Africa

Across northern Mali, a flare-up in clashes between armed groups has spurred a renewed exodus of people fleeing the violence and their homes, the United Nations refugee agency said today, reporting difficulties in reaching the beleaguered populations with critical humanitarian aid.

May 28, 2015 (KAMPALA) - South Sudanese students from Greater Gokrial in Warrap state have discussed ways of ending three month of deadly conflicts between Gokrial west and Gokrial East counties.

The students, meeting in the Uganda capital, Kampala appealed to the two warring side in Warrap to immediately end their feud, embrace peace and reconciliation.

Paul Duwar Bak, the legal adviser for Greater Gokrial, said on Thursday that the students agreed to send representatives to the conflict-affected areas of Warrap state.

He said students were unhappy about ongoing killings among the youth in Warrap.

“Nevertheless, students condemned in the strongest term possible the ongoing inter-communal fights between the Apuk and Aguok clans,” said Bak.

In 2007, Warrap youth brokered a peace deal between the two area communities, but the accord collapse after last year's conflicts.

A resolution passed at the Gokrial youth gathering tasked students from Apuk and Aguok clans to join hands and ensure peace prevailed. This resolution came after a peace mobilisation team from the Greater Gokrial community converged in Kampala.

(ST)

May 27, 2015(BOR) – Two people were killed when suspected Murle raiders attempted to attack Pariak village in South Sudan's Jonglei state.

The raiders reportedly attacked herders at a grazing field near residential areas, killing one on spot while the other reportedly died at he tried to rescue the seized animals.

Malueth Machar, a youth who took part in the fight, said the attackers confronted the herders with the aim of confiscating cattle.

“We were herding the cattle in three different groups not far from one another. When I heard the gunfire in the group next, the firing was intense which increased spontaneously. I left the cattle and quickly ran toward that group. I joined the rest in the fight. One of us was already dead by the time I came,” Machar told Sudan Tribune.

“The rest of the attackers had already taken the cattle behind them and were firing at us in front with the cattle being driven away by the rest of their members”, he added.

Pariak village in South Sudan's largest state and its surrounding territories like Yol-thar, Panwell and Bangachorot are often frequented by suspected Murle raiders.

Garang Athiak, a village leader, said his area was always vulnerable to attacks due lack of forces needed to protect civilians. He urged the leadership of the Greater Pibor administration to speed up the process of reconciliation between Dinka and Nuer.

(ST).

May 28, 2014 (JUBA) – A United Nations peacekeeper was injured when shots were fired outside the UN compound in the Upper Nile state capital, Malakal on Thursday.

UNMISS troops from India patrol the perimeters of a compound in South Sudan's capital, Juba (AP)

“The mission is deeply concerned that despite reassurances given by both parties, such an incident occurred this afternoon and reiterates its strong call upon all the parties to respect the sanctity of UN installations and staff,” Stephane Dujarric, a UN spokesperson, revealed.

Meanwhile, senior UN officials warned of the renewed attacks against the civilian population, especially women and children, in the armed conflict in South Sudan

The UN special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, her counterpart for children and armed conflict, Leila Zerrougui, executive director of UN women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN special adviser on prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng and his counterpart on the responsibility to protect, Jennifer Welsh issued the joint statement on 18 May.

“We are deeply concerned at reports of escalating violence against the civilian population in the context of the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, particularly against women and children,” it reads in part.

According to the joint UN statement, since the middle of April 2015, reports have indicated that serious violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law have taken place and are ongoing, as fighting intensifies between forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and Sudan People's Liberation Army–In Opposition (SPLA-IO) in Unity and Upper Nile States.

“We are appalled at the large scale, widespread nature of the violations and abuses reported, including extra judicial killings, the abduction of women and children, rape and other forms of sexual violence, recruitment and use of children, looting and destruction of property,” reads the joint release also extended to Sudan Tribune.

Fighting has exacerbated an already dire economic and humanitarian situation by reducing humanitarian space and depriving people of essential humanitarian assistance.

We continue to remind the political and military leadership of the SPLA and SPLA-IO of their responsibilities, in line with international law, including their responsibility to ensure the full protection of the civilian population, especially women and children, from violence and to spare them the effects of hostilities, the UN officials stressed.

