Sudan Tribune

September 23, 2016 (JUBA) - The United States is pledging nearly $133 million in additional humanitarian assistance to South Sudan's refugees and internally displaced people, its State Department said.

South Sudanese refugees cook on an open fire at a camp run by the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in Sudan's White Nile state on 27 January 2014 (Photo: AFP/Ashraf Shazly)

The funding was announced Thursday during a high level event on South Sudan at the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“Aid can only be effective if it reaches the people who need it most”, partly reads a statement issued by the State Department.

The US urged all parties stop attacking civilians, allow humanitarians unfettered access to those in needs throughout South Sudan, and cease violations of international humanitarian law and principles.

“No amount of humanitarian aid will end the violence or provide lasting solutions to this man-made crisis,” it said, adding, “We call on South Sudan's leaders to prioritize the safety and security of the citizens they represent, to restore stable environments for civilians and humanitarians, and to enable people to rebuild their lives”.

Over 2.7 million people, aid agencies say, have been forced to flee their homes, either to other parts of South Sudan or to neighboring countries as refugees due to conflict in the world's youngest nation.

At least 40% of the South Sudan populations are reportedly in need of life-saving assistance, with some people on the brink of starvation.

The new funding, the US said, will boost emergency health services, increase access to and the availability of clean water and sanitation, provide psychosocial support and other services to survivors of gender-based violence, increase access to emergency education for refugee children, and build and expand new refugee camps throughout the region.

“Our assistance will also help feed the hungry, provide nutrition supplements for children suffering from malnutrition, and reunite families separated by the fighting,” it further stressed.

The aid comes amid discussions over whether the US should cut its aid to South Sudan, a young nation trying to recover from civil war.

Last month, however, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry said US humanitarian assistance to South Sudan will not continue forever if its leaders "are not prepared to do what's necessary for their people."

Over one million people have fled South Sudan since fighting broke out in December 2013, and more than 1.6 million people have been internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).

This additional funding brings the total US humanitarian aid for the people of South Sudan to nearly $1.9 billion since the start of the conflict in December 2013.

(ST)

September 23, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Ministry on Friday said the Chadian President Idriss Deby would participate in the final session of Sudan's dialogue conference scheduled to be held on October 10th in Khartoum.

Sudan's FM Ibrahim Ghandour shakes hands with the Chadian President Idris Deby in New York on 22 September 2016 (ST Photo)

In a press release extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said Deby has confirmed his acceptance of the invitation extended to him by President Omer al-Bashir to attend the dialogue conference, saying the Chadian President is keen to achieve peace and consensus in Sudan.

Meanwhile, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour met with the Chadian President on Thursday at his residence in New York on the sidelines of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Sudan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir pointed that Ghandour has conveyed to Deby a verbal message from President al-Bashir pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries.

It is noteworthy that President Deby had participated in the inauguration of the national dialogue in October 2015.

In January 2014, President Omer al-Bashir called on political parties and armed groups to engage in a national dialogue to discuss four issues, including ending the civil war, allowing political freedoms, fighting against poverty and revitalising national identity.

Launched on 10 October 2015 for three months, the dialogue process was initially expected to wind up in January 2016 but it was delayed until October 10th.

The opposition groups refuse to join the process and call on the government to implement a number of confidence building measures aimed to create a suitable atmosphere for dialogue. But the government refuses their claims.

(ST)

September 23, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour has participated in the ministerial meeting of the international liaison group on the Libyan issue on the sidelines of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Ibrahim Ghandour attends African Union ministers meeting in Addis Ababa on 11 April 2016 (ST Photo)

In a press release on Friday, the foreign ministry said Ghandour attended the meeting which was held under the auspices of the African Union, pointing the meeting was co-chaired by the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

He added that the Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj pointed in his address before the meeting that the Sudanese rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Islamic extremist Boko Haram group are actively involved in the fighting among Libyan factions.

On September 10th, Libya's Oil Installation Guards, Central Branch, spokesman, Ali Al Hassi, accused JEM of participating alongside renegade General Khalifa Haftar's forces in an attack against the oil facilities in east Libya.

However, the political advisor to JEM's chairman, Mahgoub Hussein, denied the accusations and stressed that his movement has no presence in the Libyan territory.
He described what is going on in Libya as an “internal affair”.

