Sudan Tribune

July 15, 2016 (JUBA) - Soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the official army of South Sudan, have invaded the World Food Programme's (WFP) main warehouse in the country's capital, Juba, and looted all food items found in it.

The circumstances under which the soldiers invaded the warehouse remained unclear. The official spokesperson of the army did not make any comment on the situation.

Some military sources claimed they carried out the action because they were told the warehouse was used for storing different military supplies, including food items for armed opposition loyal to First Vice President, Riek Machar.

"The information was received from the command was that the warehouse was used as the main store for military supplies belonging to the SPLA-IO [Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition]. We were told it was not a warehouse for relief items. The command said they were military supplies which we should capture and destroy them," said a military officer on Friday who was part of the operation.

WFP confirmed in a report on its website that warehouse has been ransacked but did not say the identity of the group. The area in which the warehouse is located however falls under exclusive control of the government forces after armed opposition forces changed their headquarters following days of intensive fighting in which several lives and properties have been lost.

Government soldiers were seen carrying stolen food items on their heads and shoulders while others used private and military vehicles to ferry away the looted items, some of which were seen being sold in Gudele 2 market, located west of the town.

The warehouse, according to the report of the WFP, was holding one month of life saving food items for 220,000 people before the fighting erupted.

Joyce Luma, head of the WFP in South Sudan, said the looting by the South Sudanese army loyal to President Salva Kiir, occurred after they have already provided food assistance to thousands of displaced people sheltering at the protection of civilian sites manned by the United Nations in the country in two separate camps.

(ST)

July 15, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's First Vice President, Riek Machar, said the fighting that erupted between his bodyguards and President Salva Kiir's forces at the J1 Palace or State House on Monday, 8 July, in the national capital, Juba, was calculated to kill him.

Machar in his first public statement to the BBC Focus on Africa on Friday after abandoning his base in the outskirts of Juba early this week said he is “around Juba” but would neither disclose his location nor return to the town to meet President Kiir until the security issues were addressed.

He was responding to the call by President Kiir to meet him. Machar however said he feared for the lives of his officials and for himself after the incident, adding he was also worried about the safety of his ministers currently inside Juba.

“We have a pending meeting, he as president and me as vice president. And also if it were a normal situation, we would meet, but the incident that took place on the 8th [July] in the State House is a very despicable incident, where there was a shootout, and a dog fight, when we were in a meeting,” Machar told the BBC.

“To me that was a calculated plan to kill me,” he said.

Machar's comments confirmed earlier statements from his spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, who said shortly after the fighting erupted at the palace that the attack on “Machar's bodyguards” was intended to “harm” or “arrest” him. The media official said he suspected that the plan was to scare Machar away from the palace compound and then get killed in crossfire if he tried to leave the palace so that the perpetrators would deny knowledge of how he died.

However, Machar decided to remain in the palace until he was escorted by a combination of his force and those loyal to President Kiir. But on Sunday, his military base and residential area was attacked and his house bombed, resulting to relocation of the base.

The First Vice President who also leads an opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) said he was willing to return back to Juba but after a third force is deployed in the capital to take charge and ensure safety and no return to violent confrontations. He said he could not trust President Kiir's assurance to protect him and his officials.

“That is why the IGAD Council of Ministers decided that there should be an intervention force, third force, that be deployed in Juba and Juba be demilitarized,” he said.

The opposition leader also condemned the Friday's arrest and beating of his party's secretary general, Dhieu Mathok Diing, who is also minister of Energy and Dams. Machar said he immediately called President Kiir after receiving the news that his minister was beaten at Crown Hotel, adding that President Kiir denied knowledge of what had happened.

The transitional government of national unity, Machar said, is “fragmented and split”, adding that there was need to address security issues in Juba and return the situation to normalcy.

He said he was waiting for the outcome of a proposed meeting in Juba of the chiefs of defence forces from the region on how to tackle the security of Juba.

(ST)

July 14, 2016 (WAU) – Authorities in Wau's main referral hospital have dismissed as misleading reports alleging that the medical facility had been closed to visiting patients.

The admission room at Wau teaching hospital, July 14, 2016 (ST)

The acting Minister of Health in Wau state, Awadhia Yakub told Sudan Tribune that, despite patients not turning out for treatments at Wau teaching hospital, the medical institution was fully in operation.

She said since last month's outbreak of violence in Wau, many patients and doctors deserted the hospital, but had now started returning to their duty stations, despite the few patients in there.

“We in the ministry of health and concerned organisations are working together to offer health services to those in need,” said Yakub.

The minister, however, said the security situation in town was calm and called upon citizens to return to their homes, in addition to urging all nurses and doctors who deserted to immediately resume work.

“The POCs [Protection of Civilian Camps] where people are living are not friendly with the lives of the children [and] therefore, there is a need for those living at the camps to return home,” she stressed.

South Sudan, Africa's newest nation, is one of poorest countries in the world with the worst indicators of development, health and education.

(ST)

July 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - New Arab League Secretary General Thursday reaffirmed the support of the regional body to a Sudanese initiative for Arab food security to be discussed during the upcoming summit.

