Africa

April 10, 2017 (JUBA) - Two senior South Sudan army (SPLA) officers were killed in renewed confrontations with the armed opposition forces (SPLA-IO) in the Western Bahr el Ghazal region on Monday, multiple military and local officials told Sudan Tribune Monday.

SPLA forces patrol the street of Wau town on May 16, 2016 (ST)

The head of operations at the SPLA's 5th division headquarters in the area, Brig. Gen. Peter Par and his counterpart for logistics were reportedly killed while returning from an operation.

“It is unfortunate that comrade Abraham Bol Chut Dhuol has been killed along with Brigadier General Peter Par. You know Peter was chief of military operations and Bol was the head of our logistics here. They were killed when the convoy in which we were travelling came under attack,” a military officer said.

Added the officer, “Comrade Bol Chut was shot in the head and he died even after managing to bring him to our hospital in Grinti. We were returning [to the headquarters] from an operation outside town”.

However, it remains unclear as to how many soldiers could have died with the officers, as no official statement was released by either side.

The officers' death sparked tensions in Wau town on Monday, forcing authorities to limit movements after sustained shootings.

16 KILLED, 10 INJURED

At least 16 dead bodies, the United Nations mission said, were discovered its peacekeeper, with 10 others were reportedly injured.

Fighting reportedly spread to Wau town after “a number of government SPLA soldiers were killed in an ambush on Sunday to the south of the town of Wau."

"The mission mounted two patrols into Wau on Monday and said it had observed the bodies of 16 civilians in a hospital. There were ten people who had been injured," the U.N said in a statement Monday.

84 people, it added, arrived at its protection of civilians' site, with an influx of about 3,000 people, mostly women and children at a Catholic church in Wau town.

The fighting, the U.N further stated, followed the movement of SPLA troops, tanks and equipment towards the south-western part of Wau late last week.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (EL-GENEINA) - Three people were killed in a camp for internally displaced persons outside El-Geneina, West Darfur, when the police opened fire to disperse a protest by IDPs against a decision to relocate a local market to another area.

A women flees a fire that broke out in a shop at Rako Rako market in Krinding camp outside El-Geneina on 9 April 2017 (ST Photo)

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune that the incident took place Sunday at the Krinding camp, on the outskirts of Geneina town, when a joint force from the police and security services started to remove the Rako Rako market in the implementation of a decision issued by El-Geneina commissioner.

"During the removal process, a fire broke out in a shop made of local materials, and the IDPs demonstrated against the law enforcement agents who rushed to shoot on the protesters killing a woman and injured other dozens. Later, the hospital received the bodies of two people who died of gunshot wounds," he said.

The residents of the Krinding camp, which is divided into two sections are mainly, Massailit people from South and East of West Darfur but there are also some Gimiir, Bargo, Tama and Zaghawa.

There is no official statistics about the number of residents in the camp, but the WFP in its figures of 2015 says it assists some 5,428 households in Krinding 1 and 2,416 households in Krinding 2.

A West Darfur official who preferred anonymity confirmed to Sudan Tribune the incident.

He said El- Geneina commissioner since last month has issued a decision to relocate the market to a new market at two kilometres but the displaced refused the decision.

The local official further said the decision has been taken because the current market has become a hideout for drug trafficking, adding that the police opened fire because some protesters were carrying grenades in their hands.

(ST)

April 9, 2018 (JUBA) – The Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has rebuked the manner in which South Sudan's affairs have been handled by its leadership, stressing that the country seceded from Sudan due to collective support its people received from the region.

President Salva Kiir (L) shakes hands with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (R) after signing a peace agreement on August 26, 2015 (Photo AFP /Charles Lomodong)

“Meles Zinawi (late Ethiopian prime minister) , Isaias Afwerki (Eritrean president and myself, fought and shed blood in Sudan and compelled Bashir on the table to accept self-determination and independence for the people of South Sudan and now there this claim that the Dinkas liberated South Sudan,” Museveni told a meeting of South Sudanese leaders in at State House, Entebbe.

