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Das umstrittene Gesetz über ein stärkeres Mandat für US-Präsident Barack Obama bei den Verhandlungen über die geplanten Freihandelsabkommen mit dem Pazifikraum (TPP) und der EU (TTIP) wandert vom Repräsentantenhaus zurück in den Senat.

Dänemarks Mitte-links-Bündnis von Ministerpräsidentin Thorning-Schmidt ist bei der Parlamentswahl abgewählt worden. Der Mitte-rechts-Block des liberal-konservativen Oppositionsführers Rasmussen errang laut offiziellem Endergebnis 90 der insgesamt 179 Parlamentssitze. Stärkste Kraft im rechten Lager wurde mit einem Rekordergebnis allerdings die ausländerfeindliche Dänische Volkspartei (DF).

L’Aravis peint aux couleurs de l’ONU tel qu’il a été présenté au Gabon (Crédits photo : Nexter) 16 juin, 2015 Pierre Brassart (FOB) Alors que l’attention est portée sur le salon du Bourget, une petite présentation a eu lieu aujourd’hui de l’autre côté...

Bár Kovács Zoltán, a magyar kormány külügyi sajtófelelősének elmondása szerint az illetékesek több mint egy éve közölték a szerb államvezetés képviselőivel, hogy Magyarország végső esetben a zöldhatár teljes hosszában kiépítendő kerítéssel próbálja megállítani a menekültáradatot, Aleksandar Vučić szerb miniszterelnök megrökönyödve fogadta a határzárról szóló hírt.

„Oroszország gazdasága  a kellő mértékben ellenálló a nyugati szankciókkal szemben, tekintet nélkül a növekedés mértékének visszaesésére”-mondta Elvira Nabiullina az orosz Központi Bank elnöke. „A szankciók valóban negatív hatást fejtenek ki mindenkire, akire csak kiterjesztették, hiszen szétverik a hagyományos kereskedelmi kapcsolatokat, csökkentik a gazdaság fejlődésének lehetőségét és a munkahelyteremtés módjait is”-jegyezte meg Naibullina a CNBC TV csatornának adott interjújában.

Die EU wird nach Angaben von Angela Merkel die britischen Reformwünsche ernsthaft prüfen. Dass schon beim kommenden EU-Gipfel über konkrete britische Anliegen gesprochen wird, erwartet sie jedoch nicht.

June 18, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) seized print runs of al-Tayar and al-Jareeda newspapers on Thursday without stating reasons.

Members of Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) hold banners outside the National Council for Press and Publication (NCPP) premises in Khartoum in protest against repeated seizure of newspapers, on May 26, 2015 (ST photo)

Sudanese newspapers frequently complain of fierce clampdown carried out by NISS that include confiscation, suspension and pre-publication censorship. They assert that these measures are used by authorities to overburden the newspapers with financial losses alongside other non-financial pressures.

In February, NISS seized entire print runs of 14 newspapers in one day without stating the reasons for its decision.

The security apparatus accuses newspapers of breaching the "red lines" by publishing news affecting the national security of the country.

The chief editor of al-Jareeda newspaper Ashraf Abdel-Aziz told Sudan Tribune that he will reach out the NISS media department to find out the reason behind the confiscation decision today.

But Abdul Aziz speculated that the statements they published by the state secretary at the Ministry of Health in which she claimed that 80% of drugs in the country are "unsafe" and explained that they highlighted the story on their front page with the title "80% of drugs are counterfeited".

He said that an NISS officer at the economic security department called him and told him that the word “counterfeited” is sensational.

Sudanese newspapers are now censored for stories related to social and service issues after the focus in the past was on political, security and military affairs.

However, the mass confiscations has become the new NISS style in punishing newspapers with the most recent one being last month that affected 10 newspapers because of a story on cases of sexual harassment and rape in school buses.

Four of those newspapers were suspended indefinitely.

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) network said in a report last May that during the period from May 3, 2014 to May 2, 2015 there were 66 cases of confiscation or suspensions against Sudanese newspapers and 13 physical attacks on journalists.

(ST)

Auf dem Höhepunkt der griechischen Schuldenkrise hat ein vom Parlament eingesetzter Prüfausschuss die Zahlungsforderungen der internationalen Gläubiger an Athen als "illegal" eingestuft. Griechenland müsse daher nicht zahlen, heißt es in einem vorläufigen Prüfergebnis, das am Donnerstag im griechischen Parlament erörtert wurde.

