sudan and developed cooperation with the U.S. to counter terrorism in the region.

The two countries said they would soon resume discussions on the normalization process, as Khartoum, from its side, feels the limited benefit of the lift of economic sanctions without its removal from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

Waters told the Congressmen that in the upcoming phase of the normalization process Washington intends to use "the United States' unique leverage" to bring the Sudanese government to adopt and implement "meaningful reforms" but also to "mark progress" in order to end the armed conflicts in Darfur and the Two Area.

"This engagement also ensures, in line with the Administration's priorities, that Sudan abstains from ties with North Korea, and assists with the United States' counterterrorism efforts," stressed the letter.

The State Department senior official further said they are prepared to address any regression by the Sudanese government on the agreed issues.

"We have been clear with Sudan that we expect no backsliding in progress to date," she said.

The diplomat didn't specify if they plan to remove Sudan from the U.S. terror list as Khartoum requests.

The next round of bilateral talks will be held in Washington as Sullivan was in Khartoum last November 2017 after the lift of sanctions.

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April 17, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan on Tuesday vowed not accept the overhaul of its security and governance sector, contrary to demands made by opposition parties ahead of the upcoming talks.

South Sudan's vice-president, James Wani Igga (Photo: Larco Lomayat)

Addressing reporters in the capital, Juba on Tuesday, South Sudan's Vice President, James Wani Igga said the opposition's demand to dissolve the army and police is likely to destabilize the country.

"They want as soon as they have signed the agreement, institutions like the army must be dissolved, but if we dissolve the army right from that day then any wolf from any part of the world will just enter South Sudan to create anarchy," Igga said.

"Our intention as in the former agreement is to carry out institutional reforms where we will have the rebel army integrated into the system on the basis of regional inclusivity and balancing," he said.

The opposition, on Friday, said they wanted the country's 32 new states dissolved and the war-torn nation to be run on the old system.

Igga, however, said returning to the former states would breed public discontent and force some disgruntled people to rebel.

The senior official opposed calls by the various opposition groups for South Sudan President Salva Kiir to resign upon, insisting the latter was directly elected by the South Sudanese people in March 2010.

He instead appealed to the international community and the various opposition groups to consider plans for conducting fresh elections at the end of the interim period so enable smooth transfer of power.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013, after political dispute between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to fighting mostly between Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital, Juba, forcing Machar to flee.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than three million.

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