According to the foreign ministry, the meeting of the liaison group stressed the need to support and strengthen the GNA government in order to ensure Libya's unity.

The meeting was also attended by representatives from various countries and regional bodies including Libya's neighbors, United Nations, European Union, the Arab League and African Union besides Canada, China, France, Germany, Malta, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

The GNA, which formally came into being in March 2016, has been struggling to unify war-ridden North African nation and exert its control over its entire territory.

However, its task is complicated by the presence of a parallel government operating out of eastern Libya, backed by local militias and units of the national army loyal to Haftar.

(ST)

September 23, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's former First Vice President and leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, will not be welcomed to Ethiopia if he wishes to continue with the rebellion, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, has said.

Speaking in an exclusive interview to reporters of the Foreign Policy in New York, the leader of the regional powerful nation who chairs the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which mediated the August 2015 peace deal between Machar and President Salva Kiir, said South Sudanese leaders should implement the peace agreement.

“We do not need someone who is leading an armed struggle in Ethiopia,” Desalegn to the US-based Foreign Policy media in Washington.

The Ethiopian leader who was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York did not however explain how the peace deal will be salvaged after the 8 July violence in the capital, Juba, which pushed out Machar from the city and eventually from the country.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister however said his country would only allow Machar to pass through Ethiopia but not to stay longer as he used to do during the peace negotiations.

NO EXILE

When asked on the comment from the Ethiopian premier about the fate of their leader, Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, said his leadership has not received any information from the Ethiopian government about any conditions attached to Machar's future visits to the country.

He also said the opposition leader, Machar, does not intend to live in exile in any of the regional countries.

“Well, first of all, our leader has not received a notification from the Ethiopian leadership about any conditions allegedly attached to his future visits to the country. Second, Dr. Riek Machar does not intend to live in exile. He has his General Headquarters inside South Sudan as the Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO). And of course he is the legitimate First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan per the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan,” Dak told Sudan Ttribune.

He said Machar had to stay longer periods at times in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in 2014 and in 2015 because he was needed for timely and continuous consultations when the peace negotiations were being hosted in Addis Ababa.

He also said he would visit Ethiopia and the rest of the region this time in order to consult with the IGAD leadership on the deteriorating situation in South Sudan which, he said, threatens the total collapse of the peace deal after President Kiir's forces renewed the war in Juba on 8 July, 2016.

Machar fled Juba in July following eruption again of the violent conflict between his forces and those loyal to President Kiir, only three months after taking over the first vice presidency in accordance to the peace agreement negotiated and signed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

(ST)

September 23, 2016 (WAU) – Chief of General Staff of South Sudan's national army (SPLA), Paul Malong Awan ordered the arrest and detention of the ex-governor of Wau state, Elias Waya, an official claimed.

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

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Awan ordered for the former governor's arrest the day President Salva Kiir invited the latter to report to the capital, Juba.

“When Elias came to Juba, it was the president who called him from Wau, but he was denied for the all-day [the chance] to see the president. This was after Paul Malong acknowledged that the president was planning to remove him and replace him with Waya,” he told Sudan Tribune.

“The presidential plans were already leaked by those who are closed to him, the plan to remove Paul Malong and replace him with Waya,” he added.

According to the official, when the ex-governor was removed from office, Awan ordered a security officer to arrest him, but the plan allegedly failed.

Sudan Tribune could not verify these claims made by the official.

Waya is reportedly being detained at the national security headquarters in Juba, as government officials try to find a solution to his dispute with Awan.

Malong had several times infuriated Kiir, particularly when he criticized the president for accepting to sign the peace agreement in August 2015

(ST)

September 22, 2016 (JUBA) - A South Sudanese minister has called for establishment of inclusive cantonment sites as alternative to ending roadside ambushes by armed opposition groups in the country.

South Sudan's former justice minister John Luk Jok (ST/File)

John Luk Jok, Minister of Transport in the transitional government of national unity said no group should be left out in order to end the ongoing violent attacks in the country.

“There are still elements that are moving out there. We hope that the agreement on cantonment also includes them so that we don't have anybody carrying guns and terrorizing our people,” said Jok.

Jok, a member of the former detainees, was speaking during an opening session at which he said many people have fled to the neighbouring countries due to insecurity and hunger because they have lost confidence in their government.

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) on Wednesday launched a two-day workshop for stakeholders in last August's peace deal to review security arrangements in Juba.