“The Government of South Sudan bears the primary responsibility for protecting its population from serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. We therefore call upon the Government to exercise that responsibility,” the statement said.

“The SPLA and SPLA-IO leaders must immediately put a stop to ongoing violations and abuses, issue clear orders for the immediate release of children associated with their forces and prohibiting sexual violence crimes,” it further stressed.

They urged the UN Security Council, African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), neighbouring countries and other relevant stakeholders, especially those involved in the mediation process, to reinforce engagements with the SPLA and SPLA-IO in order to de-escalate the current situation, prevent further violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and move the mediation process forward.

“It is the collective responsibility of the international community to take decisive steps to end the protracted suffering of the South Sudanese people, especially the women and children who are disproportionately affected by the recent clashes,” they argued.

Talks between the country's two warring parties are due to resume early next month.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Darfur main rebel groups Thursday agreed on the need to exert more efforts to protect children in the conflict areas and to adhere to the existing international standards.

In this photo extended to Sudan Tribune, JEM's Gibril Ibraim, SLM Abel Wahid al-Nur and SLM Minni Minnawi pose for a picture at the Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Stadtschlaining, Austria, 27.28 of May 2015

Leaders of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Sudan Liberation Movement - Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM/AW) and Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi (SLM/MM) made their commitment in at the end of a consultations meeting held in Stadtschlaining, Austria, on 27-28 May.

As parties to the conflict we acknowledge that "we also bear responsibility for the protection of children in Darfur/Sudan. We therefore pledge to continue to make every effort necessary to prevent members of our Movements from perpetrating any grave violations against children".

"We hereby renew our commitment to adhere to the applicable international legal standards and norms including Security Council resolutions on children and armed conflict".

The meeting was attended by the leaders of the three rebel groups Gibril Ibrahim for JEM, Abdel Wahid al-Nur and Minni Minnawi for the SLM groups.

It was organised by the Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR) in coordination with the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG-CAAC).

The joint statement stressed that protecting children is an individual and collective responsibility and should be part of an early engagement and not await a formal comprehensive peace agreement by all parties to the conflict".

The rebel groups also expressed readiness to engage in follow up consultations until a comprehensive peace agreement is reached.

The parties are prepared to remain actively engaged in follow-up consultations including with the participation of other actors until a comprehensive peace agreement is realized

In July 2010, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) signed a child protection agreement, which includes ending the recruitment of child soldiers in Darfur, with the Justice and Equality Movement.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudan has announced its inability to generate enough revenues to fund the country's annual budget, amid allegations that government may halt paying for basic services.

Traders jostle to change money in South Sudan (Reuters)

Presenting a paper at an economic and development forum held on Wednesday, the deputy finance minister, Mary Jervase Yak said government was only able to generate a third of its budget.

The government, she added, now relies on borrowed loans to fund the remaining deficit.

“The government has been looking for both domestic and external loans to fund the budget”, Yak told the forum, saying government now borrow money from its central bank.

The ongoing war and the decline in global oil prices caused the fiscal deficit, she said.

“The parallel exchange rate has affected the pound that it depreciated by 50% against the US dollar during the last 12 months, as the fall in oil revenues has reduced the availability of foreign exchange in the market,” explained the deputy finance minister.

Prices of goods are yet to be increased in line with the depreciation, she added.

However, traders involved in exchange of foreign currencies in the black market say the rate of the dollar against the pound has doubled in the last few months, while residents asserted that traders have more than double increased consumer prices this year.

The deputy minister urged the forum to contribute expertise ideas and make recommendations on how the government would work to improve the nation's economy.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday has passed a resolution extending mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) until 30 November 2015.

UN peacekeepers in South Sudan with one of their helicopters (UNMISS)

It further authorized the peace keepers to use “all necessary means” to perform their duties and tasks in implementation of the mandate.

The resolution reaffirmed UNMISS mandate to protect civilians in South Sudan, monitor and investigate human rights abuses, create the conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as support the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed by the warring parties in the country.

