Africa

When former slave Martha Ann Erskine Ricks fulfilled her dream of meeting Queen Victoria, sailing from Liberia to England in 1892, she took with her a special gift for the monarch.

Veterans of the Biafran War, which began 50 years ago this week, remember what it was like to fight on the front line and explain why they still support independence from Nigeria.

Renowned Burkina Faso architect Francis Kéré has become the first African to design the prestigious Serpentine Pavilion in London. So how did a tree inspire his design?

A new movement has emerged with a new leader Nnamdi Kanu calling for Biafran independence from Nigeria.

Portraits of Libyan migrants taken on board the vessel that rescued them.

African governments should make it easier and safer for Africans to travel within the continent, the United Nations said in a new report released today, noting that tourism demand there is increasingly driven by Africans themselves.

While a number of steps have been taken to address the scourge of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), the former deputy head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) has urged continued vigilance to ensure that the world body’s personnel do no harm while carrying out their duties.

Will a plan to create jobs for Eritrean refugees stop them from travelling to Europe?

Viral videos of 'bouncing rice balls' have fuelled fake rumours of "plastic" rice being sold in Africa.

Many refugees sent to the Baltic states later go elsewhere, creating another headache for the EU.

July 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Sunday issued a decree to extend the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones until October 2017.

According to the presidential decree seen by Sudan Tribune, the decree comes in continuation of the “government's approach to national dialogue and to allow the holdout groups to join the peace process”.

The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as the Two Areas since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

In June 2016, President Omer al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities. In December, he extended the ceasefire for one month following a two-month extension declared in October.

Last April, the Sudanese Council of Ministers extended the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N, and two of Darfur movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-MM) led by Minni Minnawi, and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) last October extended for six months the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan they declared in October 2015 and April of 2016.

Following six days of talks in Addis Ababa last August, the armed movements and the government failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access in Darfur and the Two Areas prompting the African Union mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

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July 1, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan's national dialogue committee is now seeking the intervention of regional and continental leaders to bring together the country's rival leaders for a face to face meeting.

An elderly politician, who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said a delegation is in South Africa to meet the leader of the armed opposition faction leader, Riek Machar and his team.

“The objective of going to South Africa is to meet Dr Riek and his group to seek their views to see how from their perspectives they would like the current situation to be addressed. The team will also talk to the ANC [African National Congress] leadership, particularly President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa,” he said.

According to the official, optimism is high that the South African leaders will convince President Kiir and his main political rival to that the two can come together and talk as part of confidence-building.

“We are pushing for this because it will raise hopes and boost the dialogue itself”, he added.

The official, however, claimed there were some “people in the middle trying to frustrate their efforts to bring the two rival leaders together, but added that all efforts were underway to success.

The dialogue body is reportedly considering the return of the South Sudanese rebel leader so he can participate in the upcoming general elections to take place at the end of the interim period.

“Our people want peace, they want stability and those who fled needs to return but they cannot return if the conflict is still continuing. It has to stop and to stop; some painful decisions have to be made and we are asking brother Riek to lead the way. He should open his heart,” the official exclusively told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

He added, “It is not easy, but the country should be rescued. We are telling the president to exhibit leadership and painful decisions”.

Sudan Tribune has reliably learnt that, during their visit to South Africa, the dialogue committee delegation met Ramaphosa, but not Machar.

The South Sudanese rebel leader, who fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in August last year after fierce fighting, lives in South Africa.

The official said another high-level delegation meeting the exiled leaders will visit Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia and other East African countries, including Sudan to meet the country's former political detainees, Lam Akol and General Thomas Cirilo.

Over a million people have fled the world's youngest nation since conflict erupted in late 2013 when Kiir sacked Machar from his post.

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July 2, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Saudi Ambassador to Khartoum Ali bin Hassan Jaafar has urged Sudan to take “clear stance” on the ongoing Gulf crisis, accusing Qatar of seeking the backing of two states with regional ambitions, Turkey and Iran.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar over allegations that the country funds “terrorism”, an accusation that Qatar denies.

They presented Qatar with a list of demands to end the crisis that has roiled the Gulf, giving Doha 10 days ultimatum. The 13-point list includes shutting the Al-Jazeera TV network, cutting back diplomatic ties with Iran, severing relations with the Muslim Brotherhood and ending Turkey's military presence in Qatar.

However, Doha on Saturday rejected the demands, saying “the world is not governed by ultimatums”.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

In an interview with the Khartoum-based Al-Sudani newspaper on Sunday, Jaafar praised the distinct relations between Sudan and Saudi Arabia, saying these ties are growing steadily.