Un sous-marin pourrait être utilisé dans l’opération. L’avantage sa discrétion. Cet outil avait été utilisé contre les pirates. Ici le Zee Leuw néerlandais à l’action en 2010 (crédit : marine NL / archives B2)

(BRUXELLES2) Sauf surprise de dernière minute, l’opération européenne de lutte contre les passeurs et trafiquants de clandestins en Méditerranée (EUNAVFOR Med) va être lancée le 22 juin, par les ministres des Affaires étrangères de l’UE, mais uniquement dans sa phase 1 (comme annoncé dans notre édition « Pro » B2 Club, lire : L’opération EUNAVFOR lancée en phase 1 uniquement).

Du renseignement et de l’information

La phase 1 concerne uniquement le renseignement et échanges d’information. Elle ne nécessite donc pas de résolution du Conseil de sécurité des Nations-Unies ni d’invitation du gouvernement libyen. Deux décisions qui n’ont pu être obtenues à temps (ce qui était une gageure très difficile à atteindre). L’arraisonnement en haute mer de navires suspects et encore plus la pénétration dans les eaux territoriales libyennes est donc remis à plus tard. Mais tous les moyens de surveillance, « d’intelligence », d’analyse vont être employés assure-t-on du côté des militaires : des drones aux satellites en passant par les avions de patrouille maritime, voire des Awacs, jusqu’aux sous-marins, aux navires de patrouille équipées de toutes les possibilités d’écoutes (téléphoniques, radars, etc.).

Une décision sans débat

Pour éviter tout débat de dernière minute, au plan politique, l’accord va être entériné entre ambassadeurs et au sein du comité militaire. Il reste encore un certain nombre de détails à résoudre dans les derniers jours. Mais tout devrait être prêt d’ici dimanche. Ce qui permettra alors aux ministres d’entériner le lancement, sans discussion, en « point A » dans le jargon européen, lors de leur réunion à Luxembourg.

Un pari gagné pour Mogherini… et pour Renzi

Quoi qu’il en soit La Haute représentante de l’UE, l’Italienne Federica Mogherini, aura ainsi gagné son pari : lancer une opération navale militaire en Méditerranée pour manifester la solidarité européenne en matière de lutte contre les trafiquants aux côtés de l’opération civile coordonnée par l’agence Frontex qui a un objectif plus clairement affirmé de secours et sauvetage en mer des migrants (lire notamment : Le sauvetage de milliers de migrants par les marines européennes continue). Elle offre à Matteo Renzi, le Premier ministre italien, de brandir une victoire. Car sur la question de la relocalisation des migrants, c’est beaucoup plus compliqué. Et les débats sont là beaucoup plus ardus qu’en matière militaire.

Une phase 1 à durée indéterminée ?

Reste à savoir combien de temps va durer la phase 1. Et, là est toute l’ambiguité – et le pari sur l’avenir de l’opération. Selon les experts militaires, elle devrait durer au minimum plusieurs semaines, au moins jusqu’à septembre, date prévue pour la pleine capacité opérationnelle de la mission. D’ici là, il faudra arracher aux Libyens et aux Russes leur accord, condition principale pour obtenir le feu vert du Conseil de sécurité à la seconde phase. Mais la présence dans les eaux territoriales libyennes et encore plus la possibilité d’y neutraliser des navires parait loin d’être acquise.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

lire aussi sur Le Club (édition pro de B2 Pro) : L’opération EUNAVFOR lancée en phase 1 uniquement

Lire sur le sujet :

• Opération de l’UE en Méditerranée. Du vrai, du faux. Pour tordre le cou à quelques coucous
• Le plan d’opération d’EUNAVFOR Med révélé par Wikileaks. Vraiment ?
• EUNAVFOR Med : Pourquoi le renseignement est important ? Pourquoi peu de problème de moyens?
• Des « Boots on the ground » en Libye, le grand phantasme ?
• Une tactique politique remarquable. Le voile se lève sur EUNAVFOR Med
• Lutte contre les trafics d’immigration clandestine : l’inspiration « Atalanta »

photo Airbus HC 17.06.2015 Par Guy Dutheil - Le Monde.fr | Pour une fois, au Salon du Bourget, c’est le bruit des hélices des hélicoptères qui couvre celui des moteurs d’avions. L’américain Sikorsky a lancé un mouvement de restructuration du secteur....