The peace monitoring body in the country advised participants at the workshop to not lament on the past, saying discussions will focus on the UN Security Council resolution on the deployment of a regional protection force in Juba.

But Jok argued that without including all the armed groups in the process, security will not improve.

(ST)

September 22, 2016 (JUBA) - Some people fleeing South Sudan into Uganda are being forced to pay bribes at checkpoints run by South Sudan's warring factions, the United Nations Refuge Agency (UNHCR) said.

South Sudanese refugees fleeing violence in their home country wait to be transported to Uganda's Arua district settlement camp on 6 January 2014 (Photo: AFP/Isaac Kasamani)

According to the world body, over 100,000 South Sudanese have fled to Uganda after deadly fighting occurred between the country's warring factions in July.

Rocco Nuri, a spokesman for UNHCR described as “disturbing” reports of South Sudanese refugees being forced to pay bribes to reach safety places out of their country.

The world body, in a statement, said it received reports of physical and sexual assaults on a number of refugees fleeing South Sudan.

Officials from both warring factions were unavailable to comment.

Last week, the UN said at least one million South Sudanese have fled the East African nation since violence broke out in December 2013.

A peace accord signed in 2015 has not ended fighting in the South Sudan, despite formation of a coalition government in April this year.

The fragile peace agreement signed in August last year is on the brink of collapse.

Over 1.6 million people have reportedly been displaced within South Sudan, implying about 20% of the population are homeless since December 2013.

(ST)

September 22, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan government under the leadership of President Salva Kiir will soon dispatch a team from the foreign ministry and representatives from other institutions to visit the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, over bilateral matters, according to a senior official.

A SPLM member sits at a check point in south Kordofan, located in the north-south border January 11, 2011. (Reuters)

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mawien Makol, on Thursday said the government through the ministry of foreign affairs will soon dispatch a delegation for talks with the Sudanese authorities.

“The undersecretary of the ministry of foreign affairs will soon go to Khartoum and when he is there, it will be an opportunity to discuss these issues. It is not wise to use the media,” said Makol.

The foreign ministry official denied the government was harbouring Sudanese rebels, saying it was not in the interest of the two countries to host and support hostile groups with vision to destabilize the other.

“This is the first time Sudanese have been accusing and threatening to close the border. They have been doing but we say this is not the right way because even us we have issues. We feel they are supporting the rebels fighting us and this is not just an allegation. There are evidences but we say we can use the agreement and other diplomatic mechanisms to address these issues amicably,” he said.

His denial of harbouring Sudanese rebels has contradicted the admission by the First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, when he recent agreed with the Sudanese authorities during his visit to Khartoum that South Sudan will expel Sudanese rebels from its territory.

Also, Military Spokesperson of the South Sudan army, Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang acknowledged that the Sudanese rebels would be expelled by the army once the directive has been issued by the top political leadership.

Makol said the two countries would never avoid being neighbours and so it is therefore important to embrace each other to advance what would promote the interest of the two viable states in the region.

“Sudan and South Sudan are the countries in the region sharing longest border line. Apart from this, we are not going to stop being neighbours. This is why [it] is important to embrace each other,” he stressed.

The two countries have been accusing each other of supporting rebels against the other.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The United Kingdom Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan Chris Trott on Wednesday said that Sudanese government and opposition could reach peace via the mediation of the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP).

In statement extended to Sudan Tribune by the British Embassy in Khartoum, Trott said that the United Kingdom is committed to support peace, stability, economic development and human rights in Sudan.

“I encouraged all parties to demonstrate the necessary flexibility to reach
agreement on cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access in the Two Areas and
Darfur, leading to permanent ceasefires and an inclusive national dialogue,” said Trott pointing that Sudanese need to reach a permanent ceasefire and involve in comprehensive national dialogue.

During his three-day visit to Sudan, the British diplomat held meetings with Sudanese government officials, opposition leaders and civil society activists, said the release .

"During my visit, I met with Presidential Assistant Mr Ibrahim Mahmoud and a number of other Government officials for a wide-ranging dialogue including regional security and the positive role that Sudan can play for peace within South Sudan and between the two countries. I also sat with the Sudan Call representatives to discuss the next phase after the signing of the African Union Roadmap," he said.

Regarding the relation between Sudan and UK, Trott said he is optimistic pointing to the historical relation between the two countries.

