Sudan Tribune

November 26, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said an agreement has been reached to form a tripartite committee to collect illicit arms from IDPs camps in South Darfur.

In a press statement on Sunday, the Mission said UNAMID chief, Jeremiah Mamabolo, and the governor of South Darfur, Adam El-Faki on Thursday “announced their agreement to form a tripartite weapons collection committee for South Darfur state”.

“To be comprised of representatives from the Government of Sudan, UNAMID and internally displaced persons' leaders, the initiative hopes to ensure a peaceful arms collection across the state” read the statement.

Last August, the Sudanese authorities launched a six-month disarmament campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly in Darfur region.

The Sudanese government in September notified the United Nations of the presence of weapons inside IDPs camps in Darfur, saying it poses a serious danger to camps residents.

Earlier this month, UNAMID called on the Sudanese government and the IDPs to work with the Mission “in a collaborative way in order to advance the weapons collection campaign.”

The call came after a show of force by the Sudanese government forces which surrounded some parts of the Kalma camp in South Darfur state before to withdraw on 2 November.

Also, the residents of Kalma camp rejected the government forcible arms collection in the camp and called to leave the operation for the UNAMID.

Last week, the UNAMID and the government approved a joint plan to collect illegal weapons from Kalma. The plan begins by launching a voluntary disarmament campaign.

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November 26, 2017 (JUBA) – Members of South Sudan's national dialogue committee have urged President Salva Kiir to release political prisoners to encourage reconciliation and forgiveness.

President Salva Kiir adresses a joint press conference on 9 July 2016 (Reuters Photo)

South Sudan has released about 30 political prisoners since Kiir declared amnesty in May to facilitate the national dialogue process, officials say.

“The steering committee is engaging the government to release all political prisoners, open up spaces for free media and freedom of speech and create an atmosphere conducive for a comprehensive national dialogue,” reads the committee's statement issued Sunday.

Efforts, it said, are also underway to engage the Juba government to honor the unilateral ceasefire declared by the president and which has had a positive impact in the country, but appealed to the armed opposition to reciprocate and declare a unilateral ceasefire.

The committee, formed by the president in May, is reportedly engaging the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the parties involved in the South Sudan conflict to negotiate a permanent ceasefire, deemed necessary for a successful dialogue.

In recent months, however, members of the national dialogue committee have visited diplomatic missions to engage the IGAD countries, IGAD special envoy to South Sudan, the African Union, United Nations, the Troika countries [Britain, United States and Norway] and the European Union to support the dialogue process.

“Initially, there was a lot of hesitation to support the national dialogue, but the progress made thus far by the steering committee has proved any doubt that it is an independent body that is determined to reach out to all South Sudanese and is willing to for an inclusive, credible and impactful dialogue,” further reads the statement.

It added, “This has enabled a steady support for the national dialogue by the region and the international community”.

Officially launched in May, the national dialogue initiative is both a forum and process through which the people South Sudan shall gather to redefine the basis of their unity as it relates to nationhood, redefine citizenship and belonging, as well as restructure the state for national inclusion.

The South Sudanese conflict, which broke out in December 2013, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over two million civilians.

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November 25, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir reiterated his accusations against the United States of and accused Washington of planning to divide his country into five states.

Sudanese were surprised to hear al-Bashir on his first visit to Russia asks President Vladimir Putin to support his country against American plans against the Sudan.

Last October, Washington lifted economic sanctions on Sudan and the two countries engaged discussion on the removal of the east African country from the list of states sponsor of terrorism.

During his recent work visit to Russia, the Sudanese president gave in a long interview to the Russian government-controlled RIA Novosti. Its full text has been published by the Arabic service of Sputnik (Voice of Russia) which is described as a "Russian propaganda" outlet.

Asked about his demand for protection during his meeting with Putin, al-Bashir said we wanted to highlight "the big U.S. pressure and conspiracy" on Sudan in Darfur crisis and the huge pressure exerted on his government to separate the South Sudan.

"Now we have information that the American quest is to divide the Sudan into five countries If we do not find protection and security. America took the world leadership and devastated the Arab world. (See) what happened in Afghanistan, what happened in Iraq, what happened in Syria, what happened in Yemen and what happened in Sudan," said al-Bashir.

"Sudan's division was under American pressure and conspiracy. The plan is to destroy Sudan and divide it into five countries. This is the American plan," he stressed.

Al-Bashir's visit to Russia coincided with the end of a tripartite summit in Moscow where Putin got the support of the Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan for his plan to bring peace in Syria. Also, it took place four days after a meeting the Russian president held with the Syrian President al-Assad in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Abdel Bari Atwan, the editor-in-chief of the London-based electronic Arabic daily Rai-al-Youm, said Bashir's sharp criticism of the U.S. foreign policy in the Arab and Islamic world is in line with the Turkish rapprochement with Moscow.

