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November 16, 2015 (JUBA)-South Sudanese government disputed media reports quoting leading officials in the armed opposition leadership expressing doubts of participation of their leader, Riek Machar, in the upcoming regional heads of state and government summit in Juba.

Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)

SPLM-IO said its leader Riek Machar will not attend a summit of IGAD leaders to take place in Juba during the upcoming days saying he was not informed about it. The group further insisted on the need to allow the advance team and to settle some political and security issues in the peace agreement before his return to Juba.

Presidential advisor on decentralization and intergovernmental linkage, Tor Deng Mawien, on Monday told Sudan Tribune that the government had received information from the intergovernmental authority on development and other key players in the peace process that Machar will be one of the participants of the summit aimed at building confidence and commitment between the parties to the conflict and who have signed the peace deal to end more than 21 month conflict in the country.

“I have not received any new information. What I know and this was the information which the government had received from the office of the IGAD mediators and other players in the peace process was that Riek would attend the summit. He was not coming to stay. This has not changed,” said Mawien.

The presidential aide said he was getting information in the media statements suggesting Machar will not attend the summit contrary to the information which the government had received.

Meanwhile defence minister Kuol Manyang Juuk also confirmed in a separate interview that Machar will be in Juba with the leaders of IGAD countries, who will be attending the summit.

“Preparations for the summits are completed. The heads of state of the IGAD member countries will come for a one day summit here in Juba. The summit will be attended by Riek Machar and members of the former detainees”, said Juuk, a close political and military ally of President Salva Kiir.

The top defence official accused an unnamed people of discouraging the participation of the rival officials at the summit allegedly for lack of assurance of safety and security once in the country.

“I think those who may be talking of insecurity, telling them that they will be insecure are people who do not want peace,” Juuk told Eye Radio in an interview on Monday.

“They are happy to see these people remain out, but why? For what reason? We are people of South Sudan. It is not the first time for us to disagree, to fight. Even in our own tribes, we fight and reconcile by ourselves, he said.

He stressed Machar and members of former detainees who would attend the summit will be accompanied by a force ranging between 300 to 500 combat personnel.

(ST)

November 16, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan government announced on Monday that the meeting of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders was rescheduled due to the need for better arrangements.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in Juba, August 26, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomu)

Initially the heads of state and government had to meet on Sunday 14 November but the meeting was postponed to 19 November before to announce that the summit will take place on Thursday 26 November.

“There are some logistical issues that needed to be set for the summit,” said foreign ministry spokesperson, Mawien Makol Ariik, when contacted for a comment by Sudan Tribune on Monday.

“The parliament is reopening this week and these are some of things that needed to be done first,” he added.

The National parliament is due to reopen after a month of recess next Wednesday.

On Sunday, information minister Makuei Lueth said that the meeting of IGAD heads of states and governments was delayed from to Monday 23 November.

Also, it was reported that the first delay was decided by the east African bloc to give more time to the former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae to settle the outstanding issues between the signatories of the peace agreement.

Last week, the first vice-president designate Riek Machar declined to take part in the gathering, saying suitable atmosphere was not yet created by Juba, alluding to Juba refusal to receive his advance team and the presidential decision to divide the country in 28 states.

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November 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The chairman of the Foreign Relations subcommittee in the Sudanese parliament Mohamed Mustafa al-Daw said that Khartoum is awaiting clarifications from Egyptian authorities about the alleged mistreatment of its nationals in Cairo recently by police and security forces.

In this Friday, Nov. 6, 2015 photo, muslim migrants attend Friday prayers outside a makeshift mosque at the migrant camp near Calais, northern France. Muslims hold Friday prayers in a half-dozen tents catering to Sunni and Shiite Arabic speakers, Iranian and Afghan speakers of Persian and Pashto, Syrian Kurds, and Sudanese in both Arabic and tribal tongues. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

There were frequent complaints by Sudanese travelers who arrived from Cairo who claimed that they were subjected to street stops by police and even saw their money seized in the process.

The Consul General of Sudan in Cairo Khalid al-Sheikh said that they submitted a memo to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry inquiring about the recent surge of harassment of Sudanese citizens.

The memo pointed that bad treatment by police and national security has recently increased against Sudanese nationals, saying that conduct is unacceptable and inconsistent with the deep ties and agreements signed between the two nations particularly the four-freedoms agreement.

Al-Daw said in remarks on Sunday that the parliament will not hesitate to subpoena the foreign ministry if it turns out that they neglected the matter given their primary responsibility.

He stressed that the media should deal objectively with the situation and not inflate it until facts become clear, especially since Egypt is going through exceptional circumstances because of the internal situation.

The MP warned that all options are on table to preserve the dignity of Sudanese nationals in Egypt.