He expressed hope that Sudan and UK develop their relation to serve the interests of the two nations.

Trott further pointed that he has discussed with several Sudanese officials during his current visit to Khartoum, the role of Sudan in regional security and the positive role that can be played by Sudan to achieve peace in South Sudan.

“I have discussed with the opposition Sudan Call groups the coming steps after they have signed the Roadmap for peace in Sudan,” pointed Trott.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the UK envoy to Sudan and South Sudan expressed optimism towards the launch of the strategic dialogue between Sudan and UK.

In statement extended to Sudan Tribune, Sudan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir that the State Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail has called during meeting the UK envoy for developing mutual relation between the two counties to serve joint interests.

On Monday, the United Kingdom Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan Trott has arrived in Khartoum in his first visit to Sudan since his appointment in August.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

September 21, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – An Eritrean opposition group, Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) on Wednesday said that Yemen's Houthi group have attacked the international Airport of Assab, a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea.

A Houthi Shiite rebel carries his weapon as he joins others to protest against Saudi-led airstrikes at a rally in Sanaa, Yemen on 1 April 2015 (Photo: AP/Hani Mohamed)

Ibrahim Haron, leader of the armed opposition group told Sudan Tribune that Houthi forces stationed in the island of Hanish and Zagar have also attacked the headquarters of the Eritrean naval forces in Assab by firing mortar rockets thereby causing a serious damage.

The attack comes days after reports disclosed that Saudi Arabia has transferred some 5,000 Yemeni militants to Eritrea for military exercise in the Red Sea country.

According to the reports, Riyadh is transferring the militants from Aden to Eritrea's Assab port to go under military trainings and then be sent to the Saudi provinces bordering Yemen to back the Saudi led war in Yemen.

The Eritrean government has dismissed the reports saying “a preposterous lie peddled for some ulterior motives”

The opposition leader said Eritrean authorities have imposed a tight security cordon in the areas following Monday's attack.

Ibrahim said Eritrea government motive to cooperate with the Saudi-led coalition is because Asmara has a long standing border dispute with Yemen.

The countries had previously engaged in a bitter war with Yemen over the disputed Islands of Hanish and Zagar.

In 1998, the international Tribunal of the international Committee ruled the islands in favour of Yemen; Eritrea however refused to accept the ruling.

He added that Eritrea had been serving as a base for military training for anti-Yemen groups in order to create destabilization and instability in Yemen and in the region at large.

“When the situation in Yemen changed and appeared new events and the emergence of coalition forces, Eritrea favoured the Arab coalition to ensure financial, political and military gains” Ibrahim told Sudan Tribune by telephone from the Eritrean-Ethiopian common border.

ERITREAN PILOT DEFECTS

Meanwhile the Eritrean opposition group today alleged that an Eritrean Air force pilot has defected to Saudi Arabia by flying a military Aircraft.

According to opposition officials, the Eritrean pilot defected on Tuesday along with his two aides becoming the latest members of the Eritrean Air force to defect from the reclusive east African Sea nation.

The Captain pilot and two of his aides flew to Jizan region in south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The defectors have asked for political asylum but it is not yet clear if the kingdom has grant them an asylum.

Ibrahim said the latest defection is a big blow to President Isaias Afeworki led regime.

He says it is an apparent sign of growing discontent of the air force personnel and the military against the oppressive region.

In previous years, there have been defections in thousands from the Eritrean army, navy and air forces as the regime retains grip on power for over two-decades.

President Isaias has been in power since the country gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) Wednesday suspended the membership of five groups as a result of the increasing differences over their participation in the African Union-led peace process.

Members of the sudanese opposition groups meet outside the French capital Paris on November 12, 2015 (ST Photo)

In a statement released late on Wednesday evening, the NCF announced the suspension the Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP), Sudanese Baath Party, Center Gathering Party, Sudanese National Party and Sudanese National Alliance .

"Since last February, the above mentioned parties, participate in the meetings of the Sudan Call and take a number of decisions on the relationship with the Sudan Call without consulting with the NCF," said the statement.

"They even went to form a independent structure with its organs and political platform," it added.

Since several months, the coalition of the lest forces has been divided over its participation, within the framework of the opposition umbrella Sudan Call, in the negotiations for a peaceful settlement to end war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states and Darfur region and a national constitutional dialogue conference.

