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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

October 15, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – An Eritrean opposition group on Friday alleged that scores of Ethnic Afar Eritrean civilians in small vessels have been Killed by Saudi-led coalition off the Coast of Yemen.

Citing to several reliable sources the Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) affirmed to Sudan Tribune that the Saudi -led coalition planes have “indiscriminately” and “deliberately” hit Eritrean Afar small fishers' boats near the Mokha port of Bab Al-Mandab strait off Yemen.

According to opposition officials the fishing boats were carrying livestock and civilians.

The boats had left for Yemen from the Dankalia Region of Eritrea to import basic food commodities, household items, clothing and footwear to meet their basic needs.

“At least 5 civilians were indiscriminately killed and 10 other people injured, including women, children and elderly people,” said Ibrahim Haron, leader of RSADO, an armed opposition movement based in Ethiopia.

This type of air attack against a civilian boat the opposition leader said is "a serious violation of international humanitarian law".

RSADO deplored the attacks by the coalition forces saying it was indiscriminate air strikes with foreknowledge of their indiscriminate effect.

“RSADO unequivocally condemns in the strongest terms possible this indiscriminate air strike attack directed at the Eritrean Afar civilian population by the Arab Coalition Forces” said the rebel group.

Sudan Tribune could not independently confirm this account and a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition forces could not immediately be reached for comment.

In October 2015, Yemeni fishermen accused the coalition helicopters and warships of killing 40 people, including several fishermen during an attack on military locations belonging to the Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh on Aqban and Kadman islands on 24 October 2015.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has been leading an military coalition to restore Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government, forced into exile by an advance of Houthi fighters allied to Iran.

Reports last month revealed that Saudi Arabia has transferred some 5,000 Yemeni militants to Eritrea for military training in the Red Sea country.

According to the report, Riyadh was transferring the militants from Aden to Eritrea's Assab port to go under military trainings and then be sent to the Saudi provinces bordering Yemen.

The Eritrean government at the time dismissed the report saying “a preposterous lie”.

“The allegation by Farsi News Agency represents a preposterous lie peddled for some ulterior motives,” said a statement then issued by Asmara.

However, RSADO Friday confirmed that the Arab Coalitions Forces were stationed in Eritrea's Dankalia region since November 2, 2015.

Since their deployment, RSADO said thousands of Afar families have been made homeless, forcibly evicted from their traditional land and homes.
“Internally displaced, children and families are deliberately kept in destitute or unhealthy conditions by the regime” Ibrahim said.

He added that “They [Afars] were forced from their homes and off their grazing lands and fishing areas violently, without compensation and without Free, Prior and Informed consent (FPIC) in order to make Afar land available for the Saudi Arabia-led Alliance”

According to the opposition official, on November 2, 2015 the State of Eritrea leased the Port of Assab to the UAE for 30 years and it has allowed the Saudi Arabia-led Gulf Alliance to use the Hanish islands to conduct military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Allies have established their military presence in Afar Land in Eritrea in return for financial aid and fuel supplies for the Eritrean government, the group calimed.

Eritrean right groups say, the military base of the Saudi -led alliance in Dankalia (Afar Land) has already had a devastating impact on the indigenous Afar because their economic, social and cultural survival is deeply linked to their traditional land, fishing, and commercial and business activities between Eritrea and Yemen.

RSADO alleges the Eritrean regime is responsible for committing crimes and human rights violations against Afar people.

The group accused Isaias Afewerki regime in Asmara of deliberately leasing Afar lands to the Saudi coalition forces in order to systematically remove the Afars from their traditional lands in the name of development.

“We may otherwise suppose that the Eritrean regime hopes that the solution to the 'Afar Problem' is to allow Saudi-led coalition forces and Houthi rebels-Salih Forces to collaterally eradicate the Afar people in the crossfire”.

“We think that equating or nullifying this incident with fighting international terrorism which were targeting the International Maritime Routes in the Bab-el-Mandeb route is an additional insult to injury,” the group said.

RSADO urged the Saudi-led coalition forces to immediately withdraw from their traditional territory (Dankalia) and to allow the Afar people live in their land peacefully.

It also called upon the international community, U.S., EU, UK, Russa, and human rights groups to urge and pressure the Saudi–led coalition to abide and comply with international humanitarian and human rights laws, and to immediately halt targeting innocent Eritrean Afar fishermen and civilians in Eritrean and international waters near the Bab al-Mandab strait off Yemen.

(ST)

Les confidences du président à nos journalistes est comparé par la presse française du week-end à une « épitaphe » scellant ses chances de réélection.

Exposition de Davor Vrankić
« Que la lumière soit »
Exposition du vendredi 16 septembre au samedi 15 octobre 2016
Né en 1965 à Osijek, en Croatie, Davor Vrankić vit et travaille à Paris. Tout en utilisant la technique ancienne de la mine de plomb, l'artiste s'inspire du cinéma, de la bande dessinée, des dessins animés ou encore des jeux informatiques ou vidéo propres aux nouvelles technologies. La minutie des traits est époustouflante : broderies florales, tissu, drapés, paraissent plus vrais que (...)

