Sudan Tribune

September 12, 2018 (JUBA) - The IGAD countries Wednesday welcomed the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan but reiterated their demand for a significant change from the parties in its implementation on the ground before to support it.

The United Kingdom, United States, and Norway, immediately after the signing of the pact for peace between the warring parties, issued a statement in Addis Ababa hailing the efforts and the collective commitment demonstrated by the IGAD countries to end the five-year conflict.

However, the three countries cast doubt on whether the revitalized agreement would be fully implemented this time, based on the repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement and attacks on civilians and aid workers.

" We remain concerned about the parties' level of commitment to this agreement, and to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in Addis Ababa in December," said the statement

To illustrate their scepticism, the Troika countries mentioned the situation in Wau saying attacks continued despite the ceasefire, ceasefire monitoring teams were denied timely access. Also, the humanitarian assistance was blocked.

Further, the statement said 13 aid workers have been killed since the recent progress of peace talks in Addis Ababa and Khartoum.

Based on this tough assessment, the Troika said in order to remove these doubts and convince them of the parties' serious commitment to the deal and to support it there must be a significant change in "their approach".

"This must include, but not be limited to: an end to violence and full humanitarian access; the release of political prisoners; and a real commitment to effective and accountable implementation, demonstrated by supporting robust security and enforcement mechanisms, checks on executive and majority power, and the transparent use of resources for the benefit of all South Sudanese," emphasized the Troika countries.

"Without progress in these critical areas, we remain concerned the agreement will not deliver the peace that the people of South Sudan deserve," they further said

Last July, the Troika) and the European Union threatened to stop their support for the activities and institutions tasked with the implementation of the South Sudan peace agreement.

They said they cannot continue indefinitely support ARCSS implementation activities and institutions if they are unable to contribute to peace.

"We look forward to a prompt and inclusive revitalization process that would allow us to consider the commitment of further resources. The JMEC has a vital role to play in the delivery of the urgent goals we have set out above. However, JMEC and other ARCSS institutions must be strengthened and adapted to deliver results in the new context," stressed a statement released on 26 July.

(ST)

September 12, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The State Security Court on Wednesday has sentenced the former Head of Political Security Department at the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Abdel-Ghaffar al-Shareef, to seven years in prison.

The court convicted al-Shareef under Article 59 of the 2010 National Security Act pertaining to “misuse of powers and exploitation of position for the purpose of achieving material or moral benefit or causing harm to others” and sentenced him to 7 years in prison beginning on 22 February 2018.

Also, the court ordered al-Shareef to pay 4.593.148 ($110,000 dollar) Sudanese pounds and $54.600 fine.

The court also convicted the former security officer under Article 71 of the 2010 National Security Act pertaining to “disgraceful behaviour that is incompatible with the dignity and due respect of the job” and ordered him to pay 2,800,000 Sudanese pounds ($67,000) and $10,000 fine.

The judge guaranteed the convict the right to appeal the sentences within 15 days before the military appeals court.

It is noteworthy that al-Shareef has been detained on corruption charges including money laundering, treachery, bribery and unlawful and suspicious enrichment. However, the judge decided to refer all these charges to a civil court.

Earlier this year, the NISS launched an anti-corruption campaign and arrested dozens of government officials, bankers and businessmen.

The campaign was seen by many as part of an internal struggle among the various power centres within the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.

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September 12, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - An aerial photo published by the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Wednesday has shown completion of the Mission's base in Golo, Jebel Marra area, Central Darfur State.

Last year, the UN Security Council decided to reduce the UNAMID, admitting that the security situation has improved but it decided to reinforce its presence in Jebel Marra because there is no cessation of hostilities as the Sudan Liberation Movement -Abdel Wahid fighters (SLM-AW) refuses to declare it unilaterally or to engage in peace negotiations.

On January 28, the Sudanese government officially handed over a land to UNAMID to establish a Temporary Operating Base (TOB) in Golo, Jebel Marra.

The aerial view of the newly established base shows a completed outer fence including three major gates and four observation towers.

Also, it shows a helicopter landing pad, satellite communication units, power generation and water treatment units, as well as soldiers' barracks, administrative offices and armoured vehicles workshops.

However, there are no paved or asphalt roads around the TOB.

According to the government of Central Darfur, the UNAMID would contribute to paving the road linking Golo to Nirtiti and Rokoro in order to facilitate movement and contacts between the residents, government officials and the Mission.

Jebel Marra, which spans over three states including North, Central and South Darfur, is located in a water-rich area that is characterised by a mild climate.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

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

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

(ST)

September 2, 2018 (ADDIS ABABA) - South Sudanese parties have finally signed the revitalized peace agreement ending a five year-conflict that devastated the new nations and dashed all the hope and support that generated by the independence of the east African nation.

The final text was signed by all the parties including President Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar, South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), Gabriel Chang Changson, SPLM- FDs leading member Deng Alor.

In statements after the signing ceremony, the information minister Michael Makuei welcomed the signing of the revitalized peace agreement by all the parties and said that his government from now on wards will start the implementation process.

