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August 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese new First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, said security reforms promised in the August 2015 peace agreement is still on course despite his view to speed up reunification of the rival armies in the country.

Gai, who replaced former First Vice President, Riek Machar, last week as new leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) in Juba, called for integration of rival forces before the eighteen months period enshrined in the peace deal.

“We must go along with full implementation of the peace agreement. This peace is for all South Sudanese and it talks about reforms. We are going to reform the army and other law enforcement agencies by providing them with resources that enable them to become professional and able to serve the people,” said Gai, speaking to leaders of the Federal Democratic Movement, a section of military officers that broke away from the SPLM-IO in July 2015.

The Federal Democratic Movement leaders, led by General Gathoth Gatkuoth, on Tuesday declared allegiance to the new SPLM-IO leader, Gai.

Gai said as part of his plan to restore peace in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, illegal arms will be collected and military barracks will be moved out of the city.

“We are going to collect all arms in hands of civilians so that they are only in the hands of the army, police and other security organs. We shall move the army from the population centers to their respective cantonment sites where they shall be retrained and under one command of chief of general of staff,” he added.

He did not indicate when exactly that will start.

The new first vice president said schools, health and shopping centers will be built at the military sites away from the civil population.

SPLA barracks, including the headquarters of Presidential Guards, are within civilian neighbourhoods in Juba. According to the peace agreement, Juba should have been demilitarized before forming Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU).

The process however failed to materialize as tens of thousands of government troops continue to live in Juba.

(ST)

August 4, 2016 (GENEVA) – United Nations (UN) has said preliminary investigations into recent fighting in South Sudan, and its aftermath, have revealed that forces loyal to President Salva Kiir carried out killings and rapes, and looted and destroyed properties.

The UN human rights chief on Thursday called on the Security Council to take stronger action against the perpetrators of the crimes.

“Tensions remain very high, and violations continue to take place in Juba and other parts of the country,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, after providing a written update to the Security Council on the preliminary findings of ongoing UN investigations into the five days of fighting that began in the capital Juba on 7 July, and its aftermath.

The UN human rights top official said that information received by UN human rights officers suggested that hundreds of fighters and civilians were killed during the initial fighting.

It said while some civilians were killed in crossfire between the fighting forces, others were reportedly summarily executed by government's SPLA soldiers, who appeared to have specifically targeted people of Nuer origin.

The report cited as examples two separate incidents on 11 July in which soldiers of the national army, known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) reportedly arrested eight Nuer civilians during house-to-house searches in Juba's Munuki area and took them to two nearby hotels, where they shot four of them. On the same day, SPLA soldiers broke into another hotel where they shot and killed a Nuer journalist.

At least 73 civilian deaths have been catalogued so far by the UN, but it is believed the civilian death toll may in fact turn out to be much higher. The UN said it was denied access to some of the hardest-hit areas in the days following the conflict and a number of restrictions on movement remain in place.

“The fighting also resulted in widespread sexual violence, including rape and gang rape by soldiers in uniform and men in plain clothes,” Zeid said, adding that Nuer, Dinka and women from the three Equatorian states were all targeted, along with foreign nationals. Many victims were minors.

“We have documented at least 217 cases of sexual violence in Juba between 8 and 25 July,” Zeid said.

“In a few areas, women from various ethnic groups were raped by heavily armed youth believed to be affiliated to the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA/IO),” the report said.

“However, according to the information we have gathered so far, those most affected were displaced Nuer women and girls and those responsible seem to have been mostly SPLA.”

“Sexual violence continued after the initial fighting subsided and over 100 women and girls are reported to have been raped or gang-raped on the road leading out of Juba towards Yei. On 18 July, for example, 35 women and girls were reportedly raped in two separate incidents: firstly, 28 women, including 12 minors, were allegedly assaulted at an SPLA checkpoint at the Jebel Junction on the Yei Road; and in the second incident that day, seven other women were reportedly raped on the road between two Protection of Civilians sites, where people – mostly Nuer — displaced by earlier rounds of fighting are protected by UNMISS peacekeepers,” it further said.

During the five days of fighting in Juba, it added, thousands more people were forcibly displaced, and many civilians were denied access to safety in UN compounds by SPLA soldiers manning the various checkpoints that sprang up across Juba.