Sudan's foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq told reporters on Saturday that the Sudanese embassy in Cairo has clear directives to look after the Sudanese nationals and make sure they are being well treated.

He said they are confident that Egypt's foreign ministry would investigate the issue, stressing the strong ties between Khartoum and Cairo would enable them to overcome any misunderstanding.

In a related issue, various media outlets reported that 15 Sudanese migrants trying to cross from Egypt into Israel were shot and killed at the border early Sunday.

A senior security official in northern Sinai, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the news media, told New York Times that the Egyptian border police shot the migrants when they ignored warnings not to cross the border fence. At least eight were wounded, the official said, adding that another eight migrants had been arrested.

But another Egyptian security official said that the Sudanese migrants had been caught in the middle of a shootout between Bedouin smugglers and the Egyptian police, and that they had been killed in the crossfire. And Reuters, citing security sources, said the police had found the migrants' bodies near the border.

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By John A. Akec

All economies, large and small, experience periods of boom and bust. Like us humans, all economies get sick; and from time to time, require fixing to bring them in line with respective national economic policy objectives: namely, maintaining low inflation, sustaining economic growth, and achieving full employment. Causes of economic crisis may differ from one country to another. Each demands appropriate diagnosis and right prescription in order to recover. And we all agree that South Sudan's economy been experiencing challenges for sometimes. Notable among these challenges has been the continuous hikes in prices of consumer goods. In economists' jargon, we are experiencing serious inflation (due to rise in cost of buying dollar for imports, and aggravated by increase supply of national currency in circulation month after month). This inflation is so severe that it qualifies the description of ‘a crisis' as prices of food and durable goods have tripled or quadrupled over the last few months. It is also seen in the disappearance of fuel from the market and the sights of long queues of vehicles and boda-bodas at petrol stations in nation's capital, Juba.

The causes of this economic crisis are well understood. Briefly summarized, the drop in the global prices of oil has meant that very little revenue is accruing to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. War has also led to shutting down of production of oil in Unity State resulting in reduction of total oil output by 30 percent. All factors combined have created a large deficit (or shortfall) in the government public finances. The shortfall which amounts to SSP 600 million a month or SSP 7.2 billion a year is being funded through central bank's borrowing. Central bank borrowing, also known as deficit financing, is believed to be responsible for massive increase in the amount of national currency notes circulating in the economy, whereas the supply of hard currency (dollar) available for exchange remained fixed or somewhat reduced. In other words, deficit financing has resulted in “too many South Sudanese pounds chasing too few dollars.” Consequently, our national currency has fallen in value by almost 300 percent against dollar (from SSP 5.5 to a dollar in January 2015; to SSP 18.5 to a dollar by the end of October 2015). And since we are import-oriented economy, prices of imported goods have subsequently tripled. Some traders have shifted to US dollar as the preferred medium of exchange and better store of monetary value, first sign that our economy is about to dollarise.

THE BEST WAY TO DESTROY A NATION

And to be sure, instability in value of national currency is a matter that deserves an utmost attention. It is no lesser critical than deciding to go to war; or declaring a state of emergency. History has it that Vladimir Lenin, the first leader of Communist Russia, once shrewdly observed that the best weapon for destroying a nation is to destroy its currency. Later on, history tells us, Adolf Hitler, having independently come to the same conclusion as Lenin, planned to fly airplanes over England not to drop bombs, but to unload tones after tones of counterfeited notes of British currency! No one is sure if those plans ever materialized. However, its mention here doe help to drive this point home –stability of national currency is a matter of life and death.
As a nation, we face two scenarios: the first is to absolutely to do nothing but sit back and watch our currency decent into insignificance, just as we have been doing so far, and be ready to pay the ultimate price for inaction. The second scenario is to wake up and take some corrective measures in order to restore confidence in our national currency.

THE BEST CASE SCENARIO: FLOATING THE EXCHANGE RATE IRRESPECTIVE OF OUR FINANCIAL STANDING

The best case scenario is to abolish the fixed exchange rate as soon as possible, irrespective of our financial standing. It is to be recalled that an economic workshop was organized by the government in May 2015. Many economists who attended agreed that the problem stems from deficit financing; and that the best remedy is to move away from the fixed exchange rate policy to a market-determined rate. However, economists could not agree on pre-conditions for such measures nor the best timing. The result has been stagnation, and continuous decline of South Sudan in currency market. However, there are strong arguments against inaction.