"My Appeal to the people of South Sudan is that let's forgive ourselves, let's work together for the whole interest of our people," he said.

The signing ceremony took place at the end of IGAD leaders meeting who endorsed with the approval of President Kiir some amendments to address the concern of the South Sudanese opposition parties.

The SPLM-IO and the SSOA voiced concerns over the number of states and demarcation of the tribal and state boundaries, the decision-making In the Presidency, Legislator, Council of Ministers. and state and local governments and the procedures of the permanent constitutional-making process.

Also, they asked that Kenya and Ethiopia join Sudan and Uganda who will deploy troops in South Sudan to ensure the full commitment of the parties to the agreement.

For the referendum on the number and boundaries of states; the question that shall be posed in the referendum "shall be the same for the entire country unless it is decided in the RCNBS that each State shall have different question or set of questions more understandable to the people," says the signed deal.

Also, Annex D which provides to ask South Sudanese to choose between 32 or 10 states, was reinstated. It is now Annex E.

For the permanent constitution, it will be drafted by the Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) and submitted for the National Constitutional Conference, in response to the opposition request.

The deal also set a number of rules to govern the decision-making process at the presidency, the government and the parliament particularly when the parties fail to reach a collegial decision.

The details can be seen in the text of the agreement hereunder. However, the Quorum in the Council of Ministers shall continue as 23 provided that at least six(6) of them are from the Opposition.

However, the agreement seemingly didn't consider the opposition request to add Kenya and Ethiopia to the guarantors (Sudan and Uganda) tasked with the monitoring of the ceasefire.

"The current monitoring and verification mechanism shall be restructured and reconstituted into the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement, Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM). It shall be led by Sudan and Uganda," says the agreement.

For the deployment of Ethiopian and Kenyan troops, the deal provides issue of deployment of the RPF shall be handled through the engagement of IGAD and the UN Security Council.

Ethiopia is already present in South Sudan as the peacekeeping operation which is part of the monitoring mechanism. Kenya was part of the UN mission but withdrew its troops after a UN reporting blaming the UNMISS force commander, a Kenyan general for not taking the necessary measure to protect civilians in July 2016.

Hereunder a link to the full text of the revitalized peace agreement.

(ST)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0zl5468nnmm2hdu/12%20Sept%20AA_Final_Final%20Revitalized%20ARCSS%202018%281%29.pdf?dl=0

By Daniel Pou

September 4 (JUBA) - The Foundation for Democracy and Accountable Governance (FODAG) Tuesday said deeply concerned by the split that the opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) which may again slow and derail the already signed peace agreement.

Thomas Cirillo Swaka (Photo Reuters)

“FODAG is deeply concerned that the division emanating from the National Salvation Front (NAS) doesn't speak to the recent successes and if not addressed may have potential to slow and derail the gains made by the parties in Sudan,” said FODAG executive director Jame David Kolok

Last August, a group of NAS officers led by Maj. Gen. Julius Tabuley disapproved the rejection of the deal on the revitalized governance chapter pointing out it had been taken without consultation with the movement's leadership. They also relieved General Thomas Cirillo Swaka from the chairmanship of the group.

In return, Swaka sacked the splinters and accused them of "subversive activities" to overthrow him.

The Juba-based advocacy body believes the division within NAS may confront and undermine the spirit of peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country.

“We, believes, the various factions within NAS may have genuine concerns, confronting these concerns without first addressing the divisions, is bound to impede on the party's collective effort to negotiating in good faith and may undermine the spirit of peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country,” Said Kolok.

The foundation appealed to NAS leadership to reconsider their different positions, unite and embrace the spirit of collective approach to engage with the rest of the parties.

“As the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) prepares to address some of the concerns raised by the SPLM-IO, FODAG believes their issues shouldn't be addressed in isolation of other emerging concerns, including the ones raised by NAS,”.said FODAG boss

South Sudanese parties and stakeholders signed are finalizing talks to revitalize the peace agreement of 2015. They are expected to sign the final revitalized agreement in the upcoming weeks as the negotiating delegations still have some disagreement to be arbitrated by the IGAd leaders who mediated the process.

(ST)

In early September 2016, in an academic interview, I was asked the question: who is a civil society leader? My answer was: Amin Mekki Madani. Last Friday, 31 August 2018, almost two years later, Amin passed away. As my words are silenced in the face of the sorrow of missing Amin, I am republishing this two years' old reflection on Dr Amin Mekki Madani.

By Monim El Jak

I am a fan Antonio Gramci's conception of the organic intellectual. I see a civil society leader as one who plays a significant role in the process of positive change: someone who deploys his intellectual capital into all layers of the public sphere in a humble and sincere manner. Such a civil society leader is usually also one who is aware of the fine line between being part of a necessarily politicized civil society and a partisan one.