"Were we also Dinkas. What about 98.9 per cent voters in the referendum who endorsed your independence and those Americans and Europeans who supported you? Were they all Dinkas?” he asked.

Museveni, a close political ally of South Sudan President Salva Kiir, made the remarks during his recent meeting with some of South Sudan's former political detainees led by Rebecca Garang, the widow of South Sudan's former leader, John Garang Mabior.

The leaders, who included former Finance minister Kosti Manibe, ex-national Security minister, Oyay Deng Ajak, former deputy defence minister, Majak D'Agot, among other South Sudanese officials, met Museveni to discuss how the devastating conflict in South Sudan can be resolved.

A source who attended last week's meeting said he was “personally touched and moved” by comments by the Ugandan leader.

“I looked at president Museveni and found myself touched by the remarks. We brought to ourselves a shame and this is what we tell our brothers and colleagues in SPLM, particularly president Salva that the interest of the nation, the plight of our people should override personal pride, privileges, enmity and accept to work together for peace so that we remove the country from this situation,” the source, who preferred anonymity, told Sudan Tribune Sunday.

“They don't get it but the country is tearing apart and the region and the world is getting angrier and moving away from us every single day”, further added the source.

The official said the Ugandan leader was refuting a claim by a section of citizens in South Sudan, advocating views of some leaders, including President Kiir who reportedly sees him and his tribe as having played a big role in liberating south Sudan from Sudan.

“All of us, our people have contributed in the liberation of our country in our own different ways. We were contributors at different capacities and this contribution should not be the license to mismanage the affairs of the country,” said Museveni.

He added, “It should have been the source of our courage to perform better and be a guiding principle of whatever we do for our people.”

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced in South Sudan's worst ever violence since it seceded from Sudan in July 2011. In February, three United Nations agencies declared a famine outbreak in parts of the young nation, warning that an additional five million people were at the brink of starvation.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudanese government has reiterated its objection to the participation of peacekeepers from outside the region in the Regional Protection Force (RPF), claiming it goes against the resolution of the United Nations Security Council.

Presidential Adviser on Security Affairs Tut Kew Gatluak told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that troops participating in the additional force should be only decided last August.

“The resolution of the Security Council is clear. It calls for deployment of regional protection force. This simply means the force to be deployed should come from countries in the region," said Presidential Adviser on Security Affairs Tut Kew Gatluak.

"If you bring troops from countries outside the region, then it means something else, and the language has to be revised and this will be another process,” he further.

The presidential aide in his statements to Sudan Tribune echoed the views of the Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth who told reporters on Friday after the weekly cabinet meeting that Nepal and Bangladesh are not countries within the region to participate in the deployment of the regional protection force.

“The Council discussed the issue of armament and the deployment of the forces, and not that only but there is one outstanding issue which has just emerged. The forces referred to as the regional protection force, but if you see the list of the countries that are bringing in the forces these forces who are coming in are Nepalese and Bangladesh. These forces are not part of the region, this is one, said Lueth.

"We asked them as to why are you bringing these people. They said we are bringing these people because they are technocrats; they are engineers and medical doctors. And we said this force here in the region, is it true that they have no engineering section and there is no medical corps.''

"So we want to know. If they bring in forces from outside the region, then they are definitely in violation of the agreement, and if they want to bring the forces from outside the region, then they must change the name of the force,” he stressed.

The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the deployment of the 4000 additional force this month and to take a decision over its arrival to South Sudan.

During a visit to Juba last March, the former head of the UN peacekeeping department Hervé Ladsous explained the reasons behind the delay in the deployment of the RPF and announced it would be deployed within weeks.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (NYALA) - Unidentified gunmen Sunday have attacked a team of engineers heading to South Darfur state, killing one person and wounding another.

The team of engineers, which belongs to Plus telecommunication maintenance company, was on its way from Sharia locality in East Darfur state to Natiga locality in South Darfur state.

