Sudan Tribune

March 23, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - The Islamist Popular Congress Party (PCP) expressed explicit reservations about an initiative led by a government-allied coalition, 2020 Forces, to find a way out of the country's current political crisis following protests to oust President Omer al-Bashir.

The initiative of the 2020 Forces provides to postpone the elections of April 2020, extending for two years the term of the current constitutional institutions (President and Parliament) and forming a transitional national unity government that begins after the end of the current mandate in 2020.

The initiative further provides to form a five-person presidential council chaired by President al-Bashir during the transitional period.

The PCP, which is a member of the al-Bashir-led government, Saturday held a meeting in its premises with a delegation from the 2020 Forces, headed by al-Tayeb Mustafa, to discuss the initiative.

Reached by Sudan Tribune after the meeting, the PCP Political Secretary Idriss Suleiman said that the two-year extension of mandate constitutes a breach of the constitution, as he was referring to the constitutional article that limits an elected president to two terms in office.

"Anything unconstitutional will put us in trouble because we may not be able to agree on it," he stressed.

He pointed out to the forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change saying there are the Your groups, political opposition forces and armed movements that cannot be ignored and take any decision without them.

"We underscored that the solution is not as easy as some imagine. If we agree to form a presidential council of five people, how can they be chosen in the presence of 100 parties and dozens of sectarian and tribal movements?"

He added that they stressed the need to reconsider and think about the initiative and create understandings with all actors in the Sudanese arena, whether they are allied to the government or from the opposition.

Furthermore, Suleiman warned that the National Dialogue Conference reached an agreement that to hold elections in 2020.

"Now we tie up the people and want to decide on his behalf to extend or shorten the period," he said.

Recalling their historical difference with al-Bashir in 1999, he stressed that since its establishment his party has been working to restore power to the people while others working actively to postpone the process.

"We call for elections to be held in 2020 as the most effective and safe way out," he said.

Sudanese president suspended plans to amend the constitution to allow his election for a third presidential term. But reports say he seeks to chair a presidential council during a transitional period to ensure the future of the Islamic rule in Sudan.

It is worth mentioning that the opposition groups call for al-Bashir to resign and to form technocrat government with a collegial presidential council to lead the country during four years to end armed conflicts, resolve the economic crisis and prepare for general elections.

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March 23, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - Four Sudanese opposition leaders walked free Saturday after more than three months of arbitrary detention in connection with the nationwide protests demanding the departure of President Omer al-Bashir.

The released opposition figures are Siddiq Youssef, 88, of the Sudanese Communist Pary, Ali Saeed the spokesperson of the Communist Party, Ali al-Rayah the secretary of the Arab Socialist Baath party and Abdel-Jalil Osman.

On 17 March, during his visit to Khartoum, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis called on the Sudanese authorities to release all the political detainees.

On Friday, the Sudanese security apparatus released Badr al-Din al-Sumait, 73, a political activist.

On 5 March, Omer al-Digair the leader of the Sudanese Congress Party was released from jail.

However, opposition groups say dozens of political opponents and activists are still in jail without charge or trial including Mohamed Nagi al-Asam, the spokesperson of the Sudanese Professionals Association.

The security forces launched a widespread crackdown to curb the protests that erupted across the country in December 2018.

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March 22, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - President Omer al-Bashir has directed to reunify the peace process with the armed groups in Darfur and Sudan's Two Areas, said Presidential Assistant Faisal Hassan Ibrahim

Ibrahim met with al-Bashir on Thursday 24 hours after the cancellation of the armed groups in Darfur of peace talks in Doha that had been scheduled to begin in January.

Following the meeting, he told reporters that the president directed to unify the tracks for peace adding that the issue of peace remains one of the main issues of concern to the state.

The presidential aide further said they would convene a meeting of the Supreme Council for Peace in the next few days to discuss this matter.

The government and the Sudan Call signed the roadmap for peace and democratic changes in March and August 2016 respectively.

Following, the parties' failure to reach a cessation of hostilities agreements by the end of 2016, the mediation proposed last year to review the roadmap agreement and to join a constitutional conference for a permanent constitution in Sudan.

