Africa

January 1, 2017 (JUBA)- South Sudanese celebrated the New Year quietly without reports of large scale violence, resulting in appreciation of successful security efforts.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit (R) joins the congregation during Christmas prayers at Kator church in Juba, South Sudan. Dec 25, 2010 (Photo: Larco Lomoyat)

Security in Juba was ramped up with deployment of the army, national security service officers and the country's police throughout the capital city.

People turned out late into the night in large numbers in Juba and went to various locations for parties.Importantly, no celebratory gunshots were fired in Juba following orders from Bilpam that it will clamp down hard on rogues.

In Torit, Bentiu, Bor, Malakal, Yei, Yambio, Wau, Maridi and Renk all was quiet.

Last week, the South Sudanese army in collaboration with different security organs have beefed security, setting up check points, searching and seizing illicit weapons from those carrying them without permission.

Acting SPLA spokesperson,Dominic Santo, described the exercise as a disarmament campaign in Juba to recover illegal weapons and to boost security situation in the capital before New Year's celebrations.

The measure comes in the wake of escalating insecurity and rampant killings and clashes between government forces and armed bandits at night in the city, which have led to several deaths since Dec. 2013.

“The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) with other members of organized forces has begun an operation of collecting illegal firearms from civilians in Juba,” said Santo.

He said they believe there is a huge amount of illegal firearms in the wrong hands in the city, which has seen a rise in robberies and attacks from armed bandits.

The army will not hesitate to use “necessary force” if necessary, he stressed

(ST)

In our series of letters from African journalists, Joseph Warungu identifies key people, places and events to watch out for in Africa in 2017.

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

The reader shouldn't believe that we are in this window in an attempt to cite the poetry of the famous English poet and novelist William Shakespeare in any way. Nevertheless, some racing thoughts occurred from the position where they have been trapped making me taking this approach in the opening of this article. There seems to be something in the air as we near the turn of the year 2016, which the winter chill can't quite dispel!

The NCP regime President Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir threatened and made an ultimatum of putting an end to rebellion by the end of December 2016 by force unless the rebels came endorsing and signing the outcomes of the National Dialogue; the rebel groups continue demanding justice and equality in power and wealth sharing in Sudan without marginalising any Sudanese community while the International Community keeps lip service based on intersecting interests of respective countries with the despotic entity in Khartoum. But the real question is what will move Sudan closer to lasting peace?! The answer abstains tight lipped! In other words, the answer to those questions remains under wraps of the eternal oblivion! Since that is that, who would put the bell around the Lion's Neck, borrowing from the folklore Wisdom gleaned from traditional animal stories.

The ruler of the NCP regime Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir has continued to threaten the armed rebel movements with doom and gloom and annihilating them by the time he tended calling 'the hot summer' unless .they give up armed rebellion, surrender and enter into a peace process he prescribed without any concessions. It is worth noting that the rebel factions took up arms more than a decade ago regarding the issue of the people of Sudan in Darfur.

Moreover, the regime of the NCP-led by the genocidal criminal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir decided to take the Janjaweed militias who have already carried out the crimes of genocide in Darfur, as new notorious proxy war tools and renamed for camouflage the Rapid Support Force (RSF) led by a former criminal mugger and armed robber, now being promoted to the rank of a Major General, similarly to the Major General in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). However, the loyalty of this militia falls under the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and has nothing to do with the (SAF). It is a known fact that NISS, which is the Intelligence and Security Services, its first and last allegiance is to Omar al-Bashir who generously bestows unlimited amounts of money from the Sudanese public purse. The reported figure amounts to four times the budget allocated for Education both Public and higher education and about six times the health budget. The total budget allocated for the (RSF) amounted to 3 billion and 220 million Sudanese pounds to support the Janjaweed militia forces. The RSF operates throughout Sudan including the Far Nilotic regions besides Darfur, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile Ingessana and Sudanese-Libyan borders. Furthermore, and as it is well known that the European Union (EU) had paid a large sum of money to the regime of the NCP to fight illegal immigration coming from the Horn of Africa through Sudan and then to Libya to EU countries. The money paid by the European Union was estimated as 100 million Euros. That amount of money has been transferred to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by former Janjaweed militia commander Mohammed Hamdan, better known as “Hamitti”. Moreover, the ruling regime of the NCP suffered from institutionalized corruption which led to bankruptcy and the accumulated foreign debt which made Omer al-Bashir survive on begging and engage in mercenary warfare in which Sudan participated in the Saudi Arabia led war in Yemen, code-named Operation Decisive Storm. What was referred to above indicates without doubt that the genocidal criminal fugitive from international justice and the global pariah , Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir has taken wars as tools for survival, and as well as his character of advocating warlike policies becoming a warmonger par excellence. Omer al-Bashir remains responsible for waging civil wars of attrition against the Sudanese civilian population in the region of Darfur since February 2003 and followed by warfare in the two territories of South Kordofan or Nuba Mountains along with his never-ending war in Ingessana of South Blue Nile State. Worse to come is that Omer al-Bashir and his regime besides warmongering, he is famous for reneging covenants he concluded and signed with parties in dispute. This trait of revoking peace agreements signed caused prolongation of the civil wars in Sudan. Ndjamena and Abeche in Chad, Abuja in Nigeria and Doha in the Gulf State of Qatar where peace agreements signed but reneged by the NCP regime, remain witnesses. Other obstacles to peace in Sudan include the NCP delegation to Addis Ababa. In spite of the acceptance of the armed opposition to go to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa shuttling the round trip to attend the meetings, which the former South African president Thabo Mbeki, the pro-Bashir regime, calls for did not succeed because the National Congress Party (NCP) delegation did neither has the desire nor the authority or mandate to enter into real serious negotiations leading to sustainable peace to resolve the intractable issues of Sudan.