He pointed to Sudan's neutral stance towards the ongoing Gulf crisis, saying we appreciated Sudan's initial position on the crises.

“However, if Qatar rulers insisted on rejecting the demands of the four countries and decided to escalate the situation and scramble for countries with ambitions in the region such as Turkey and Iran, we hope our Sudanese brothers will take a clear stance,” he said.

He added the current crises “is not about relations among countries but rather the security of the Gulf and the Arab nation”, saying “that is why we wish Sudan to take a clear stance on the crisis”.

In recent years, Sudan has developed close diplomatic ties with both Saudi Arabia and UAE, especially after it broke its decades-old relations with Iran.

Saudi Arabia is the largest Arab investor in Sudan with more than 590 projects.

In 2016, Saudi investments in Sudan increased to $15bn compared to $11bn in 2015.
The estimated size of UAE investments in Sudan is $11 billion approximately, of which about $5 billion are projects in progress while the rest are still in pre-execution phase.

In May 2015, Sudan said it offered UAE's companies $59 billion investment opportunities mainly in agricultural projects.

Also, Sudan has maintained long-standing and robust relations with Qatar over the years. The tiny Gulf state supported Sudan politically and economically when the country faced an international isolation.

Qatar has hosted successive rounds of peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels which culminated in the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in 2011.

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June 30, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan's armed opposition forces loyal to the former First Vice-President Riek Machar claimed the Juba government has allegedly started recruiting civilians and students living in refugee settlement camps in northern Uganda.

Leaders of South Sudanese refugees address a rally at Bweyale camp, April 30, 2016 (ST)

The deputy spokesperson for the armed opposition faction, Lam Paul claimed an official from the prime minister's office intercepted 63 South Sudanese refugees being ferried from Uganda to South Sudan.

“If the government of Juba was able to prevent the Nuer students in protection of civilians' camps from attending the examination, how can they transport refugees to do it yet they ran from danger?” he asked.

According to Lam, two more refugees were picked from Bidi-Bidi refugee camp, allegedly through the influence of Yei state governor.

Officials from the Juba government were not available to comment.

The rebel official also appointed fingers at government forces allegedly carrying out several attacks on innocent civilians, claims Sudan Tribune could not substantiate.

“The SPLA-IO strongly condemns these criminal and cowardice acts by the Juba regime towards innocent civilians who preferred to stay in the country other than going to refugee camps. We call upon our civilians to be vigilant of militias and spies being recruited by the regime amid the ongoing lootings, rape and killings,” he said.

About a million refugees have arrived in Uganda since the crisis erupted in Juba in July 2016, leaving Uganda as the country putting up with the largest number of refugees in the continent.

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July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) Saturday said it would oppose the adoption of a new constitution, stressing that the priority should be given to ensure freedoms and to reach a just negotiated settlement with the armed groups.

SCoP leader Omer al-Digair (ST Photo)

The move comes following a recent call by President Omer al-Bashir for the opposition groups to participate in the drafting process of a new constitution before its approval by the Parliament. He said it would mark the beginning of a new phase of national dialogue.

"To express the general will, the constitution must be produced by a collective national mind formed through free and equal dialogue, but this is not currently available," said SCoP chairman Omer al-Digair in a press statement released on Saturday.

"The (government led) dialogue is not qualified to make up a collective national mind, because it was designed by the(ruling) National Congress Party, which controlled the drafting of its outputs in different ways, as it was mentioned by some participants," he said adding that it was not a comprehensive dialogue, because it didn't include all the political and social forces.

The opposition leader was referring to the boycott of the internal dialogue process by several opposition parties and armed groups.

Al-Digair said the problem is not in the lack of a constitution, but in the absence of respect for its provisions.

"The current Sudanese constitution of 2005 contains provisions that guarantee freedoms, respect for human rights, preserve human dignity and call for the rule of law, but practice proves that the Alengaz (Salvation) Regime does not respect the constitution," he emphasised.

To illustrate his remarks, he mentioned that the regime persists in its rejection to repealing laws that restrict freedoms, despite their violation of the constitution.

He went further to say the current Sudanese parliament does not represent the general will because the electoral process didn't meet the minimum conditions required for any free and fair elections. In addition, it was joined by new members appointed on basis of the government-led dialogue which was not inclusive, he said.

On Friday, SPLMN-Agar spokesperson Mubarak Ardol criticised al-Bashir's call for the opposition to join the constitutional process saying it aims primarily to buying time and diverting public attention.

He further said the regime seeks to forge the 2020 elections and give al-Bashir another term in office.

The government, the holdout armed groups and the National Umma Party (NUP) in August 2016 signed the African Union brokered the Roadmap Agreement, a framework for a political process to end the war and achieve democratic reforms.