“There have also been reports of forced recruitment by the SPLA, including of children, in Bor,” it said.

The UN High Commissioner urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to restore dialogue and take steps to ensure justice and accountability, and called on the international community to put real pressure on the government to halt violence and respect the life of all South Sudanese.

“The severity of the recent violence, and the very dangerous ethnic undertone, call for urgent action by the Security Council,” he said.

(ST)

August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Representative of nearly 3000 Sudanese staff of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said that their open-ended strike will continue until the United Nations headquarters commit itself in writing to the implementation of their demands.

Since last Thursday, UNAMID national staff members have gone on strike over alleged non-payment of due benefits. Also they ask to address all the outstanding entitlements, including the risk allowance, to be consistent with the increase in salaries in the period from 2012 to 2015.

The head of the UNAMID National Staff Union Khalil Tkras told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that they are determined to continue their strike adding that "It is the first strike in the history of the United Nations to last for more than one week in order to deliver specific demands to the UN headquarters".

Tkras further said they had a meeting with the UNMAID chief Martin Uhomoibhi and his aides to reach an agreement leading to suspend the strike and achieve their demands.

He pointed that they had informed Uhomoibhi they will continue the strike until they receive a written response from New York.

He added the head of UNAMID asked them to stop the protest first. But they refused, stressing that their movement is peaceful "despite the provocations of the mission and in spite of repeated reminders of UN rules and regulations".

DISRUPTION OF UNAMID OPERATIONS

However, the hybrid mission on Thursday issued a statement on the strike, saying it was "deeply concerned" about the ongoing protest action by the Sudanese staff.

"The strike has been accompanied by reports of attempts to disrupt the Mission's operations by locking entry gates to key areas in the Mission's headquarters in El Fasher and coercing non-participating staff members as well as individual contractors not to perform their duties," said the statement.

''UNAMID wishes to stress that such actions are in breach of UN rules and regulations as well as staff members' obligations as international civil servants,'' UNAID further stressed.

However, the head of the national staff union stressed that the strike is a guaranteed right in the United Nations conventions, and cannot be considered as a violation or breach of the laws.

He pointed out that the manner in which the mission has issued the warning indicates a degree of "bad intentions" and "demonstrates that it does ignore the United Nations Principles".

Tkras further strongly denied attempts to obstruct the work of other colleagues or to lock entry gates. He added that what had happened during the first day of the strike they wanted to avoid that some try to infiltrate the UNAMID local staff, adding they wanted to protect the mission not and not damaging it.

The UNAMID said it implemented the new salary scale and payment of national staff salaries in US dollars, with an effect from September 2015.

"All retroactive payments due to staff have been paid in full," the statement emphasized.

Here again, the head of the national staff union categorically denied receiving the retroactive payments.

He described as "misleading" the statement. He added that the salary review was conducted in September 2015 but it was only made public in February 2016. Also, he said they didn't receive any payment of what is claimed in the statement.

The hybrid mission said it would keep seeking to resolve the concerns of the national staff adding that "Any action by staff members that may negatively impact mandate delivery or disrupt daily operations, should, therefore, be avoided".

There are some 2,900 local workers in the hybrid peacekeeping mission which is deployed in Darfur since December 2007.

(ST)

August 4, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan transitional national legislative assembly held the first sitting Thursday and unanimously endorsed Anthony Lino Makana as it's speaker.

Lino Makana reacts to his nomination to be the parliament speaker at SPLM Cancus meeting in Juba on July 27, 2016 (ST Photo)

The assembly has been expanded to 400 members from 332 in accordance to the peace accord. The amred opposition nominated 50 MPs. Only 20 opposition MPs attended the first sitting and were sworn and the 10 others nominated by from other political parties.

It is not clear if the absence of the armed opposition MPs is a protest to the leadership of first Vice President Taban Deng Gai who replaced armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

Makana, who represents Yambio county in South Sudan's Western Equatoria, called on the country's rival forces to cease hostilities for peace to prevail in the young nation.

"We have to work hard to implement the peace agreement in spirit and letter. Our people have suffered enough and it is time to end the war in the whole country," he explained.

The outgoing speaker Mannese Magok Rundial pledged to cooperate with his successor. Magok, an MP from former Unity State in Greater Upper Nile Region, had to step down in accordance to the peace agreement that required a speaker from Equatoria region.