Der Bericht der Rühe-Kommission zum Parlamentsvorbehalt ist nur ein erster Beitrag zu der Frage, wie Deutschland mit den Folgen vertiefter europäischer Verteidigungsintegration umgehen könnte. Christian Mölling und Alicia von Voß über die Themen, mit denen sich der Bundestag nun befassen muss.

EXKLUSIV Die EU-Kommission will im nächsten Jahr strengere Gesetze zur EU-Energieeffizienz einführen, sagt Energiekommissar Maroš Šefčovič. Auch die Durchsetzung der bestehenden Regulierung wird weiter verstärkt. EurActiv Brüssel berichtet.

June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – US-based powerful lobby and human rights organizations have filed a petition with US president, Barrack Obama, urging his administration to impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for the genocide and war crimes and perpetuating the ongoing civil war in South Sudan.

US president Barack Obama (Photo: Getty Images)

The six organizations that include American Jewish World Service, United to End Genocide, Humanity United, Human Rights Watch, The Enough Project and National Association of Evangelicals said it was time for the US administration to further operationalize the Executive Order 13664 of April 2014 which called for sanctions on South Sudan.

US earlier imposed travel ban and assets freeze on two commanders from the sides of president Salva Kiir's government and armed opposition leader, Riek Machar. The group however urged there was need to designate and target many other individuals responsible for the continuation of the war.

“We write to urge you to impose targeted sanctions against more individuals from all parties to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan who are responsible for serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law,” partly reads the letter.

They criticized the Obama administration for only condemning the ongoing situation but not taking a swift action to punish those responsible.

It said the US Treasury Department should collect more evidences about individuals that should be hit with sanctions. It also called on the administration to push both the United Nations (UN) and individual countries around the globe to impose sanctions on the belligerent parties in the young nation.

“In order to shift the calculation of the warring parties in advance of renewed peace talks, and to provide a form of accountability for widespread and horrific violations that have taken place in the conflict, the U.S. needs to take action to ensure the people of South Sudan do not bear the cost of war alone,” it urged.

The call by the rights groups came days before the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) called for targeted sanctions during this week's summit of heads of state and government in Johannesburg, South Africa, and urged the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to designate individuals who should be sanctioned.

A UN team is reportedly already on the ground in South Sudan touring states for the task of designating individuals responsible for the gross human rights abuses and perpetuation of the 18-month long civil war.

(ST)

La Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation au Mali (MINUSMA) a salué vendredi la décision annoncée la veille au soir par les groupes armés dits de la Plateforme de se retirer de la localité de Ménaka, dans la région de Gao, conformément à l'Arrangement sécuritaire pour une cessation des hostilités, signé le 5 juin 2015 à Alger.

Le calendrier des élections démocratiques au Burundi ne pourra être fixé que si les citoyens ont la possibilité de faire librement leur choix, a déclaré vendredi le Rapporteur spécial des Nations Unies sur la promotion de la vérité, de la justice, de la réparation et des garanties de non-répétition, Pablo de Greiff.

The United Nations relief arm has called for over one billion dollars in funding in order to lift Yemen from a devastating crisis that has plunged the country into severe food insecurity and left it on the brink of an all-out humanitarian disaster, the Organization today confirmed, as national stakeholders from the Gulf state wrapped up UN-backed political consultations in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Dominican Republic must ensure that people whose citizenship was thrown into question by a 2013 ruling of the Constitutional Court will not be deported, the UN refugee agency said today.

June 17, 2015 (BOR) – The governor of Jonglei state, John Kong has urged lawmakers and stakeholders to strengthen efforts to restore unconditional peace among citizens.

Caretaker governor of Jonglei state, John Kong Nyuon speaking to the public in Bor on Thurday 22 May 2014 (ST)

Kong made these appeal while meeting members of the ruling party (SPLM) in the state capital, Bor. Several ministers, commissioners, lawmakers and other officials attended Tuesday's meeting.

“Let us not wait for peace which will come through IGAD [Inter-governmental Authority on Development] and the Troika. Let us engage our people on peace at grassroots,” he said.

Earlier this year, a state-wide peace conference that was planned to bring all the chiefs and elders both opposition and government areas in Jonglei, did not succeed partly due to logistical challenges.

