Feed aggregator

November 21, 2016 (WAU) – A delegation from the regional bloc (IGAD) led by Abdelazim Elmusalami arrived in Wau, one of South Sudan's new states Monday.

Wau state governor Andrea Mayar Acho (ST Photo)

The team leader said their mission was to introduce the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism's (CTSAMM's) monitoring and verification team, explain their mission and tasks as indicated in the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCISS), signed in August 2015.

“Important issues for the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism in the Agreement of the Resolution on the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan are chapter 2 Permanent Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement (PCTSA),” said Elmusalami.

“Now we have introduced our team in Wau to be allowable and permissible for practice to ensure sustainable peace and facilitate the operationalization of the transition security arrangement,” said added.

The official appealed to the state governor to give the monitoring team green light, especially in regard to allowing the freedom of movement.

Meanwhile Wau state governor, Andrea Mayar Acho assured the IGAD team that they would be allowed free within the state.

(ST)

Si l’environnement a tenu une bien maigre place dans la campagne, il n’est pas certain qu’il surgisse dans la dernière ligne droite. Un article de notre partenaire, le Journal de l’Environnement.ent.

Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme (HCDH) s'est dit préoccupé mardi par la détention au secret de deux journalistes gambiens qui n'ont pas accès à leur famille ni à des avocats.

Le Président du Conseil des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies, Choi Kyonglim, a annoncé mardi la nomination des trois membres de la Commission d'enquête sur le Burundi : Fatsah Ouguergouz (Algérie), Reina Alapini Gansu (Bénin) et Francoise Hampson (Royaume-Uni).

La Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République centrafricaine (MINUSCA), a appelé mardi à la fin immédiate des affrontements qui ont éclaté lundi à Bria, entre les éléments armés des mouvements du Front populaire pour la renaissance de la Centrafrique (FPRC) et de l'Unité pour la Centrafrique (UPC).

The United Nations is extremely concerned by the continued worsening humanitarian situation in Ganfouda area in the Libyan city of Benghazi due to increased hostilities over the past week, a senior UN aid official in the North African country said today.

November 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese pound fell to a record low on Monday, said currency traders on Monday.

U.S. dollar notes (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha Photo)

A trader in Khartoum told Sudan Tribune that the purchase price of the U.S. dollar reached 18,00 Sudanese pounds (SDG) while the selling price settled at 18,2 in the black market.

Earlier in November, 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 curb the rise of the dollar against the pound in the black market.

Black market traders last week expected that the pound would continue to drop against the dollar. They pointed to the increasing demand while the supply remains very limited.

Sudanese authorities regularly carry out arrest campaign against currency dealers in the black market following the significant increase of the dollar price five years ago after the secession of South Sudan.

Governor of the CBoS had earlier said the currency dealers must be charged with high treason, pointing the rise of the dollar in the black market “unjustified” and a result of “speculation”.

Sudan's economy was hit hard since the southern part of the country declared independence in July 2011, taking with it about 75% of the country's oil output.

(ST)

November 21, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese women protests against drug price hikes have continued for a second straight day on Monday in several cities across the country as trial of protesters begins in the capital Khartoum.

On Sunday, dozens of women staged a demonstration in Khartoum against the government decision to raise fuel, electricity and drug prices before they were dispersed by police and security services.

Women demonstrations on Monday showed signs of widening as protesters took to the streets of several cities across the country including Wad Medani, Kassala, Port Sudan and Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.

In Omdurman, a group of women staged a demonstration in Al-Arda street holding banners demanding the government to reverse its decision to lift drug subsidy.

Also dozens of women protested in the cities of Kassala and Port Sudan in eastern Sudan holding banners denouncing the significant increase in the prices of medicines.

Similar women protests also occurred in Wad Medani, 188 km south of Khartoum.

On 3 November, Sudanese government lifted fuel subsidies and increased electricity price in a bid to stop the surge in inflation and control the fall of Sudanese pound in the black market.

Also, earlier this month, Central Bank of Sudan announced it will no longer provide US dollar for drug importation at rate of 7,5 Sudanese pounds (SDG) forcing pharmaceutical companies to buy the dollar from the black market at 17,5 pounds. As a result, drug prices rose by 100 to 300 percent.

The government decision stirred up small-scale protests in several towns across Sudan. Also, some two hundred private pharmacies in Khartoum went on partial strike and closed their doors from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday in protest against the government's move.

PROTESTERS TRIAL BEGINS IN KHARTOUM

Meanwhile, trial of 11 women and 6 men who were arrested by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) during the protests on Sunday has begun at Khartoum criminal court.

The NISS filed criminal charges against the protesters under articles 69 (disturbance of public peace) and 77 (public nuisance) of the Criminal Code.

On Monday, the court heard the complainants and the judge delayed the trial session to Wednesday.

It is noteworthy that the NISS has also filed similar charges in a separate case against 10 other protesters before the same judge.

The hearing session of the second case has been delayed to Tuesday morning.