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit

Ahmed Aboul Gheit was in Khartoum where he met with President Omer al-Bashir. The former Egyptian foreign minister discussed with the Sudanese leader his initiative for food security which will be among the agenda of the Arab summit in Nouakchott.

The Arab League leaders will meet in the Mauritanian capital on 26-27 July. Also the meeting will discuss the fight against terrorism in the region.

Following a meeting with Bashir, Aboul Gheit announced his unlimited support to the food security project, saying all the Sudanese initiatives for the next Arab summit will receive the necessary attention from the Arab League and his person.

He said that the Arab League prepared a report on Bashir's initiative for Arab food security and a draft resolution on this respect will be submitted to the summit to find a mechanism to fund the project

Since three years, al-Bashir proposed to the Arab leaders to invest in his country infrastructures and enter into strategic partnerships with Khartoum to secure Arab food supplies.

Arab countries are among the world 's biggest importers of grain, import two-thirds of its sugar needs, most of the meat and milk needs, all of its tea, a significant portion of its oils, fruits and vegetables needs in light of the increasing population.

Concerning South Sudan request to join Arab League as observer, Aboul-Gheit said that AL Charter does not allow that, but he pointed that he is trying to convince Arab countries to give South Sudan the status of “special observer”.

He further stressed that he would report to Arab Ministerial Council in September on South Sudan.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Obeid Mohamed, on his part, pointed that Sudan welcomes Aboul-Gheit visit to Sudan and supports his appointment as AL secretary general.

“Sudan supports AL secretary general and will cooperate with him to enhance the Arab body,” said Obeid.

Obeid further added that Aboul-Gheit has briefed al- Bashir on AL efforts to address the challenges that face Arab countries.

Sudan joined the Arab League 19 January 1956, ten days after independence from Anglo-Egyptian rule.

The Arab League has 22 member states as of 2016. The Arab League was founded in Cairo in 1945 by the Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Republic, Transjordan (Jordan from 1946) and North Yemen (later becoming Yemen).

(ST)

July 14, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese security forces are deliberately blocking people from leaving the country in violation of their right to freedom of movement, Amnesty International has revealed.

Aid workers from different Non-Governmental Organizations in South Sudan arrive at Wilson airport in Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, July 13, 2016 from Juba. (AP Photo)

The organization said it has received reports from two charter companies that National Security Service officers have ordered them not to carry South Sudanese nationals, particularly men.

A non-governmental organization has also reported that their South Sudanese staff was prevented from boarding a flight to Entebbe, Uganda.

“This arbitrary conduct by the South Sudanese security forces is totally unacceptable. South Sudan must respect people's right to freedom of movement, including the right to leave their own country,” said Elizabeth Deng, Amnesty International's South Sudan Researcher.

“It is absolutely critical that both parties to the conflict do not obstruct safe passage of civilians fleeing to places of refuge both inside and outside of the country,” she said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Juba international airport is packed with security personnel who block men from taking flights to other countries, resulting to detention of many of the passengers who were seen thrown into security vehicles and driven back into town.

Sources said security personnel are only allowing their relatives or friends to board planes.

Thousands of South Sudanese people have reportedly also gathered at the country's southern border of Nimule, seeking to enter into Uganda, but they are also being prevented from crossing over.

Juba airport was reopened on Tuesday after a ceasefire was announced to end days of fighting between rival armed forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President, Riek Machar, which left hundreds of people dead and thousands displaced.

Charter and evacuation flights have been leaving since the airport reopened, but commercial flights have only resumed on Thursday, but freedom of movement to other countries has not yet been eased.

IGAD, the East African regional bloc, had earlier called on the South Sudanese government to reopen the airport to reactivate resumption of flights.

(ST)

July 14, 2016 (JUBA) - The Nuer community in Uganda have condemned renewed fighting in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, between two rival forces from Friday and Monday, describing it as violation of the August 2015 peace agreement.

The community members said the recent violence in the country is likely to increase more suffering for local citizens and places the country to uncertain future or “great danger.”

They also blamed the international community in general and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in particular, that mediated the peace process, for not monitoring its implementation and putting pressure on violators.

Stephen Bar, chairman for the Nuer community in Kiryandongo resettlement camp in Uganda, told Sudan Tribune that what had happened in South Sudan this week was threatening the peace agreement.

"This indicator shows the collapse of long lasting peace agreement that was almost to be implemented, we put all [the] blame on…UNSC, IGAD, AU, TROIKA and JMEC," he said.

He criticized the chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) for not playing an effective role in safeguarding the peace deal.

The failure to demilitarize Juba city before arrival of first vice president, Riek Machar, and the delay in establishing contentment areas of the opposition's SPLA-IO forces in greater Bahr El Gahzal and Equatoria regions is a setback to peace.

They also accused the SPLA forces allied to president Salva Kiir of allegedly starting the war in Juba and of targeting civilian sites who took refuge in UN camps.

"We blamed the government of president Salva Kiir's forces, for using heavy artilleries shelling and helicopters attacks, which has resulted into the death of 8 civilians and wounded 65 others," Bar said.

Koang Gatwech, a senior adviser for Nuer community in Uganda, has also blamed the international community for allegedly watching the crimes being committed by government and failed to act immediately.