"Bashir's statement was not a fortuitous coincidence, nor a slip of the tongue," he wrote in an editorial widely circulated in the social media. According to Atwan it was a deliberate response to a heated statement by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman where he threatened to wage war against Iran opening the door for more U.S. intervention of the region.

In his interview with the Russian media, al-Bashir stopped at his offer to establish a Russian military base on the Red Sea coast, adding he wants to reequip the Sudanese army with the Russian army.

He further confirmed that the Sudanese army has requested Russian fighter jets and may buy S-300 air defence system to replace the old Soviet surface-to-air missiles.

“We requested Su-30 (fighters) because they cover the Sudanese airspace, as well as Su-35. We have no intentions to carry out aggression abroad, we want to protect our country,” al-Bashir said.

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November 25, 2017 (KAMPALA) - South Sudanese rebels have called for investigations into the killing of civilians in Kajo-Keji and Mundri, following the recent clashes in the area between the rival forces.

The deputy rebel spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel claimed government forces targeted civilians in operations against the armed opposition troops.

“The SPLA-IO [Sudan People's Liberation Army-In-Opposition] condemns these atrocities committed by the government towards civilians. We are calling upon Human Rights Watch, the IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development], United Nations and the international community to investigate these incidents and bring those responsible to justice,” said Lam.

According to the rebel official, government forces stationed in Jale, an area within Kajo-Keji county “slaughtered” four civilians in a territory which borders Afoji in Moyo district and Jale in South Sudan.

One of those during the attack, he told Sudan Tribune, was a Ugandan national.

“This came as a result of the national dialogue committee's visit to the West Nile region of Uganda to convince the refugees to go back to their home in South Sudan, claiming there is peace,” said Lam.

Sudan Tribune could, however, not independently verify the rebels' claims.

Lam further said 15 civilians, including five women and three children were allegedly killed by government forces in Mundri county.

He calls on the international community and regional leaders to hold the government accountable for the killings in the war-torn East African country.

Over a million people have fled South Sudan since conflict erupted in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir sacked Machar from the vice-presidency. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million displaced in South Sudan's worst violence since it seceded from Sudan in 2011.

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November 25, 2017 (JUBA) – The United States embassy in South Sudan has described as “false” reports that the Troika had allegedly agreed to exclude the South Sudanese armed opposition leader, Riek Machar from the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) initiated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Last week, a senior armed opposition official claimed members of the Troika (the United Kingdom, US and Norway) decided to exclude the South Sudanese rebel leader from the preliminary meetings of the HLRF.

Manawa Peter Gatkuoth was quoted saying the Troika “officially” informed them that Machar would not be invited to the preliminary meetings for the peace process, which is aimed at revitalizing the 2015 peace agreement between the rebels and government.

He said Machar would not attend the first meetings of the upcoming high-level forum aimed at revitalizing the August 2015 peace agreement in South Sudan, adding that the rebel leader would be represented at the meeting by members of the opposition group.

But the U.S embassy, in a 24 November statement, stressed that those that have a stake in South Sudan's future must be represented at the HLRF and commit to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“We continue to make this point to all parties, including the government and Riek Machar, as part of our full support for IGAD's revitalization efforts,” partly reads the embassy's statement.

South Sudan's cabinet Affairs Minister, Martin Elia Lomuro also told reporters in Juba on Monday that President Salva Kiir held a meeting with members of the Troika and discussed the revitalization process. The minister said the meeting discussed the participation of the South Sudan armed opposition leader through a representative.

In June, a summit of IGAD heads of state and government decided to convene a meeting of the signatories of the South Sudan peace agreement to discuss ways to revitalize the peace implementation. During the June summit, it was agreed that all groups be included in the discussion aimed at restoring a permanent ceasefire.

The South Sudanese government, however, warned that the revitalization forum by IGAD, the regional bloc which mediated the 2015 peace accord, should not be another platform for negotiations of the peace deal between the two factions to the conflict.

Over a million people have fled South Sudan since conflict erupted in December 2013 when President Kiir sacked Machar from the vice-presidency. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and nearly two million displaced in South Sudan's worst violence since it seceded from Sudan in July 2011.

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November 23, 2017 (JUBA) - The High Court in South Sudan has, in a new directive, instructed courts and advocates to not receive cases.

South Sudanese judges (photo RSS ministry of Justice)

The notification takes effect from 1 December to 1 January 2018.

"The General Public and the advocates are hereby notify that from 1st December, 2017, the courts has directed to not receive cases and will start from 1st January 2018,” reads the 23 November, 2017 notice signed by High Court judge in Juba, Duoth Kulang Bichiok.

The public, in the notice, were also advised not to make petitions of the civil case (suits) and criminal case except remand persons.

The directive does not, however, provide any explanation and no explanatory statement was released by the judiciary to the public.