/ Région parisienne, Croatie

Exposition de Davor Vrankić
« Que la lumière soit »
Exposition du vendredi 16 septembre au samedi 15 octobre 2016
Né en 1965 à Osijek, en Croatie, Davor Vrankić vit et travaille à Paris. Tout en utilisant la technique ancienne de la mine de plomb, l'artiste s'inspire du cinéma, de la bande dessinée, des dessins animés ou encore des jeux informatiques ou vidéo propres aux nouvelles technologies. La minutie des traits est époustouflante : broderies florales, tissu, drapés, paraissent plus vrais que (...)

/ Région parisienne, Croatie

A l'issue de cinq jours de discussions à Lomé, les chefs d'État de l'Union africaine s'apprêtent à signer, samedi lors d'un sommet extraordinaire, une charte sur la sécurité maritime. Parmi les présidents attendus dans la capitale togolaise pour parapher le document : Idriss Déby, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Uhuru Kenyatta ou encore Yahya Jammeh.

Cet article Sommet de Lomé : les chefs d’État de l’UA réunis pour la sécurité maritime est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

Alors que la primaire de la droite et du centre bat son plein, François Hollande, victime d'une semaine exécrable, fait face à un rejet inédit.

Le ciel s'est calmé et la douceur a remplacé les averses mais les cœurs étaient noués, ce samedi à Nice. François Hollande présidait l'hommage que la Nation française a rendu aux 86 personnes décédées...

Sur un ton sévère, Mohammed VI a appelé vendredi les nouveaux députés et les fonctionnaires du royaume à assumer leurs devoirs envers les Marocains. " Sans citoyen, point d'administration ", a-t-il martelé.

Cet article Maroc : devant le Parlement, Mohammed VI appelle à une réforme de l’administration est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

L'idée d'une candidature de rassemblement se dessinait. Certains commençaient même à y croire, mais une catastrophe imprévue est arrivée.

Première femme autorisée dans le huis-clos d'un sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque de la Marine nationale, ma consoeur du Monde, Nathalie Guibert, vient de publier le récit captivant de son mois d'enfermement dans La Perle.

C'est le récit subtil d'une femme parmi 75 hommes taiseux. Le ton est d'une sobriété remarquable qui ne comblera pas les lecteurs en attente de cavalcades sous-marines martiale et débridées, de traques haletantes de sous-marins hostiles.

Il y a de la retenue, de la discrétion dans chacune des pages de ma consoeur, elle qui a eu la ténacité d'attendre un feu vert pendant plus de deux ans, le cran de s'enfermer volontairement dans un tube de 73 mètres de long, à 200 mètres de profondeur et le tact d'écrire un livre (à la façon de Xavier de Maistre et de son Voyage autour de ma chambre puis de son Expédition nocturne autour de ma chambre) qui prend son temps.

Nathalie Guibert, Je n'étais pas la bienvenue, Paulsen, 180 pages, 18,50 €.

Le livre peut-être commandé ici.

On lira ici l'article que L'Edition du Soir lui a consacré.

Valérie Pécresse, présidente (LR) de la région, et Patrick Ollier (LR), patron de la Métropole, se disputent les chantiers.

Dimanche, les militants contre le mariage homosexuel défilent à Paris pour réclamer l’abrogation de la loi Taubira. Mais la revendication rencontre un écho modéré.

Grèce : dumping social à la chinoise sur le port du Pirée
Albanie : l'aéroport fantôme de Kukës
Albanie : la compagnie aérienne low cost Belle Air ne volera plus
Serbie : l'autoroute des bonnes affaires pour l'entourage du Premier ministre Vučić
Chemins de fer : bientôt un train chinois à grande vitesse entre Belgrade et Budapest
Pékin-Bruxelles : la « nouvelle route de la soie » transite par les Balkans
Grèce : Syriza brade ses promesses et le port du Pirée aux Chinois

/ Bilten, Albanie, Economie, Les Chinois à l'assaut des Balkans

October 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Finance Minister Badr el-Din Mahmoud has expected a decision from the United States easing restrictions on of spare parts of planes and trains, from sanctions on Sudan.

Sudanese finance minister Badr al-Din Mahmoud

Sudan is under economic and trade sanctions since 1997, initially in connection with alleged support to terrorist groups. However in 2007, it strengthened the embargo, citing abuses in Darfur which it labelled as "genocide".

Speaking to the press at Khartoum Airport after his returning from the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group (WBG) in Washington on Thursday, Minister Mahmoud said U.S. will soon allow the import of spare parts for planes and trains, adding there is a remarkable improvement on the Sudanese-US relations.

He further said he discussed with officials at the U.S. Department of the Treasury the sanctions imposed on his country and the flow of refugees from neighbouring countries, pointing out that the American side responded positively and expressed neediness to support Sudanese efforts to shelter refugees, and to combat human trafficking.