The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) has been slammed by the government and the armed groups during the past two years.

However in December 2018, the African renewed its mandate for another year and extended it to include issues of the Red Sea area and the Horn of Africa.

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March 22, 2019 (JUBA) - South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and top Vatican diplomat discussed Friday discussed ways the Pope can support the peace process and reconciliation in South Sudan.

On 16 March, Kiir paid a visit to the Vatican City State where he discussed with Pope Francis ways in which the Catholic Church can contribute to achieving reconciliation and reconstruction in South Sudan.

Also, he held a meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States.

In a statement released in Juba on Friday, the presidency said that Archbishop Gallagher held a meeting with President Kiir on Friday morning.

The meeting discussed " the general situation in the country and ways of implementing the peace agreement.

In statements to the media after the meeting, the visiting diplomat stressed "the readiness of the Pope to support the peace process in South Sudan".

He further said that his meeting with President Kiir was "fruitful and constructive".

During his meeting with Kiir, Pope Francis renewed his intention to visit South Sudan to support peace implementation in the country.

In 2017, the Catholic Church announced a visit of Pope Francis to South Sudan in October of that year. However, the security conditions due to the continuation of war did not allow such a visit.

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March 22, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - A local human rights group working in Sudan's troubled Blue Nile State said the Sudanese authorities have threatened to ban the activities of women association accusing it of exercising Christian missionary activities.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, Hudo Centre said the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) raided the premises Shali Women Association (SWA) in Ed Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile State on 3 February 2019 and ordered to end a meeting of the board of directors.

The security agents further ordered the education and health women group to not carry out any future without the NISS's permission

"If not, the NISS promised to arrest them and revoke their license. NISS accused them of carrying out Christian missionary activity and receiving foreign funds. Since then, the SWA has frozen all its activities and decided to restrict the movement of its members," read the statement.

Shalli Elfeel Women Association is a community-based organization for women established in 2017. Their activities include civic education and health in Blue Nile State. Shalli is the name of an area outside Kurmuk town of Blue Nile.

Ed Damazin is one of the towns where erupted last December the first anti-government protests that continue to take place across the country.

Also, some parts of the state are under the control of the SPLM-North fighters who declared a unilateral cessation of hostilities for more than two years under a regional initiative to end the war in Sudan.

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March 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese foreign ministry Thursday summoned the Egyptian ambassador in Khartoum to protest a call by his government for bids on oil and gas exploration in the disputed border area of Halayeb.

The move comes 12 days after an announcement by the Egyptian state-owned South Valley Egyptian Petroleum Holding Company calling for 10 oil and gas exploration blocks in the "Egyptian territorial waters in the Red Sea"

The foreign ministry said that Egyptian Ambassador Hussam Issa received a letter of protest calling to stop the international tender for exploration of oil and gas in "Red Sea areas that are under Sudanese sovereignty".

"The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Badr al-Din Abdallah expressed, to the Egyptian ambassador, the Sudanese protest against this announcement, calling for stopping this measure, which contradicts the legal status of the Halaib triangle and does not correspond to the steps taken by the brotherly countries to find a joint strategic partnership," emphasized the statement.

In January 2019, the two countries agreed to enhance bilateral relations after boosting security cooperation during the past year.

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

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

Sudan has been notifying the UN Security Council on this issue annually since 1958 to renew its rejection of the "Egyptian military occupation of Sudan's Halayeb triangle and maritime borders".

Cairo refuses demands by the Sudanese government to hold direct talks on Halayeb and Shalateen or to accept the referral of the dispute to the International Court of Arbitration.

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March 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - A representative of the families of detained political leaders and activists said the Sudanese security service refused to receive a letter demanding their release or to bring them to a fair trial.

Al-Waleed Bakri told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that dozens of families had gathered at the information building of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) to hand over the letter, but the officials refused to take it.

"The security services rejected the letter and followed it by terrorizing the families of the detainees by taking them out of the information building, a measure that confirms the absence of minimum professional standards and without any legal grounds," said al-Waleed, whose brother has been in custody for three months.