However, after their failure to reach a humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement, the government endorsed the outcome of an internal dialogue process and called it the 'National Document'. Now It calls the opposition groups to join them in its implementation, while the opposition sticks to the need to implement the Roadmap which Khartoum declines.

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June 30, 2017 (WAU) - South Sudan's Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) has given a $100,000 compensation to the family of Col. Al Fadil Meil Issa, a former staff member killed in Wau state.

Issa was killed at Hai Jazeera in January by a group of men after unknown people reportedly convinced him to come out of a United Nations camp.

Until now, however, motives behind the killing remain unclear.

Four people have been arrested in connection to Issa's death.

Wau town mayor, Mel Aleu Goc, said the four men who were arrested were staff members working inside the UN camp in Wau.

“After the investigation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Wau, it was stated that the four men confessed the roles they played in killing of the official,” said Goc.

He added, “They called Issa in the late hour before he was killed”.

Issa was a former member of the armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO).

“On behalf of CTSAMM, we would like to pass our condolences to the family for they have lost their loved one,” said Theresa Vurnes, a CTSAMM official.

Vurnes described Issa as an “outstanding” member of CTSAMM.

“The money is meant to take care of his family, to support them and show them that CTSAMM appreciates all the work their family member did,” further said Vurnes.

CTSAMM had earlier said it completed investigation into Issa's death.

CTSAMM is the body responsible for monitoring and verifying the implementation of a permanent ceasefire between the peace partners and oversee the transitional security arrangements. Its liaison officers monitor areas of conflict, to assess any violations of the permanent ceasefire and report their findings to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission.

The CTSAMM comprises representatives from the warring parties, former detainees, other political parties, the womens' bloc, civil society entities and youth. Other members are the eminent personalities, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, China, the Troika, the U.N Mission in South Sudan, European Union and IGAD partners' forum.

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July 1, 2017 (WAU) – South Sudan government is too heavily deploy troops on the road that links the country's capital, Juba to Bor, an official has disclosed.

A overturned truck on the Juba-Bor road, which has become almost impassable as a result of the rainy season and its poor condition (ST)

The interior minister, Michael Chiangjiek said that the move came following an emergency security meeting, which was held in Juba on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by South Sudan's President Salva Kiir.

He said the meeting resolved that forces would immediately be deployed on Juba-Bor road as governments' security measure to combat road ambush killings that were taking place in the area.

On 28 June, nine people were reportedly killed and seven others injured on Juba-Bor road. The incident took place when a passenger car carrying traders was attacked by unknown gunmen in Kubri Mohandisiin, located about 8 kilometres from Juba.

Last month, a similar attack left more than 30 people dead.

“One of the resolutions that we made was the immediate deployment of forces, namely the army, the police and the national security to the site so that they enhance the security of the road and at least ease the flow of the goods from Juba to Bor and from Juba to Boma state,” said the interior minister.

The governor of South Sudan's Jonglei state said Juba-Bor road needed to be secure as it was the lifeline for returnees who have started returning from the refugee as well as displacement camps.

“It will also enable people in Greater Jonglei move to venues where they can participate in the national dialogue,” said Phillip Aguer.

“This road will also facilitate the national dialogue because we want Greater Jonglei to come together and talk for the government to know exactly what is affecting us. Insecurity affects food security and this is the result of poor agriculture,” he added.

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July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Vice-President Hassabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman on Sunday would lead his country's delegation to the African summit in Addis Ababa, said the official news agency SUNA.

Vice-president Hasabo Mohamed Abdel-Rahman

Last week, SUNA quoted Sudan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir as saying President Omer al-Bashir will participate in the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

However, the agency on Sunday said Abdel-Rahman will lead Sudan's delegation to the summit without giving further details on why al-Bashir wouldn't attend the meeting.

The 29th Ordinary Session of the Summit of the African Union has kicked off last Tuesday and will continue until July 4th, 2017 under the theme “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”.

The Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union will take place from the 3rd to 4th July 2017.

Member states will mainly deliberate on the continent's peace and security, with the renewed fighting in South Sudan, situation in Somalia and crises in Libya among the issues top on agenda for African leaders to be deliberated upon during the summit.

Also top of the agenda for discussions at the summit are situations in Central African Republic, Mali, Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), Burundi and the Darfur region.

The previous summit held in Addis Ababa last January witnessed the return of Morocco to AU after over three decades of absence from the pan-African body.

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July 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The former U.S. envoys to Sudan Princeton Lyman and Donald Booth have called on the Congress to support the five-track engagement plan with the Sudanese government urging legislatures to not take actions that could undermine the plan.