Dr Amin Mekki Madani gained a high-level western education, occupied senior positions at the UN, and headed human rights organizations at national, regional and international levels. Yet he has continued right throughout to volunteer his knowledge and talents for positive social and political change in Sudan. In 2015 he risked his life, not for the first time, to spend months in prison because of his commitment to the Sudan Call Alliance that brought together the whole spectrum of political and civil parties around a platform for a genuine transition. In his late seventies, Dr Amin could have chosen to be a white cola intellectual—like many of his generation who are stuck in their egos and personal interests—but he has taken a path of advocating for the demands of his society as an organic intellectual and civil society leader.

Amin has also been central to trying to solve the twin polarities of politicization and depoliticization, which have been dominating public debate about the role of Sudanese civil society in shaping Sudanese politics. The Sudanese state has largely limited the civil society role to either oppression or co-option. Through his ongoing commitment and efforts, Amin- together with others principled civil society leaders— managed to engender the active focus of Sudanese civil society on day-to-day politics. He contributed to the development of alternative policies and the expansion of small, but sophisticated, efforts of civil society in day-to-day issue-based political struggle into broader processes of public opinion and policy-making.

I came to know Amin as a pioneering Sudanese who introduced the concepts and models of civil society engagement in peace and political processes. He continued prioritizing the need for such engagement for years and through tens of initiatives. His efforts ranged from participating in formal peace negotiations, building capacity, and teaching human rights, to contributing to forming and mediating political platforms, shaping agenda and charters, all the while infusing principles positions of peace, human rights, justice and development into the political agenda.

Throughout my short time knowing and working with Amin, he has always shown a strong commitment and dedication to achieving big goals through high standards and principles as well as a passion for supporting the new generation of activists. I saw him deploying his unique leadership and interpersonal and problem-solving's skills in many fora, perhaps most effectively during the creation of the Sudan Call alliance which brought together a hitherto fractured and ideologically diverse civic, armed and political opposition around an agreed political platform, rooted in human rights, justice and democratic principles.

Dr Amin taught me what it means to have personal commitment and consistency to principle, build constituencies across generations and ethnicities, and to influence other based on real ground knowledge and solidarity. This is my definition and understanding of a true civil society leader, the organic intellectual.

The author is a Sudanese human rights activist

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese government is determined to continue efforts to bring peace in Central African Republic (CAR), said the foreign ministry in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement comes six days after the end of talks brokered by the Russian government between the Christian anti-Balaka militia led by Maxime Mokom and Muslim Seleka armed faction led by Noureddine Ada.

At the end of the two-day meeting on 29 August, the two groups signed a framework agreement pledging to cease hostilities and to not obstruct free movement of persons and goods with the neighbouring countries and committed themselves to the African Union process for peace and reconciliation in CAR.

The Sudanese foreign ministry said the talks were held in Khartoum under the patronage of President Omer al-Bashir and stressed that Sudan will continue its tireless efforts to bring peace to the neighbouring country "in support of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic".

The statement further reiterated Khartoum's full commitment to the African initiative as the agreed framework for resolving the CAR crisis.

In July 2017, the African Union adopted a roadmap for peace and national reconciliation in order to end the forgotten conflict in central Africa through dialogue between the armed groups, the government, and the disarmament advisory and monitoring committee.

Also, last April the African Union (AU) and the United Nations pledged to strengthen partnership to restore peace and stability in the CAR.

However, the factional fighting has continued across the troubled country as violence and criminal activities are reported in the whole country.

The Russian-led peace process aims to create a suitable environment for its mining companies after providing weapons to the government forces and ensuring the protection of the CAR president personally.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the CAR, the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA), which has more than 11,000 troops was established in 2014.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (JUBA) – The armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) has accused the Juba government, one of the key partners in the ongoing peace process, of violating the recent ceasefire agreement by allegedly launching series of attacks on their positions.

The attacks, it said, has created a setback to reconciliation efforts.

“In addition to their recent attack on our positions in Kupera, another gun battle erupted when the SPLA [Sudan People's Liberation Army] stormed our positions at Kendiri and Managalatore in Kajo-Keji county yesterday [Monday] and today [Tuesday]. Yesterday the warmongers were ruthlessly crushed and repulsed,” the SPLM-IO said.

According to the armed opposition group, the Juba regime plans further attacks on their positions in Kupera and Mukaya payams of Lainya County and the other areas yet to be known in the state.

“After suffering a humiliating defeat at the battle of Jamara and Kupera which led to a great loss that included the death of their senior military officers, the government decided to deploy more troops in Yei yesterday [Monday],” further notes the rebels' statement.

It added, “Today [Tuesday] the regime's Governor of Yei River state transacted money to Oliver Duku, the regime's Liaison Officer in Moyo district to procure more fuel for their force in Kajo-Keji. All these are in preparation for the planned attacks against our positions”.

Meanwhile, the armed opposition has called upon the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMM) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to expeditiously investigate, halt violations and take necessary remedial actions against the “warlike” regime in Juba.

“Nevertheless, we shall continue to observe the ceasefire and only counter-react in the face of any confrontation campaign against our positions,” further stressed the armed opposition's statement.

The government and the main armed opposition group signed a ceasefire agreement in December 2017 and recommitted themselves to it on 27 June 2018.