"The targeting of two SPLM/SPLA-IO officers by military intelligence and national security by the government of president Salva Kiir on 2th-5th July 2016 at the hand of JMEC, with in the same month on 7th two arrival forces clashed at Gudelle Checkpoint the area of Lou clinic and resulted into death of five Soldiers from government side, JMEC and others partners without quick intervention," he said.

He said the fights between president Salva Kiir bodyguards and first vice president unit forces during a meeting conducted on Friday, 8 July, in presidential palace of J1 was a total failure of leadership in the country.

"The losses of life on our dear sons from both sides, as well as fighting continued up to checkpoint Jebel Kujur which is a cantonment site of SPLM/SPLA-IO is a clear violation of peace," he added.

The group also added that the failure to commemorate the fifth anniversary of independence of the country was regrettable to the South Sudanese people.

"Instead to celebrate the joyful day we were trapped into conflict, this has made us all unhappy with current situation which includes ethnicity [based] targeting," he said.

(ST)

July 14, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President, Salva Kiir, has dismissed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation after the minister attended regional body meeting that resolved to send extra troops to South Sudan in aftermath of renewed conflict last week.

irino Hiteng (ST Photo)

Cirino Hiteng was fired in a presidential decree read on state-owned TV, the South Sudan Broadcasting Cooperation ((SSBC), on Tuesday.

The presidential order did not give any reason for relieving Hiteng who rejoined cabinet in April in the transitional government of national unity in accordance with the peace agreement that ended 21 months of conflict.

The relieved minister was appointed on Former Detainees (FDs) ticket as part of three men ministers for their party. The other position held by FDs is Hiteng's boss, Foreign Affiars Minister, Deng Alor Kuol and Transport Minister, John Luk Jok.

The decision to dismiss Hiteng by President Kiir has not been publicly condemned by FDs leadership but their supporters have criticized the move as violation of the peace agreement. President Kiir has no power to dismiss a minister who does not belong to his party unless recommended to him by the leadership of that particular party.

Hiteng represented South Sudan in Nairobi on Monday during an extraordinary meeting of the ministers of IGAD countries. The gathering discussed the latest eruption of conflict in South Sudan.

The regional body, which brokered the peace agreement between the government of President Kiir and First Vice President, Riek Machar, issued a communique that threatened military intervention in the new nation.

President Kiir has reacted against the proposal, saying he did not want to see in his country's soil even a “single” foreign soldier besides the current United Nations peace keepers.

However, thousands of Ugandan foreign troops were seen on Thursday crossing into South Sudan and matching towards its capital, Juba.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - A faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement Monday has proposed a cease fire agreement in Darfur to be verified by monitoring teams of the hybrid peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) to allow humanitarian access into Jebel Marra area.

SLM Minni Minnawi (L) and Nimir Abdel Rahman sign a political agreement on 20 February 2015 (ST Photo)

During the recent months, Darfur mountainous area witnessed fierce fighting between the government forces and the Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW), causing massive displacement of civilians in the region, as others are still in isolated areas without humanitarian access.

Head of the Transitional Council of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (TCSLM) Nimir Abdel Rahman said that the government unilateral truce should be followed by a genuine agreement between the warring parties and a monitoring committee composed of the UNAMID peacekeepers.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, Abdel Rahman said such deal will pave the way to open humanitarian corridors and allow aid groups to reach affected civilians in the remote affected areas of Jebel Marra.

Abdel Rahman previously was the SLM-AW spokesperson before to form the TCSLM with others members of the group. His group says they have a military force in Jebel Marra led by commander Mohamed Adam Abdel Salam "Tarada".

“without such agreement, the cease fire will be a lie, a diversionary tactic and a deception aiming to gain the support of the international community, especially the U.S.,” he further said.

The TCSLM leader meanwhile urged the international community to put further pressures on Khartoum to open the humanitarian access to save the lives of civilians stranded in Jebel Marra. He expressed readiness to cooperate in order to support the needy, particularly the rainy season has started and the IDPs are without shelter, as he said.

He warned that a humanitarian disaster may occur in Jebel Marra, saying thousands of civilians took refuge in the caves, in three areas : Dulu, Lugui and Sortoni, besides those who are in Tawila, Kabkabiya, Nirtiti and Galdu.

“They have no shelter, medicines, food and blankets. They live in a very bad humanitarian situation,” he added.

On 12 April, the Sudanese army declared Darfur a region free of rebels following the capture of Srounq area, the last SLM-AW stronghold in Jebel Marra.

United Nations agencies estimate that over 120,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in Jebel Marra area since last January.

Abdel Rahman further praised the efforts exerted by the international community, especially the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), the U.S. and other international actors to end the war in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

However, he called to not limit peace talks with three armed groups and the opposition National Umma Party led by Sadiq al-Mahdi.

They do not represent all the Sudanese opposition forces, whether political, civil or armed groups," he said.

“If there is a real desire for a sustainable peace, it will be better to have the participation of all political forces and to reconsider the Roadmap Agreement signed by the Sudanese government and the African Union mediator for the benefit of the citizen and the homeland", he stressed.