Princeton Lyman (Reuters)

Washington is involved in a five-track engagement process with the Sudan over the permanent lift of sanctions. By the 12 July, based on an interagency report including the State Department the President Donald Trump is expected to issue a decision on whether to maintain or to remove the lift of economic sanctions on Sudan.

The five-track process includes the fight against terrorism, Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Sudan's role in the peace process in South Sudan, Sudan's peace and the humanitarian situation in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

In a letter sent to the members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at the House of Representatives on Thursday, the former envoys along with the former U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Sudan Jerry Lanier urged “caution in rushing any new legislative action” that might undermine progress on the strategy.

“We believe that now is not the time for legislation that would complicate our sanctions regime and confuse our diplomatic strategy. Introducing new benchmarks—especially those that cannot be effectively measured or achieved—will not help us in realising our objectives,” read the letter.

The former envoys pointed that the engagement plan “represents an acknowledgement that sanctions alone had long failed to produce the changes we all hope to see”, urging Congress and Trump Administration to show unity in carrying forward the plan, and in turning early progress into sustained reform.

“Progress on the agreed tracks in this first phase of engagement, and lifting the agreed sanctions, moves the U.S and Sudan to the next phase of engagement, to include more steps toward respect for human rights, sustained humanitarian access, and a lasting peace,” read the letter.

“Stopping the process now would undermine progress to date and prevent forward movement. It would also bind the hands of the new administration and erase the momentum it has inherited,” it added.

The former envoys warned that any delay in the implementation of the five-track process “would damage U.S. credibility and squander the opportunity now before us”.

They further said “we must continue to work with those who seek long-term reform and Sudan's re-integration into the global community. And we must avoid doing any favours for Sudanese hardliners who represent the worst of the government, and who oppose the very objectives we are seeking to achieve”.

Last month, Bloomberg, a business and market news agency, cited an anonymous source familiar with the decision as saying key aides to the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have recommended full lift of sanctions.

Also, sources in Washington say the security agencies, CIA and FBI, and the U.S Army strongly back the lift of sanctions saying that cooperation with Khartoum is crucial for America strategic interests.

Rights groups and activists plead for a delay of sanctions in order to improve human rights records and promote democratic reforms.

Observers point that the failure of opposition groups to sign a humanitarian cessation of hostilities agreement supported by the State Department weakened any effort in this direction and propelled arguments put forward by the security agencies.

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July 1, 2017 (JUBA) – A senior official from South Sudan's ruling party (SPLM) has dismissed reports alleging that underground talks aimed at persuading President Salva Kiir to step down from the helm were currently ongoing.

Daniel Awet Akot (ST)

Daniel Awet Akot, a presidential adviser on military affairs, said he was not aware of any underground talks at either the SPLM leadership, the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) or at regional forums.

“We need to put these allegations and rumour to rest. There are no talks of secession now. If President Salva Kiir wants to retire, if he wants to leave politics at will, he will come out in person and tell the SPLM leadership that it is time for him to step down and the SPLM leadership will go through normal procedures and processes to select the successor,” Akot told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.

He added, “This is how it's done worldwide, especially if you look at the history of revolutionaries. Look at how CCM [Chama Cha Mapinduzi] in Tanzania did their change of leadership when Julius Nyerere decided to leave politics. He was not forced to step down”.

Akot, who sits at the political bureau of the SPLM, said late Nyerere and Nelson Mandela, ex-African leaders who lead revolutions in their respective countries, ceded power without any agitation.

“There was no coup to remove Nyerere from power by the colleagues, even when he saw it wise and fit to block Benjamin Mkapa in favour of Ali Hassan. There was no uprising. He did so because he knew who would fit as the right choice to manage the affairs of the people of Tanzania at the time,” said Akot.

“That did not mean he did not like Benjamin Mkapa. He [Nyerere] liked him that was why he later became the president after Ali Hassan served. He was looking for someone from within the leadership who would maintain and establish a strong system and encourage peaceful coexistence and harmony, not only among members of the party but also across the country. The same is true for Mandela in South Africa. So why do people rush?” He asked.

Akot said not all who join revolutions eventually become presidents.

“If it is because of old age, which is what I hear being cited as the reason for pushing for changes, then who says all those who joined the revolution anywhere become the presidents all together, even if one has to serve for one month as the president,” stated Akot.

He further added, “That is something impossible”.

President Kiir, elected in March 2010, recently vowed not to step down by force, insisting it would set a bad precedent for the young nation.

South Sudan was plunged into conflict in December 2013 as the rivalry between Kiir and his then-Vice President, Riek Machar, turned into a civil war. The fighting, which has often been along ethnic lines, triggered Africa's worst refugee crisis, with over three million people fleeing their homes.

(ST)