Besides igniting the senseless civil wars of attrition ruling regime of Omar al-Bashir imposes repressive draconian laws against all kinds of freedoms in the country, such as freedoms of speech, press and assembly and peaceful protest where the security services – NISS- arbitrarily arrests opposition members in the political parties and activists and placing in prisons and subject them to the oppression and torture. The massacre of September 2013 when the NCP riot forces killed in cold blood more than 200 peaceful protestors in Sudan stands vividly as a witness to the insistence of Omar al-Bashir adherent to the principle of shoot to kill using live ammunition anyone who dares to oppose the arbitrary and failed policies of his regime. The Sudanese people who famed for initiating uprising and ousting dictatorial regimes in 1964 and 1985 are capable to bring about political change again. The three-day public political event planned from 27 to 29 November 2016 under the banner of ‘Civil Disobedience' proved success. It was followed by another similar event on Monday December 19, 2016 to coincide with the 61st Anniversary of the Declaration of the Independence of Sudan from within the Parliament on Monday 19 December 1955. It is noteworthy that Abdulrahman Mohamed Ibrahim Dabaka, Member of the Parliament and Deputy for the Nyala Baggara Electoral Constituency was the first who proposed Sudan's independence from the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium from inside the Parliament.

Omar al-Bashir and his regime are in the belief that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would ensure the survival of his ruling of Sudan and continue in power forever protecting him from apprehension by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and subjects him to trial at The Hague on the background of the heinous crimes his regime committed against the people of Sudan in Darfur. It is worth mentioning that Marshal Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir admitted that he only killed ten thousand and not three hundred thousand citizens as claimed by the enemies of Sudan.

The Sudanese people represented in their various components and in their political affiliations and segments need to acknowledge the fact that the genocidal criminal Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir will not give up power in Sudan as long as the ghost of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague continues haunting him. Furthermore, of the tricks and plots that Omar al-Bashir woven to distract the Sudanese people from the important issues that concern them, preoccupy their minds and prolong his stay in office ruling Sudan forever. In order to achieve that end, al-Bashir announced the so-called national dialogue or Wathba, at the beginning of 2014. Wathba turned out to be a series that has no end. The outputs of the ‘National Dialogue' proved devoid of the dialogue liabilities longed to by the Sudanese people. Worse, the final conference of the Wathba at the Friendship Palace in Khartoum in October 2016 renewed the term of office for Omer al-Bashir to rule Sudan until the year 2020! And thereby the elephant generated a rat, as the saying goes!

Mehmet Murat ildan (MMI), the Contemporary Turkish Novelist & Playwright, Thinker), Member of the International PEN Writers was quoted as saying “There is no difference between a rabid dog and a warmonger!” http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3164882.Mehmet_Murat_ildan

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/

December 31, 2016 (JUBA) - Civil servants in South Sudan say they face numerous challenges including expulsion, suspension without pay or voluntarily quitting work due to low pay.

South Sudanese citizens exchange money at the bank (Reuters)

Government employees receive between 300 South Sudanese Pound (SSP) for grade 17 and 3,000 SSP for senior directors as monthly wages. Private members of the police, army and other organised forces gets lower than $15 monthly.