A reliable source told Sudan Tribune that unknown gunmen have ambushed the team while it was heading to Natiga locality, saying the team's driver has been killed on the spot while one of the engineers was injured.

According to the source, the perpetrators stole the whole belongings of the team including their money and mobile phones and fled the incident's scene.

He added the security community at Natiga sent a military force to the incident scene to evacuate the injured engineer and pursue the culprits.

It is noteworthy that 5 engineers from the Sudatel Telecom Group were killed and their car was stolen in the same area in 2009.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (JUBA) - 40 traditional chiefs from the Aguok community of Gogrial state have accused President Salva Kiir's brother in-law, Gregory Deng Kuac, the governor of South Sudan's Gogrial state of “inciting inter-communal fight and internal border demarcations”.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (AFP)

In a letter addressed to President Kiir, the chief requested the South Sudanese leader to quickly act to prevent further inter-communal fight between Apuk and Aguok.

The chiefs claimed they had evidence indicating the governor had an invisible hand in supporting most inter-communal ringleaders.

For instance, the complainants said the governor allegedly released 200 AK-47s guns, including one PKM machine gun to the Apuk community, claims Sudan Tribune could not independently verify.

“Our surprise he [Governor Gregory Deng Kuac] has released the gun that was used by Thiang Malok Thiep which killed three people at Panacier market on 9/8/2016 to his bodyguard captain Lino Jiel Akol as owner of gun that proved to us Hon. Gregory Deng Kuac has upper hand in the current conflict between two communities,” the letter, addressed to President Kiir, partly reads.

They letter also claimed that governor had suspended disarmament in the area without clear reason as to why the process was halted, yet disarmament was aimed at reducing risks of firearms in the hands of unauthorized people within the Apuk and Aguok communities.

“Your excellency, when conflict arises, the former governor ordered disarmament process to collect guns in the hands of local population with aim to save the lives of innocent civilians in Gogrial state, but when Hon. Gregory Deng Kuac was appointed and took over his office, he stopped disarmament process and he released 100 guns to the civilians of Apuk community,” further read the letter.

The chiefs, in their letter, stated that governor Kuac has allegedly involved himself in internal border demarcation which the leaders say to be trig of renewing fight between Apuk and Aguok.

At the center of this, the chief said, is the Abuokdiit area, which is contested by both the Apuk West and the Aguok communities.

“[The] governor ordered the establishment of Abuokdiit as payam of Apuk West county which is belong to Aguok North county and we have feared that it will renew the conflict if governor is allow to continue with such behaviors. To prove his orders, he was received at Achool Pagong village by people of Apuk West county as they claimed that land of Achool Pagong belong to them with intention to demarcate the borders of Apuk with Aguok,” the letter stated.

The Gogrial state governor could not easily be reached on the matter.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (YIROL) - 12 people died in a suspected rebel attack at a cattle camp in South Sudan's Eastern Lakes state, authorities said.

Western Lakes state governor Matur Chout Dhuol (ST/File)

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Sunday's attack could not be blamed on the youth, but armed opposition forces looking for cattle.

The attackers, the eyewitness added, came from the direction of Western Equotoria state, fully prepared to launch a military attack.

“They have killed 12 pastoralists' youth from Panhomtor today [Sunday]. Those attackers are SPLA-IO [Sudan People's Liberation Army-In Opposition] who came in search of food from Western Equatoria,” the eyewitness further told Sudan Tribune on phone.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Eastern Lakes state, Bor Philip Wutchok said his administration was tracing those who attacked their area.

“Till now, we are not sure whether it was the SPLA-IO or pastoralists who are responsible for attacking the cattle camp,” he remarked.

This was the first time unknown people have attacked Eastern Lakes state.

Unconfirmed reports say youth from Western Lakes state are deserting the area after President Salva Kiir re-appointed Matur Chut Dhuol as governor in February.

(ST)

The Happy Feet youth project in South Africa aims to "promote education" through gumboot dancing.