For example, the pro-alignment camp argues that at the current parallel exchange rate against dollar of SSP 18.5 to dollar (as of Sunday 8 November 2015), the Ministry of Finance will fetch SSP 1.11 billion for USD 60 million, the estimated monthly oil revenue accruing to the government of South Sudan, or an estimated annual income of SSP 13.320 billion per year (on flexible exchange rate policy). That is, at the stroke of a pen, it does away with the huge deficit.
Add to it the tax revenue of SSP 1.44 billion annual tax revenue, and we have total income of SSP 14.76 billion of government annual income. That is, 4.75 billion additional funds that can be used on development and partly on increasing the salaries of workers on low income in order to reduce income disparities. This is better when compared to estimated SSP 3 billion annual government revenue at current fixed exchange rate of 2.96 to a dollar and a deficit of SSP 7 billion in the approved budget of SSP 10 billion for 2015/2016. It is important to note that these reforms can be implemented with or without foreign currency cushioning. Furthermore, reform of income tax (to include constitutional post holders) could raise additional SSP 2.4 billion per year, taking the total estimated revenue for this financial year to about SSP 17.16 billion.

Furthermore, additional measures include removing fuel subsidies. Currently, Nile Petroleum Corporation spends about USD 18 million per month on fuel or USD 216 million per year (SSP 4 billon) in real term at parallel market rate. A liter of petrol or diesel sells at SSP 6 or USD 2 at fixed exchange. In real terms and based on parallel exchange rate, it should sell at SSP 37 a liter.

Hence there is subsidy of SSP 31 per litter which works out to 83% fuel subsidies paid by Nile Pet on our behalf. Still below the black market price of SSP 60 per liter which many are ready to pay.

Hence, removing the subsidies fully (for argument's sake), the government can get back an estimated amount of SSP 3.3 billion (USD 179.3 million) a year. All in all, the government revenue can rise to SSP 20 billion without increasing the taxes. With these measures, it is possible to recalibrate and stabilize the South Sudanese pound.

THE WORST CASE SCENARIO: DOING NOTHING

This is the favoured scenario by the majority of our economists and members of legislative assembly. The argue that we do nothing until our financial standing improves (a buffer to defend the pound when demand for dollar at market price increases. This is in complete defiance of inverse relation between demand and prices. And doing nothing, fortunately, does not require lengthy explanation to understand. It means our Minister of Finance will continue to run a budget with large shortfall of SSP 7 billion a year; funded through central bank's borrowing which means pumping more currency notes into circulation every month. The South Sudan pound will continue its free fall by an average of SSP 2 per month; and by February 2016, the exchange rate of our currency against dollar will hit or exceed SSP 25 mark. Millions of low-waged individuals will be squeezed out of the market as they will no longer afford to feed their families. Salaries (even for the best paid) will come to mean nothing. Fuel prices will continue to rise. Life will be unbearable for most with the exception of few. The successful implementation of peace agreement will only bring in additional USD 30 million per month (SSP 90 million per month at fixed exchange rate of SSP 2.96 to a dollar). That is, if production in Unity State resumes by December 2015, which is unlikely. Even that addition to government revenue will not make huge difference as long as the exchange rate remains fixed at SSP 2.96 to a dollar, the deficit will fall by SSP 90 to SSP 510 million per month (SSP 6.1 billion annually); and the fall of South Sudanese pound will continue unabated.

In the final analysis, serious political and social upheavals will ensue as a result of unresolved economic crisis. And most probably by January or February in the new year could be troublesome to our stability. And if that happens, many of us will find ourselves agreeing with the economist John Maynard Keynes who expressed his frustration with the classical economists who would not advise their governments to intervene with stimulus in order to speed up economic recovery after the Great Depression which happened between 1920 and 1929.
To Keynes' dismay, the established classical economists occupying White Hall in Britain and beyond, insisted that governments in Britain, Europe, and United States do nothing but allow their economies to self-correct (in the long run). Against which John Maynard Keynes argued that the long run argument is a misleading guide to current affairs as they existed then. And that in the long run all will be dead. Keynes also lampooned classical economists' influence on political decision-makers to do nothing saying: “Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually slaves of some defunct economist[s].”

And if our defunct economists could have their way, Keynes, Lenin, and Hitler would be shaking their heads in their resting abode, amazed that someone in the enlightened twenty-first century would still choose to ignore their wise insights.

*The writer is Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba, South Sudan.

November 13, 2015 (WAU) - The health minister in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Isaac Clerto has announced the commencement of mass polio immunisation campaign.

A medical worker vaccinates a child against polio. (AFP)

The door-to-door campaign will target 13,500 children below five.

“We as government of South Sudan have recognised that since 2009, Polio case has been reported but the coverage is still a challenge [and] that is why we are continuing with the campaign and this the third,” said Clerto.

The campaign started on 14 November and will go till 17.

“We were suppose to start a week earlier but because the delay of vaccines we shifted it to one week. Vaccines have now arrived and these include the ones for counties as immunisation starts tomorrow,” he said.