There are unconfirmed reports about peace talks between two Darfur rebel factions led by Abu al-Gasim Imam and Taher Hajer in Doha during the upcoming weeks, but the TCSLM or the SLM-Unity of Abdalla Yahiya are not part of the process.

(ST)

June 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government has admitted killing an “armed criminal” on 2 July at Kator residential area in the national capital, Juba, at 11:20am.

Late Captain Gismallah George (File photo)

Although the date and timing of the killing as well as the location match with the incident in which suspected Military Intelligence (MI) personnel killed Lt. Colonel George Gismala of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA-IO), the report did not mention the identity of the deceased.

Earlier, South Sudan police service denied army's responsibility for the killing of the officer.

However, in the confidential report of government seen by Sudan Tribune on Monday and entitled, ‘Aba Lif (Kator-Tombura Road) Incident', it acknowledged that the “criminal” was killed by Military Intelligence (MI) personnel in self-defence after allegedly attacking their patrol team.

The report also narrated that the incident occurred while President Salva Kiir and First Vice President, Riek Machar, were also at the location in Kator, same area, where they both attended a wedding ceremony of a daughter of the President.

“On 2nd July 2016, at 1120 hrs, as MI patrol team were heading to St. Theresa Church to support the presidential protection Unit, at the church (the President and the First VP were attending the wedding of president's daughter), an armed criminal jumped in front of the patrol car at Aba Lif CORNER (Tumbara-Kator road) and started shooting at them,” said the report.

“He was shooting while bouncing from one point to another. The patrol team immediately responded by firing back at him as a result he was shot and fell down wounded. He was found alive and carrying a numberless AKM rifle and a pistol number 01692816238. He was rushed to the Military Hospital where he passed away on the way. The body of the criminal is currently at the Military Hospital mortuary awaiting identification,” further narrated the report.

Despite the fact that the report did not mention by name the claimed criminal, the date, timing and location suggested that it was narrating the circumstances under which Lt. Colonel George Gismala died.

Earlier reports published in the media suggested that the SPLA-IO's officer was shot dead at Kator residential area at 11:20am on 2 July, and his body was taken to a military base in Juba.

However, eye witnesses earlier told Sudan Tribune that the officer was shot while found seated at a tea place in what appeared to be a targeted killing. Other sources said he first engaged in argument with the MI personnel loyal to President Kiir over the lack of the implementation of the security arrangements in the peace agreement before he was shot.

Security forces loyal to President Kiir were immediately deployed in the capital to impose security measures and prevent violent reaction.

SPLA-IO DEPLOYED TROOPS

Eye witnesses and officials of the SPLA-IO also confirmed that their troops on 2 July had also deployed west of the government's headquarters in response to the situation.

Eye witnesses said they witnessed the deployment of the SPLA-IO troops lining up from Jebel Kujur, the residence of the First Vice President, Machar, walking through Gudele highway up to the roundabout of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which is only about 400 meters from the government's headquarters or ministries in the town center.

Media official of the First Vice President, Machar, confirmed the deployment, but said it was a normal security measure.

“Yes, SPLA-IO forces from the protection unit of the First Vice President were also deployed in the town on 2 July following the incident. It was a normal and necessary precautionary measure. The deployment was also important in reducing tension and building confidence,” Dak said.

He also said it was necessary because the SPLM-IO leadership was in the town center for the wedding of the President's daughter when the incident occurred.

Dak condemned what he said was a “cold blood murder” of one of their officers.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan will pay nearly $8 million United States dollars as part of its contribution for the membership to the East African Community (EAC) despite the deteriorating economic crisis, an official revealed on Monday.

Presidential Advisor on Economic Affairs, Agrey Tisa Sabuni, said the government will meet its new regional commitment despite the economic turmoil in the world's youngest nation.

“This amount of $8 million for the EAC has to be factored in the budget so that South Sudan will be able to contribute its share to the secretariat. Once that amount goes to the secretariat, it will be spent on many things like the court of justice, the assembly, the secretariat, and so forth,” said Sabuni, an ex-minister of finance between 2013 and 2015.

South Sudan was admitted to the six-member nations last year and the parliament in Juba approved the accession in May 2016.

Due to failure to form a transitional national legislative assembly (TNLA) as required by the peace agreement, South Sudan's 2016/2017 fiscal year budget is not yet approved by the legislature. The new financial year starts on 1 July.

Sabuni said the EAC's 2016/2017 budget is about $100 million. The regional assembly, the East African Community Legislative Assembly tabled and passed a budget of Financial Year 2016/2017 totalling $101,374,589, last week.

Sabuni said an amount of $47,565,377 will be contributed by all the states and the remaining amount of over $53 million will be generated from donations from development partners, and other miscellaneous revenue sources of the economic bloc, including the General Reserve Fund to facilitate the activities and projects of the secretariat throughout the financial year.

“So the budget that will be contributed by the six partner states is $47 million. That amount must be equally contributed by the member states, and since the partner states are now six, including South Sudan, its means this amount will be divided by six. It comes to $7.8m, approximately 8 million,” he said.

South Sudan is experiencing economic crisis caused by lowering global price of oil, 21 months of conflict that led to reduction in daily oil output and dependence on oil revenue.

Sabuni did not however elaborate on how the government will meet the extra expenditure.