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

April 9, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) - A military spokesperson for the opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples Liberation movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of former vice President, Riek Machar, on Sunday declared switching allegiance to General Taban Deng Gai, first vice President of South Sudan.

Colonel Dickson Gatluak Nyuot, Deputy military spokesperson of the Machar-led opposition faction told Sudan Tribune that he has decided to join Gai's faction because Machar has a lack of clear vision and objectives as well as a lack of clear chain of command in the Army.

David Dang, head of Gai- led SPLM-IO coordination office here in Addis Ababa Sunday has confirmed Nyout's defection and congratulated him for joining the vice president's faction.

The deserter further accused Machar of promotion based on ethnic and clan line instead of merit.

He went on to say that Machar has turned the SPLM-IO into a property of his own his wife, Angelina Nyajany Teny as head of the national committee for security and defence, General Yiey Dak in charge of internal intelligent Bureau and General Dhiling Keah (Machar's Cousin) as military intelligence chief.

"This is the change Machar and his family are talking about," Nyuot said.

"This is another dynasty characterised by corruption, deception, random promotion to created false hope and optimism, nepotism, tribalism, weak military and political leadership and clear vision".

He added that he decided to switch his support to First vice President faction because Gai is a leader who "invests on building bridges and not walls, books not weapons, stability not fear and terror, peace and not chaos"

He called on Machar fighters on the ground to abandon the movement and join Gai's faction to support his efforts to bring permanent peace and stability in South Sudan.

Nyout has left on Sunday to Juba to join the vice-president's faction after over two years in exile.

In August 2015, the opposition leader, Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir signed peace agreement brokered by the regional bloc IGAD.

The peace deal was commended by regional and international peace partners despite uncertainties on firm implementation.

The Addis Ababa-based SPLM-IO office under Gai leadership says it is tasked to mobilise all exiled South Sudanese for peace and reconciliation.

Office head, David Dang said the office is closely working with the Ethiopian government, AU and IGAD to promote peace in South Sudan.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (EL-FASHER) - The newly appointed military attaché at the U.S. embassy in Khartoum John Bong Sunday has met with the governor of North Darfur state Abdel-Wahid Youssef and senior military commanders in El-Fasher.

In a statement after the meeting, Youssef said he briefed the U.S. official on the conditions of the IDPs and his government's vision to resolve their issues, pointing they were given the option to integrate into their new communities or return to their areas of origin.

The governor also mentioned his government efforts to restore the social fabric and achieve tribal reconciliation. He further explained to the arms collection plan developed by the state.

North Darfur last year, received over 90,000 IDPs who fled their villages in Jebel Marra where the Sudanese army launched a military campaign on rebel position in the area.

Also, the state was the theatre of different tribal clashes over grazing land and gold mines. The massive presence of weapons in the region is identified as the major cause of instability in Darfur.

Bong told reporters following the meeting that the governor has informed him of the stable security conditions in his state and described it as “excellent”.

He praised the good coordination among the various regular forces in North Darfur and the federal organs, announcing he will also visit Central Darfur state.

Darfur region has recently witnessed a number of visits by Western diplomats including from the European Union, France and the United Kingdom.

On Tuesday, the newly appointed head of Darfur hybrid mission (UNAMID) Jeremiah N. Mamabolo told the UN Security Council that security situation in the western Sudan region has changed and the fighting has by far diminished.

UN agencies estimate that over 300,000 people were killed in Darfur conflict since 2003, and over 2.5 million were displaced.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir Sunday has attended the end of a 12-day joint Sudanese-Saudi military drill at the Meroe air base, 350 kilometres north of the capital, Khartoum.

Dubbed “Blue Shield” the exercise involved some 250 Saudi air force members and over 450 Sudanese militaries.

Sudan took part in the exercise with more than two dozen fighter planes including MiG-29s and Sukhoi jets while Saudi Arabia sent “18” F-15 fighter jets and Eurofighter Typhoons.

In his address before the closing ceremony, al-Bashir said: “the development of air defence capabilities in the Arab countries represents a deterrent to aspirations of the enemies who seek to control Arab resources”.