While the suspended groups were willing to take part in the political process alongside the armed groups and NUP, the other forces including the Sudanese Communist Party say they want the Sudan Call to focus on the regime change agenda and popular uprising.

They believe that the current process would not bring democratic change in Sudan but would be a repetition to previous peace agreements and reinvigorates the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.

However, the left groups said they would reach the other members of the Sudan Call to explain the political and structural developments that troubled the relations between the NCF groups.

The statement reiterated that the NCF "remains one of the main components of the Sudan Call".

The other NCF members are: National Umma Party (NUP), Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N), Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) , Sudan Liberation Movement- Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), a faction of the NUP led by Nasreldin al-Mahdi, the eastern Sudan opposition group, the United Popular Front for Liberation and Justice (UPFLJ) and a faction of the Democratic Unionist Party led by Tom Hajo.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has approved the establishment of up to four cantonment sites for members of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) in Equatoria region.

A batch of the SPLA-IO forces after arrival in Juba, 1 April, 2016 (ST Photo)

Speaking as the chief guest on Wednesday at Nyakuron Culture Center at an occasion marking the international peace day, Vice President, James Wani Igga, announced that President Kiir, as a result of good working relationship, has approved the establishment of four cantonment sites for SPLA-IO forces.

“There will be four cantonment sites in Equatoria. One cantonment site will be in Eastern Equatoria, one in Central Equatoria and another in Western Equatoria. And because of the July incidents which resulted into some SPLA-IO running into UNMISS; there will also be another one for such people. So in total, there will be four cantonment sites in Equatoria alone. This excludes Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile, said Igga.

“Isn't [it] a strong sign of commitment to implement peace, particularly security arrangement?” asked Igga who has been quiet for a long time since the fighting erupted at the Presidential Palace on 8 July between rival forces and appointment of his party junior officer, Taban Deng Gai, to replace Machar.

The vice president counted himself as somebody who would be among those who are ready to champion realization of peace and stability in the country, citing his personal decision to step down from his position twice.

“I am not stupid as this is what others may say. I accepted to give Riek my position because I value peace. I also accept to allow Taban Deng Gai to succeed him out of respect to the agreement. It is not because I am stupid but because of the importance of peace and stability,” he said.

If there are four people pushing for realization of peace in this country at any cost, including abandoning their positions, he said, “I am one of them.”

It is not clear which SPLA-IO forces will be cantoned as the replaced Machar seems to still be in control of them and are in their controlled locations out of reach by the government.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (RUMBEK) – At least 30 members of South Sudan's armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) in Egypt have declared their allegiance the country's First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai.

President Salva Kiir meets SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, Taban Deng Gai, in Juba, December 22, 2015 (ST Photo)

The group's leader in Egypt, Makeuy Nyang confirmed the move.

“We affirm our support and fully stand with the new leader of the people under the wise leadership of General Taban Deng Gai in the peace process,” said Nyang.

“We declare our support for a just peace that achieves the aspiration our people,” he stressed.

Gai was elected South Sudan's acting First Vice President in July, days after SPLM-IO chairman, Riek Machar fled the capital, Juba.

Machar described Gai's appointment as illegal and accused the latter of trying to defect to the ruling party (SPLM) led by President Salva Kiir.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (JUBA) – United States has hinted the possibility of recalling its current Ambassador to South Sudan over the ongoing “documented” atrocities committed by the leadership of South Sudan under her watch.

Ambassador Phee presenting her credentials to President Salva Kiir on 23 July 2015 (Photo US Embassy Juba)

In a special hearing on South Sudan crisis by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations conducted on Tuesday in Washington DC, chaired by Senator Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, the senators registered their disappointment over the “impunity” conduct of the current U.S. Ambassador, Mary Catherine Phee.

They said the atrocities committed have been documented but with impunity involving other parties, including the ambassador.

“Yeah, the suggestion, I think recalling our Ambassador for that kind of conduct would be an appropriate response to show that we don't want to have a mission headed by an Ambassador with impunity,” said Ben Cardin, a ranking member of the Committee, in reaction to earlier suggestion to recall the Ambassador.

Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate, in his earlier remarks, also suggested whether or not the South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, should be declared a “war criminal” over the atrocities.

Meanwhile, Senator Cardin, said he had lost confidence in the peace process in South Sudan.