(ST)

July 3, 2016 (KAMPALA) – The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was in Uganda as part of his four-nation tour of Africa and will visit Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, second right foreground, walks next to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, center left, after his arrival at Entebbe airport Uganda, Monday, July 4, 2016. Netanyahu is on a four-nation Africa tour to Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia. (AP Photo/Stephen Wandera)

"After many decades, I can say unequivocally Israel is coming back to Africa and Africa is coming back to Israel," Netanyahu told delegates at State House in Entebbe.

"All of our peoples will benefit greatly from our growing partnership,” he stressed.

Israel wants African nations to back it at the United Nations, where its General Assembly in 2012 overwhelmingly recognized Palestine as a nonmember observer state.

Exactly 40 years ago, the Israeli Prime Minister's elder brother, Yonatan, was killed by Ugandan soldiers at Entebbe International Airport, when he led Israeli commandos in a daring mission to rescue hijacked Israeli passengers.

While speaking at the same occasion on Monday, Uganda's Yoweri Museveni said his government supports a two-state remedy to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

"The two of you belong to that area," Museveni said in a written speech, from which he keeps referring to Palestine. He also urged both Israel and Palestine to live side by side in two states in peace and with recognized borders.

In attendance were South Sudan's Salva Kiir, Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta, Rwanda's Paul Kagame, Zambia's Edward Lungu and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

Netanyahu later attended a summit meeting of regional leaders on security and the fight against Islamic extremists, and a communiqué issued at the end said the leaders "emphasized the need for increased regional and international co-operation in all fields, including cyber security and information gathering to confront this scourge."

The Israeli Prime Minister left Uganda for the Kenyan capital, Nairobi on Monday evening.

(ST)

June 04, 2016 (JUBA)– Thousands of people internally displaced by the recent violence in South Sudan's town of Wau and now live in United Nations protection of civilians sites as well as churches have rejected calls by the state government for them to return to home.

IDPs shelter near the UNMISS base in Wau (IOM/Gonzalez 2016)

The displaced told members of a fact-finding committee sent from the capital, Juba that they would not leave the protection of civilian sites, having allegedly lost trust in the government organised forces.

“We are not going back homes though the government is asking us to leave these seats, what is the grantee of our protections if we return homes as these forces government is talking about to protect us were those killing and looting our us,” Taban Ngori, a displaced citizen, told the facts finding at Wau Catholic Diocese on Monday.

“We have lost everything belonging to us and many of us have lost their families members, we did not hard that there some rebels killed though the government forces carried out mass killing on the civil population areas in Wau,” he added.

Several civilians, Taban said, were forced by the violence into neighbouring Sudan

“They [civilians] have totally lost trust in government. Those who remained here are seeking for international intervention. We need accountability on those responsible for the massive killings in Wau,” he stressed.

The eight-member committee was formed by President Salva Kiir to probe what actually caused the violence which broke out in Wau town on 25 June. The national health minister, Riak Gai Kok, heads this fact-finding body.

Thousands of people have sought refuge at the UN camp, churches and at the South Sudan Red Cross compound seeking protection.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government militia; Rapid Support Force (RSF); on Monday said that they arrested over 300 illegal immigrants heading to Libya across the remote desert of Northern State.

SRF field commander Mohamed Hamdan (Hametti) speaks in a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday May 14, 2014 (ST)

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

Last June, hundreds of Rapid Support Force elements have been deployed in the Northern State shortly after complaint by the governor of drug and human trafficking by the criminal networks.

RSF Commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Hametti, told the pro-government al-Shrooq TV that his force, which was combing the western desert in the northern state, has arrested over 300 illegal immigrants in Al-Sheverlite area on the Sudanese- Libyan borders.

The combing operations of the desert in the Northern State are going "as planned by the top leadership" Hametti said, adding that "his forces were deployed in all locations to secure and protect the Sudanese economy".

He further said that the RSF troops have closed all the crossing points into Libya in the Northern State.

The commander of 19th Infantry Division of the Sudanese army, General Adil Hassan Humaida, on his part, said that RSF have been deployed in Northern State to comb the western desert in the state and protect borders with Libya.

Northern State governor, Ali al-Awad said that RSF is deployed combat crime, stressing that RSF first mission is mainly humanitarian and to provide security.

Earlier this year, the European Union granted a €100m development package to address the root causes of irregular migration in Sudan. The financial support came after pledge by the Sudanese government to cooperate with Brussels to stop human trafficking to Europe.

In January 2014, the Sudanese parliament approved an anti-human trafficking law which punishes those involved with human trafficking with up to 20 years imprisonment.

(ST)

July 3, 2016 (JUBA) – A group of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Saturday clashed with South Sudan army soldiers at Jebel check point, which is located north of the United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in the national capital, Juba.

UNMISS personnel erect barbed wire fencing around Tomping camp in Juba January 7, 2014 (Reuters/James Akena)

The acting spokesperson for the UN mission in South Sudan (UNIMISS) said the incident was a provocation by several IDPs, who were drinking at the nearby checkpoint area located north of PoC1, towards SPLA soldiers in the area.

“This resulted in an altercation between the IDPs and SPLA soldiers, and a few causalities, to be confirmed,” Chantal Persaud told Sudan Tribune Monday.