He stressed the importance of training and its role in enhancing self-confidence and its direct contribution to raising morale, which in his words “is the key to victory in all battles”.

“In addition to being a means to increase combat efficiency and achieve the readiness of the forces, the joint projects and training exercises strengthen the bond of brotherhood and solidarity among the participating countries,” said al-Bashir in the first ever joint Saudi-Sudanese air exercise.

Al-Bashir considered the “Blue Shield” drill an indicator “of the strength of the eternal and evolving relations between Sudan and Saudi Arabia”.

For his part, the Saudi Air Force commander Major General Mohammad Saleh Al Otaibi said the exercise represents “strategic depth to defend the Arab and Muslim peoples”.

For years, Khartoum's regime maintained close relations with Riyadh's arch-rivals in Tehran.

However, in January 2016, Sudan severed ties with Iran after an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran amid a row over the execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric.

Sudanese troops are deployed in Yemen since October 2014 within a Saudi-led Arab coalition against the Shiite Houthi militants.

In February 2016, the Sudanese army participated in a regional military exercise including Saudi and Gulf armies, Egypt, Jordanian, Pakistani, and Sudanese armies.

Last year, there were unconfirmed reports about a five billion dollar military assistance from Saudi Arabia to Sudan.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (BOR) - To improve livelihoods of the people, alienate poverty and prevent looming famine, the governor of South Sudan's Jonglei state on Friday declared mass farming for all the people.

Defence minister Koul Manyany Juuk inspects one of the farms April 8, 2017 (ST)

The farming season in the region commences next month.

The state governor, Philip Aguer was addressing parliament during the reopening of the state assembly after months on recess.

Thousands of people in Bor now rely on World Food Program for unconditional food normally distributed in Mingkaman of Awerial county. Many still suffer from hunger and poverty in villages.

To combat hunger and poverty, the government urged the state population to embark on farming so as to reduce the hunger gap.

“For us to increase our production, to combat hunger and poverty, I am again declaring that every family from governor to a worker here in Jonglei must have a farm this year and I am instructing all the commissioners from Bor, Twic and Duk counties to provide agriculture land for government officials for farming,” Aguer said.

Jonglei state government farm of more 1,000 hectares did not produce enough last year, due to irregularities in the rain patterns.

However, the state governor remains optimistic that agriculture production will help reduce the poverty catastrophe in the region.

“In the area of agriculture, the challenges of heavy rains and birds had watered down the efforts of our hard-working farmers from Kolnyang to Duk in the last seasons”, he said.

Aguer also instructed the minister of agriculture to make sure that each person secures a farm and supervises farming activities. Last year, many people cultivated crops, but their outcomes were destroyed by different, pests, birds and floods.

Insecurity caused by raiders and child abductors from Murle remains a challenge to the low crop production, which the two state governments want to address through peaceful dialogue.

(ST)

April 9, 2017 (JUBA) - The U.N mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said Wednesday that it had twice been prevented from accessing the Eastern Equatoria state town of Pajok.

South Sudanese SPLA soldiers are pictured in Pageri in Eastern Equatoria state on August 20, 2015 (Photo AFP/Samir Bol)

"The mission has received reports of fighting between SPLA [government] troops and the opposition there and is trying to follow-up on reports of civilians killed in the area," it said in a statement.

UNMISS urged the government to immediately allow it access "so it can fully implement its mandate, including to protect civilians and report on human rights violations".

Michael Makuei, South Sudan's information minister confirmed its forces attacked Pajok.

"As you know Pajok has been in the hands of the rebels so what happened was government forces went there and fighting ensued and so the civilian population that has been staying with the rebels had to run away," said Makuei.

"I don't know the figure [of those who might have been killed or injured] but in any fighting there must be casualties,” he added.

More than 6,000 people have fled from southern South Sudan into the northern Ugandan district of Lamwo, recounting the slaughter of civilians by armed forces, according to the UN refugee agency.