Clerto, however, urged parents to cooperate with health officials during the exercise.

“What we need is cooperation among the parents to our staff. Even though your child is sick, he or she should be vaccinated because this vaccination gives more immunity to the child,” stressed the minister.

South Sudan has been polio-free since 2009. In 2013, however, health officials declared a national emergency after positive test results were discovered and launched emergency vaccination campaigns in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria states.

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November 13, 2015 (RUMBEK) - Authorities in South Sudan's Lakes state have cautioned against selling fuel on streets and using petrol generators in the capital, Rumbek.

Map detail of South Sudan showing Lakes state in red

The new directive was contained in an order signed by the Rumbek town clerk, Mabor Chawuop Mabor.

“[A fine of] 500SSP will be imposed on any person who violates the order and all fuel or petrol you are selling will be seized without compensation,” partly reads the order.

The director of the fire brigade, Chol Mayar Mayuen said it was extremely difficult to control outbreaks resulting from a generator that has caught fire.

“All those generators installed near public places need relocation to places that are distant from people, fuel station managers should observe public safety. Those selling petrol or fuel at roadside should stop it immediately because it is a high risk – there are no spaces for fire fighters to intervene if fire erupted because of lack of fire fighters and equipment,” stressed Chol.

He however urged all members of the fire brigade to observe their duties and engage the civil population to respect the rules of law within the state, saying “We are not part of tribal conflict in the state – our duty is to fight fire – we are civil defense forces".

The Lakes state capital currently has nine fuel stations which are fully in operation.

(ST)

With Ethiopia experiencing its worst drought in decades the United Nations is reporting deepening food insecurity and &#8220severe emaciation and unusual livestock deaths&#8221 as the Organization&#39s humanitarian wing has allocated $17 million in emergency funding to help the Government tackle climate challenges and ensure timely food relief.

November 15, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) Sunday said the security agents at Khartoum airport has detained one of its leaders upon his return from Paris where he attended opposition meeting.

Leaders and delegates of the Sudan Call forces pose in a collective picture at the end of their meeting outside Paris on November 13 2015 (ST Photo)

NCF spokesperson Abu Bakr Youssef told Sudan Tribune that National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) has detained the chairman of the Sudanese National Alliance Party (SNAP) Kamal Ismail early on Sunday morning upon his return from Paris for several hours.

He added that NISS seized Ismail's passport and forced him to sign a pledge to report to its office after a week.

Youssef noted that NISS had previously seized passports of five opposition leaders including the secretary general of the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) Mohamed Mukhtar al-Khatib, SCP leading figures Siddiq Youssef and Tarig Abdel-Mageed, chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) Ibrahim al-Shiekh and chairman of the Unified National Unionist Party (UNUP) Galaa al-Azhari, saying the passports are still in NISS position.

Last week, NISS banned al-Khatib, Youssef, Abdel-Mageed and al-Azahari from travelling to Paris to attend the opposition meeting.

He expected that NISS would also detain the rest of the opposition leaders upon their return from Paris, saying the move is inconsistent with the laws and the constitution as well as the national dialogue climate.

“We believe this move doesn't help the ongoing national dialogue or the [security arrangement talks] which would convene within hours”. Youssef said.

“We urge the regime to look at Paris meeting differently if it is serious about [holding] the national dialogue,” he added.

It noteworthy that the opposition “Sudan Call” forces including the NCF, National Umma Party (NUP), rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF) and the Civil Society Initiative (CSI) held a four-day meeting outside Paris to discuss issues of regime change as well as organizational issues pertaining to the alliance.

They decided to “liquidate” the regime and establish a transitional national government either through dialogue or popular uprising.

(ST)

November 15, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) has warned against the worsening conditions of children in eastern Sudan due to malnutrition.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Omar Abdi, (C) speaks in a press briefing on November 15, 2015 (Photo UNICEF)

UNICEF deputy executive director Omar Abdi, expressed fear over the challenges facing the work of UNICEF in Sudan, particularly with regard to accessing all children.

He said that some areas are still suffering from children malnutrition despite the progress made in reducing the death rates of children below five years old from 83% to 68% together with increasing the number of children enrolled in schools and those who have access to water.

Abdi, who spoke at a press conference at the conclusion of his visit to Sudan Sunday, pointed that the budget allotted for Sudan amounts to $130 million, saying it only covers 60% of the actual needs.

He urged the partners to continue their support for UNICEF programs in Sudan, adding he discussed the work of UNICEF in Sudan with several officials including the First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Salih.

Abdi pointed the Sudanese government stressed commitment to cooperate with UNICEF to promote children's welfare, saying he inspected the security situation and several IDP's camps in North Darfur state.