The notice comes barely a month after the Supreme Court judge, Justice Marino Pitia resigned over “lack of judicial independence”.

Pitia, in a letter to the president, cited lack of independence of judges and justices, security of tenure of the office of the judges and justice, lack of financial independence of the judiciary and poor administration, among other issues.

According to the judge, independence of the judiciary in the young nation has become a “mockery” and “pasquinade” over the years and faulted the executive for “interfering” in the country's judicial matters.

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November 25, (El-Fasher) - A traditional gold prospector on Thursday was killed by three gunmen in North Darfur state.

Workers break rocks at the Wad Bushara gold mine near Abu Delelq in Gadarif State, Wad Bushara on 27 April 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The incident occurred in Hashaba gold mine in the locality of Kutum on Thursday evening as three gunmen opened fire at the gold prospector Adam Abdallah Adam.

A relative of the victim by the name of Ibrahim Essa told Sudan Tribune Saturday the gunmen had threatened the victim before to shoot him, saying gold prospectors managed to capture the culprits and handed them over to the authorities.

He added a security force including the police and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has arrived from Kutum and received the perpetrators, saying we demand the government to bring an RSF unit to protect the gold mines.

Last August, the Sudanese authorities launched a six-month disarmament campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly in Darfur region.

On 11 October, 10,000 RSF militiamen arrived in North Darfur to contribute to establishing security in the troubled state and support the mandatory phase of the disarmament campaign.

The RSF militia was originally mobilised by the Sudanese government to quell the insurgency that broke out in Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2003.

Earlier this year, the Sudanese parliament passed RSF Act which integrates the notorious militia in the Sudanese army and provides that its commander is appointed by the President of the Republic.

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November 25, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan president Salva Kiir has decried rampant and indiscriminate killings carried out by the unknown gunmen, ordering security organs to improve and tightened the current level of insecurity in the capital.

President Kiir said development situation over the past weeks has not been encouraging for the citizens, ordering the minister of national security, the defence and interior ministers to put extra efforts to improve the situation.

“This issue of people being killed and those behind the killings are not being identified needs to be addressed with urgency. The situation has not been encouraging for the past weeks for the citizens and so you, the minister of security need to work together with your colleagues in defence and interior to improve the situation. The situation should not go like that,” President Kiir told top security officials on Saturday.

The president said conducive security situation should be created so that citizens in Juba and beyond would be able to celebrate Christmas without fear of any threats to life and properties.

“You need to hard to change this situation so that the citizens can go about their normal life and celebrate the Christmas in an atmosphere of peace and assured security. You need to identify these elements who are creating this unnecessary situation,” said Kiir

Presidential adviser on security affairs Tut Kew Gatluak told Sudan Tribune on Saturday the security organs have been directed to coordinate efforts and activities to ensure citizens are safe to attend to their daily life during Christmas season.

“There are plans, strategic plans already put in place to improve security situation before Christmas," Gatluak told Sudan Tribune.

He stressed that a joint operation centre has been launched to reduce insecurity during Christmas celebrations.

"Their government under the leadership of his Excellency the President of the Republic, General Salva Kiir, is not leaving any stone untouched to improve this situation so that lasting peace and complete environment of stability return to the whole country,” he adds.

The comments of the president and his aide on security followed a recent wave of rampant killings of the citizens by an unidentified group.

The director of communications at the relief and rehabilitation commission, Peter Nyale Gatkuoth, an immigration officer, Akec Piol Mawel, and Bol Deng Miyen, an associate of former army chief of staff have been killed in the current month of November.

Miyen was shot dead on Friday evening while returning from a hotel in Juba. Relatives say he had gone to meet officers and political dissidents with links to the former chief of staff.

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November 25, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - A leading figure at Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has ruled out that President Omer al-Bashir would agree to amend the constitution in order to run for the office again.

Al-Bashir's term ends in 2020 and he couldn't run for office again according to the constitution. However, some voices within the NCP and the government have recently called for amending the constitution to allow him to run for the presidency again.

Also, earlier this month, Sudan's Sufi orders announced support for al-Bashir's reelection for another term in 2020 praising his significant efforts to unify Muslims in Sudan.

Al-Bashir who came to power through a coup d'état in June 1989 will have ruled Sudan for 31 years by the year 2020.

In March 2012, al-Bashir said he wouldn't seek his re-election in April 2015 but he ran and won in an election that was boycotted by the major opposition parties.

In August 2016, he said “I'm not a dictator and I don't want to cling to power. I won't run for another term, my term will end by 2020 and I won't be able to run again according to the constitution and the constitution won't be amended”.

NCP leading figure and Presidential Envoy for Diplomatic Contact and Negotiation for Darfur Amin Hassan Omer told Sudan Tribune that al-Bashir wouldn't submit to the calls for his reelection, saying the latter seeks to strengthen the national unity and build the NCP and its new leadership.