“UNMISS and SPLA senior officers met Sunday morning at the Jebel checkpoint, to ascertain the circumstances around the incident and verify information related to the shooting,” she added.

About 50 civilians who run small shops outside UNMISS compound were reportedly allowed temporary entry to UN House Compound and remained in close proximity of the main gate, eventually returning to their premises when the situation was under control.

Both the government and the armed opposition officials confirmed Saturday's clashes.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) on Monday has confiscated copies of Al-Jareeda daily newspaper from the printing house without stating any reasons.

Members of Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) hold banners outside the National Council for Press and Publication (NCPP) premises in Khartoum in protest against repeated seizure of newspapers, on May 26, 2015 (ST photo)

NISS has recently intensified crackdown on the newspapers. Last May, it confiscated copies of Al-Taghyeer, Al-Saiha, Al-Jareeda and Akhir Lahza newspapers for two days in a row.

Journalists working for Al-Jareeda told Sudan Tribune that the NISS agents seized 12,000 copies of the newspaper, expecting the financial loss to reach 50,000 pounds (SDG) (about $3,700 dollar).

Al-Jareeda has been the most censored and confiscated newspaper by the security services. Last May, the NISS had confiscated copies of the newspaper four times during five days.

The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

It accuses the newspapers of crossing the red lines through publishing reports which adversely impact the national security.

Sudanese journalists say that NISS uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

Sudan's constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (JUBA) - Spokesperson of South Sudan Police Service has denied that the death of an officer belonging to the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), a co-national army under the overall command of the First Vice President, Riek Machar, was politically motivated.

Late Captain Gismallah George (File photo)

Brigadier General Daniel Justin Boulo attributed the cause of death of Lt. Colonel George Gismala on Saturday to the prevalence of guns in the hands of unauthorized persons in the country.

“When people who have access to weapons and everyone has a gun, the life of everyone is [at] risk and it becomes difficult to identify and know the perpetuators,” Boulo said Monday when reached to comment on the matter.

He said people with different motives have illegally acquired weapons as well as those using military uniforms are among the groups roaming and causing insecurity situation.

The issue of insecurity, he said, will reduce when the illegally armed people are identified and disarmed.

This, he further added, cannot be done single handedly by the army or the police force and security forces but a work of everybody in the country in order to create a conducive security environment.

“Nobody has the monopoly of creating conducive security situation. The army can do its best to avail manpower to provide protection to the citizens and their properties but it is the responsibility of every citizen to work with the army, the police and the security personnel by giving information. If the government has no information about the unusual behaviour of a certain group, then how will the army know there is a group involved in strange activities? It is through information sharing that the army, the police and the security organs will know,” Boulo explained.

His comments came after government acknowledged that its military intelligence killed a “criminal” who attacked their patrol team at Kator residential area.

SPLA-IO ACCUSES SPLA OF MURDER

However, Military Spokesperson of the SPLA-IO, Colonel William Gatjiath Deng, has released a press statement on Monday, accusing the SPLA forces of killing the officer, George Alex Sandra aka George Gismala.

Deng also enumerated a number of other violations the SPLA and national security have allegedly committed in Juba over a period of two weeks.

“National Security agents shots our cars and firing random bullets even near the residence of the 1st Vice President. 1. On date 16/6/2016, National Security shot the car of the 1st Vice President at Gudela road and 2. Shot also the car of the share command Cdr. John Mabiek Gaar at Mongateen on 19/6/2016. 3. On the 2nd of July/2016, the SPLA-IG, killed our good officer by the name “Lt.Col. George Alex Sandra” while he was found sitting with his brothers shot him and take him away and brought his body back at night and place it at the Juba Teaching Hospital. 4. They have planned to assassinate all former National Security and IM officers and personnel who deserted to the SPLA-IO. 5. They keep 137-IO members in their detention and they don't want release them, where is the peace?,” wrote Col. Deng in the statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday.

He accused the troops loyal to President Kiir of reneging on the implementation of the security arrangements, including establishment of cantonment areas for SPLA-IO in Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal regions.

Also, he said their partner has not implemented the required redeployment of forces to 25 km outside the national capital.

(ST)

July 4, 2016 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese minister lashed out at institutions and people who have expressed fears of imminent collapse of the August 2015 peace agreement due to lack of consensus between two main warring parties.

South Sudanese information minister Michael Makuei Lueth attends a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 5 January 2014 (Photo: AP/Elias Asmara)

The parties led by President Salva Kiir and his first deputy, Riek Machar, are yet to resolve disputes over key sticking points, raising concerns that the intransigence could lead to collapse of peace, if no immediate measures were taken to keep the agreement on track.

Earlier, the two leaders in their presidency meetings last month said they reached consensuses on a number of issues including establishment of cantonment areas and review of the number of states and boundaries across the country.

President Kiir however did not sign the resolutions of the outcome of the meetings, returning the parties to further consultations.

However, Information Minister and Government Spokesperson, Michael Makuei Lueth, told reporters on Monday that there were people wishing South Sudan to continue to be in crisis for their benefits.