It said that the situation in South Sudan continued to “constitute a threat” to international peace and security in the region and urged all parties to the conflict to resume negotiations and reach a peace agreement.

“Urges all parties to engage in an open and fully inclusive national dialogue seeking to establish lasting peace, reconciliation, good governance, including through the full and effective participation of youth, women, diverse communities, faith-based groups, civil society and the formerly detained SPLM leaders, encourages the efforts of IGAD and the United Nations to reach a peace agreement between the parties, and further urges them to ensure that child protection provisions are integrated into all peace negotiations and peace agreements,” partly reads the resolution.

The Council also urged the African Union to release and make public a report by its Commission of Inquiry on atrocities committed in South Sudan by the warring parties.

It condemned the recent upsurge of violence between forces loyal to president Salva Kiir's government and the armed opposition faction led by former vice president, Riek Machar.

The international body further called on the parties involved in the current conflict to desist from further violations of human rights and abuses such as the ongoing targeting of civilian populations including children, women and elderly.

It also called on the warring parties to desist from attacking and harassing UNMISS personnel and their facilities and provide unhindered access to humanitarian workers that provide relief assistance to the vulnerable populations.

(ST)

As South Sudan’s civil conflict continues to escalate, three senior United Nations officials have urged all stakeholders in the country to reach a sustainable solution to the crisis through inclusive dialogue and foster a lasting peace based on accountability and reconciliation.ed on accountability and reconciliation.

May 27, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese lawmakers on Wednesday ratified the United Nations Convention on Protection and Promotion of Cultural Expression, 2005, months after its introduction in parliament.

The move came shortly after the chairperson of parliament's specialised committee for information, telecommunication and culture, Thomas Wani kundu presented his report to the assembly.

“The convention is consistent with the transitional constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 and other domestic laws of South Sudan,” Kundu told MPs after reading chapters of the document.

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) Convention came into force in 2007. It provides principles for respect of human rights, fundamental freedoms, principle of sovereignty, equal dignity for all cultures and openness, among other provisions.

After deliberations, MPs moved a motion to ratify the UN convention.

The word's youngest nation became the 133 state to ratify the convention. With 64 tribes with different cultures and norms, South Sudan is regarded one of the most diversified countries in the world.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (NYAL) – South Sudanese armed opposition forces under the command of Gen. Khamis Abdulatiff have advised residents in the capital, Rumbek to vacate the town within three days.

General Khamis Abdulatiff (holding a stick) with some of his forces (courtesy photo)

In a statement extended to various media outlets Tuesday, the rebels said their fighters had occupied Lakes state and its surrounding areas, claims Sudan Tribune could not independently verify.

“We have siege the town and all its exits, but we are not ready to harm civilians in Rumbek town,” said Gen. Abdulatiff, adding that, “We asked for immediate evacuation of civilians to safer places.”

He said his forces recently exchanged fire with government forces at the border between Lakes and Unity state.

“I do not want innocent civilians to become victims of the crossfire. The mission of my force is to free the people of South Sudan from oppressive regime especially those from Lakes state whose historical background was buried by the current regime,” he said.

Last year, Lakes state's Dinka youth declined to join the military forces recruited to fight against rebels led by former vice-president Riek Machar, who are mainly from the Nuer ethnic group, leading to increased tensions within the government in Juba.

Fighting between South Sudanese government troops and the armed opposition forces has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly two million in the country.

In April, a group of activists and civil society groups in Rumbek added their voices to calls for removal of governor Matur Dhuol claiming he had failed to effectively run the state.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The media department in Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) stressed that it will not tolerate any “harmful” stories published by newspapers that goes against the values, morals and traditions of the society.

The head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Mohamed Atta Abbas Al-Moula (Photo: Reuters)

The NISS does not explain why it seizes runs of newspapers or suspends them and often times summons journalists for interrogation on reports they publish.

On Thursday, officials from NISS and the Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU) held a meeting to discuss the aftermath of this week's decision to seize print runs of 10 newspapers and suspend four others over a story related to children sexual abuse on school buses.

According to a press statement by the NISS, the SJU called during the meeting for upholding the values of freedom and professionalism and resorting to the law.