For his part, UNICEF resident representative in Sudan, Geert Cappelaere said the malnutrition in eastern Sudan is worse than in Darfur, noting that UNICEF would open an office in eastern Sudan to strengthen its presence there.

“We would launch a call to provide a budget to address malnutrition issue particularly as the budget allotted to Sudan is limited,” he said

He said that 7% of the South Sudanese refugees in Sudan are children, pointing to high mortality rate among them due to malnutrition and lack of vaccination.

The director of the international cooperation department at Sudan's foreign ministry Sirag al-Din Hamid , for his part, asked for UNICEF help to lift the unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Sudan in order to allow the implementation of programs pertaining to children and education.

He described the visit of UNICEF deputy executive director to Sudan as important, saying that Khartoum attaches great hopes to the visit which reflects the level of cooperation between UNICEF and Sudan.

(ST)

November 15, 2015 (JUBA) - The summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders in Juba has been again rescheduled to 23 November, South Sudanese information minister announced on Sunday.

President Salva Kiir poses with other leaders of African countries during a photo session before the opening session of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama on June 1, 2013. (Getty)

In statements to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, Michael Makuei Lueth said that the meeting of IGAD heads of states and governments was delayed from 19 to 23 November, adding the decision was taken by the regional body and not Juba government.

Lueth said the delay is due to previous commitments to the African leaders.

The meeting was delayed from 14 to 19 November in order to give more time to the former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae to settle the outstanding issues between the signatories of the peace agreement.

On Thursday Juba said the first vice-president designate Riek Machar would take part in the meeting which aims to encourage him and president Salva Kiir to implement the peace agreement and settle the outstanding issues.

However the SPLM-IO said its leader would not participate in the meeting before the arrival of its advance team and the resolution of political and security issues in the peace agreement.

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November 15, 2015 (ARUSHA/JUBA) - The European Union (EU) has welcomed the recent release of the African Union Commission of Inquiry report on human rights abuses in South Sudan and vowed to support the establishment of a Hybrid Court on the world's youngest nation.

The second continental judicial dialogue taking place in Arusha, Tanzania on November 5, 2015 (Pan African Lawyers photo)

The EU's assurance came during the second continental judicial dialogue on “connecting national and international justice” held in Tanzania last week.

The three-day judicial dialogue, among other resolutions, supported the idea to establish a continental network of African judiciaries under the auspices of the African Union to bring together superior courts of the African Union member states.

Both warring factions in the South Sudanese conflict committed war crimes in Juba, Bor, Bentiu and Malakal towns, the African Union Commission of Inquiry said in its report.

It however said most “indiscriminate” and “unlawful” killings of civilians or soldiers in Juba were committed by element of government security forces.

“These attacks resulted in massive killings in and around Juba. The people killed were either found during the house to house search or captured on roadblocks,” partly reads the 318-page report Sudan Tribune obtained.

The five-member commission also said there are reasonable grounds to believe war crimes of rape and torture were committed against civilians in and around Juba, citing evidences that point to state security involvement.

“The evidence collected also suggests that war crime of forced enlisting of children in the army were committed,” says the report from the commission, which was headed by former Nigerian president, Olusegen Obasanjo.

War crimes, it said, were believed to have been committed by government soldiers in Malakal Teaching Hospital through the killings of civilians by some of the soldiers within the South Sudanese national army (SPLA).

“The civilians killed were Nuers who had sought shelter at the hospital at night. About six Nuers were killed on diverse dates between 22nd January and 17th February 2014,” it said. “Some others men women and children were selected, gathered and taken to the river where they were killed”.

There are also various accounts and testimonies on killings said to have been conducted by state security agents in the South Sudanese towns of Juba, Bentiu and Bor.

The five-member commission, established in March last year and tasked to investigate the human rights violations and other abuses committed during the armed conflict in South Sudan, equally attributed war crimes allegedly committed to the armed opposition (SPLA/IO) and the white army forces allied to the country's former vice president, Riek Machar in Bor.

The commission further considers that there are reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes in relation to massive and indiscriminate attacks against civilian property were carried out in Bor town, reads the report.

“Visible evidence of torched non-military objectives like houses, market place, administration houses, hospital, form the basis to believe that these crimes were committed,” it adds.

The commission, however, said there were reasonable grounds to believe that no crimes of genocide were committed during the mid-December 2013 conflict despite the seeming ethnic nature and dimension the violent war.

It still maintained though that some of the serious violations of human rights could amount to crimes against humanity were committed during the conflict and that further investigations be done to identify those responsible.

JUDICIAL REFORM PROCESS

Meanwhile, the commission found that the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan gives the presidency too much power amidst a weak institutions and a gap between the judiciary, legislature and the executive.