“Neither the party constitution nor the state constitution allow for more candidacy for the president,” he said.

He pointed out that the initiative to amend the constitution rests at the hands of the president, saying “I don't think the president would seek to amend the constitution to allow himself to run again because he said he wouldn't stand for reelection”.

Omer added the NCP Reform Document has laid out the approach to renew the leadership and to trade responsibilities within the party and the state, saying al-Bashir is among the strongest supporters of the document.

It is noteworthy that Omer had objected to al-Bashir's candidacy in 2015 elections, accusing former Vice-President Ali Osman Taha of exercising “moral coercion” to influence members of the NCP Shura and Leadership Councils to nominate al-Bashir for a new term.

He ruled out that any party could put pressure on al-Bashir to force him to accept running for office again, saying “no one could force the president to take any decision let alone such decisions as amending the constitution or candidature”.

Speaking before large crowds in the Gazira State in central Sudan last week, al-Bashir said he is ready to support the candidacy of the governor of Gezira State Mohamed Tahir Eila for the presidency in 2020.

However, Eila was quick to respond to al-Bashir's gesture by announcing his full support for the latter's reelection in 2020.

Also, during the visit to Gazira State, al-Bashir received a document titled “covenant and charter” signed by the Gazira State people supporting his running for office in 2020.

Al-Bashir's candidacy for the 2020 elections must be formally adopted by the NCP institutions including the Shura Council and the General Conference which is expected to be held in October next year.

Also, the amendment of the constitution must be approved by the political parties participating in the National Dialogue and the Government of the National Accord.

For his part, the political secretary of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Al-Amin Abdel-Rzig has warned against any breach of the national dialogue outcome which calls to draft a permanent constitution to be approved by an elected parliament in 2020.

He told Sudan Tribune that al-Bashir candidacy is limited to those who called for his reelection, saying “al-Bashir is currently the head of the Government of National Accord and not the head of the NCP government”.

On the other hand, member of the Reform Now Movement (RNM) Leadership Council Osama Tawfiq told Sudan Tribune he is convinced the constitution would be amended to allow al-Bashir run for office again.

“Al-Bashir wouldn't agree to be a former president, he is either be a sitting president or a late president,” he said.

“As long as al-Bashir continues to be wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), he wouldn't allow anyone to run for presidency because no matter who that person is he might hand him over to the tribunal,” he added.

Tawfiq said the ICC decision has paved the road for al-Bashir to rule “forever”, saying the international community seeks to maintain the status quo in Sudan to serve its own interests.

The ICC issued two arrest warrants against al-Bashir in 2009 and 2010 for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Darfur.

However, member of the Democratic Unionist Party and Minister of Information Ahmed Belal Osman has expressed intentions to amend the constitution to allow al-Bashir to run for elections in 2020.

He told the Khartoum-based Al-Jareeda newspaper on Friday “if no consensus was reached, we would amend the constitution. The constitution is not the Quran and we will approve an amendment that meets our desire to nominate the president for a third term.”

“Our demand to nominate al-Bashir for a third term was not meant to appease him, we actually need al-Bashir to stay in power because we aspire to implement further reforms,” he said.

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By Jehanne Henry

The European Union has pledged hundreds of millions of euros for the 'Khartoum Process', a multinational effort to manage migration from the Horn of Africa to Europe.

In Sudan, it supports a mix of development and humanitarian assistance - but also the country's controversial border control and counter-trafficking and counter-smuggling operations.

The upcoming AU-EU Summit next week in Ivory Coast is an opportunity for the EU to renew its commitment to put human rights at the heart of its work, including its migration response.

The EU's programs in Sudan have been widely criticised on human rights grounds, in large part because its border control support the notoriously abusive Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which were responsible for atrocities in Darfur.

The EU has flatly denied funding the RSF, but the perception that it does shows the cost of doing business with Sudan's abusive government.

That perception is reinforced every time the RSF commander, Mohammed Hamdan, known as 'Hemeti', brazenly boasts of capturing migrants on Sudan's border with Libya at the behest of the EU.

This blind-eye approach feeds into a wider shift in Sudan policy, not just by the EU but also the United States, which in October formally revoked broad economic sanctions on Sudan.

Sudanese forces, including the RSF, collude with human traffickers and smugglers rather than responsibly investigate them, Human Rights Watch and the United States government have found.

Moreover, the violence Hemeti boasts about triggers other abuses. Sudan's law enforcement and judicial officials conflate trafficking and smuggling, resulting in criminal prosecution of trafficking victims.

In 2017, this was one of the problems that kept Sudan on 'tier three' - the lowest designation in the US government's annual counter-trafficking evaluations.

In Sudan, migrants are vulnerable to a litany of abuses.

Rape, arrest, and jail
Many live in legal limbo; can be rounded up and arrested at any time and summarily tried for immigration violations; and can be jailed, fined, and deported without due process or transparency.