These attacks, if verified, will be the first of its kind for more than a month.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (JUBA) – The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) is set to ensure South Sudanese refugee representatives hold face-to-face meetings with the parties involved in key peace negotiations in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

South Sudanese refugees in Gambela, Ethiopia (Photo: South Sudan Consul, Gambela)

This dialogue, UNHCR said, would help ensure that refugee voices continue to play a pivotal role in the revitalized peace effort to end the devastating civil war in the young nation.

Following the conclusion of “revitalized peace agreement negotiations” on August 30th, some 16 South Sudanese refugees across six countries will sit down with all parties involved in the talks.

The refugees, UNHCR said, flew in from the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan, to share their views, aspirations and expectations and to urge participants to find peace for the millions of South Sudanese, like themselves, whose lives have been uprooted by the conflict.

“The talks mark a significant moment in the long quest for lasting peace for the people of South Sudan,” said Arnauld Akodjenou, the Special Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the South Sudan Situation.
“It is critical to have refugee voices heard, peace building efforts cannot afford to ignore them,” he added.

The current peace accord specifically calls for its dissemination to South Sudanese people inside the country and to refugees living in exile, so that the people most affected by the war, can understand, support and own the peace process.

“The refugee representatives in Khartoum will serve to remind the world of the human toll that continues every day there is not peace in South Sudan,” said Akodjenou.

He added, “But they can also become strong peace advocates by spreading the word to refugee communities where they live, or upon return to South Sudan if they voluntarily plan to do so.”

According to the agency, since the start of the conflict in 2013, some 2.4 million people have fled South Sudan – the world's youngest nation - as refugees and another 1.8 million are internally displaced inside the country.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Republic of Sudan, Gwi-Yeop Son, has acknowledged the significant improvement in security situation in Darfur.

On Tuesday, the UN official met with the acting governor of North Darfur State Mohamed Beraima Hassab al-Nabi in El-Fasher.

Son called on the Sudanese government to determine its priorities and needs in Darfur during the next period, expressing readiness to cooperate with the government to meet development, services and reconstruction needs in the region.

According to Ashorooq TV, she expressed UN and the international community keenness to achieve peace and stability and support development and reconstruction efforts in Sudan.

The UN official further praised the progress that has been made in the security situation in Darfur, describing it as “significant”.

For his part, the acting governor said the disarmament campaign has largely contributed to improving the security in the region, stressing the lawlessness situation has come to an end.

He pointed out that the security situation in North Darfur is calm and stable, saying the rebel movements are no longer present in the state.

Hassab al-Nabi also said 80,000 IDPs families have returned to their original areas in the state, saying the government has provided water, education, health and farming services in the voluntary return areas.

He called on the UN to press the holdout rebel groups to join the national dialogue, demanding the European countries to stop their support for the rebel leaders residing in their territories.

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in the conflict and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Two opposition groups, SPLM-IO and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), said they refused to take part in the discussions on the implementation matrix of Chapter VI related to the permanent constitution-making process.

The two opposition groups signed the final document of the peace agreement with four reservations including their objection to the constitution-making process saying the permanent constitution have to elaborate through the National Constitutional Conference and not by the government-controlled National Constitutional Review Commission as provided in the draft agreement.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, The SPLM-IO and the SSOA disclosed their refusal to discuss the modalities of implementation of Chapter VI on the "Parameters of Permanent Constitution" saying they prefer that IGAD leaders resolve their reservation first.

The opposition groups said they were "shocked" by the decision of the mediators to open the discussion on this chapter follow the government position despite their initial promise to forward their this chapter to the IGAD leaders.

"Such a ruling is problematic in two ways. First, it ignores our reservations which they promised to forward to the IGAD Summit, thus throwing doubt into their commitment to that promise they made. By insisting that the Parties discuss the initialled text implies that it will not change. Second, a Matrix developed by some of the Parties without the rest has no chance of being implemented," reads the joint statement.

The opposition stressed they refuse to discuss the implementation matrix of chapter six only because the three other reservations are not "amenable to a time frame, therefore do not require time frames which is the reason why" they didn't have problem to agree with the Matrix related to the chapters of the revitalized peace deal, the statement says.

The SPLM-IO and the SSOA signed the final document after a meeting with President Omer al-Bashir who pledged to resolve their concerns with the IGAD leaders.

For his part, the government spokesperson and information minister Michael Makuei announced the conclusion of the discussions on the implementation matrix.

"The subcommittees that were working on the Matrix have accomplished their tasks and today the matrix is complete and ready for assembling in one implementation matrix in accordance with the chapters," he told reporters in Khartoum on Tuesday.

He further said the peace process will be concluded after a three-day workshop on Permanent Ceasefire Transitional Arrangement (PCTA) for the members of the security subcommittee.

The IGAD foreign ministers are expected to hold a meeting soon after their return from Beijing China to discuss the steps achieved by the parties and submit their conclusions for the IGAD leaders to decide on it.

(ST)

September 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's State Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdalla Idris and UK State Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations, Lord Tariq Ahmad, have discussed ways to promote bilateral ties and the situation in Darfur.