A statement from the UNHCR said on Friday more residents of Pajok town were hiding in the bush trying to find their way to safety in Uganda.

"People fleeing the recent incident claimed that the town came under an indiscriminate attack by the South Sudan armed forces," the statement said.

The crisis comes after fighting between government forces and rebels erupted on Monday in Pajok in a previously peaceful part of the country that has seen a surge in conflict in recent months.

According to UNHCR, Uganda currently hosts over 832,000 refugees from South Sudan, including more than 270,000 in the Bidibidi refugee camp, which in eight months has gone from an empty patch of land to the world's biggest refugee camp.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North has condemned a violent attack on Sudanese Christians who protested the sale of the Evangelical School to a group of businessmen in the twin capital city of Omdurman.

Younan Abdallah

On 3 April, Church elder Younan Abdallah was stabbed to death inside the Omdurman Evangelical School which located nearby his church when he tried to interfere and prevent a group of men from beating women protesting the sale of the school.

The sale of the Evangelical school, which was done by a contested executive committee of the Church, reflected a deep conflict over the administration of the school between two Sudanese Christian groups who are almost from the Nuba Mountains area in South Kordofan.

SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman in a statement extended to Sudan tribune accused the Sudanese government of targeting the Sudanese Christian after South Sudan secession, pointing that over 20 churches have been burned down and destroyed by the Sudan government

" Any fair investigation into the matter will lead to the role of the security agencies into this incident," he said.

"This issue (of religious freedom) is an integral part of the nation building in Sudan and undermining such rights led to the secession of South Sudan," he further said.

The Sudanese foreign ministry condemned Younan's murder and said the killer was arrested and he would face justice. Also, it denied any intervention from the Sudanese authorities in this incident stressing that the conflict is between two Christian groups disputing the administration of the school.

Arman called on the Sudanese to manifest their solidarity with the Sudanese Christians and their constitutional right to practice their faith.

He further called on the Evangelicals in the United States and the U.S. Administration, Congress and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to pay attention to the human rights violations of the Sudan government, especially when it comes to Christians.

"We call on the United States government to tie the lifting of the sanctions to the improvement of human rights and for the Sudan government to address the humanitarian situation, to end genocide and war crimes, and to stop sponsoring terrorism," he said.

The U.S. embassy in Khartoum has condemned the death of Sudanese priest and called on the Sudanese authorities to "ensure that all perpetrators involved in this heinous act are brought to justice. Nothing is achieved through violence and intimidation".

The church and school were founded by American Presbyterian missionaries in 1924.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The chairman of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki has continued his meetings in the Sudanese capital to explore ways to implement the Roadmap Agreement for peace and dialogue in Sudan.

On Friday, Mbeki met with the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and the opposition Sudan Call groups inside the country.

He met on Saturday with a delegation from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-Silent Majority) headed by Philip Abdel-Masih.

In press statements following the meeting, Abdel-Masih said they briefed the African mediator on the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan, criticising the approach of the SPLM-N towards the peace talks.

“We believe that Yasser Arman, as the chief SPLM-N negotiator, continued to buy time to fulfil the personal agenda of himself and Malik Agar and Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu,” said Abdel-Masih.

He added they told Mbeki that they are able to mobilise their base to influence the negotiations, describing the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan as “dire”.
Abdel-Masih expected the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N would reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities during the coming round of talks.

It is noteworthy that the SPLM-Silent Majority was formed in December 2012 by a splinter group from the SPLM-N headed by Khamis Jallab who accused the Movement leadership of seeking to achieve personal interests.

The government and Sudan Call signed in March and August 2016 the Roadmap Agreement brokered by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) including several steps towards their participation in a national constitutional process inside Sudan.

However, the parties failed to sign a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian agreements that are seen crucial before to move forward in the roadmap implementation process.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese minister has called for unity to combat famine, saying the calamity resulted from political differences in the country.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir arrives in Khartoum on September 3, 2013 (AFP Ashraf Shazly)

“In this country, we urgently need unity, peace and reconciliation of our people. So let come together as people of South Sudan. If we do that, we will overcome these challenges”, the country's foreign affairs minister, Deng Alor Kuol said on Saturday.