(ST)

August 4, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and Italy on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) on combating crime, illegal migration and borders issues.

This handout picture released by the Italian police on June 8, 2016 shows Medhanie Yehdego Mered, 35, an Eritrean suspected of controlling a migrant trafficking network, escorted by policemen upon his extradition from Sudan to Italy late on June 6, 2016. (AFP Photo)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, the Italian Embassy in Khartoum said the MoU was signed in Rome on Wednesday in the presence of Interior Ministry officials and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Head of the Italian Police, Dr. Franco Gabrielli, and his Sudanese counterpart, General Hashim Osman Al Hussein.

“The agreement falls within the broader framework of cooperation between Sudan and the European Union on migration issues, in particular the "Khartoum Process (launched in Italy in the autumn of 2014) and the “EU Emergency Trust Fund to tackle root causes of irregular migration in Africa Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa” (launched in November 2015 at the Summit of La Valletta)” pointed the statement.

The statement further noted that the MoU represents the finishing line of a series of negotiations between the two countries which lasted several months and were carried out under the strong impulse given by the Italian Embassy in Sudan.

In June, Sudan arrested an Eritrean man suspected of controlling one of the world's four largest criminal migrant trafficking organizations and handed him to Italy.

The statement pointed that the MoU has covered some fundamental points such as fighting international organized crime, illegal immigration, trafficking human beings, telecommunications and financial crimes (such as money laundering), counterfeiting of documents and corruption

“The MoU has included a series of articles related to the repatriation of citizens who remain irregularly in the respective countries,” says the statement.

"This signature is essential for the clear differentiation between the citizens of the two countries, who we mutually consider welcome guests in our respective territories, and those citizens who have no right to remain in the territories of the two states" explained the Italian Ambassador in Sudan, Fabrizio Lobasso in the margins of the meeting.

Concerning the implementation of the MoU, the statement pointed that the Sudanese authorities will send a list of priority projects and issues on which to work on together in order to organize short and long term missions of respective officials.

The Italian embassy hailed the agreement saying that it is a tangible Italian success, resulting from Italy's engagement in migration issues in Africa, of which the well-known Migration Compact, launched by the Government at the international level a few months .

In February, The European Commission announced a 100 million euro package to support Sudan to address root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons.

The 100 million euro come in line with the Valletta plan, and EU Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa. The EU financial support aims to boost socio-economic development and self-reliance.

(ST)

August 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's largest opposition party, the Democratic Change Party (DCP) has fired its chairman Lam Akol during a meeting held in Juba, Wednesday.

Lam Akol, chairman of South Sudan's main opposition party (AFP/Samir Bol Photo)

The decision followed Akol's resignation as the opposition party's leader this week.

Onyoti Adigo Nyikuach, the DCP leader in South Sudanese Parliament said Akol's decision to resign as chairman of the DCP during a “crucial time” was unacceptable.

“One who refuses to work as the chairperson of the party at this crucial time can no longer be a member of the party,” he said after a meeting held at the party headquarters.

The party executives appointed Donald Gideon as the acting chairperson of the DCP.

Akol resigned from transitional government of national unity (TGONU) last month and made his decision public in a press conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He accused President Salva Kiir of abrogating the August 2015 Peace Agreement and pledged “to work with other link-minded compatriots” outside Juba to effect a change.

He did not, however, disclose if the new change of what he called “eco-centric” system under the leadership of President Kiir would involve the use of armed rebellion.

The national alliance, headed by Akol, nominated Kornelio Kon Ngu as its leader on Monday. Kon was the South Sudanese deputy minister of agriculture and food security.

(ST)

A Délvidék lesz az idei díszvendége Európa legnagyobb hagyományőrző rendezvényének, a Kurultajnak, ahol bemutatásra kerül a vidékünk magyar kultúrában betöltött szerves szerepe. Az eseményről, a fellépőkről és kiállítókról, valamint a Délvidékről szervezett csoportos utazásról beszélgettünk, a rendezvény helyi társszervezőjével és főpartnerével, Link Lajossal, az Aracs Turizmus elnökével.