They face extortion and other forms of exploitation. When I was in Khartoum in October, an Eritrean tea-seller told me that two policemen raped her in June and threatened her with deportation if she reported the case. She finally told a trusted friend about it in September.

Sexual violence against domestic workers, many of them trafficked, appears alarmingly common.

Obtaining refugee status – which under Sudan's encampment policy means going to a refugee camp to register and staying there – does little to guard against abuses by Sudan's national security service.

An Ethiopian man in his sixties who has a refugee card told me of his harrowing experience one night in August, when three national security agents took him from his home in Khartoum, forced him into a pickup, and detained him for nine days in an unmarked building, where they interrogated him about his links to an Oromo opposition group in Ethiopia.

He feels certain the Ethiopian government asked Sudan to pick him up, although he has been living in Khartoum for more than 30 years.

Sudan regularly deports refugees in violation of international and African regional prohibitions on refoulement – that is, sending refugees back to countries where they face persecution.

In August and September, Sudan deported hundreds of Eritreans, including 30 children, on alleged immigration law violations, a move the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said flouted Sudan's international obligations.

In 2016, Sudan deported over 300 migrants, most Eritrean, including six registered refugees, back to Eritrea, where they faced abuse. Such deportations are likely more frequent than media reporting suggests.

If the EU wishes to support the Khartoum Process' goals, it needs to engage in the difficult task of pressing Sudan to improve respect for human rights – not just of refugees, but more broadly.

It is not enough to disavow support for the RSF; it should improve information and legal services, adopt a clear set of human rights benchmarks for Sudan, and call Sudan out on specific violations and patterns of abuse that affect everyone in the country.

Jehanne Henry is acting associate director of the Africa division at Human Rights Watch

November 24, 2017 (KAMPALA) - A senior official of the SPLM-In Opposition led by the former First Vice President Riek Machar, has downplayed defection of the former governor of Unity State Ruai Kuol Jal, adding that his resignation has no impact on the rebel struggle.

On Friday, Jal issued a statement declaring his resignation from Machar group's and announced that he and other colleagues have decided to form a new armed group, the National People's Alliance of South Sudan (NPASS).

However, the rebel-appointed governor of Unity State, Brig Gen. Tor Tuonguar downplayed that the defector had significant an influence in the SPLM-IO.

“In this regards, I would like to assure that his defection will never affect SPLM/SPLA-IO vision and objectives,” he told Sudan Tribune when reached by telephone for comment

Tuonguar says the rebel officials and Diaspora groups have stopped their contacts with him after he formed his own political party and claimed that the move had been instigated by Juba government.

“The departure of former governor wouldn't mean anything to the SPLM-IO, but shall be treated like any other leaders or betrayers for example comrade Taban Deng Gai who chose the same path,” he said.

He further accused Jar of having links with the SPLM-IO led by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai and questioned the legitimacy of the former official creditability.

The splinter governor said Machar has no political programme, but the struggle is reduced to take him back to Juba a first vice president.

"Dr Riek has turned the Movement into a family affair. Members of Adok community are the ones now advising him. .(...) He is now grooming his wife to take over the SPLM-IO should anything happens to him," Jar said.

However, the rebel-appointed governor of Unity State denied the claim that SPLM-IO is the family movement. He added Machar has remained a national figure in South Sudan political settlement process.

Last May, Machar relieved Jar from his position as the governor of the rebel areas in the Unity region and replaced him with militarily governor, a son of popular paramount Chief Tunguar Kueinguong.

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November 24, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF) led by Minni Minnawi has warned against government plot to attack the IDPs camps in Darfur under the pretext of the disarmament campaign.

Last August, the Sudanese authorities launched a six-month disarmament campaign to eliminate illegal weapons in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan, particularly in Darfur region.

On Monday, a joint government force raided Abu Zar camp for IDPs in West Darfur state as part of the forcible phase of the disarmament campaign.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Friday, SRF spokesperson Mohamed Zakaria Faraj Allah said the disarmament campaign has caused a serious security problem in Darfur.

“The [disarmament] campaign was counterproductive and caused increased security tensions, resulting in new waves of displacement,” read the statement.

Faraj Allah further warned against government plots to attack the IDPs camps “with the intention of emptying them under the pretext of the weapons collection campaign”.

The Sudanese government in September notified the United Nations of the presence of weapons inside IDPs camps in Darfur, saying it poses a serious danger to camps residents.

Earlier this month, the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) called on the Sudanese government and the IDPs to work with the Mission “in a collaborative way in order to advance the weapons collection campaign.”

The call came after a show of force by the Sudanese government forces which surrounded some parts of the Kalma camp in South Darfur state before to withdraw on 2 November.

Also, the residents of Kalma camp rejected the government forcible arms collection in the camp and called to leave the operation for the UNAMID.