"All these treatments and others confirm the violation of the rights of citizenship and constitutional and human rights," he further said.

Earlier this month, President al-Bashir ordered the release all the female detained following the protest movement.

However, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) on Tuesday 19 March said hundreds of detainees are in detention without charge or access to a court of law.

The group further aid despite the presidential directive of 8 March to release all the detained females only 36 women have been released by the NISS.

Al-Waleed stressed all the members of his family will remain mobilized and will continue to coordinate their efforts with the other families of detainees until the release of his brother Rabie and all the detainees.

"We will not be stopped by intimidations or threats," he said adding that his brother Osama has been threatened by the security agents several times.

Last Sunday, the families of the detainees held a second sit-in outside the building of the security services and held pictures of the detainees and placards calling for their release.

The total number of detainees has not yet been known. The NISS have released some politicians and activists, while others are still in detention including the leading figures of the Communist Party, Unionist movement or Sudanese Professional Association.

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March 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - Protesters took to the streets in the Sudanese capital and several other towns across the country in their weekly protest every Thursday, calling for the downfall of the regime.

The demonstrations were organized in Al-Obied of North Kordofan, Port Sudan, Red Sea State, Kassala town, Gadaref, Madani, and several towns in Khartoum state including Omdurman, Khartoum North and Khartoum.

The different marches, coordinated by the Sudanese Professionals Associations (SPA) chanted anti-government slogans calling on President Omer al-Bashir to step down and denounced the crimes committed by the regime.

The SPA dubbed the demonstrations of 21 March as the "Procession for Justice" to remember all the war and political crimes committed by the government.

In two alerts released in the evening, the group said the security forces surround the protesters in Shambat, Khartoum North and Aburouf, Omdurman.

As the protests have entered in their fourth month, the security forces gradually during this month of March reduced the use of violence against the demonstrations.

Officials in Khartoum say trivializing demonstrations help to demobilize the protests in the long term, pointing that the use of violence and detention victimize the protesters and draw more popular support for their cause.

Recently, the opposition said the government reduced the excessive use of force against the demonstrators to please U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis during his visit to Khartoum.

According to the government, over 30 protesters have been killed by the security forces since the eruption of demonstrations in December 2018 but human rights groups and activists say more than 50 people lost their lives during the past three months.

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March 21, 2019 (JUBA) - South Sudanese rights activist and vocal critic Peter Biar appeared Thursday before the court for the first time since his arrest nearly eight months ago but the charges he is facing are different from the one filed against him initially".

Biar was arrested at Juba airport while on 28 July 2018 as he was on his way to Aweil, his arrest intervened posting on Tweeter several messages hostile to the South Sudanese leadership. Also, he was known for his criticism for the peace process at the time.

He was first charged with national security-related offences such as publishing false statements prejudicial to South Sudan, treason among others.

However, on Thursday, he appeared before the High Court in Juba for alleged charges of threatening the national security and terrorism in accordance with the Penal Code, and the National Security Act.

Biar is accused of insurgency, terrorism, banditry and sabotage; violence in a public place; possession of firearms and ammunition inside a detention facility and gathering several individuals to commit a crime.

The South Sudanese prominent activist, in fact, is now accused by the security services of orchestrating a riot at the National Security detention facility in Juba, the "Blue House" when armed inmates took two guards hostage on 7 October 2018.

The court said the trial will continue until Monday 25 March. He is tried with Kerbino Agok Wol, a South Sudanese businessman and six other detainees.

Wol also was detained for a different charge but now he appears for alleged the same charges as Biar.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) called for a fair trial for the activist and the other detainees.

"We call on the high court to provide Mr Biar with full access to his lawyers for him to exercise his constitutional right to defend himself," further said the SSCSF.

On 7 October 2018, The Voice of America Radio reached Biar by telephone to have more details about what happening in the Blue House, as the attack occurred nearby a section for the political detainees.

During the telephone call, he said the situation was volatile and called on the government to negotiate with the detainees who demanded to be tried or released, complaining from the continued detention without charge.