The minister said his ministry, his group and the unity government are determined to reconcile, unite the country in order to move forward.

“For us at the ministry foreign affairs, in the transitional government of national unity, as political leaders and parties to the peace agreement, we are determined to reconcile, unite ourselves, and unite our ranks so that we move this country forward from the situation it is in now”, he said.

In February, three United Nations agencies declared an outbreak of famine in parts of the country, while an additional one million others, it said, were on the verge of facing starvation in the young nation.

According to the minister, it remains the responsibility of every South Sudanese to contribute and help people struck by famine.

He was speaking at a fundraising drive organised by athletes.

The exercise dubbed the Great South Sudan Run was an initiative by an Ethiopian, Ayesheshim Teka, to help people who have been affected by famine in South Sudan.

The statistics of the people who participated in the exercise was not made public by the organising committee, though it initially said about 3,000 people were expected to participate in the 10-kilometer fund-raising marathon.

Ethiopian athlete Haile Gabreselasie and three Kenya athletes took take part in the event. Several high-level government officials, including President Salva Kiir, attended and made comments appreciating the efforts to contribute money to fight famine.

President Kiir, whose speech was interrupted by a technical glitch from the microphone on Friday called on citizens to contribute whatever they could, citing an English adage advocating own contributions before others.

“As the English say ‘Charity begins at home', I appeal to every South Sudanese citizen to show the rest of the world our concern, our local effort and commitment to help famine affected children, mothers and the elderly by making financial contributions and to come out on Saturday the 8th April, in large numbers and participate in the ‘The Great South Sudan Run', which is being held for the first time in the short history of our country,” the South Sudanese leader.

(ST)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council today condemned the bombings of two Coptic churches in Tanta and Alexandria, Egypt, which killed at least 41 people and injured more than 100 others.

April 8, 2017 (JUBA) – The warring parties to the conflict in South Sudan should uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians and ensure the safety and security of humanitarians, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Eugene Owusu said.

Deputy head of UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Eugene Owusu (YouTube Photo)

“Over the past week, we have received reports of outrageous abuses against humanitarians by both state and opposition actors in Upper Nile, as well as reports of horrific attacks against civilians in Eastern Equatoria [state],” said Owusu.

“These attacks are reprehensible and unacceptable. I call on those in power to take swift action to end the targeting of innocent people in this conflict and to hold those responsible to account,” he added.

Two serious attacks were carried out against aid workers in Upper Nile state since 31 March. In Aburoc, humanitarian workers were reportedly harassed and beaten by members of the armed opposition forces (SPLM-IO), while in Melut, state security officials detained and beat two aid workers before they were released.

“I condemn these attacks in the strongest terms," said Owusu.

“I demand that the leadership on both sides investigate these incidents with a view to holding the specific perpetrators to account, as well as ending the targeting of humanitarians in future, he added.

The official further expressed concerns that aid workers continue to be killed, harassed and abused despite repeated calls for action.

Meanwhile at least 6,000 people have been forced to flee from Eastern Equatoria to Uganda after dozen were reportedly killed, following an attack by government forces on the town. Thousands more are thought to be sheltering in the bushes in areas surrounding the town, which was estimated to be home to up to 50,000 people.

“I am appalled by the reports surfacing from people fleeing Pajok of their loved ones being killed and their homes being destroyed,” said Owusu.

“I implore the leadership in South Sudan to rapidly investigate these allegations and to end all attacks against civilians,” he added.

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to deteriorate. More than 3.5 million people have now been forced to flee their homes, including nearly 1.9 million people who are internally displaced and more than 1.7 million who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. On average, 2,000 South Sudanese refugees are reportedly arriving into Uganda daily.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Deputy Chairman of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) Abdel-Aziz al-Hilu has downplayed rejection of the Nuba Mountains Liberation Council (NMLC) decisions by the Movement's leadership council.