The efforts exerted by the Sudanese government have led to "ease sanctions on the banking sector and the lift sanctions in the future, precisely next December will witness the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan," he further said.

U. S. Department of State last September praised Sudanese government efforts in the fight against terrorism. However, it ruled out the removal of sanctions on the east African country as long as there is no improvement in Darfur conditions.

"While countering terrorism is an important objective for the United States, we continue to engage the Government of Sudan on protecting human rights, resolving internal conflicts, addressing humanitarian needs, improving regional stability, and advancing political freedoms, accountability and reconciliation," said a statement issued on 21 September.

Minister Mahmoud stated that he met with several international financial officials on the sidelines of the IMF meetings, including a meeting with the chairman of the World Bank where they tackled the economic situation in Sudan and ways to support the basic education, electricity, agricultural sectors.

He said he explained that the refugees' issue puts pressure on the country's economy, pointing out that Sudan provides assistance to those refugees on behalf of the international community without any support from it.

He also said he met with the UNHCR officials to assist Sudan to monitor and assess refugees.

Sudan hosts refugees from the Horn of Africa countries particularly Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia besides the increasing number of South Sudanese during the last three years.

(ST)

Trois mois, presque jour pour jour, après l'attentat de Nice, François Hollande a rendu un hommage solennel aux victimes de l'attentat de Nice. La cérémonie s'est tenue sur les hauteurs de Nice, loin de la Promenade des Anglais.

October 14, 2016 (JUBA) – Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni last week met in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, with Riek Machar leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) and Lam Akol, leader of the rebel National Democratic Movement (NDM), Sudan Tribune has learnt.

South Sudanese opposition leader, Dr. Riek Machar meets Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni in Khartoum, Sept. 16, 2015 (ST Photo)

The meeting which took place on Tuesday, 11 October, after Museveni participation in the closing session of the National Dialogue Conference in Khartoum, disclosed the spokesperson of SPLM-IO leader, James Gatdet Dak .

He told Sudan Tribune that the meeting, which was initiated by President Museveni, discussed a lot of issues pertaining to how to correct the ongoing political and security situations in the country.

“Our Chairman and Commander-in-Chief, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, met with President Yoweri Museveni in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Tuesday, 11 October. Dr. Lam Akol also took part in the meeting. The three leaders discussed a way forward to correct the current mess in the country that has resulted from the attack on July 8, 2016, which attempted to assassinate our leader,” said Dak.

He said President Museveni admitted that the political power sharing and the security arrangements in South Sudan should be reviewed following the collapse of both the August 2015 peace agreement and the transitional government of national unity.

“The trio discussed President Museveni's initiative on how to review the political power sharing and the security arrangements, including future elections,” Dak said, without giving details.

He added that Machar had told the Ugandan leader that he would discuss the initiative with the leadership of the SPLM-IO.

On 25 September, South Sudan's former Minister of Agriculture, Lam Akol, announced the formation of new rebel group, NDM. He said that his new faction will closely work with the SPLM-IO of Riek Machar.

The former leader of the parliamentary opposition Democratic Change Party (DCP) said he resigned and left the party in August because the its leadership refuses the armed struggle and believe in peaceful dialogue and non-violence to bring about change in South Sudan.

Dak reiterated that the SPLM-IO's leadership was committed to a peaceful political settlement of the civil war, but has been forced to opt for an armed resistance against President Kiir's regime after the 8 July incident.

He said without an initiative to correct the situation and resuscitate the peace agreement, the armed opposition will have no other option than to stage an armed resistance which will lead to the “overthrow of President Kiir's regime” in Juba.

Earlier, the opposition faction blamed IGAD-Plus member states for allowing President Kiir to violate the peace agreement when he allegedly attempted to assassinate Machar at the Republican Palace (J1) on 8 July, and also attacked his residence, forcing him out of the capital and the country.

(ST)

Le frère cadet du président Macky Sall, qui indique ne plus s'être occupé d'hydrocarbures au Sénégal depuis le 1er janvier 2015, explique à Jeune Afrique les raisons de sa démission.

Cet article Affaire Petro-Tim : Aliou Sall parle est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

Le frère cadet du président Macky Sall, qui indique ne plus s'être occupé d'hydrocarbures au Sénégal depuis le 1er janvier 2015, explique à Jeune Afrique les raisons de sa démission.

Cet article Affaire Petro-Tim : Aliou Sall parle est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

Étape majeure dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique : près de 200 pays réunis au Rwanda ont approuvé samedi à Kigali un accord de réduction des gaz hydrofluorocarbures (HFC), extrêmement polluants pour la planète.

Un travailleur humanitaire américain a été enlevé vendredi soir à Abalak, une préfecture de la région de Tahoua à 350 km au nord-est de Niamey, où deux personnes ont été tuées pendant le rapt, selon une source sécuritaire.

Cet article Un humanitaire américain enlevé au Niger, deux personnes tuées pendant le rapt est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.