Duk county, which currently hosts over 20,000 displaced people from Lou Nuer and Garwar areas, was chosen as the conference venue.

The governor urged citizens to support government efforts to bring to an end the ongoing conflict between South Sudan's warring factions.

“It is our responsibility to preach peace to them. I know our people's mind. If they say yes, they mean it. If they say no, they mean to say no. But for us, it is the opposite, you say yes when you don't mean it,” stressed Kong, further adding, “We in the government, we are united so if we don't tell them to live in peace, then we are the problem”.

Meanwhile, the governor appealed to the population to provide facts to a United Nations investigation team in currently in Jonglei state to investigate allegations that some individuals and entities should face sanctions for obstructing the peace process.

The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon appointed the five-member sanctions committee, whose findings, officials hinted, are expected within 60 days.

The probe team is led by arms experts, Vladimir Zhagora from Belarus. Other members include, Lucas Van de Vondervoort from Holland, humanitarian affairs expert, Anna Oosterlinck from Belgium, Payton Knopf for regional issues from United States as well as natural resources and finance expert, Andrew Atta Asamoah from Ghana.

(ST)

June 18, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese human rights activist called upon the United Nations Security Council to stand firm by the innocent civilians in Darfur and renew the mandate of the United Nations and African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

A Darfurian woman stands outside a burnt house in Mellit on 25 March 2014 (Photo: UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran)

The UN 15-members council on Friday will hold informal meeting to assess the evolution human rights situation in Darfur 10 years after a report by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Darfur which in January 2005 concluded that the atrocities committed during the counter-insurgency campaign in 2003-2004 constitute crimes against humanity.

The Arria-formula meeting take place as the Security Council is preparing to renew the mandate of the hybrid peacekeeping operation tasked with the protection of civilians in Darfur, amid expectations that the draft resolution would reduce the activities of the mission in Western Darfur state in line with an exit strategy of UNAMID troops from Darfur.

However, Sudan, which is supported by China, Russia and several African and Arab non-permanent state members, calls for more effective and gradual withdrawal while the United Kingdom and United States maintain that the human rights situation and attacks on civilians remains unchanged in Darfur.

"The UN Security Council should not appease Bashir or surrender to his blackmailing by withdrawing UNAMID at this critical juncture of the history of Darfur that marred by unspeakable human rights violations. Darfurian innocent civilians cannot be left at the mercy of the perpetrators- President Bashir and his notorious Janjaweed's field commander, Hemeti Daglo," said Ahmed Hussain Adam, a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for African Development (IAD) at Cornell University.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Thursday Adam further said that the people of Darfur are expecting the Council to take the right decision on June 24th, "the Council should be on the right side of history by renewing the UNAMID's mandate," he added.

He further emphasized that the protection of the civilians in Darfur should not be politicized or subjected to a rivalry or competition among the world's powers. He argued that, this is not about politics; this is about humanitarianism- it is about the innocent people who are in an urgent need for protection and security.

Pointing to the opposition of Darfur IDPs to the UNAMID's exit strategy, Adam called to reinvigorate efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Darfur

"Nevertheless, UNAMID also needs peace to keep. The UNSC should push for a clear and fresh roadmap for a meaningful peace and new democratic transition in Sudan. Status quo will push Sudan into more violence, chaos and further fragmentation. The Addis Ababa process under the AHUIP has failed miserably to deliver peace and credible national dialogue," he said.

Also, he called on the Security Council to reform and enhance UNAMID's capacity to carry out its mandate without restrictions, adding that the Sudanese army continue to bomb civilian areas and the government militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commit atrocities against them. He also pointed to the alleged rape of 200 women in Tabit of North Darfur.

"This is not a counter-insurgency. This is a cheap war on the civilians. This is about re-structuring Darfur demography, occupying more land and controlling the whole of Darfur," he said.

Last week, UN secretary-general assistant for peacekeeping operations Edmond Mulet told the Security Council that the attacks by the government forces displaced 78,000 people this year. He added that there are unverified reports about additional 130,000 IDPs in Jebel Marra.

"There is also significant concern about reports of indiscriminate attacks against civilians, as well as other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," Mulet further said during a presentation of a periodic report about the UNAMID activities.