Following the government decision to raise fuel and electricity price, the NISS launched a large-scale arrest campaign and detained 20 leading figures from the Sudan Congress Party besides several members of the NUP, Sudanese Communist Party , Arab Ba'ath Party, National Alliance Forces, Reform Now Movement as well as civil society activists and journalists.

Also, the NISS detained twelve and summoned dozens of the Sudanese doctors participating in the strike that has been ongoing since last month.

However, none of the detained doctors and political activists was taken to court.

(ST)

November 21, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Monday appealed on the international community to support his administration to implement the peace agreement, pointing imposition of targeted sanctions and arms embargo “undesirable”.

South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, delivers a speech in the capital, Juba, on 10 June 2013 (Reuters)

“They were saying they cannot provide any assistance because the transitional government of national unity was not formed. But when we formed it after signing the peace, which they themselves designed and we accepted despite our reservations because we want to stop this senseless war and to end the sufferings of our people, they came up again with other conditions,” said Kiir Monday.

"They are now talking of arms embargo and targeted sanctions. So you really don't understand what they want," he further said, alluding to the recent U.S. proposal for arm embargo and to impose individual targeted sanctions.

He explained that only way to end the conflict and the suffering of the people was to help him and his controversially appointed First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, to implement the peace agreement.

“There are people saying the peace has collapsed. How has it collapsed and it is being implemented? There is a First Vice President as it is in the agreement. There is a cabinet in which all the parties are represented according to the agreement. There is a transitional national legislative assembly. We have approved the establishment of cantonment sites and I have directed the Chief of General staff and his team to work together with the First Vice President and his team to ensure that his forces go to these sites. We have done all these because peace is what our people want and we stand with them," President Kiir said.

"To implement this peace, the international community should provide support. This is what is needed now, not sanctions,” he added.

The South Sudanese leader was talking during a meeting with some of his top presidential aides who converged to consult with him about a U.S. draft resolution for additional targeted sanctions the Security Council will discuss this week.

Last Friday The Associated Press reported that an annex to the U.S. resolution calling for an arms embargo and new sanctions proposes to impose travel bans and freeze the assets of rebel leader Riek Machar, SPLA Chief of General staff Gen. Paul Malong and Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth.

A presidential aide told Sudan Tribune on Monday the meeting was called by the president himself to solicit ideas of his advisors in the light of a report by a panel of experts urging the UN Security Council to notify East African governments to comply with recent asset freezes imposed on some South Sudanese individuals.

The experts recommended that the Council should urge institutions in the region, to encourage public and commercial banks in Kenya and Uganda to start implementing assets freeze.

(ST)

by Ambassador Donald Booth

Abdul Wahid al Nour, leader of one of Sudan's armed opposition groups, has not set foot in his country in over a decade. He spends most of his time directing his armed group in Darfur from a satellite phone in his Paris apartment. His refusal to negotiate has been a perennial problem for international efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, but it has become especially damaging as other parties to the conflict begin moving toward peace.

On October 31, three of the four most prominent armed groups in Sudan committed to a unilateral, six-month cessation of hostilities following a similar commitment from the Sudanese government. While such declarations are not new to Sudan, it is unusual for parties to make that commitment at the outset of the fighting seasons (the dry season in Darfur). In recent months, we have also seen, with the notable exception of the area of Darfur under Abdul Wahid's control, a reduction in violence and bellicose rhetoric from the negotiating parties.

Yet Abdul Wahid refuses to commit to even a temporary halt in fighting for humanitarian aid to reach the people of Jebel Marra, and he has refused overtures to negotiate with the Government of Sudan or participate in consultations to end the violence. He refused to take part in the Arusha Consultations of August 2007, the Sirte Conference of November 2007, the unification initiative in N'Djamena and Addis Ababa in July-August 2009, and the AU-UN/Qatar Initiative in Doha from 2009-2011.

Abdul Wahid has also boycotted all of the more recent initiatives to end Sudan's conflicts, including an African Union-led process and recent meetings in Kampala overseen by President Museveni. In August, the leaders of some of the largest armed and unarmed opposition groups signed the African Union-drafted roadmap for future political negotiations, which was previously signed by the government. But Abdul Wahid did not attend.

To be fair, Abdul Wahid has valid reasons to be skeptical of the political process and to distrust a government that has bombed and displaced his people for over a decade. Recent arrests of opposition political party officials in Khartoum are a disturbing setback for those trying to engage in peaceful political competition. But Abdul Wahid's exclusively military strategy has not advanced his cause and has enabled continued violence to devastate his homeland. Abdul Wahid's refusal to grant UN peacekeepers permission to address claims of government attacks against civilians in areas that he controls is incomprehensible.

Peace in Sudan must not be held hostage to Abdul Wahid's refusal to engage. What is needed is an inclusive and comprehensive peace process that involves all actors and addresses the political, security, and humanitarian issues at the root of Sudan's conflicts. The people of Sudan, and above all the people of Jebel Mara, need Abdul Wahid at the table.