"What we are hoping for is that the government of South Sudan is able to resolve this and is able to negotiate to those who have taken this decision to resort to this kind of armed protest," he added.

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February 11, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Sudan's president on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, said Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Ahmed in a statement released on Monday.

The meeting of al-Bashir with Guterres was reported by the official news agency SUNA saying it took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Summit of the African Union.

The UN deputy spokesperson did not mention it in his daily briefing. Farhan Haq just pointed to Guterres participation in the African summit and his speech about bilateral relation between the two organisations.

According to SUNA, the meeting discussed Sudan's initiatives to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan and the Central African Republics.

"The Secretary-General of the United Nations considered (these initiatives) a shining point in Africa and an exceptional effort that deserved commendation and appreciation".

Speaking to the official agency, Dirdeiry said Guterres reiterated the support of the United Nations for the Sudanese efforts and pledged to support the implementation process of an agreement for peace and reconciliation in the CAR negotiated in Khartoum recently.

Also, the UN chief assured that they will exert their efforts to secure the necessary support for the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan.

This is the second meeting between al-Bashir and Guterres on the sidelines of the African Union meetings. They met for the first time on 28 January 2018.

At the time, Haq told reporters that operational necessities allow the UN chief to meet with the ICC-wanted president "from time to time" on issues such as the joint peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the UN peacekeeping mission in the disputed Abyei region (UNISFA).

Al-Bashir is accused by the International Criminal Court of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur.

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February 12, 2019 (NAIROBI) - Rights groups Monday have called on Kenya and South Sudan to investigate into the enforced disappearance of two South Sudanese activists in Nairobi more than two years ago.

Dong Samuel Luak, a prominent South Sudanese lawyer and human rights activist, and Aggrey Idri, a member of the SPLM-IO were kidnapped in the Kenyan capital on January 23 and 24, 2017, respectively.

Despite multiple reports about their arrest by the Kenyan police forces country and deportation to Juba, authorities in the two neighbouring denied any collusion in their disappearance.

On January 17, 2019, a Kenyan High Court ended its 24-month oversight of the police investigation and advised the families to pursue alternative administrative remedies such as filing a complaint with the Internal Police Oversight Authority.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on the two countries to ensure "effective, transparent, and impartial investigations" into their disappearance, stressing such a decision may lead to a denial of justice.

“The families of Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Ezbon Idri have waited patiently for the truth for two years, their lives in limbo,” said Jehanne Henry, associate Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

“But this decision which lets Kenyan police off the hook risks sending this case into oblivion and denying the families justice,” Henry further said.

Kenyan police had already shown no enthusiasm to probe the two cases, triggering the filing of a case before Kenyan justice requesting that the police be ordered to produce Luak and Idri in court.

But the Kenyan judge rejected the claim saying he could not establish that they were in custody and that the police can investigate the matter.

However, as the police investigation stalled, their families sought a judicial order to the police to investigate the disappearance. But the police in February 2018, pledged only to keep the case open.

The joint statement underscored that the decision ends any judicial oversight into the police action on the case.

“How long will this charade go on as the families of Luak and Idri continue to languish in agony over their loved ones?” said Joan Nyanyuki, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International last year said they "had seen both men in National Security Service (NSS) detention in Juba, South Sudan, on January 25 and 26, 2017".

Recently, James Dak the former spokesperson of the SPLM-IO leader confirmed that he had been illegally deported to Juba as a result of close cooperation between the security organs in Nairobi and Juba.

The two rights groups said the South Sudanese government unwillingness to investigate the disappearance of the two activists "is an abdication of its binding legal obligations, demonstrates total disregard for the men's fundamental rights, and exacerbates their families' concerns".

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February 11, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and Ethiopia's premier Abiy Ahmed Monday have discussed the formation of a joint border control force and completion of the border demarcation.

The two leaders met on Monday on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Al-Bashir and Ahmed also discussed ways to promote bilateral relations and enhance joint cooperation on the regional and international forums as well as the meetings of the technical and higher coordination committees between the two countries.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed ongoing efforts to achieve regional peace particularly in South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

Although Khartoum and Addis Ababa have close ties, the border area between the two countries remains a source of tension and violence between the two sides due to the human trafficking and smuggling to reach Egypt and Libya.