However, the Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations, Hassan Hamid Hassan accused the UN secretary-general assistant of seeking to provide a distorted picture about the security situation in Darfur and to attribute the displacement of civilians, caused by the tribal clashes, to the military campaign on rebel groups.

(ST)

June 18, 2015 (JUBA) - Members of parliament in Warrap state on Thursday approved a motion, which was last week tabled before the assembly requesting the amendment of the state constitution so as to extend the mandate of governor, Nyandeng Malek.

Warrap state governor Nyandeng Malek addresing SPLM members in Kwajok April 15, 2013 (ST)

Local government minister, Acuil Tito had earlier moved motion in the state assembly.

The request, however, sparked sustained two days of street protests, attracting heavy deployment of joint security and police forces, allegedly to provide law and order.

The speaker of the state legislative assembly, Moses Madot Dut Deng told Sudan Tribune after the vote that majority of the parliamentarians approved the extension of the term of governor Malek to remain in office for additional three years.

The decision, according to speaker, was in accordance with the national government decision to extend the terms of the elected positions to remain in office up to 2018.

Deng, however, admitted the process was "not easy" but necessary to avoid administrative and political vacuum and keeping a crucial lifeline as "a political act of common sense and democracy".

I hope there would be no another attempt for request to extend the constitution without getting direct mandate from the people and pledging to get to work with the executive on provision of services, further stressed the speaker.

Governor Malek, on part, welcomed approval of the request and promised that now her administration would “work hard” in order to provide basic services and unite people.

The local government minister urged members of parliament last week to support giving the governor additional breathing space, commended the approval of the amendment of the state constitution to allow the governor state in office for three more years in power.

“When I presented the request to parliament last week, I knew it would be passed because we are in a critical moment of our time where we do not need any political and administrative vacuum”. I asked parliament, each lawmaker, not to reject the request, which wasn't easy because there were difference views but urged them to be mindful of the need to stay without leadership so that it does not do a great harm to our people and our future," said Tito.

The extension, he was, was an act of solidarity towards working for peace and reconciliation in the state and the country at large, adding "leaders have now recognised that Warrap has turned Thenew page on political differences and stand together.

"This is the time for us as leaders of this state to come together as the country needs holistic approach to reaching peaceful coexistence, which government at level is pursuing seriously. Our commitments to working together should override powerful interests”, explained the local government minister.

The acting head of the parliamentary committee responsible for information and communications, Ariech Mayar Ariech said the approval was unconstitutional because it was not done in accordance with parliamentary rules, procedures and processes.

He said a request to amend the constitution requires a period not exceeding month to allow members of parliament properly study the request tabled before the assembly.

The legislator said the decision making mechanisms were not followed in accordance with the state transitional constitution. He said the constitution provides for consensus and secret voting in the case of contentious matters arising from a parliamentary debate on matters related the public interest.

“But like we have seen in the past, the constitutional processes and procedures were not followed. The request was not allowed to stay for up to one month period. Also members were not given enough time to hold consultation and enlighten the public. This was an act of bad intention which I said before”, Ariec told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

“Members were forced to stand up and be counted. This is an old method of voting. It is a traditional way of voting used commonly in the process were majority are illiterate and cannot read and write. But in parliament, majority of the members are literate, so we decided to ask for secret voting but the speaker refused and made use of the presence of the security forces to intimidate and forced members to stand up and asked security to start the counting”, he explained. The legislator said 33 members were forced to stand up to be counted and 13 members refused to get up and be counted," said Ariec.

“The way it was done was too traditional. The speaker bulldozed the procedures”, he added.

STUDENTS WELCOME EXTENSION

Meanwhile, Warrap students and youths in Uganda havewelcomed another term for governor Malek's continued stay in office, following parliament's decision on Thursday.

Peter Agolong Mading, the deputy chairman for Warrap youth said they warmly welcome the state legislative assembly's move to keep Malek in power till July 2018.

“We students of warrap state in Uganda congratulate governor Nyandeng
Malek Delic for her re-extension term of governorship," Mading told Sudan Tribune.

Mading said youths from Warrap state who study abroad and in East Africa salute the decision for giving Malek another chance to continue with her good governing skills.

“We students in Diaspora do hereby ask our youth and politicians back home to support her with development plan of our state to promote peace in communities," he said.

Ring Deng Ajith, the secretary general for Jieng Union in East Africa and adviser for Warrap youth said their entire communities welcome the governor's term extension.

(ST)