As such, it said, the South Sudanese president's power to remove some state officials, often without proper controls, was one cause of instability in the country.

“The Commission recommends that the future Constitution should establish a well-balanced system of separation of powers with adequate checks and balances,” it said.

This, the report further noted, should be achieved through empowering and strengthening the capacity of the legislatures at both levels of government; subjecting major executive appointments to legislative approval; strengthening the judiciary (ensuring structural and financial independence from the political branches) and adherence to separation of powers, cultivating a culture of respect for judicial independence and rule of law.

The commission of inquiry recommended that appointment and removal of the country's vice president be subjected to the approval of the legislature.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

The AU Commission of inquiry, among others, recommended the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a mandate to investigate human rights violations dating back to the agreed cutoff date.

The peace and reconciliation process, it said, should be driven by the commission.

“Such a body should lead to truth, remorse, forgiveness and restitution where necessary, justice and lasting reconciliation being achieved,” it added and that process be established in relationship with ‘hybrid' mechanisms.

“Such mechanisms would operate under the national mechanism, which should develop guidelines that seek to among others, align the operations of grassroots mechanisms with human rights and other identified ideals”.

The South Sudanese government said it would not shield officials found to have masterminded the killing of members of ethnic Nuer in December 2013 when political differences within the leadership of the country's ruling party (SPLM) turned violent by spreading into the army.

“The government will not protect officials who will be found to have played roles pointing to facts and evidences that they were involved in the killing of some citizens on the basis of their ethnicity. I repeat if there are credible, reliable and empirical evidences about actions of some people, the government will hand them over to answer the cause of their actions," justice minister Paulino Wanawila told Sudan Tribune last week.

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November 14, 2015 (KHATOUM) - Sunday's summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) leaders has been delayed to the next week.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in Juba, August 26, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomu)

Juba on Thursday announced that the first vice-president designate Riek Machar will attend the gathering of the regional meeting, adding that its purpose was to build confidence between the two rival leaders to expedite the process of implementing peace agreement.

But the SPLM-IO said its leader would not take part in this event. The co-signatory of peace agreement pointed to the need to complete arrangement for its advance team to arrive in Juba and to resolve some of political and security issues in the peace agreement before.

South Sudanese ambassador in Khartoum Mayan Dut Waal on Saturday told Sudan Tribune that the IGAD summit was delayed to Thursday, adding that all the IGAD leaders including President Omer al-Bashir will be in Juba on 19 November.

The reason behind the delay was not clear, what informed sources said the measure aims to give more time for the former president of Botswana, Festus Gontebanye Mogae to settle the outstanding issues between the two sides.

Mogae who is announced last month as head of the IGAD monitoring commission for the implementation of peace agreement met Saturday with President al-Bashir to discuss the ongoing preparation to start the implementation of the peace deal signed last August.

In press statement to the official news agency SUNA the Sudanese presidency said Bashir reiterated his support for the peace process and stability in South Sudan, stressing that any political development in the neighbouring country affects directly the Sudan.

Sudanese sources that declined to be named told Sudan Tribune that Bashir told the visiting envoy he is aware of the accusations of support to rebels by the South Sudanese officials and denied such allegations.

The Sudanese president further advised the former president of Botswana to handle patiently the implementation process in order to achieve it.

(ST)

November 14, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government has condemned the deadly terrorist attacks that hit the French capital Paris on Friday night, saying they are "against all religious and human values".

People gather around a symbol of the Eiffel Tower created with lighted candles during a rally in honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, in Lausanne, Switzerland, on November 14, 2015 (Photo EPA/Salvatore di Nolfi)

Also several armed opposition groups expressed their solidarity with the French people and condemned the "heinous acts" on civilians.

Khartoum's foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq said in a written statement that his country sends its condolences to the government and people of France and the families and relatives of the victims.

Al-Sadiq also underscored Sudan's full solidarity with France and with the international community in supporting efforts exerted to combat violence and fundamentalism that runs against all norms and all religions and against all human values, as the traitorous hands were now targeting innocent people and spreading blind destruction around the world.

The Islamic State group (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the bloody attack that hit Paris's most popular night-spots, including a sold-out concert hall, at restaurants and bars and outside France's national stadium.

Also, the diplomat confirmed that the Sudanese community in France is well and no casualties were recorded among them.

The coordinated terror attacks in the French capital targeted six sites where Parisians gather on Friday evening. French authorities said that some 129 were killed. The deadliest attack was at the Bataclan, a concert hall where 82 people died.

In separate statements extended to Sudan Tribune, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) condemned the mass terror attack and expressed their condolence to the families of victims, the French people and government.

"The cult of terror belongs to itself only, and should not be associated with a creed or a race or a nation. They should not be tolerated or provided shelter under any pretext or excuse," said JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim.