In my own recent visits to Darfur, I spoke with several groups of displaced Darfuris who all said the same thing. They just want the fighting to stop.

It is time for Abdul Wahid to join other opposition groups by declaring a unilateral ?cessation of hostilities, committing to political negotiations, and engaging in genuine efforts to end years of unspeakable violence.

Donald Booth is the United States Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan

November 21, 2016 (JUBA) – A contingent of Japanese peacekeepers have arrived in the South Sudan's capital, Juba.

UN peacekeepers in South Sudan with one of their helicopters (UNMISS)

Japan's ambassador Masahiko Kiya received the 350 Self-Defense Forces that will replace the previous contingent of its peacekeepers who served in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, but lacked mandate to use force.

The new troops, officials said, will be tasked with engineering and construction work in the South Sudan capital.

These peacekeepers will have the ability to use force to protect civilians, United Nations staff and themselves.

Japan's constitution, drafted under U.S. direction after the war, forbids the use of force in settling international disputes, but the government has reinterpreted the constitution to allow Japanese troops to use force in some situations.

Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe was quoted saying the broader military powers give Japan ability to respond to growing threats that include China's growing military assertiveness and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Japan has dispatched troops to South Sudan since 2011, but their operation has been limited to construction projects in non-combative areas.

Currently, there are more than 12,000 UN peacekeepers in South Sudan, who have often been criticized for failing to protect civilians.

(ST)

November 21, 2016 (JUBA) –The leader of South Sudan's armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar has been prevented from entering Ethiopia and was forced to return to South Africa, SPLM-IO officials told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

South Sudan's FVP, Riek Machar, departing from Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa to Pretoria, South Africa, 14 February 2016 (SPLM-IO courtesy photo)

A senior rebel officials said Machar was stopped by the Ethiopian authorities upon his arrival from South Africa at Bole International Airport in Ethiopia and forced later to board another flight back to Johannesburg.

The rebel official, who preferred anonymity, said the rebel leader was heading to the SPLM-IO headquarters in Pagak near the Ethiopian border.

Machar was detained at the airport in Addis Ababa for four and half hours and was later advised either to board back to South Africa or risk being deportation to Juba,''.

Last October, the deposed first vice president left Khartoum to South Africa to for medical treatment. He had arrived to Khartoum from the Democratic republic of Congo after clashes in Juba between his troops Juba

The Security Council members are considering a draft resolution to impose an arms embargo and additional targeted sanctions that could be brought to a vote as early as this week. The Associate Press disclosed that the U.S. proposed to impose travel bans on Machar and freeze his assets.

Washington blamed him for issuing a statement on 25 September 2016 declaring war on President Salva Kiir's government following a meeting held in the Sudanese capital.

Several sources from the armed opposition reached by the Sudan Tribune said their leader was safe, but declined to disclose his whereabouts.

Some officials claim Machar crossed into South Sudan, while others said the rebel leader returned safely back to South Africa.

Thomas Magok Chuol, SPLM-IO representative to Uganda confirmed to Sudan Tribune that Machar had indeed returned back to South Africa.

“Yes, it is true Dr. Riek Machar has been told upon his arrival in Ethiopia to return to South Africa. It is not yet known the reason behind the decision,” he said.

(ST)

The Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) has received its first batch of Ceska Zbrojovka (CZ) Bren 2 assault rifles. The rifles are the first of 2,600 ordered in May for CZK417 million (USD16.6 million). The first batch was delivered in early November, will the entire order due to be delivered by the

Key Points DNI James Clapper delivered his resignation on 16 November, although he will serve through the end of the Obama administration. Several reports using anonymous sources indicated that President-elect Trump was considering eliminating Clapper's position, and that President Obama had been

Key Points India has assigned its latest destroyer to the country's Western Naval Command The ship's arrival comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan The Indian Navy will assign the newly inducted Project 15A Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyer, INS Chennai, to the service's Western Naval

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) published on 21 November long-delayed guidelines on how to deal with suppliers who have been charged with misconduct in defence procurement. The "guidelines for penalties in business dealings with entities" remove the previous blanket 10-year ban on

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed that about 25% of the components used in the indigenously designed and built Tejas Mk 1 Light Combat Aircraft have been sourced from outside India. Junior defence minister Subhash Bhamre told parliament on 18 November that 344 of the so-called line

The Japanese government is planning to buy the uninhabited island of Mageshima in Kagoshima Prefecture to use it as an aviation training facility for both the US military and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Tokyo told IHS Jane's on 22

In a calculated rebuff to an already flailing government-sponsored peace process, an alliance of four insurgent factions in the north of Myanmar's Shan State has launched a co-ordinated offensive aimed at trade centres and key logistics arteries along the country's border with China. The wave of

EVENT On 17 November 2016, Russia's internet and telecom sector's regulator, Roskomnadzor, ordered internet providers to block LinkedIn, a social network for professionals, within Russian territory. This move followed a ruling on 10 November by a Moscow court which upheld an August 2016 ruling to