In a press release on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said the meeting also discussed the exit strategy of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) besides the need to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

Last July, the United Nations Security Council unanimously decided to extend for one year the mandate the UNAMID and also to reduce the number of its troops in line with an exit strategy aiming to close the hybrid operation in two years.

According to the press release, the visiting British official expressed his country's desire to promote bilateral ties, stressing keenness to enhance joint coordination in international forums.

Ahmad, who also serves as UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, pointed to the need to promote religious freedoms and human rights.

For his part, Idris demanded the UK government to support Sudan's efforts to move from humanitarian assistance to peacebuilding and development in Darfur.

He praised the positive developments in bilateral relations and the strategic dialogue between Sudan and the UK, pointing to government efforts to achieve peace in South Sudan.

On Saturday, the British embassy in Khartoum said Lord Ahmad would seek to see how UK support for the UN is helping to change the lives of ordinary Sudanese people.

It added the British official will visit peacebuilding projects which are helping local communities establish stability and lasting peace in Darfur.

Since 2015, Sudan and the UK have started a dialogue upon request from Khartoum to push forward bilateral ties.

In March 2016, Sudan and the UK held the first strategic consultations meetings between the two countries in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. The meeting was considered the first talks of its kind at the ministerial level in 25 years.

The two countries agreed to exchange visits at the level of senior officials from the two countries along with increasing cooperation in the fields of economy, investment and culture.

The UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Chris Trott last year visited Khartoum several times to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations and encourage Khartoum efforts to reduce the illegal immigration from the Horn of African countries towards Europe and Britain especially.

The dialogue also was seen within the framework of the after-Brexit policy aiming to develop trade relations with the former British colonies.

(ST)

By Roger Alfred Yoron Modi

The last week initialled Revitalised-Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan R-ARCSS has enshrined several legal and institutional reforms to be undertaken but failed short of providing for the improvement of the media sector in the young nation.

Two media laws: The Media Authority Act, 2013; and The Right of Access to Information Act, 2013 badly need reforms to ensure that the ought to be autonomous media regulatory body aka Media Authority, and the information commission operate independent of the executive arm of the government and ensure adherence to democratic principles, human rights law and international best practices.

Media Authority is established, according to the Act, for the regulation, development and promotion of an independent and professional media in South Sudan.

Among others, the Media Authority Act further provides that the Media Authority shall be a regulatory body for the Broadcast media and the transformation of Government and State controlled Television and Radio (SSBC) into Public Broadcasting Service.

On the other hand, the Right of Access to Information Act explicitly recognizes the constitutional right of citizens to access information held by public or private bodies as fundamental to fulfillment of human rights and fighting corruption and the Act establishes the office on the Information Commissioner with the mandate to, amongst others, promote maximum discloser of information in the public interest.

However, a number of reforms are still needed in both the Media Authority Act and the Right of Access to Information Act for the bodies established thereunder to be able to live up to the expectations. Some of the members serving in those bodies may have good intentions but they are tied down due to several factors originating from the provisions of the Acts.

Some of the Reforms required

The reforms needed include, but not limited to, reforming the appointment procedures of members of the media bodies established by those Acts and giving them security of tenure since the president, instead of the legislature, currently holds the powers to remove them.

The Human Rights Organization Article 19 once observed that “the Media Authority will not be independent of the government for a number of reasons.

Its members would be appointed by the joint action of the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, the Council of Ministers, and the President, and can be removed by the President, on the recommendation of the Minister…although apparently more participants contribute to the process, all are from parts of the government.

The Media Authority budget shall depend on government approval and it may accept grants from the government, thereby opening a door for undue influence.

The law gives the Ministry and governmental entities the right to initiate legal procedures by the Media Authority, which invites politically motivated procedures against media providers, and means an interference with the Media Authority's independence.”

On the Right of Access to Information Act, Article 19 further recommended that:

“The nominations and selection of the Information Commissioner should be made by a cross-party parliamentary committee, and should not involve the President or the Ministry. Civil society and other representatives of the general public should be given the power and opportunity to nominate individuals to the post of Information Commissioner.

Removal of the Information Commissioner from office should only be premised on serious violations of the constitution, gross misconduct, physical or mental incapacity to perform the functions of office, incompetence or bankruptcy. The Assembly must initiate and oversee any removal process.”

Section 5 of The Media Authority Act which criminalizes defamation instead of providing for it a civil offence also needs to be repealed.

With regards to the criminalization of defamation, this February, the Human Rights Division (HRD) of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in a joint report on The Right To Freedom of Opinion and Expression in South Sudan since the July 2016 crisis, wrote:

“As the present report shows, the restrictive domestic legal framework, which criminalizes defamation and does not clearly define the clauses limiting the exercise of freedom of expression, leaves a wide margin of interpretation which might lead to arbitrary implementation. As media outlets and civil society play a key role in promoting good governance and accountability, journalists and outspoken civil society actors have been especially targeted with censorship, harassment, threats and violence. As a result, citizens fear criminal prosecution for expressing their views or are concerned about their safety, and tend to practise self-censorship.”