He further pointed that the perpetrators of these terrorists are "bent to destroy our lives and civilization unless we stand united in their face with absolute resolve".

From his part, Minni Minnawi, condemned the "killing of innocent people in the name of Islam" and called for a firm international response against terrorism.

"We also warn that terrorism has become a network funded by some regimes and we hope the world takes this fact seriously to face these regimes," Minnawi further said.

Media reports disclosed that Egyptian and Syrian passports have been found near the bodies of one of the attackers in different sites, hinting to the involvement of foreign nationals in the attacks, or at least that they were prepared outside the French territory. Only one French was identified among the attackers.

In an online statement released Saturday, Daesh claimed responsibility for Paris attacks and said that the operation was conducted by eight militants.

The terror group also said this attack was in response to airstrikes agonist its militants in Syria and Iraq. The statement further warned that France would remain one of its top targets.

The eight attackers - seven blew themselves up and one was shot by police - are the first to ever carry out suicide bombings on French soil.

The French president François Hollande on Saturday said his country is in war against the terrorist group, adding that his government was considering further actions against Daesh.

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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 14, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) -Ethiopia on Saturday condemned a series of terrorist attacks carried out in the French capital, on Friday night.

A poster with the Eiffel Tower is displayed between candles for the victims killed in the Friday's attacks in Paris, France, in front of the French Embassy in Berlin, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (Photo AP)

At least 129 people were killed and more than 300 others wounded after terrorists carried out a coordinated attacks including several shootings, explosions and mass hostage taking in Paris.

On behalf of the government and People of Ethiopia, Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist attack and extended condolences to families of the victims

While deploring the attack and expressing condolences, Ethiopian foreign minister Tedros Adhanom, underscored a need for more global concerted effort for the fight against terrorism.

“Our sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims of the terror attack in Paris. Our solidarity with the people and government of France,” Adhanom said in a statement he wrote on his Face book page.

“The attack shows that no country is immune from terror attack. A comprehensive approach and effective coordination of our efforts to fight terrorism is more important than ever before,” he said.

French President Francois Hollande, called Friday night's attack an “act of war” carried out by ISIS, and vowed that France would react with a “merciless” fight against terrorism.

In a statement released on social media ISIS has claimed responsibility for the multiple attacks and said the attack was in retaliation to French's air strikes in Iraq and Syria.

The extremist group warned that Friday's attack was ‘just the start of a storm' and vowed to launch more attacks.

France joined the US, and carries out air attack on the positions of the terrorist in Syria since last September.

Early in January, extremists killed 18 people after attacking at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine which had been publishing controversial prophet Muhammad cartoons.

Friday's attack is the worst attack on a European soil since a terrorist attacks carried out in the Spanish capital Madrid in 2004, when series of bombs that exploded within minutes of each other on four commuter trains claimed the lives of 190 people and wounded more than 1,800.

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November 14, 2015 (BOR/ADDIS ABABA) – A South Sudanese armed opposition (SPLM-IO) official has dismissed claims that their forces carried out an attack at a village in Twic East county of the country's largest state.

Rebel fighters protect civilians from the Nuer ethnic group (not seen) walk through flooded areas to reach a camp in UNMISS base in Bentiu, Sept. 20, 2014 (Photo AP/Matthew Abbott)

The county commissioner, Dau Akoi said at least 20 people, mainly women and children, were killed during Friday's attack by rebels in Maar village.

“It is a disaster, two young kids were killed, and eight women of various ages, and 10 men. There is evidence that the attacked was carried out by the rebels of Riek Machar in the area. We could tell from the dead body of one of their fighters. He is a Nuer man,” he told Sudan Tribune by phone.

Among those killed, the commissioner said, was a local chief whose name was withheld.

“This is a violation of the peace agreement signed by the government and the rebel movement,” he said, urging the East African regional bloc (IGAD), African Union and the international community to intervene in the matter.

But the armed opposition leader's spokesperson, James Dak refuted allegations that their forces attacked a village Twic East county Friday.

“We are not responsible for the reported attack in Twic East county. There is no reason for us to attack civilians in villages. Our forces have not attacked anybody in the area,” he told Sudan Tribune Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dak welcomed the arrival of the assessment team into South Sudan's Unity state. The team, composed of members of the United Nations Security Council and IGAD visited Leer county on Friday to assess the human rights violations in the oil-rich region.

The assessment team, he said, also visited opposition held territories in the area to acquaint themselves with the recent human rights violations committed by South Sudan's warring parties. Dak, however, claimed government forces were on offensive in violation of the ceasefire, targeting both bases of opposition forces and civilian settlements in the area, resulting to death of dozens and displacement of thousands last week.