“Those who write such report, who say peace is going to collapse, who don't talk about the progress which have been so far in the implementation of the agreement, are those who wish the country every failure and they are people who are not for peace in South Sudan,” said Lueth.

The official, himself seen by the critics of the government as one of the hardliners and among those in the government who would like certain provisions of the agreement not to be implemented, said warlords in the country have perpetually remained in crisis for their own benefits.

“So these are warlords who would all the time like to see the whole country in crisis so that they benefit out of all these,” he said, without mentioning them by names.

Leading figures in the leadership of armed opposition, including the First Vice President Riek Machar himself, contended that implementation of the peace agreement was slow but ruled out its collapse. They asserted that it would be premature to make conclusion while the parties are still in discussions.

Minister Lueth was reacting to the report of the crisis group in which it urged the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to ensure that all parties renew their commitment to the agreement during a summit in Kigali, Rwanda, in coming days.

The report further asked the regional bloc, which mediated the talks, to bring to an end the conflict in the country to resume active engagements in the implementation process of the peace deal which the parties grudgingly signed in August 2015.

It called on IGAD to direct the parties to act on key issues in order to avoid collapse of the peace agreement.

(ST)

July 3, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The late Secretary General of the National Islamic Front (NIF) in Sudan Hassan al-Turabi has revealed in a recorded interview from 2010 the involvement of his deputy and former Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha in the assassination attempt against former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Ethiopia in 1995.

Ali Osman Mohamed Taha (ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images)

In episode 12 of a series of testimonies broadcasted by the Qatari-based Al-Jazeera TV on Sunday, the late Islamist leader said that Taha told him on the same day of the failed attempt about his personal involvement in the assassination plot alongside the General Security Services which was then headed by Nafie Ali Nafie.

Al-Turabi pointed that neither him nor the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir were aware of the assassination plot, saying the operation was arranged by Taha and Nafie.

He added that a meeting was held following the failed attempt in the presence of himself, Bashir, Nafie, Taha and others to assess the situation, saying that Taha proposed during the meeting to kill two Egyptian Jihadists who returned to Sudan after they participated in the assassination plot against President Mubarak.

However, the late Islamist leader said he had strongly objected to Taha's suggestion, underscoring that the meeting had eventually abandoned the idea of killing the two Egyptian Jihadists.

Al-Turabi also disclosed that the funding of the assassination attempt which amounted to more than $1 million was provided by Taha who secretly took the money from the NIF.

He further said that Islamist leaders from a country which he declined to name but said it is not far from Egypt came to him before the failed plot and asked him to facilitate an operation to assassinate Mubarak.

“Our president would travel to Addis Ababa to participate in the African Summit and we want to kill him” the Islamist leaders told al-Turabi.

Al-Turabi said however he rejected the proposal of the Egyptian Islamists and convinced them to abandon the idea.

“I told them that even if you managed [to assassinate Mubarak] would you get over your personal hatred toward him? … If you succeeded [to kill him] then hundreds of your [followers] would be killed and the mosques in your country would be shut down,” said al-Turabi.

The late Islamist leader added that he told President Bashir and Taha about the Egyptian Islamists who asked him to facilitate Mubarak's assassination and that he “warded them off and convinced them that killings are useless”.

Al-Turabi further pointed that Taha was not driven by personal motives but sought to help Egyptian Islamists who belong to a group that has nothing to do with Muslim Brotherhood.

It is noteworthy that investigations have revealed the involvement of elements from the Egyptian Jemaah Islamiah including Mustafa Hamza the head of the group's Shura (consultative) Council in the assassination attempt.

Al-Turabi's testimony is expected to provoke controversy in Sudan as it was the first time to openly implicate Taha and Nafie in the assassination plot against President Mubarak.

Ethiopia and Egypt have accused the Sudanese government of helping to plan the attack by Egyptian extremists on Mubarak's bulletproof car as he was on his way to an African Summit in June 1995 summit in Addis Ababa.

However, Sudan has always denied a role in the attempt.

Responding to a motion at the UN Security Council in 1996 calling on Sudan to hand over Ethiopia three men suspected in the attack, Taha, who was then Sudan's Foreign Minister said that Sudan was “neither a party to, nor had a role” in the attempt.

Al-Turabi, who passed away last March, was one of the most influential figures in modern Sudanese politics and a longtime hard-line ideological leader. He was the leader of the NIF which orchestrated the 1989 military coup d'état that brought President Bashir to power.

Taha served as Turabi's deputy in the NIF and was one of his loyal disciples until 1999 when a split occurred between President Bashir and Turabi. Taha joined Bashir's camp and became First Vice President until he was chased out of office in 2013.

Since then, Taha has not held any government post but he retains his position in the leadership council of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

When he recorded his testimonies in 2010, Turabi had stipulated that it would only be aired after his death.

During the first years of the regime, the country was ruled by the NIF, as Taha was tasked with the management of the government affairs.

(ST)

June 4, 2016 (JUBA) – The Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), said it would not accept a one-party nomination of the speaker of the would-be transitional national legislative assembly in the country.

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

The group said the one-party move would amount to a violation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) signed in August 2015 by President Salva Kiir and the SPLM-IO's chairman, Riek Machar.