“I have lost confidence in the peace process…I don't believe the current leaders are capable of bringing their country into peace,” he said, referring to President Kiir and his new first deputy, Taban Deng.

He also described the newly appointed First Vice President, Taban Deng, as someone who has no constituency in South Sudan is not able to heal the nation.

“We haven't talked about Mr. [Taban] Deng, who I understand has no constituency. He is part of the corrupt, the corruption that has been documented. He is unpopular,” said the senior senator.

The Senators accused the South Sudanese rival leaders, Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, of committing atrocities and failing their people.

The top U.S. senator also accused president Kiir's government of war crimes and attack on his rival, Machar, in July which resulted to the recent violence in the capital, Juba.

“As this crisis erupted in July, President Kiir's forces apparently fired on U.S. diplomatic vehicles, shot and injured a U.N. official, terrorized American and other aid workers, and executed a South Sudanese journalist,” he said.

“President Kiir consolidated control after yet another contrived military action against his former deputy, Riek Machar. Kiir's recent replacement of Machar with a poorly-supported opposition alternative likely invalidates the unity government and the August 2015 peace agreement itself,” charged the top U.S. Senator.

The Senators also blamed the United Nations peace keepers in the country for not doing enough to protect civilians from the government's forces.

“Again, I don't know how many times we're going to hear of our peacekeeping efforts falling short. I know this is a unique circumstance but I believe the U.N. has been totally feckless as it relates to addressing this issue. Again, I know that these people are overstretched right now in South Sudan, but it continues to be a problem with U.N. peacekeeping troops,” he said.

Witnesses who presented their respective testimonies during the hearing include Jok Madut Jok, Co-founder and Executive Director, The Sudd Institute; The Honourable Kate Almquist Knopf, Director, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, U.S. Department of Defense; Luka Biong Deng, Global Fellow, Peace Research Institute; and Peter Yeo, President, Better World Campaign, United Nations Foundation.

The Senators warned that a Plan B would be needed to change the situation, including sanctions against leaders, imposed arms embargo as well as putting South Sudan under a trusteeship of the African Union and the United Nations.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's State Minister of Interior Babiker Digna on Wednesday has said that his country is hosting more than 400,000 South Sudanese refugees.

South Sudanese refugees arrive to Sudan's white Nile state in January 2014 (Photo SUNA)

Digna, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday in Khartoum, pointed to the difficulty of determining the exact number of the South Sudanese especially as the refugee influx still continues.

He said that southerners would only get subsidies if they were registered as refugees, pointing the refugee commission is committed to provide full support for the South Sudanese refugees.

In December 2013, Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir decided to treat South Sudanese refugees as citizens and refused establishing refugee camps for them, saying they can live and work all over Sudan.

However, earlier this month, Sudan decided to treat South Sudanese that fled the conflict in their country as refugees, enabling United Nations to provide assistance and raise funds for aid operations.

For her part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative for Sudan Noriko Yoshida said they provided only 20 percent of the actual needs of the refugees, appealing for more foreign aid to help address the South Sudanese refugee crisis.

On Tuesday, Digna issued a decision banning the foreign aid groups from entering South Sudanese refugee camps in the states of East Darfur, Blue Nile and West Kordofan.

He told the pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) that foreign aid groups are not allowed to operate in these camps, saying assistance to South Sudanese refugees is provided by the UNHCR and the national aid groups.

On Friday, UNHCR said the number of South Sudanese refugees living in neighbouring countries has passed the one million mark.

According to the UN, as of August 31 the total number of South Sudanese in Sudan had exceeded 247 000, of which about 90 000 had arrived since January this year.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in South Sudan's worst-ever outbreak of violence since it seceded from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj will visit Khartoum within the next few days, said Sudan's foreign ministry.

Libya's Prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj (AFP-photo)

In a press release released on Wednesday, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour has welcomed the upcoming visit of al-Sarraj, stressing his country's support to the Libyan GNA.

He added that Sudan would harness all its capabilities to support the Libyan people.
The press release, however, did not mention the definitive date of the arrival of the Libyan senior official.

Meanwhile, the press release pointed that Ghandour has met with his Libyan counterpart Mohamed al-Taher Sayala in New York on the sidelines of the UN General assembly meetings.

It added that the two ministers discussed the situation in Libya in light of the recent seizure of four oil-exporting facilities in the so-called oil crescent in east Libya by renegade General Khalifa Haftar's forces.