Also, Ethiopian farmers are accused by the Sudanese farmers of occupying vast agricultural land in the Al-Fashqa area of Gedaref State.

The third issue until recently was Ethiopian rebels who sneak over the border coming from Eritrea. Many have been detained and handed over to the Ethiopian authorities.

Earlier this month, there were media reports that Ethiopia's Foreign Minister, Workneh Gebeyehu, has warned that Sudan's failure to curb continued arms smuggling into Ethiopia through its border may lead to cutting diplomatic relations.

However, the Ethiopian government has dismissed these reports as unfounded saying the Foreign Minister's remarks were taken out of context.

In October 2017, the security committee between Sudan's Gedaref state and Ethiopia's Amhara region decided to recommend to the leadership of the two countries to deploy a joint force along the border.

Last August, the Sudanese and Ethiopian armies signed an agreement to withdraw troops from both sides of the border and to deploy joint forces to combat "terrorism", human trafficking and to eliminate any potential security tensions. But it was not clear if effective steps have been taken towards its deployment.

On the other hand, it is noteworthy that the current borders between Sudan and Ethiopia were drawn by the British and Italian colonisers in 1908. The two governments have agreed in the past to redraw the borders and to promote joint projects between people from both sides for the benefit of local populations.

The joint Sudanese-Ethiopian High Committee announced in December 2013 that it reached an agreement to end disputes between farmers from two sides of the border over the ownership of agricultural land.

In November 2014, the former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President al-Bashir instructed their Foreign Ministers to fix a date for resuming the border demarcation. The operation had stopped following the death of Ethiopia's former premier, Meles Zenawi.

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U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Steven Koutsis meets with Imam Sadiq Al-Mahdi on 11 Feb 2019 (Photo US Embassy)

February 11, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - U.S. Chargé d'Affaire Steven Koutsis discussed with the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) the attack by the Sudanese security agent on a mosque of his religious sect, Al-Ansar, last Friday as the embassy expressed its concern about the recurrent use of violence.

On 8 February, Sudanese security forces fired teargas and beat worshippers attempting to stage a peaceful demonstration after Friday prayers at the Al-Sayed Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi Mosque in Wahd Nubbawi neighbourhood of Omdurman.

The attack resulted in injuries to several people.

"Chargé d'Affaires Steven Koutsis met with Imam Sadiq Al-Mahdi to discuss the inappropriate attack on the Al-Sayed Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi Mosque and its worshipers on February 8," said the U.S. in Khartoum in a statement released by the U.S. Embassy on Monday evening after the meeting.

The statement further said that the Embassy is concerned about the use of violence.

"We are troubled by the frequent use of force by the Sudanese government's security forces, including the use of live fire and beatings and the entering of mosques, hospitals, schools, private homes, and other locations that should be recognized places of safety".

Human Rights Watch released verified Video footage on Monday that shows government forces' extreme violence and shocking abuses against protesters during the seven weeks of peaceful protests across the country.

The rights group called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to appoint an investigation committee to investigate the human rights violations against peaceful protesters.

Koutsis welcomed the recent efforts by the High Prosecutor General and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the death of Kassala State teacher Ahmed Al Kheir. However, he called to hold accountable the security official who commit such crimes.

"We believe that a transparent, independent investigation that holds responsible officials to account will lead to a change in the government's treatment of those held in detention," said the American diplomat.

He also called for the release of the detained political opposition members, human rights activists, and peaceful protesters.

Jehanne Henry, associate Africa director at Human Rights Watch, pointed out to the existence of credible evidence proving the use of excessive violence against civilians and called to hold accountable those who are responsible for these crimes.

"With each passing week the situation is getting worse,” Henry said.

“It is high time for the UN Human Rights Council to ramp up monitoring and reporting on the situation and to send investigators to the country at once,” she stressed.

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February 11, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - Presidential Assistant Faisal Hassan Ibrahim on Monday has expressed categorical rejection for all calls demanding the formation of a transitional government saying they are only committed to the 2020 elections.