Last week, the UNAMID and the government approved a joint plan to collect illegal weapons from Kalma. The plan begins by launching a voluntary disarmament campaign.

SRF is a coalition established in 2011 between rebel groups in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation Movement/SLM-AW led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nour and SLM-MM led by Minni Minnawi and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N).

Divergences appeared within the SRF groups in October 2015 when the three groups from Darfur region, JEM, SLM-AW and SLM-MM, issued a statement announcing the appointment of the leader of JEM, Gibril Ibrahim, as chairman of the rebel umbrella.

The SRF split in October 2015 into two factions one headed by Gibril Ibrahim and the second by Malik Agar after a difference over the chairmanship of the rebel alliance.

Last month, the SRF Gibril held its general conference in Paris. The rebel alliance leaders unanimously elected Minni Minnawi as a new chairman for the umbrella organization.

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November 24, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations said a fourth corridor would be opened in late November to deliver humanitarian assistance from Sudan to the needy population in South Sudan.

“A fourth humanitarian corridor from El Obeid to Aweil, enabling the movement of humanitarian assistance from Sudan to South Sudan, will become operational in late November for the first time,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its weekly bulletin.

According to OCHA, trial delivery of 500 metric tonnes has been loaded and will commence upon final clearance from the Sudanese government.

It pointed out that there are currently four corridors that deliver humanitarian supplies to South Sudan from Sudan.

“But only three have been in use in 2017, including Renk and Bentiu in South Sudan and Nazareth in Ethiopia, which the World Food Programme (WFP) uses for airdrops from Gambila into affected areas of South Sudan,” said OCHA.

It added the WFP in 2017 delivered 42,557 out of 97,259 metric tonnes over the past three years to over 1.2 million people facing acute hunger in South Sudan.

In July 2014, Juba and Khartoum signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to open a humanitarian corridor to deliver food assistance to vulnerable South Sudanese through the River Nile or by road. Last January, the agreement was extended for a six month period.

On 30 June, the WFP began providing food assistance to South Sudan using a new corridor to transport food items overland from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan's Unity state.

South Sudan became the world's newest nation after declaring independence from Sudan in 2011.

However, in 2013 the country was plunged into civil war killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions.

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November 23, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan Friday has stopped issuing and renewing passports and other travelling documents after production system shutdown, sparking public outcry.

In place for more than three weeks, the government resorts to issuing travel permits as it is unable to process issue and renew passports, citing technical matters with production machine.

The Director-General for immigration, Lieutenant Majak Akec told Sudan Tribune on Friday that the department was experiencing technical issue, expressing hope it would be resolved soon.

"It is true we are not issuing new passports. We are also not renewing for those holding passports whose duration has passed, expired. The production machine is down. It is a technical matter on which our team is working to rectify," said Gen. Majak.

"We hope this situation to be resolved soon. the team is working hard, around the clock to ensure it is fixed. when is resolved, we will resume operation normally," said Akec.

A notice put out for public consumption at the headquarters of the passports and immigration office in Juba says the team is working to solve the problem and will make notification once resolved.

"Our technical team is working to solve the problem and will notify next week. Sorry for inconveniences, a notice seen by the Sudan Tribune on Friday reads.

While the overall head of the immigration department attribute the cause of non-operation to technical matters which he did not explain, officials at the department and at the ministry of finance linked the cause to a deliberate decision by a German company running system demanding payment which has not been settled by the government for more than a year.

However, an immigration officer told Sudan Tribune that the server had been switched off by the company more than two weeks ago after the government had failed to pay, despite promises.

Also, another official told Reuters that South Sudan's passports and national identification server has been blocked by its host, the German company Muhlbauer, after the government failed to pay an annual software license fee of around $500,000.

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November 24, 2017 (JUBA) — The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Special Envoy for South Sudan, discussed with the South Sudanese President and his deputies the organisation of a forum to revitalize the implementation of a peace deal signed in 2015.

The consultations come two weeks before an extraordinary meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers on 11-12 December to discuss the technical modalities of the forum.

"The convening of the Forum will follow the meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers. The Council is expected to provide further guidelines on the modalities, structure and other details on how the Forum will be organised" said a statement released by the IGAD on Friday.

During his visit to Juba, the IGAD Special Envoy Ismail Wais met with President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, and Vice President James Wani Iga as well as members of the Council of Ministers of the national unity governmental.

"The Envoy briefed the partners of the regional effort in convening an inclusive Forum. He informed that so far, thirty-one consultative meetings were held with the various Parties, estranged groups and other key stakeholders," reads the statement.

The consultations included all the signatories of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), the SPLM of President Kiir, SPLM-IO Taban Deng, SPLM-IO Rioek Machar, SPLM- FDs, and various political and civil society groups.