The Media Authority

Already on the ground, the Media Authority has already engaged in negative actions which do not go in line with the Act establishing it. For example, the Media Authority came up with “registration” of media houses and warning “the public and donors not to engage with media houses, it says are unregistered and operating illegally.”

As of April 24 2018, The Media Authority publicized media houses and entities that are “legally” registered and “authorized” nine newspapers and magazines to operate.

Such actions clearly violate Section 13 (i) of the Media Authority Act which provides that “…there shall be no licensing or registration of newspapers, news agencies, magazines and periodicals or other printed media, or of websites or sources of content on the Internet, other than that required by law for any business seeking to engage in a commercial or non-profit activity…”

As I argued in one of my articles recently, the Media Authority has no powers to register newspapers, news agencies, magazines. The registration in the Act required “by law for any business seeking to engage in a commercial or non-profit activity” is not the competence of the Media Authority as that falls under the Ministry of Justice at the moment and such registrations are purely for those mentioned purposes and nothing to do with professionalism/media ethics and the Media Authority per se.

Also last year, The Media Authority “banned” about twenty foreign journalists from entering or operating within South Sudan for reporting what it termed “unsubstantiated and unrealistic stories.”

In reaching this decision, the Media Authority cited no law and no transparent, verifiable, justified procedure.

Inadequate Reforms

Article 1 (18) (1) of the R-ARCSS provides for reforms and reconstitution of The South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation SSBC “…paying particular attention to the mandate and appointments, to ensure their [the SSBC's] independence and accountability.”

However, instead of providing for those reforms and reconstitution to be done by the legislature by amending the SSBC Act, 2013, the R-ARCSS, just like the ARCSS, provides that the reforms be shall be done by the executive.

According to Section 32 of the SSBC Act, the Media Authority shall monitor the SSBC.

This means, providing for reforms and reconstitution of the SSBC without providing for reforms of the Media Authority which currently lacks the needed independence as argued above is in itself inadequate hence cannot be considered as a reform in the media sector.

“Limited” mandate of the Peace Process is not a justification

Indeed the ongoing peace process (High-Level Revitalization Forum) is not new per se since it is the revitalization of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict ARCSS which has faced serious implementation challenges since the resumption of armed conflict in July 2016.

Responding to the new armed conflict and circumstances that emerged in South Sudan, the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government in a Communiqué on 12, June 2017 mandated the IGAD Council of Ministers to “urgently convene a High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) of the parties to the ARCSS including estranged groups to discuss concrete measures, to restore permanent ceasefire, to full implementation of the Peace Agreement and to develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic election at the end of the Transition Period.”

However, since the government and the opposition have been able to so far agree on certain matters such as providing for establishment of a Constitutional Court which, though a good move, is new to the ARCSS and not explicitly provided for in the HLRF mandate, it is not a justification for them to cite “a limited” mandate of the HLRF for not making provisions in the initialed R-ARCSS for reforms of the media laws in the Country: The Media Authority Act, 2013; and The Right of Access to Information Act, 2013 to ensure that the ought to be autonomous Media Authority, and the information commission operate independent of the executive arm of the government and ensure adherence with democratic principles, human rights law and international best practices.

Since the final R-ARCSS is yet to be finalized and signed, it is high time that the civil society and parties participating in the HLRF struggle to ensure that The Media Authority Act, 2013; and The Right of Access to Information Act, 2013 are included in the R-ARCSS as some of the legislation to be reformed.

Without a vibrant media sector, it shall not be possible to ensure full implementation of the Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS).

In conclusion, I would like to agree with the deputy chair of the ARCSS Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, Amb Gen. Augostino Njoroge who last year while calling for the protection of fundamental principles of press freedom and an end of the crackdown on journalists in South Sudan said, “The media, in South Sudan, like it is globally can offer a platform for various voices that seek to promote tolerance, dialogue, cohesion and compromise. This will ensure an all-inclusive national healing and dialogue and also shape the development agenda of the country.”

Also, as aptly observed by the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, “A silenced journalist mutes the voices of the people and curbs their right to know. The result is a society where fearful citizens resort to self-censorship and where it is not possible to make informed decisions.”

The time to act for South Sudan media sector reform is now and it is all possible.

The author, Roger Alfred Yoron Modi, a South Sudanese journalist, is the former Managing Editor of Juba Monitor Newspaper and former Chief Editor of Bakhita Radio. He can be reached via his email: rogeryoron@gmail.com or his Twitter handle @YoronModi

September 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Vice-President and head of the Higher Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (HCCHT) Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman on Tuesday would address the opening session of a forum on human trafficking.

The one-day forum is organized by Sudan Vision newspaper under the title “Human Trafficking: Modern Slavery and Profitable Business”.

The forum would discuss three papers covering the various aspects of the phenomenon as well as Sudan's efforts to combat it.

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 July, the HCCHT said it would develop a national anti-trafficking strategy as well as activating existing laws to counter the phenomenon in accordance with the established international standards.

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.