Ibrahim, who is also the deputy chairman of the ruling National Congress Party, described the calls to form a transitional government as mere “illusions”, saying change wouldn't take place through protests, slogans, sabotage or foreign agenda.

Speaking to a crowd in West Darfur State, the Presidential Aid added the change of the government would occur through elections only.

“The Sudanese people would decide who will govern it through the elections in 2020” he pointed out

He further described the ongoing demonstrations as “leap in the dark”, accusing the protesters of seeking to abort the national dialogue and its outcome.

Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since December 19, with demonstrators holding nationwide rallies calling on President Omer al-Bashir to resign.

The government said 31 people have died in the violence, while other credible reports including from Human Rights Watch says at least 51 people have been killed.

The popular protests are spearheaded by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella organization of shadow trade unions including doctors, university professors, pharmacists, journalists, school teachers and engineers.

Last month, the SPA and the opposition groups including the National Consensus Alliance, Sudan Call and the Unionist Gathering launched the Declaration of Freedom and Change which calls for the removal of the regime and the formation of a four-year transitional government.

Also, other initiatives including from the University of Khartoum and a group of 52 intellectuals and Islamists led by the former prime minister Al-Gizouli Daffallah has called for the establishment of a transitional government as means to resolve the country's crisis.

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February 10, 2019 (KHARTOUM - Sudanese government has failed to end the cash crisis despite promises to resolve it through the printing of big new banknotes as banks are still unable to provide money to their customers.

Sudan's new currency sits behind a window at the central bank in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday July 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Abd Raouf)

Long lines of people who want to withdraw money are still waiting outside the Sudanese banks every day. Also, Sudanese line up to withdraw cash from automated teller machines (ATM)s, with dozens who abandoned their jobs and offices service.

Reliable sources told Sudan Tribune on Sunday about "complex" difficulties facing the printing of new banknotes in the Sudanese Money Printing Press, which contributed to the lack of funds for banks.

“The type of paper used in the printing was the principal cause of the problem, as it does not conform with the required specifications,” said the official who declined to be named because it is not authorized to speak to the press.

The sources said that the press however has so far been able to print only 17 million of 100-pound banknotes.

He added that the press used foreign experts to deal with intractable failures.

Plans were underway to print 100 million banknotes to curb the liquidity crisis in the first quarter of this year. However, this objective seems unlikely to reach, according to economists.

In October last year, the Bank of Sudan pumped huge amounts of cash to enable the banks to feed cash machines which set the withdrawal limit to two thousand pounds per day.

The confidence of customers in Sudanese banks has been shaken since mid-2018 after they failed to hand over money deposited in their accounts due to lack of liquidity.

In a workshop about the backing activities held by the economic sector at the ruling National Congress Party in June 2018, its bank's division recommended issuing new banknotes of 100 and 200 pounds to enable the Central Bank to build cash reserves.

Also, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) said in a paper presented at the meeting that one of the reasons for the crisis of cash shortage is weak banking secrecy.

The analyses presented by NISS Secretary of the Banking Division Mohamed Abdel Rahim said that the war on corruption and currency traders led to disclose the accounts of a large number of people in the newspapers and social media, in clear violation of the principle of privacy and confidentiality.

As a result; the contributed to weakening and destabilizing the confidence of customers in the banking sector because they feel that their transactions are monitored and details can be easily obtained.

The lack of confidence pushed the customers to deposit their money in foreign accounts but also to withdraw it in a “way to make them feel safe”.

The paper said that the inability of banks to meet the needs of customers from criticism led to shake confidence in banks and refrain from dealing with them.

The NISS warned against the continuation of distrust saying that cash feeding will not resolve the problem because customers will continue to withdraw their deposits and the collapse of the banking system.

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February 8, 2019 (JUBA) — South Sudan's opposition alliance said concerned by the repeated violations of the cessation of hostilities by the government forces and accused Juba of preparing new attacks in the upcoming days.

During the past weeks, the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Thomas Cirilo issued several statements about clashes with the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) and accused the government army of violating the ceasefire.