“Many of the positions advanced and proposals submitted during the consultation process were very valuable. They must be considered at some stage whether before, during or after the Revitalisation Forum, if the cycle of violence is to be broken and for lasting peace to be restored in South Sudan.”

The SPLM-IO Machar considers the forum as the key process to implement the ARCSS and to take part in its implementation, but President Kiir and his first deputy Gai want to limit the role of the process and to give the priority to the national dialogue and the SPLM reunification process.

The SPLM-IO Machar also wants its leader to be allowed to take part in the forum while the government partners believe that keeping him personally far from the forum will be of a general interest.

(ST)

November 25, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour Friday minimised a request by the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir for Russian protection from the United States saying it was about attempts to ban Sudan's gold exportation.

President al-Bashir returned to Khartoum on Friday evening from Russia after a two-day visit where he held a controversial meeting with his counterpart Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, al-Bashir asked Putin to protect his country against U.S. diplomatic efforts against his country at the UN Security Council.

In statements at Khartoum airport, the Sudanese top diplomat said the visit was "successful and historic". He added that Bashir thanked Russia for its support to Sudan in the Security Council.

" Sudan has been targeted since 1990 and until now in successive resolutions led by some Western countries where Russia and China have been supporting Sudan in the Security Council," he said.

"So, (Bashir's) talk about protection came in the context of the targeting that meant to stop the export of gold, which is Sudan's first export," he added.

The minister was alluding to a report by attempts to release a confidential report by UN panel of experts on Darfur in April 2016 about the gold mining in the western Sudan region. The report said that Musa Hilal, notorious tribal leader and his militia earns $54 million a year.

At the time, Russia blocked the publication of the report saying the experts were not neutral and considered it as part of a campaign to punish and weaken Khartoum rather than promoting peace and security in Darfur.

In February 2016, Russia and China had opposed an attempt by the United States and the United Kingdom to adopt the panel's recommendations to sanction individuals and entities that impose illegal taxes on artisanal gold miners beside people engaged in the illegal exploitation and trafficking of gold.

Gold is the primary source of hard currency revenue for Sudan since the secession of South Sudan in 2011.

Speaking about the impact of this visit on the relationship with the United States, the foreign minister said that Sudan's relations with a country do not depend on its relations with another and that Sudan develops its relations with all countries of the world.

He said that Washington and Moscow have strong relations and economic cooperation, pointing that the U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin discussed recently the situation in Syria.

"So there is nothing to prevent Sudan from cooperating with the United States while at the same time pursuing strategic relations with China and Russia," Ghandour said.

"The era of blocs and the time of polarization in the world are over and now the world is open to cooperation for the benefit of all," he concluded.

(ST)

November 13, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Technical Committee for Border Demarcation (TCBD) has said the Joint Border Commission (JBC) between Sudan and South Sudan would meet next week in Khartoum.

Sudanese military personnel inspect the belongings of South Sudanese on the Sudanese border on 18 April 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) has quoted the TCBD chairman and Co-chair of the JBC Abdalla al-Sadiq as saying the meeting will discuss ways to accelerate border demarcation process between the two countries.

He pointed out that the JBC has made great progress in its work during the previous meetings, saying 80% of the 2,400 kilometres borders between the two countries have been marked on paper.

According to al-Sadiq, the next meeting of the committee will be held in Juba at the end of December.

Claimed and disputed areas of the Sudan and South Sudan border include Abyei, 14-Mile area, Joudat Al-Fakhar, Jebel al-Migainais, Kaka, and Kafia Kingi enclave (Hofrat al-Nahas).

Since South Sudan's independence, the agreed border between the two countries is not yet demarcated (marked on the ground). Also, talks between the two sides continue to delimit the remaining 20% disputed boundary.

In September 2012, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others.

In March 2013, the two countries signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements. However, the execution of the agreements didn't go according to the plan.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th, 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan's independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues.

(ST)

November 13, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Finance Minister Mohamed Osman al-Rikabi Monday has denied intentions to float the exchange rate of the Sudanese pound.

A Sudanese man shows freshly-minted notes of the new Sudanese pound in Khartoum on July 24, 2011 (Getty)

A floating exchange rate is a regime where the currency price is set by the forex market based on supply and demand compared with other currencies.

This is in contrast to a fixed exchange rate, in which the government entirely or predominantly determines the rate.

In November 2016, the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS) introduced an incentive policy, increasing the exchange rate in commercial banks by 131%. As a result, the U.S. dollar exchange rate went up in banks to 15.8 SDG from the official rate of 6.5 SDG.

However, this measure didn't halt the rise of the dollar against the pound which has reached 24.7 SDG in the black market.

Several economists, including former Finance Minister Abdel-Rahim Hamdi, have recently called on the government to give up the system of managed floating exchange rate and allow the market mechanisms to set the price of the pound.

They say the move would allow drawing foreign capital back to the country, improving Sudan's external competitiveness, supporting exports and attracting foreign investment.

