Africa

October 19, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's President, Salva Kiir, will soon issue another controversial order to increase the number of states from 28 states to undisclosed number, according to his second deputy and longtime ally.

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

Speaking after Tuesday's meeting, Vice President, James Wani Igga, flanked by the controversially newly appointed First Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, said the presidency has agreed to increase the number of states but will soon start with the issue of Malakal and Lol state as the first priority.

Malakal, is a contested capital between West Nile and East Nile states, but which was given to the East Nile by the presidential decree in October last year. Lol is another controversial state in Bahr el Ghazal region.

The two places, according to the Vice President in a statement broadcast by the state owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), are where communities have protested either splits, asserting the order had divided their communities or have been annexed to communities with whom they share nothing in common in that they would prefer to remain alone.

"We have resolved and agreed to increase the number of states but the first thing is the issue of Raja and Malakal. A committee has been formed under the First Vice President and this committee will have to complete their work and report back to the President within seven days,” revealed Vice President, Igga.

He did not say how many more states will be added to the already controversial 28 states.

The two issues the presidency had discussed and resolved, he further added, were the reinstatement of the civil servants who either abandoned their positions or rebelled, either in Juba or in the states, when the conflict erupted in 2013.

The other issue was the issue of cantonment sites for the opposition forces of the SPLA-IO. Two cantonment sites, he said, will be in central Equatoria, one in Eastern Equatoria and another in Western Equatoria.

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October 16, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The governor of Gbudue, one of South Sudan's new states returned to the capital, Yambio Sunday, ending the widespread speculation that he had been detained in the country's capital, Juba.

Gbudue state governor Patrick Zamoi speaking to journalists at in Nzara airstrip March 4, 2016 (ST)

He was away from Yambio for nearly three months.

Governor Patrick Raphael Zamoi, however, told reporters on arrival that he was in Juba to meet investors on investment deals.

“I went to Juba to meet the national government and ambassadors to discuss with them on how they could come to Gbudue state to embark on developmental activities after conflict,” he explained.

The governor said he met investors from the United States and China who expressed willingness to invest in his state, stressing that such initiatives would benefit Gbudue states after months of instability.

Zamoi also dismissed reports that he had been detained in the South Sudan capital.

He said commanders of South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM), who signed peace agreement with government in April this year, were due to meet the president in coming days amid plans to integrate them in the organised forces.

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October 17, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's opposition National Consensus Forces (NCF) has considered that the national dialogue outcomes are just part of “conspiracies” hatched by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to buy time and polish its international image, stressing that these outcomes mean nothing.

In press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the left opposition alliance NCF said that the internal and external dialogues will be hindered by the mentality of the ruling party which used to thwart the signed agreements and understandings, adding its number has exceeded 40 agreements so far.

"For the Ingaz regime, these agreements mean only to offer jobs for the others to work as employees in its government," partly reads the statement.

The opposition group reiterated that Sudanese crisis will not be solved unless the regime is toppled, stressing it is the only way to achieve a comprehensive political solution to maintain the national unity and to reach peace and democracy.

The NCF rejects to participate in the African Union mediated process for peace and democratic reforms asking that the ruling National Congress Party should end war, open humanitarian access, release political prisoners and ensure freedoms.

During the past months, the alliance suspended some political groups that accepted to participate in an African Union brokered meeting in Addis Ababa with the government and its partners in the internal dialogue.

The statement pointed to the recommendations of the internal dialogue conference particularly the proposed post of prime minister who would implement the political reforms, saying he would be appointed by the president and also will be accountable before him.

The national dialogue's outcomes have been designed mainly to extend the regime's life and empower the president, who will also appoint the chief justice and security apparatus would be attached to the presidency, further said the statement.

The opposition alliance further said that the outcome of the dialogue conference does not affect the basic structures of the regime and does not bring any change to the economic and social policies of the regime.

The Sudanese warring parties in the Two Areas and Darfur signed the Roadmap Agreement proposed by the African Union mediation led by the former African Union President Thabo Mbeki in March and August.

However, the two sides failed to sign a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreement. The two deals, if signed would be followed by a meeting on the confidence building measures that should create a conducive agreement for an inclusive constitutional conference.

The armed and political opposition groups propose that the internal dialogue conference be considered as the first phase, but President al-Bashir vowed to wage war on the rebel groups and to involve only those who accept the resolutions of Khartoum conference.

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October 16, 2016 (KHARTOUM). Sudan's President Omer Al-Bashir will visit Russia in the coming two months to discuss mutual cooperation, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On Sunday, Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ghanodur said that al-Bashir will visit Russia before the end of this year to discuss bilateral relations and coordination in international forums.

In press statements after a meeting with the First Vice President Bakri Hassan Salih, Ghanodur said that he met his Russian counterpart on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York last September and discussed with him mutual relations and issues of joint interests.

Last Tuesday, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov met senior Sudanese officials in Khartoum including President al-Bashir. He discussed Sudan's political, and economic developments in Sudan.

Also, last Thursday, Sudan and Russia signed several agreements to develop mining sector in Sudan after three days of consultations.

In a separate development, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Morocco's King Mohammed VI has invited al-Bashir to attend the climate summit that will be held in Marrakech next November.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued two arrest warrants against President al-Bashir in 2009 and 2010 for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Darfur.

However, he has continued to travel freely in Africa, Arab countries and Asia, defying the ICC arrest warrants. Last year he visited India and China.

The official Sudan News Agency pointed that Ghandour also briefed the first vice president on the diplomatic efforts exerted by his ministry to response to Amnesty International's claims on the use of chemical weapons in Darfur.

In September, the human rights group said that it has gathered "horrific evidence of the repeated use of what are believed to be chemical weapons against civilians, including very young children, by Sudanese government forces in one of the most remote regions of Darfur over the past eight months".

According to the report, between 200 and 250 people (including many children) probably died due to exposure to the chemical weapons.

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October 16, 2016 (MALAKAL) – Intense fighting between South Sudan's rival factions around the Upper Nile state capital, claimed about 56 lives, the army spokesperson, Lul Ruai Koang said Sunday.

SPLA soldiers sit at the back of a pick-up truck in Malakal, Upper Nile state January 12, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

The clashes, he said, occurred over the weekend as the armed opposition forces attempted to gain control of the strategic town.

Koang claimed a separate rebel attack on a government post was successfully thwarted by pro-government forces in Malakal Friday.

"Our forces were able to successfully drive them back with heavy casualties. Over 56 rebels were killed," he told Reuters.

The official rebel spokesperson was not immediately available for a comment.

South Sudan's rival factions traded accusations over clashes in their respective positions, raising doubts on the implementation of last year's peace agreement, which ended over 20 months of conflict.

The rebels, in a statement, claimed their position in the west bank of Malakal was attacked at about 6:00pm by pro-government forces.

“Today evening at 6pm, our military positions near Wajwok and Lalo villages had been attacked by SPLA forces stationed in respective locations mentioned and heavy fighting is going on right now”, said Brig. Gen. Nyagwal Ajak Dengkak in a statement.

He blamed the attack on government forces, further claiming that pro-government forces had deployed helicopter gunships to Malakal town with the view to reinforce ground forces with air cover should their forces attempt to move on the oil-rich town.

Sudan Tribune was unable to independently verify the rebel's claims.

South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of a coup attempt. Tens of thousands of people have died and millions have displaced in the country's worst-ever violence.

(ST)