According to the press release, the Libyan Foreign Minister asked for Sudan's support to the GNA and denounced the involvement of the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in the fighting in east Libya.

On September 10th, Libya's Oil Installation Guards, Central Branch, spokesman, Ali Al Hassi, accused JEM of participating alongside Haftar's forces in the attack against the oil facilities.

However, the political advisor to JEM's chairman, Mahgoub Hussein, denied the accusations and stressed that his movement has no presence in the Libyan territory.
He described what is going on in Libya as an “internal affair”.

The GNA, which formally came into being in March 2016, has been struggling to unify war-ridden North African nation and exert its control over its entire territory.

However, its task is complicated by the presence of a parallel government operating out of eastern Libya, backed by local militias and units of the national army loyal to Haftar.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (JUBA) – War of words intensified in South Sudan parliament on Wednesday over the legality of abolishing the minority leader's position in with opposition politicians describing ruling party MPs as “ignorant” of legal regulations.

Onyoti Adigo Nyikec (mcclatchy)

Onyoti Adigo has been leader of the minority in parliament since 2010.

Last week, parliamentary chairman of information, Oliver Mori said the position for the leader of minority has been abolished in accordance to the peace agreement.

“We are in a transitional government of national unity and this is a transitional national legislative assembly where there is no opposition but parties working together,” said Mori to justify what he said was the decision of President Salva Kiir.

Mori said another lawmaker from the opposition political parties in the national parliament, Gabriel Rorick, has been appointed as national agenda chief whip; a coalition of political parties chaired by cabinet affairs minister, Maritn Elias Lomuro.

But Onyoti criticised Mori for failing to follow the legal procedures as outlined in the conduct of business regulations of parliament and in the transitional constitution.

“Article 71 of the transitional constitution [amended 2015] recognizes the minority leader in parliament and you cannot just wake up and declare the position null and void before you are amend the constitution,” Onyoti told reporters in Juba Tuesday.

“So I am still the legal leader of minority in parliament,” he added.

According to the August 2015 peace agreement, there will be chief whips representing various stakeholders to the agreement and no opposition. Both Mori and Onyoti agreed with this provision. However, Mori claimed Onyoti's time was up.

“That position is already abolished by the peace agreement,” he said.

Onyoti, however, rejected Mori's interpretation of the provision in the accord, saying the peace agreement and the transitional constitution have not been incorporated.

“I think they do not understand the agreement; the agreement doesn't talk of whips. The agreement talks of stakeholders,” stressed the minority leader in the assembly.

“I think those Mori and others who are saying that the position of the minority leader is abolish are ignorant about the provisions of the peace agreement, ignorant about the parliamentary conduct of business and they are ignorant of our laws," he added,

According to the peace deal, before the assembly was expanded to 400 MPs, it should have adopted the accord as the overriding legal document for the formation of the transitional national assembly. That process, however, stalled when President Kiir and former First Vice President, Riek Machar disagreed over the nomination of a speaker.

(ST)

September 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - U. S. Department of State Tuesday praised Sudanese government efforts in the fight against terrorism but excluded the removal of sanctions on the east African country as long as there is no improvement in Darfur conditions.

The US imposed comprehensive sanctions on Sudan in 1997 (US Embassy in Khartoum website)

Sudan is under American economic and trade sanctions since 1997 for its alleged connection to terror networks. However in 2007 Bush Administration strengthened the embargo, citing abuses in Darfur which it labelled as genocide.

Also in June 2012, the then U.S. Special Envoy Princeton Lyman said the indictment of President Omer al-Bashir by the war crimes court , International Criminal Court, " hinders the possibility of full cooperation with Western countries and therefore makes Western countries less motivated to provide assistance to Sudan".

"The United States welcomes Sudan's recent efforts to increase counterterrorism cooperation with the United States. In recent months, Sudan has taken important steps to counter ISIL and other terrorist groups and has sought to prevent their movement into and through Sudan," said a statement issued by State Department spoksperson John Kirby.

"While countering terrorism is an important objective for the United States, we continue to engage the Government of Sudan on protecting human rights, resolving internal conflicts, addressing humanitarian needs, improving regional stability, and advancing political freedoms, accountability and reconciliation," he further stated.

Sudanese officials were actively working to convince the American Administration to remove the sanction pointing to its negative impact on the ordinary people. Also, the two countries held a series of meetings on this respect and discussed the need to end armed conflicts in the Two Areas and Darfur.