They also demanded lifting suspension on the 4 newspapers as soon as possible.

But the NISS defended its actions and emphasized that it was done in accordance with the law.

The NISS media officer also described as “inaccurate” a statement carried by Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Thursday which claimed that the NISS promised to end the suspension of the 4 newspapers.

The SJU issued a sharply worded statement on Monday rejecting the confiscation and suspension of newspapers while the informal Journalists Network called for a strike.

After the security apparatus lifted pre-publication censorship, it started punishing them retroactively by seizing copies of newspapers that breach unwritten red lines inflicting financial and moral losses on these media houses.

The mass confiscation has emerged as a new technique of punishment by the NISS which tend to accuse affected newspapers of disseminating news that adversely affect the national security of the country.

Last February, it seized copies of 14 newspapers from printing press without giving reasons.

Sudan's constitution guarantees freedom of expression but laws subordinate to the constitution such as the National Security Forces Act of 2010 contains articles that can be potentially used to curtail press freedom and instigate legal proceedings against newspapers and individual journalists.

Sudanese journalists work under tight daily censorship controls exercised by the NISS.

Journalists say that NISS uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdel-Aziz and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad will be present at the swearing-in ceremony of Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum next Tuesday, according to a news report.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) walking with Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdel Aziz in Riyadh on 25 March 2015 (SPA)

The government-sponsored Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website quoted an unnamed official in the preparatory inauguration committee as saying that Egyptian president Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, Eritrean president Isaias Afewerki, Ethiopian Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Chadian president Idriss Deby and South Sudan president Salva Kiir will also be present.

Previously, the government in Juba announced that VP James Wani Igga will represent Kiir in the ceremony.

If the visit by King Salman materializes, it will be the first by a Saudi monarch to Sudan since 1976 when late King Khalid made a state visit lasting four days for talks with then president Ja'afar Nimeiri.

This will also be King Salman's second international visit since he assumed the throne last January following the death of his half brother King Abdulla.

The Saudi King has snubbed planned appearances in Egypt for an economic conference in March and in Washington this month for a summit with US president Barack Obama.

Relations between Khartoum and Riyadh appear to have normalized after the former distanced itself from Iran which was a cause of concern by the Arab Gulf states.

Hours after Bashir's visit to Riyadh last March, it was announced that Sudan has joined the Saudi-led military operations against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Last week, the Sudanese leader made a brief and unannounced visit to Riyadh for talks with his Saudi counterpart. It was followed by a short trip to Qatar as well.

Sudanese officials have expressed strong hope that Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states would generously reward Khartoum for shifting alliances away from Iran.

But a Gulf diplomat speaking to Reuters last month downplayed these hopes.

"There is no trust in the Gulf for Omer al-Bashir...The leaders in the Gulf think that Bashir can betray them at any time, so they won't give him aid until he shows he is serious about joining them and leaving Iran," the diplomat said.

In April, the Saudi ambassador in Sudan denied local media reports that his country provided any cash assistance to Khartoum.

(ST)

The Security Council today adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations mission in the country until 30 November 2015, giving the operation authorization to use all necessary means to protect civilians, monitor and investigate human rights, and create the conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The United Nations Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, arrived in Burundi today as the top UN political official met with a Burundian government representative at UN headquarters and discussed the need to prevent and investigate political violence and killings.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has deplored the shooting incident that took place in Bamako, Mali, on Monday, 25 May, during which a peacekeeper with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was killed and another injured.

May 28, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan's warring parties in the ongoing conflict will resume negotiations early next month, the spokesperson for the presidency said Thursday.

President Salva Kiir (L) and rebel leader Riek Machar (R) attend the signing a ceasefire agreement during an IGAD summit on the South Sudan crisis in Addis Ababa on 1 February 2015 (Photo: Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

President Salva Kiir, Ateny Wek Ateny said, directed chief negotiator, Nhial Deng Nhial and two members of his delegation to travel to Ethiopia on 8 June for resumption of peace talks with representatives of the armed opposition faction.

“The decision was reached during a consultation visit by the Ethiopian and Kenyan foreign ministers who visited South Sudan on Wednesday during which two foreign top diplomats met and held a meeting with President Salva Kiir and some of the senior members of his administration,” he told reporters in the country's capital, Juba.