A cikk folytatása …

Tovább….: http://www.delhir.info/delvidek/magyarsag-koezelet/56720-qa-kurultajon-beszeretnenk-mutatni-a-delvidek-hagyomanyait-es-kulturajatq-beszelgetes-link-lajossal

      

A topolyai Juhász Erzsébet Könyvtárban a nyár folyamán több tábort is szerveznek,
amelyek közül az egyik a most zajló angol nyelvi tábor, amelyet Gere Zsuzsa angoltanár
vezet. Gere kérdésünkre elmondta, hogy az oktatás két csoportban folyik…

A cikk folytatása …

Tovább….: http://www.magyarszo.com/hu/3124/vajdasag_topolya/150989/Summer-Camp-at-the-Library.htm

      

Deux soldats ivoiriens ont été condamnés jeudi à dix ans de prison ferme chacun pour avoir côtoyé des jihadistes ayant participé à l’organisation de l’attaque de la station balnéaire de Grand Bassam (19 morts en mars).

Les sergents Zanga Zoumana Coulibaly et Brice Touré (membre de la Garde Républicaine ivoirienne) ont été reconnus coupables de « violation de consignes » et « association de malfaiteurs » par le tribunal militaire pour avoir rencontré Assane Barry, dit « Sam », l’un des suspects de l’attentat.

Le tribunal a suivi la réquisition du commissaire du gouvernement, Ange Kessi qui avait demandé « dix ans de prison ferme et 200.000 FCFA (305 euros) d’amende » pour chacun des accusés pour « s’être associé par leur cupidité, aux activités délictueuses (…) qui ont provoqué un désastre, une catastrophe, une calamité, un massacre en Côte d’Ivoire ».

La défense a « plaidé la relaxe pure et simple » de ses clients, estimant que l’enquête sur l’attaque de Grand Bassam en était « à ses balbutiements ».

« Je suis déçu de cette condamnation » a réagi l’avocat de la défense, Me Raoul Gohi Bi, promettant de se pourvoir en cassation.

« Sam », le témoin et l’un des suspect de l’attentat, chauffeur de profession, doit être poursuivi dans un autre procès devant un tribunal civil pour « crimes, terrorisme et association de malfaiteurs ».

Jeudi à la barre, le sergent Coulibaly a déclaré « n’avoir rien à (se) reprocher ». « Je n’ai (pas) collaboré avec un quelconque terroriste », a-t-il lancé.

« Je suis innocent, je n’ai rien avoir avec cette affaire qui me dépasse », a affirmé de son côté le sergent Touré, membre de la Garde Républicaine ivoirienne.

L’arrestation de ces deux soldats avait été annoncée le 13 juillet par le procureur militaire, Ange Kessi.

« On leur reproche d’avoir cohabité avec ces personnes, d’avoir échangé avec le chauffeur (du commando jihadiste). Ils disent qu’ils ne savaient pas que c’était des jihadistes. On leur répond: +Vous auriez dû savoir+ », avait expliqué le 13 juillet M. Kessi lors d’un point de presse à Abidjan.

« C’est une grave erreur, une faute, une infraction militaire que de ne pas avoir dénoncé la présence du conducteur de ce groupe à leurs chefs pour qu’on prévienne ces attentats », avait-il poursuivi.

L’attaque de Grand Bassam, perpétrée le 13 mars 2016 près d’Abidjan, avait fait 19 morts (dont 4 Français) quand des jihadistes avaient ouvert le feu sur des touristes et passants sur la plage et les terrasses du bord de mer.

Revendiquée par Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique (Aqmi), cette attaque était la première de ce type perpétrée sur le territoire ivoirien.

En janvier 2016, le Burkina Faso voisin avait lui aussi été visé par un commando jihadiste qui avait ouvert le feu sur les clients de restaurants et hôtels de la capitale Ouagadougou, faisant 30 morts et 71 blessés, majoritairement des étrangers.

Plus de 80 personnes ont été interpellées en Côte d’Ivoire dans le cadre de ces attentats, avait indiqué en avril le ministre de l’Intérieur ivoirien, alors que l’enquête a des ramifications allant jusqu’au Mali et au Burkina Faso.

Cheikhou Kouyate scores twice as West Ham mark the first match at their new home by beating NK Domzale to reach the Europa League play-off round.

Az egyiptomi hadsereg csütörtökön bejelentette, hogy légicsapásokkal végzett az Iszlám Állam terrorszervezet sínai-félszigeti ágának vezetőjével, Abu Duá al-Anszárival.