Abdel-Aziz Adam al-Hilu (Reuters)

Last month, al-Hilu resigned from his position saying the Secretary-General Yasir Arman disregarded his demand to include the self-determination in the agenda of peace negotiations.

On 25 March, NMLC, an SPLM-N political body in the South Kordofan announced its support of al-Hilu's demand for self-determination and relieved Arman from his position as secretary-general and chief negotiator. It also decided to freeze peace talks with the government until the internal divisions were settled.

However, SPLM-N leadership council cancelled the NMLC decisions, saying the group has “discussed national issues that fall beyond its powers”.

It also called to elect a new body to represent the people in the region, saying the regional body was appointed by the Movement leadership.

In an interview with Aayin news website published Saturday, al-Hilu said the NMLC meetings were held with the knowledge and approval of the SPLM-N chairman and the secretary-general.

He said the leadership council claimed the NMLC is an illegitimate body because its decisions and recommendations have contradicted with the interests of some parties, stressing the council represents the people of the Nuba Mountain and that is “the greatest source of legitimacy”.

Al-Hilu pointed out the leadership council itself was not elected and therefore has no right to question the legitimacy of the NMLC decisions, saying the delegates of the region are entitled to discuss all issues and policies adopted by the leadership.

He ruled out that the recent disagreements would cause a split within the Movement, stressing the SPLM-N have a clear vision and objectives.

Commenting on the NMLC decision to appoint a new negotiating team, al-Hilu said the whole issue lies on how to define the objective to be achieved from the negotiating process, pointing “when we agree on a clear objective then it doesn't matter who represents the Movement or who leads the negotiating team”.

When asked about his call for the self-determination, al-Hilu said the Movement calls for “voluntary unity” as a basic stance to establish a new democratic, secular and unified Sudan, pointing if we failed to achieve this goal we would opt for the self-determination.

He stressed the Movement doesn't care about the stance of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) towards the call for self-determination, saying the latter would likely reject it “because self-determination is a democratic mechanism that strips its domination”.

Al-Hilu further said the call for self-determination is an attempt to address the root causes of the crisis in order to achieve effective solutions that would end the war, pointing the people in the Nuba Mountains have the right to call for independence but priority is now given to achieving just unity.

South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile states, also known as the “Two Areas” have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011.

The African Union has been seeking to end the conflict for several years. However, talks between the two sides for a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access are stalled since last August.

(ST)

April 8, 2017 (ED-DAEIN) - Six people were killed and several others injured Saturday in clashes between Rizeigat and Maalia tribesmen in Al-Khamsat area, 66 kilometres south-east of Ed-Daein, East Darfur state capital.

Maalia chief Hamdi Bashar told Sudan Tribune that outlaws from the Rizeigat tribe killed two herders from the Maalia clan of Agarba and stole their cattle.
He pointed the villagers pursued the perpetrators and clashed with them, saying four of the culprits have been killed and a number of the villagers were injured.

Bashar stressed that crowds from the two tribes began to gather at Bakhit and Al-Ishairat areas, warning against renewal of large-scale clashes.

He pointed the security organs were quick to deploy military troops to separate the two tribes and prevent further clashes, calling on the government to move quickly to end the renewed crisis and impose the authority of the state and the rule of law.

East Darfur state is witnessing one of the longest and most deadly clashes in the region between the Rezeigat and the Ma'alia tribes since 1966. The conflict between the two tribes is triggered by disputes over land ownership and theft of cattle.

Both the Rezeigat and the Maalia are pastoralist tribes, based in East Darfur. The centre of Rezeigat territory is in Ed Daein town, while the Maalia centre is in Adila, the second largest town after Ed-Daein.

Tribal fighting occurs frequently in several regions of Sudan, including Darfur where over 300,000 people were forced to flee their homes.

In 2013, president Omer al-Bashir said he will personally oversee the dossier of the tribal conflicts in the country to seek a resolution to its growing prevalence.