The meeting, the presidential spokesperson said, discussed whether the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) could use the Arusha model during the upcoming negotiations to see if it's the best approach to resolve the conflict since signatories to the Arusha agreement were also involved in the regional-led talks.

The president, Ateny said, expressed his government's earlier push to have members of the Troika nations participate as observers in the peace talks, instead of playing active roles in the IGAD-led initiative.

“The president welcomes participation of the five African members in the mediation and appreciates the support of the Troika countries in the peace process, but expressed government's desire for them to continue playing positives role as observers,” he added.

Observers, however, say South Sudan's latest position on Troika nations may have been reinforced by resolutions made during the just concluded Great Lakes conference.

In March, the East African regional bloc proposed an IGAD-Plus structure that will bring in other African regions, including South Sudan development partners such as the African Union, the United Nations, China and the Troika, the key funders of the peace talks, which comprises of the United Kingdom, United States of America and Norway.

(ST)

May 28, 2015 (JUBA) - A leading South Sudanese armed opposition commander allied to the former vice president, Riek Machar, has confirmed receiving messages and contacts from people in president Salva Kiir's government proposing to him and his group to accept going into a parallel dialogue with the government.

SPLA in Opposition generals Gatwech Dual (R), Dau Aturjong (C) and Gabriel Tanginye pictured in Pagak on 8 December 2014 (ST)

Major General Dau Aturjong who commands rebel forces in Northern Bahr el Ghazla said he had been approached many times by government officials and agents to initiate a separate negotiation with him away from the Addis Ababa peace process.

“They have been trying to talk to us with the view that we get into separate negotiation from Addis [Ababa] with them. They want to localize our grievances but we have told them clearly that we are part of the national matters, which are being discussed in Addis by our team,”, General Aturjong told Sudan Tribune in an exclusive interview on Thursday.

The government, according to him, had been contacting him and his group through different categories of people and organizations to persuade them to make a separate arrangement with Juba.

“They have never stopped contacting us through different category of people. They are using relatives, religious leaders, my comrades in the army, police and security as well as business people,” he explained.

He also said his troops, which size is not known, have taken complete control of areas near the Sudanese border, but denied that he and his forces were getting support from the government of neighbouring Sudan.

His own headquarters, he said, has been 250 kilometers away from the common border with neighbouring Sudan in an area deeply inside South Sudanese territory since he moved to the region in 2014.

He dismissed allegations that his forces were stationed at disputed territories with Sudan and not inside South Sudan.

“Our forces are outside the disputed areas. We are not in Mile 14 area. We are inside South Sudan, far away from the disputed areas. If there is anybody who is looking for us, he will get us here,” he said.

General Aturjong was reacting to a question asking him to comment on reports that his forces had only taken advantage of the withdrawal of the government forces from the disputed territories and that he had been receiving military supplies, weapons and training from the Sudanese army in Abu Matareq in East Darfur state.

He appealed to the humanitarian organisations to go to the area, saying a lot of people had moved to areas under his control and were helping them to settle so that they could cultivate during this planting season.

People, he said, were running away from the government controlled areas to the opposition held territories, adding this was where they could find a way to cope with the situation.

“They say life in Aweil town and other areas is not easy. They are finding it extremely difficult. They cannot cultivate. But here, they can find a place to cultivate. There is a vast area for cultivation,” he claimed.

He further explained that the opposition appointed governor, Akol Madhan Akol, and his officials were working with the opposition leadership in Pagak to find ways in which humanitarian organisations could extend relief assistance to Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

He said many vulnerable people were coming to the rebel controlled areas in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, adding they needed shelters, food and items like blankets, saucepans, mosquito net, hoes, axes and farming implements.

The rebel commander also commended Sudanese authorities for opening their gate to South Sudanese fleeing the conflict and other associated difficulties to states in Sudan in search of safety and security.

(ST)

This is 35-year-old Oscar Ouedraogo’s first deployment with a United Nations peacekeeping mission. The native of Burkina Faso has been working as a corrections officer for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) since 20 September 2014, in the capital, Bangui.