Also, in 2014, Khartoum hosted a conference on human trafficking in the Horn of Africa, organised by the African Union (AU), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Sudanese government.

The East African nation has also forged a strategic partnership with several European countries and the EU to combat illegal migration and human trafficking.

(ST)

September 3, 2018 (JUBA/NAIROBI) - South Sudanese authorities have arbitrarily arrested, detained, tortured and ill-treated people to the point of death, despite repeated promises to release detainees, the campaign group, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

A File Picture of Group of chained prisoners at prison compound in Bentiu on 14 August 2012 (ST)

Between February and July 2017, the group said, four men - Mike Tyson, Alison Mogga Tadeo, Richard Otti and Andria Baambe - died in detention due to harsh conditions and inadequate medical care.

It said the four men, who were arrested in 2014, were all held without charge, for alleged links to the country's armed opposition groups.

“People in South Sudan have been arrested for their political and ethnic affiliations and are then subjected to unimaginable suffering – sometimes leading to death - at the hands of the government's security forces,” said Seif Magango, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

In a briefing titled “A trail of broken promises”, former detainees reportedly told Amnesty International they were made to drink water from the toilet and defecate and urinate in front of each other.

Some of the detainees claimed they were fed only once a day and, in more extreme cases, just a few times a week. Amnesty International said it previously documented the deaths of at least 20 people in detention between February 2014 and December 2016.

Several detainees, in a series of interview with the campaign group, gave horrifying accounts of what they go through in detention cells.

The ex-detainees told Amnesty International they were also denied access to their families and lawyers. In some cases, authorities seemed to deliberately make it difficult for their lawyers and families to find them, transferring them from one detention facility to another.

On 10 March 2017, President Salva Kiir pledged to release political detainees, before subsequently releasing about 30 of them in August the same year. He later reiterated his intention to free political detainees in December 2017 during the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, and in June 2018 when signing the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement between Parties of the Conflict of South Sudan.

The campaign group decried the arrest by South Sudan national security agents of Peter Biar Ajak, a prominent South Sudanese academic and activist, who was arrested at Juba International Airport on 28 July 2018 and has since remained in detention in Juba.

“It is extremely unconscionable that South Sudanese authorities arrest, torture and ill-treat people in total disregard for their human rights. The government must end these arbitrary detentions by immediately releasing the detainees or charging them with internationally recognizable offenses,” stressed Magango.

He added, “It must also hold to account all those responsible for these grave human rights violations and deaths in detention”.

(ST)

September 3, 2018 (BEIJING) – Egypt supports all efforts to finalize a peaceful settlement of the conflict in South Sudan and continues to provide economic support, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi told his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir on Monday.

President Al-Sisi of Egypt meeting South Sudan's Salva Kiir in Beijing (Press Photo)

The two African leaders met at al-Sisi's residency in Beijing in the framework of the Forum on China and Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

In a statement released after the meeting, Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said al-Sisi reiterated Egypt's support for the government efforts to achieve a final peaceful political settlement in South Sudan. Also, he congratulated Kiir on the recent initialling of the final peace document and affirmed Egypt's support for the national dialogue initiative.

"The President said that Egypt will continue to support the development projects in South Sudan, strengthen bilateral cooperation and provide assistance and technical support to South Sudan," said the presidential spokesperson.

For its part, the South Sudanese presidential press team said in a statement about the meeting that al-Sisi renewed commitment to support agriculture projects and provide more scholarships to South Sudanese students.

In addition, President Kiir expressed his commitment to implement the revitalized peace agreement without delay, adding that the "people of South Sudan need nothing more than peace and development".

The summit provided an opportunity for the African leaders to meet each other and to discuss bilateral relations.

President Kiir met with a number of Chinese firms to discuss infrastructure and development projects as well as oil industry.

Further, the ruling party SPLM signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the Chinese Communist party to provide training opportunities and scholarships in the Chinese universities to the SPLM cadres and South Sudanese students.

The China Africa annual summit will wrap on Tuesday.

In November last year, Egypt sponsored the signing of a declaration for the unification of two different factions of the South Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The declaration, which supports peace efforts to end the dispute between the rival factions and stipulates the return of refugees displaced by conflict, was signed under the auspices of Al-Sisi and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni.

Egypt was one of the countries that recognized South Sudan's independence from Sudan after a self-determination referendum held in January 2011.

(ST)

September 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed said his country's participation in the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen was part of a collective commitment toward Arab issues.

Sudanese troops arriving in Aden, Yemen (Al-Arabiya TV)

In an interview with the Yemen news agency Saba on Monday, Ahmed said Sudan took part in the military alliance in order to restore security and stability in Yemen.

He underlined Sudan's support to the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffith, to arrive at a peaceful solution to the crisis through dialogue.

The Sudanese army has been participating in the Saudi-led military coalition since 2015 in a regional effort to back the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after he was ousted from the capital Sanaa by the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels.

Last May, President Omar al-Bashir underscored Sudan's continued participation in the military coalition, three weeks after State Defence Minister Ali Mohamed Salim said his ministry was evaluating pros and cons of the participation in the Yemen war in order to decide on it soon.