Also, U.S. Special Envoy Donald Booth who is involved in the African Union efforts for peace in Sudan, carried out a visit to Darfur where he assessed the situation on the ground. He regretted the detention of IPDs representatives after meeting them in Central Darfur.

In statement to the Associate Press, Kirby excluded the lift of sanctions and normalization of bilateral relation in the near future. He said Washington hasgrave concerns about the situation in Darfur region.

"Complete normalization of relations would require significant progress in a range of other areas," Kirby said.

The spokesperson underlined "the need for improvements in conditions in Darfur" according to the AP.

However, the diplomat further said his administration would launch the formal revocation process of sanctions, if Sudan meets the relevant criteria, which include renouncing terrorism and not supporting extremist groups for a six-month period''.

"This process has not been initiated," he told the AP.

"We have been quite clear with the Sudanese on the steps that need to be taken for us to consider rescission, and what would be required to make progress in easing our economic sanctions, which are distinct from the state sponsor of terrorism listing, and have remained in place, because of the continued conflicts in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan. These conflicts are continuing today," he added.

The news agency also cited officials who alluded to al-Bashir indictment by the ICC saying that ''any move to improve U.S. ties with Sudan would be complicated" by the arrest warrants.

The Sudanese government says is committed to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur and calls on the armed groups to sign it.

Two rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi are part of the African Union mediated process for peace in Sudan.

They demand the government to open the framework agreement for negotiations pointing to the need to better protect civilians and their rights in the landownership.

(ST)

September 20, 2016 (NAIROBI) - The leadership of South Sudan's opposition People's Liberal Party (PLP) has urged communities in Equatoria region to end hostilities targeting ethnic Dinkas.

Peter Mayen Majondit (ST)

Peter Mayen's call comes days after social media was awash with a video link showing six people, allegedly members of Dinka ethnic tribe, mercilessly being slaughtered by armed youth in Wonduruba area located along Yei-Juba road.

"All communities must values human lives and work to enhance harmony and peaceful co-existence among community members,” said Mayen.

"We stand against all inhuman treatment to all south Sudanese regardless of their tribe, regions and political affiliation,” he added.

According to the official, it is the responsibility of government and its people to end hostilities.

The outspoken opposition politician also blamed those in the coalition government of allegedly promoting tribalism in the country, saying innocent citizens were the ones paying the price.

Mayen hails from President Salva Kiir's home area of Gogrial in Warrap state. Last year, the opposition party leader pressured government into relocating Dinka cattle keepers from Equatoria region, claiming they instigate insecurity and tribal clashes.

(ST)

September 20, 2016 (EL-FASHER) - At least six people were killed and several others injured in an attack by militia believed to be affiliated with the government on a commercial market in Kutum locality, some 100 kilometres west of El-Fasher the capital of North Darfur.

Pro-government janjaweed militiamen on top of a heavily armed pickup patrol the main road out of the Kirinding-2 refugee camp at the outskirts of Al-Geneina, April 24,07 (Reuters)

An eyewitness by the name of Ibrahim Ahmed told Sudan Tribune that the incident occurred on Sunday morning, pointing that government militias attacked a market in the village of Donki Ba'ashim.

He said that 6 people were killed and several others injured in the attack, adding that hundreds of cattle heads besides the residents' property were looted by the attackers.
The same eyewitness pointed the name of the attacking militia commander is Wali.

For his part, the commissioner of Kutum locality Adam Awad al-Karim told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that an armed militia had looted the Donki Ba'ashim market, pointing his locality has sent a joint force to enhance security in the village.

However, the commissioner didn't reveal the identity of the militia and the motive behind the attack, stressing that it was nothing but a normal looting incident.
He added that the governor of North Darfur has been notified of the incident but didn't elaborate on the nature of attacking militia.

Last June, North Darfur governor Abdel-Wahid Youssef accused unnamed parties of seeking to keep the “insecurity and instability” situation in Darfur, pointing to “hidden hands that prompt the security chaos in all Darfur's five states not only North Darfur”.

He declared a state of maximum readiness among regular forces to control the lawlessness situation in the state and prevented riding of motorcycles, wearing of Kadamool (a turban which covers the face) and holding arms inside the capital, El-Fasher.

(ST)