A cikk folytatása …

Tovább….: http://www.magyarszo.com/hu/3124/kulfold/151009/Az-egyiptomi-hadsereg-v%C3%A9gzett-az-Iszl%C3%A1m-%C3%81llam-s%C3%ADnai-f%C3%A9lszigeti-vezet%C5%91j%C3%A9vel.htm

      

Mit Amtsantritt Wolodymyr Hrojsmans als Ministerpräsident endete die schwerste politische Krise in der Ukraine seit der Maidan-Revolution. Eine erste Bilanz.

Après le coup d'Etat avorté, l'ambiance reste tendue entre Ankara et Bruxelles et menace l'accord sur les migrants de mars dernier. Les responsables européens tentent de calmer le jeu sans taire leurs craintes, notamment par rapport au possible rétablissement de la peine de mort en Turquie.

Les autorités tchadiennes ont interdit les rassemblements de l’opposition prévus samedi et dimanche avant l’investiture lundi du président Idriss Deby Itno pour un cinquième mandat, selon un décret du ministère de l’Intérieur rendu public jeudi soir.

« Le meeting et la marche de l’opposition prévus le (samedi) 6 et le (dimanche) 7 août sont interdits sur l’ensemble du territoire national », indique l’arrêté du ministère dont l’AFP a obtenu une copie. L’opposition tchadienne conteste la réélection de M. Deby en avril, et avait prévu de manifester contre un « hold-up électoral ».

Les opposants, regroupés la semaine dernière dans un Front de l’opposition nouvelle pour l’alternance et le changement (Fonac), ont également prévu une opération « ville morte sur l’ensemble du territoire national » lundi le jour de l’investiture de M. Deby.

Cette cérémonie d’investiture doit se dérouler en présence de nombreux invités étrangers.

d’investiture doit se dérouler en présence de nombreux invités étrangers.

« La marche est de nature à perturber l’ordre public, déstabiliser la population et intoxiquer l’opinion publique nationale et internationale, nous ne pouvons pas autoriser cela », a déclaré à l’AFP le ministre de l’Intérieur Ahmat Mahamat Bachir.

« Nous sommes dans une logique de lutte contre le terrorisme et par conséquent nous ne pouvons pas tolérer certains regroupements », a-t-il ajouté. Le Tchad est engagé dans la lutte contre le groupe islamiste nigérian Boko Haram. La capitale N’Djamena est le QG de l’opération militaire française Barkhane contre les groupes jihadistes au Sahel.

Le président Deby, 64 ans, au pouvoir depuis 1990, a été réélu en avril dès le premier tour pour un cinquième mandat avec 61,56% des voix contre 12,80% pour le chef de l’opposition Saleh Kebzabo, selon les résultats officiels.

« Force est de constater que ce régime n’a rien de démocratique et qu’il est dictatorial », a réagi M. Kebzabo joint par l’AFP.

Le chef de l’opposition a ajouté que le Fonac tiendrait une assemblée générale vendredi matin pour décider de la suite des opérations.

« A mon avis, nous allons marcher. C’est un droit que nous ne voulons pas abandonner », a-t-il déclaré.

« Nous avions introduit la demande de cette marche pacifique depuis huit jours en demandant le concours des forces de l’ordre », a-t-il fait valoir.

A kiíró felhívása a kormányzati kutatóintézmények, felsőoktatási intézmények, akadémiai kutatóintézmények, állami többségi tulajdonú nonprofit gazdasági társaságok számára a kutatási infrastruktúra megerősítése érdekében.

The former Slovenian president wins his share of plaudits and criticism, but faces several daunting obstacles in his race to succeed Ban Ki-moon.

A pályázat célja: Juhász Ferenc, a biai születésű, a Nemzet Művésze címmel kitüntetett, kétszeres Kossuth-díjas és József Attila-díjas magyar költő, szerkesztő életművének emléket állító figurális szobor elkészítése.

A tekiai búcsú háromszáz éves évfordulóját ünnepeljük az idén.

Cinq mesures secondaires de la Loi travail, définitivement adoptée il y a deux semaines, ont été censurées par le Conseil constitutionnel. Les Sages n'ont en revanche pas estimé le recours au 49-3 comme un non-respect du débat parlementaire.