Al-Bashir has been under pressure to withdraw his troops from Yemen because Gulf countries particularly Saudi Arabia do not provide financial support to the country to overcome its economic crisis.

(ST)

September 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) Head of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has announced the appointment of Ambassador Rahmat Allah Mohamed Osman as Permanent Representative of the AU to China, residing in Beijing.

Rahmat-Allah Mohamed Osman (SUNA)

Faki and the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday inaugurated the AU office in Beijing on the sidelines of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC).

Osman joined the diplomatic corps in 1977 and was Sudan's permanent envoy to the United Nations from 2014 to 2015.

He was Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Khartoum from 2010 to 2014. He served as Director-General of the Ministry's Bilateral and Regional Affairs Department between 2008 and 2010, and of its International Cooperation Department from 2008 to 2009.

He was Ambassador to Venezuela and Argentina between 2006 and 2008, to Chile from 2005 to 2008, and to Brazil from 2004 until 2008. From 2002 to 2003, he served as Director of the Office of the National Negotiator for the Accession of Sudan to the World Trade Organization.

Appointed by the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, Osman served on the regional body's observer team to the United Nations referendum in Western Sahara from 1999 to 2001. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director of the International Organizations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs beginning in 1998.

The Sudanese diplomat was Deputy Head of Mission at his country's embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1994 to 1998. Before that, he held the position of Counsellor of the Public Affairs Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1991. Between 1985 and 1991, he served as Deputy Head of Mission in Tunis, Tunisia, from 1990 to 1991.

He served as First Secretary in Brussels, Belgium, between 1985 and 1990, and as Second Secretary at the Ministry's Economic Department from 1983 to 1985, holding the same rank at Sudan's Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, between 1980 and 1983. From 1977 to 1980, he was a Third Secretary in the Foreign Ministry.

Osman holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Khartoum (1976) and a master's in political science from the Institute of African and Asian Studies at the University of Khartoum.

Born in 1953 in Sudan, he is married and has children.

(ST)

September 3, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - South Sudanese negotiating parties continued discussions on the implementation modalities of the revitalized peace agreement after completing the talks on two important chapters of governance and security arrangements.

The mediators formed three subcommittees to discuss and initial the implementation matrix which is designed to identify what needs to be done to implement the deal, the timeline, and entities tasked with the execution.

The first will tackle the chapter one on governance, chapter three on humanitarian aid and recovery, and chapter five on transitional justice.

On Monday evening, this first subcommittee initialled the implementation matrix of the revitalized chapter one related to the governance and power-sharing.

The third subcommittee tasked with the modalities of the security arrangements initialled its implementation matrix on Sunday evening.

On Monday the third committee had a workshop on Permanent Ceasefire Transitional Arrangement (PCTA) including delegates from all the parties and stakeholders.

On Sunday evening, following the signing of the implementation matrix of the security arrangements, the government spokesperson hailed the quick conclusion of the discussion on this important matrix and expression hope that the other subcommittees be inspired by its spirit and speed.

"It is a great achievement and clear indication of the ability of the members of the committee and their competence to do the job," said Michael Makwuei.

However, there was no report or statements about the progress of the second committee tasked with the implementation matrix of chapter (4) resource, economic and financial management, chapter (6) permanent Constitution-making Process and chapter (8) on the supremacy of this Agreement and Procedures for Amendment of the Agreement.

However, the parties say they achieved some progress on these three chapters even if they have registered some difficulties with the permanent constitution making because the opposition groups say they want it to be implemented by the National Constitutional Conference while the government sticks to the National Constitutional Review Commission as it provided in the agreement.

The SPLM-IO and the opposition alliance SSOA initialled the final text of the revitalized peace agreement but underscored four concerns including the constitutional process. They said they would not sign the final peace agreement if the IGAD leaders fail to address these concerns.

(ST)

August 2, 2018 (JUBA) – South Sudan's main rebel group (SPLM-IO) say they recaptured from government troops two areas ofYei River state.

“This morning, our gallant forces under a joint command of Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Lemi Lo Mukaya, Col. Samuel Gai and Col. Noel Lomeri launched a coordinated counter-attack after the SPLA captured Jamara and Kupera last Wednesday,” the group said in a statement.

“The anti-peace SPLA [South Sudan army] have been successfully flushed out and we have seized full control of our territory,” it adds.

According to the rebel faction, 13 SPLA soldiers allegedly went missing in action, scores wounded and the rest are “miserably scattered into bushes and are being pursued by our brave force”.

The main rebel group, however, said they remain committee to the peace process, despite the “constant” aggression from government troops, and vowed to respond to any further provocation from Juba.

On Saturday, the SPLM-IO said government forces continued carrying out a large-scale attack on their position in Yei River state.

The rebel group further called on the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMM) and the UN peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) to investigate the attack and take note of this additional violation.

The government and the main armed group rebels signed a ceasefire agreement in December 2017 and recommitted themselves to it again on 27 June 2018

These attacks, if verified, will be the first of its kind for more than a month.

(ST)