Machar is also the current first vice president of the transitional government per the executive power sharing arrangement in the peace deal which ended 21 months of civil war which erupted in December 2013 between the two factional leaders.

An inclusive transitional national legislative assembly with memberships from all parties to the agreement was supposed to be formed concurrently with the transitional cabinet two months ago. However, disagreement over mode of electing the new parliament's speaker has delayed its formation.

President Salva Kiir's faction recently disclosed their position that the speaker should be nominated from their party alone or to be appointed by President Kiir.

They argued that the position of the speaker would be to compensate for the position of the vice president, James Wani, President Kiir's ally, who has become number 3 in the hierarchy of the top executive or presidency.

The opposition's faction, the SPLM-IO, however said they will not accept their partner's position to single-handedly nominate the speaker or appoint him, saying this would be violating the peace agreement.

“The leadership of the SPLM (IO) will not accept a one-party nomination process in electing the speaker. This would be a violation of the peace agreement. And why would we accept an act that violates the agreement?” Machar's press secretary, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune.

Dak also said “appointing” a speaker would be another violation, adding that parliament's speaker is elected, not appointed by the President.

The opposition's media official further reaffirmed that SPLM-IO is committed to the full implementation of the peace agreement in accordance with its provisions.

He said the peace agreement did not restrict nomination of the speaker to one party, adding he or she should come from any party to the peace agreement as long as the person is an Equatorian.

The SPLM-IO, he said, would also select their Equatorian member to contest for the speakership.

Earlier, on Wednesday, President Kiir said he did not trust the “majority” number of his faction's members in parliament to secure a vote for one of his members to become the speaker, saying some of them may defect and vote in favour of opposition's member.

There are concerns that pro-reform members from President Kiir's faction may also vote in favour of someone from the opposition so as to push for the reforms in the parliament.

(ST)

July 3, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan on Sunday has criticized being placed by the United States on the blacklist countries involved in human trafficking, saying the report as "biased and intentionally distorting" Sudan's efforts to combat human trafficking..

Eritrean migrants wait aboard a navy ship in the Sicilian harbour of Augusta, March 4, 2015 (Photo Reuters/Antonio Parrinello)

The U.S “Trafficking in Persons Report –June 2016” which was released last Thursday has placed Sudan with the 27 countries that do not comply with minimum international standards in combating human trafficking.

“The Government of Sudan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so,” said the report.

The report mentioned un verified reports about South Sudanese children sold for agricultural work particularly in West Kordofan. It accused the Sudanese army of recruiting children aged between 16-17 years. It also accused the government militia of the Rapid Support Forces of using child soldiers citing unverified reports.

It further said that asylum seekers from African and Arab countries are "highly vulnerable" to sex trafficking and forced labor in Sudan, citing kidnapping of Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees from east Sudan who are transferred into other countries for blackmailing and ransom. The Sudanese law enforcement agencies are accused of being involved in this criminal activity.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that U.S report on human trafficking lacked accurate information on Sudan and neglected to acknowledge the government's efforts to end recruitment of child soldiers and human trafficking.

The ministry stressed that Sudan has established law enforcement agencies in both federal and state levels, working with a high degree of coordination, to combat human trafficking.

Regarding the cooperation with international community in combating human trafficking, the ministry of foreign affairs said that Sudan has hosted in 2005 the UN Conference for Transitional Organized Crimes that covered human trafficking. And signed the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) of 2000.

In 2014 "Sudan issued Anti- Human Trafficking Act that included capital punishment in some cases," stressed the foreign ministry. It pointed to the national and regional efforts to combat human trafficking in eastern Sudan, including the establishment of a national committee to combat child trafficking and illegal immigration.

Earlier this year , the European Union granted a €100m development package to address the root causes of irregular migration in Sudan. The financial support came after pledge by the Sudanese government to cooperate with Brussels to stop human trafficking to Europe.

But Amnesty International criticized the EU policy saying it only focus on ''keeping people out, by preventing their arrival and facilitating their return, with no meaningful steps taken to increase mobility nor safe and legal routes for refugees''.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement stressed that Sudan is committed to all its obligations with the international community and European Union to combat human trafficking.

“Sudan is committed to the international laws that it has ratified and will be an active member in the fight against human trafficking,” stressed the statement.

Last June, Sudan handed over to Italy an Eritrean man suspected of controlling one of the world's four largest criminal migrant trafficking organization.

COURT SENTENCES HUMAN TRAFFICKERS

In a related development, s Sudanese court in Khartoum, on Sunday, sentenced to 10 years in prison 8 persons for human trafficking.

Khartoum Central Court, headed by Judge Osama Ahmed Abdalla, condemned eight defendants and acquitted one for the lack of evidence.

The defendants, who work for a human trafficking criminal network between Sudan and Libya, were condemned for criminal complicity and human trafficking across the border.

The court has decided to toughen the penalty against the defendants on the ground that human trafficking is a serious crime that threatens the security of the society and the state.

The court has also said that “based on facts, the defendants were found guilty of criminal accomplice with regard to sheltering and transporting people from Sudan to Libya after deceiving them that they are being taken to work in the traditional gold exploration in al-Muthalath (triangle) area in Sudanese northern state.

(ST)