On Sunday, NAS allied groups issued a separate statement, also, blaming the SSPDF of attacking their position in Central and Western Equatoria, the second since a first statement dated 30th January 2019.

"The South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA) is perturbed by the Juba regime and the SPLM/A-IO intentional violation of December 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) by their aggression and attacks on multiple positions of SSNDA in Yei River State on the 31st of January and still continues to date," said the alliance spokesperson Kwaje Lasu.

The SSNDA forces, according to Lasu, have repulsed a "coordinated heavy attack" by the by the government forces in the areas of Morobo, Lojulo, and KajoKeji on 31 January.

He added that the SSPDF are randomly shelling villages in and around Yei area.

Further, he accused the assailants of attacking civilians and raping young girls and women.

The alliance which is formed by a number of groups that reject the revitalized peace agreement includes the National Salvation Front (NAS) of Gen. Thomas C. Swaka, People's Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Hakim Dario, National Democratic Movement (NDM) led by Emanuel Aban and the United Democratic Republic Alliance (UDRA) of Gatwech K. Thich and South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) of Vakindi L. Unvu,

The opposition official said they received intelligence that the government troops and their peace partner the SPLA-IO are now preparing for new attacks on their positions.

He went further to add they expect these attacks on their positions in " in Rokon, Wonduruba, Lo'bonok, Katigeri, and Mongala".

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, several times, expressed keenness to bring the non-signatory groups to the peace agreement.

Also, the IGAD Council of Ministers which brokered the peace pact directed the Special Envoy Ismail Wais to meet the holdout rebel groups and persuade them to join peace.

In December 2018, Wais met the non-signatories who later on provided him with their claims. However, they are still awaiting the resumption of meeting as they said ready to negotiate with the government.

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February 10, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - A tripartite meeting among the Sudanese, Egyptian and Ethiopian leaders on Sunday has decided to provide a high-level political umbrella to support the talks on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The planned Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project (AP)

The three leaders, Omer al-Bashir, Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi and Abiy Ahmed have met on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

According to Egypt's presidential spokesperson, Bassam Radi, the meeting was a continuation of the talks among the three leaders that started in January 2018 aiming to overcome any impediments pertaining to the GERD negotiations.

He added that President al-Sisi stressed the importance of adopting a balanced and cooperative vision for the filling and operation of the dam to achieve the interests of the three countries.

Radi pointed out that the three leaders underscored the urgency of developing a unified view on the dam on the basis of the declaration of principles signed in Khartoum.

He further said the meeting discussed ways and means of promoting cooperation and relations among the three countries.

Egypt fears that its water share would be drawn down by the filling of the GERD which is expected to hold 74 billion cubic metres of water and generate electrical power of up to 6,000 megawatts.

In 2015, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia signed a declaration of principles on the dam project that tacitly approves the dam construction but calls for technical studies aimed at safeguarding the water quotas of the three riparian states.

On September 22, 2014, a tripartite committee from the three countries proposed the conduction of two additional studies on the dam project, the first one on the effect of the dam on the water quota of Sudan and Egypt and the second one to examine the dam's ecological, economic and social impacts of the dam on Sudan and Egypt.

The French engineering consultancy Artelia and BRL groups have been selected to undertake the dam impact studies. The U.K.-based law firm Corbett & Co was selected to manage the legal affairs of the tripartite committee.

Last May, the three countries agreed to set up a joint technical team - 5 members from each country- to study the filling of the GERD reservoir and operating the dam. Egypt withdrew its proposal to resort to the World Bank on the matter.

The technical team held four meetings to discuss options and strategies for filling the GERD.

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February 10, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - Hundreds of Sudanese on Sunday have taken to the streets of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city demanding release of dozens of women detained during the ongoing popular protests.

Protesters, mainly women, marched from the central bus station in downtown Omdurman towards the Women Prison where the female protesters are held.

They chanted slogans calling for the fall of the regime of President Omer al-Bashir and the restoration of peace, justice and equality.

Police and security forces used tear gas to disperse the protesters detaining large numbers of women.