In press statements at the National Assembly Monday, al-Rikabi said the government has no intention to float the price of the Sudanese pound, describing any reports in this regard as mere “rumours”.

He pointed out that his ministry would take a number of measures to strengthen the price of the pound, stressing the value of the pound would stabilize in the few coming days.

The Sudanese pound has lost more than 100% of its value since South Sudan's secession in 2011, pushing inflation rates to record levels given that the East African nation imports most of its food.

The most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report indicated that Sudan's foreign reserves cover approximately one and a half months of imports.

November 13, 2017 (JUBA) - Elders and church leaders involved in the negotiations to break the standoff that existed between the government and former military chief of staff, General Paul Malong Awan have praised the decision President Salva Kiir took to allow the former travel out of the country for medical reasons.

Former South Sudanese army chief Gen. Paul Malong Awan speaking at a Dinka Malual community meeting in Juba on 1 November, 2012 (ST)

The head of the elders described the decision as an exhibition of leadership.

“This is a very important step to end tension and renewing confidence between of the president of the republic, the command of the army and the general public. It is an exhibition of leadership. It shows what our leaders are capable of doing. The way it has been managed shows that our leaders can amicably resolve issues like this without external intervention”, Deng Macham Angui told Sudan Tribune Monday.

According to the official, withdrawal of the government troops initially stationed around the residence of the ex-army chief and resumption of movement signalled the return to normalcy in the life and tranquillity of the compound.

Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, South Sudan army spokesperson said the decision follows the “peaceful” resolution of misunderstandings between government and Awan.

“Armoured Personnel Carriers and security forces initially deployed around the residence of Gen Paul Malong have been withdrawn,” said Koang.

“[The] Withdrawal came about after Gen. Paul accepted the presidential order on a reduction of his bodyguards”, he added.

Awan, a former elected governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, lost his position of army chief in May, and his movement had to be restricted.

The army spokesperson, however, said the decision to withdraw security forces from the ex-military chief's home came after a security review reportedly showed the latter posed no security threats to the government in particular and citizens in general.

The spokesperson for the presidency, Ateny Wek Ateny said the president's decision to free the former military chief was made on “compassionate grounds and to allow the former chief of staff travel to seek medical attention”.

Last week, attempts by government forces to disarm the former army chief's bodyguards failed, prompting an uprising from some troops loyal to Awan. He warned of bloodshed should government disarm and arrest his guards.

(ST)

November 13, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni Monday have discussed bilateral relations, regional peace and security and the ongoing crisis in South Sudan.

Al-Bashir has arrived in Kampala on Sunday for a three-day visit on the invitation of President Museveni.

Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour told reporters following the meeting of al-Bashir and Museveni the two leaders discussed joint cooperation between the two countries, saying they agreed to organize an investment forum in Khartoum.

According to the official news agency SUNA, Ghandour added al-Bashir and Museveni underlined support for peace and security in the Great Lakes region.

He also said the two leaders agreed to support peace efforts in South Sudan according to the agreements mediated by the East African regional bloc (IGAD).

The Sudanese top diplomat pointed out that Museveni has congratulated al-Bashir on the lift of the U.S. economic embargo on Sudan, renewing his firm stance against the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ghandour added the two leaders agreed on the need to exchange visits and continue meetings of the joint ministerial committee between the two countries.

Following ten years of strained relations, Museveni visited Khartoum in September 2015 where he and al-Bashir agreed to work together to bring stability in South Sudan and the region, and to end tensions between the two countries over the issue of rebel groups.

The Year 2016, witnessed a steady rapprochement between the two countries, accelerated, by the South Sudanese crisis and their joint efforts to end the three crisis in the neighbouring nation.

The visit of President Museveni to Khartoum in October 2016 to take part in the closing conference of the government-led national dialogue is seen as a turning point in the relationship between the two countries.

In September 2016, the Ugandan government facilitated informal talks between the Sudanese government and armed groups in Darfur and Sudan's Blue Nile and South Kordofan areas, in a bid to support the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) efforts to bring peace in the east African country.

CALLS TO ARREST AL-BASHIR

Rights groups on Monday urged Ugandan government to arrest the visiting president of Sudan, who has long been wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes .

"Inviting an international criminal suspect to Uganda not only undermines the fight against impunity which Uganda has for long championed but also betrays the concerns and interests of the victims of the most heinous crimes," six Ugandan rights watchdogs said in a joint statement.

"We, therefore, call upon the government of Uganda to fulfil its obligations under international and domestic laws by arresting and surrendering President Omer al-Bashir," further said the joint statement.

In May 2016, al-Bashir, who was indicted by ICC on counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, was one of the dignitaries at Museveni's inauguration in Kampala.

Uganda is a state party to the Rome Statute and has an obligation to arrest the Sudanese president.

(ST)