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November 14, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) - South Sudanese armed opposition fighters (SPLA-IO) led by former vice-president, Riek Machar, said they welcomed the declaration of the youth fighters in Western Equatoria state, known as the Arrow Boys, to join the opposition forces in the country.

Arrow Boys seen here in May 2010, patrol a village in south Sudan in an attempt to defend themselves from attacks LRA rebels (AFP)

The Arrow Boys, according to opposition leader's spokesman, commanded by their leader, Alfred Karaba Futiyo Onyang, have declared joining the SPLA-IO and vowed their allegiance to the leadership of the SPLM-IO.

“SPLM/SPLA welcomes the Arrow Boys in Western Equatoria state under the command of Alfred Karaba Futiyo, in their recent declaration to join the Movement,” said James Gatdet Dak, in a statement he issued on Saturday.

The commander of the arrow boys, Futiyo, also told Sudan Tribune that over 10,000 armed youth composing the arrow boys under his command from various communities in Western Equatoria state, have on Thursday declared joining the SPLA-IO.

Opposition leader's spokesman, Dak, welcomed the decision of the defection by the arrow boys and blamed the government of President Salva Kiir for pushing the youth fighters into making the decision.

He said the government was not committed to peace and had been carrying out attacks against the SPLA-IO and other armed groups in the country.

Last week, clashes occurred between the South Sudanese army (SPLA) and the Arrow Boys in Tombora area, resulting to killing of Tombora commissioner by suspected elements from the government forces, when they were ambushed on their return from a peace mission in an attempt to reconcile the government forces and the armed youth fighters.

Dak also said government forces have continued to attack opposition's bases in the oil rich Unity state.

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November 14, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's embassy in Cairo has submitted a memo to the Egyptian foreign ministry inquiring about mistreatment of Sudanese nationals in Egypt by police and national security.

Sudanese ambassador in Cairo Abdul-Mahmoud Abdul-Halim

There were media reports that several Sudanese citizens who arrived in Cairo for various reasons said that police and security services have stopped them on public streets and seized their money.

Sudan's Consul General in Cairo Khaled El-Shiekh told al-Youm al-Tali newspaper Saturday that the consulate submitted a memo to the Egyptian foreign ministry inquiring about the recent search and detention campaigns carried out against the Sudanese nationals.

He disclosed the consulate received complaints from several Sudanese who have been detained after they exchanged amounts of US dollars to Egyptian pounds without getting receipts.

According to the memo which was seen by Sudan Tribune, the consulate pointed the Egyptian foreign ministry didn't respond to a similar memo it submitted on November 1st.

The memo pointed that bad treatment by police and national security has recently increased against Sudanese nationals, saying that conduct is unacceptable and inconsistent with the deep ties and agreements signed between the two nations particularly the four-freedom agreement.

El-Shiekh said he visited the Sudanese detained in various police stations in Cairo, adding the prosecution office noted the measure was not only intended for the Sudanese but it applies for all foreign nationals in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Sudan's foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq told reporters Saturday that the Sudanese embassy in Cairo has clear directives to look after the Sudanese nationals and make sure they are being well treated.

He said they are confident that Egypt's foreign ministry would investigate the issue, stressing the strong ties between Khartoum and Cairo would enable them to overcome any misunderstanding.

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November 14, 2015 (JUBA) - The United States aid arm (USAID) has extended the International Organisation for Migration [IOM]-USAID Abyei Rehabilitation Initiative funding until 2018.

Abyei residents line up to receive humanitarian assistance (Photo: Tim McKulka/UNMISS)

Started in January 2013, the programme was designed to mitigate the risk of conflict and promote recovery in Abyei Administrative Area, a territory of more than 10,000 square kilometres contested by Sudan and South Sudan.

The initiative, officials said, came into effect in response to unmet needs related to armed conflict, displacement and longstanding intercommunal tensions in the disputed oil-producing region. Its first phase reportedly focused on reconstructing infrastructure in Abyei town, much of which was destroyed in the May 2011 armed attack.

Abyei's unresolved status means the region still require support to uplift and improve facilities like roads, schools, hospitals and other services.

According to IOM, the programme shifted its focus toward reinvigorating economic activity in Abyei and improving access to livelihood and educational opportunities in mid-2014.

“With the support of partners, IOM and USAID conduct vocational and informal livelihood trainings, teach business skills and English literacy, and engage students in peacebuilding and conflict mitigation activities,” it said.

The trainings reportedly place strong emphasis on supporting women and youth, representing the first educational opportunities for many students.

Since its inception, 670 people have reportedly completed the training courses. Over next two years, IOM and USAID will reportedly continue to focus on expanding livelihood opportunities, infrastructure projects and peace building activities, as well as improving the agriculture and livestock sectors in the disputed region.

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