Earlier, the Sudanese government said about 800 protesters have been arrested during the demonstration, however, opposition sources put the number at 1000 pointing out that they have been detained at various parts of the country.

Reliable sources told Sudan Tribune that security agents on Sunday evening have detained Yahia al-Hussein, a lawyer and member of the Arab Ba'ath Party from his office in Khartoum.

The same sources said security agents have also detained female journalists Durra Ganbo as she was covering the protests in Omdurman.

Also, security forces on Sunday afternoon arrested 5 doctors as they staged a demonstration at Khartoum Teaching Hospital.

In a statement on Sunday, the Central Committee of Doctors said 5 orthopedists including Ashraf al-Mutasim, Al-Hadi Abdel-Rahim, Walid Fadl Allah, Al-Tihami Saif and Al-Amin Ahmed al-Tayeb have demonstrated at the hospital in support of the popular protests, pointing the security agents arrested them after the protest.

According to the statement, doctors have also staged demonstrations at a number of hospitals including Sharq Al-Nil, Kassala, Medani and El-Obayied.

It is noteworthy that the Sudan Central Committee of Doctors is part of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella organization of independent professional unions spearheading the anti-government protests.

Large protests have been ongoing across Sudanese cities since 19 December. The demonstrations first began over fuel shortages and a hike in food prices but have now morphed into full-fledged protests calling for al-Bashir to step down.

The Sudanese government has confirmed the deaths of 31 people in the course of the protests but other credible reports including from Human Rights Watch say more than 51 persons have been killed.

(ST)

February 9, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - The four groups of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) Friday extended a unilateral cessation of Hostility for three months. The ceasefire will take place in Darfur and Sudan's Two Areas, according to a statement released on Saturday.

A UNAMID peacekeeper from from Burkina Fasso and based in Forobaranga, West Darfur, checks a map during a patrol to Tamar village. (Photo UNAMID/Albert González Farran)

"The Cessation of Hostilities shall enter into force at 11:59 pm on the 8th of February 2019 and will extend for three months to 11: 59 pm (SLT) on the 8 of May 2019. The cessation of Hostilities shall apply throughout the conflict areas of Darfur and the Two Areas," read the statement.

The joint statement was signed by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minnawi (SLM/A-MM). the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Movement Transitional Council (SLM TC) headed by Hadi Idris, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement t North led by Malik Agar (SPLM-N Agar).

The SRF groups, which reunited earlier this month, said the three-month extension aims to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access and also to "create a conducive and non­violent environment for the ongoing peaceful Sudanese protests and peace talks".

The SRF is part of the Sudan Call alliance which backs the nearly two-month anti-government protests that call on President Omer al-Bashir to step down.

Two SRF members, JEM and SLM-MM had to resume peace talks with the Sudanese regime in Doha last January, but they declined to attend the talks in support of the popular demonstrations.

(ST)

February 9, 2019 (ABYEI) – An Ethiopian military helicopter Saturday crashed inside the compound of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) killing three of its crew members.

In a statement released on Saturday, the UNISFA said there were 23 passengers on board when the chopper crashed at 13:10 pm. The helicopter flew from Kadugli for the Mission's regular troop rotation.

Besides the three victims, ten passengers were injured with three in critical conditions, said the mission.

"The three who are in critical condition have been conveyed to Kadugli en route to Addis Ababa while those not in critical condition are being stabilized at the UNISFA Level II hospital in Abyei".

The MI-8 helicopter was on routine operation carrying Ethiopian troops on rotation from Kadugli to Abyei when it crashed.

The immediate cause of the crash is not yet known.

“We are investigating the incident,” said UNISFA's acting Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Gebre Adhana Woldezgu.

“We are deeply saddened by what happened this afternoon. We are extending our condolences to the families of those who died in the crash,” General Woldezgu further said.

UNISFA's sole troop-contributing country Ethiopia is currently rotating its soldiers from Kadugli to different sites in the Abyei area.

Ethiopia has around 4,500 personnel on the ground to support UNISFA's efforts of ensuring peace and security in Abyei.

(ST)