The South Sudanese Pound (SSP) lost about 80% of its value since December 2015 when the government allowed free floating exchange rate regime, effectively increasing prices of basic commodities in the market.

"I receive 1,500 SSP monthly and that can barely purchase a 50kg bag of flour for my family," said Denis Loro, a national government employee.

A 50kg bag of maize flour costs 2,000 SSP or more in Juba. Loro must, however, travel from his home to work daily, paying 20 SSP for two ways or 400 SSP for a month.

"That transport expenditure does not include my feeding and that of my family and the salary is not paid on time," he added.

Loro is one of thousands of South Sudanese whose earning has diminished due to high inflation. Government employees only receive salaries for November in December. Others have not been paid for October, November and December 2016.

"With this host of problems, you are required to go to work everyday and if you fail to report to work, your salary will deduced or you are fired from work," said a ministry of interior employee, declining to reveal his name.

He said many workers had their salaries "detained" by senior management for reporting to all for only two to three days.

"They would say your salary is detained until you explain you never came to work," he added.

Government employees had their salaries increased by 300% in February 2016 but the inflation out compete the pay rise.

"One has to choose to quit the job voluntarily because your earning does not help your family or the government may fire you for not reporting to work daily," said James Duang, also a government employee.

Duang said the choice is hard to mark but the economic is taking the toll.

Economists say ending the war in the world's youngest nation would help revive the economy beside increasing the oil production in Upper Nile and Unity States.

(ST)

December 1, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan President, Salva Kiir is due to visit the country's main prison next week.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir waits for the arrival of his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta, in Juba on May 23, 2013. (Photo Reuters)

Kiir, sources told Sudan Tribune, will in his first ever visit to the prison meet Juba Central Prison authorities as well as inmates, less than a week after his deputy James Wani Igga made a similar visit.

Igga had earlier informed Juba prison authorities about the president's consideration of granting amnesty for several inmates imprisoned for various offenses across the country.

The move, he added, was part of efforts by the South Sudan leader to implement the national dialogue initiative.

Observers, however, say for the president to personally go to prison as promised, sends a strong message to skeptics who doubt the success of the dialogue initiative.

The president, they argued, is now mostly likely to win over so many people who doubt his dialogue initiative by giving his visit to the nation's central prison a symbolic significance.

Under Article 101 (H) of South Sudan's Transitional Constitution 2011, the President has the authority to “confirm death sentences, grant pardons, and remit convictions or penalties according to this Constitution and the law”.

The President, under Article 5.2.16 of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), has powers to “Confirm death sentences, grant pardons, and commute convictions and penalties in accordance with the law.”

By visiting the detention facility, the president would have taken a giant step forward in his efforts to reach out to South Sudanese in the new spirit of national dialogue.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (ED-DAEIN) - Security authorities on Saturday have arrested three gunmen accused of killing a resident and injuring a police officer in Al-Fardous locality, some 60 kilometers south of Ed-Daein, East Darfur state capital.

An eyewitness told Sudan Tribune Saturday that “four masked gunmen attempted to carjack an ambulance coming to the hospital in Al-Fardous locality to transport a patient to Ed-Daein hospital”.

He added that the perpetrators failed to carjck the ambulance following fierce resistance from the police officer, saying the latter sustained serious wounds while a son of a medical assistant working at the hospital was killed.

The same witness pointed the security services have apprehended three of the gunmen, saying the search is ongoing for the fourth perpetrator.

According to the witness, the incident caused widespread discontent among residents because it comes after the long periods of calm and stability in the area.

In a separate incident, unknown gunmen on Thursday killed a cattle trader in Abu Jabra area, 25 kilometers east of Ed-Daein and fled to an unknown destination.

Security conditions in East Darfur have recently witnessed remarkable improvement following fierce clashes between Ma'alia and Rizeigat tribes that claimed dozens of lives.

(ST)

December 30, 2016 (RUMBEK) – Authorities in South Sudan's Western Lakes state have formed a joint military taskforce to crackdown on highway robbers along Rumbek highway.

They forces, officials told Sudan Tribune, are fully mandated to shoot anybody carrying illegal firearms on the highway.

The decision was reportedly reached as part of efforts by intellectuals from the state, backed up by area lawmakers, to ensure the new state is free from illegal firearms.

The Western Lakes state local government minister, Benjamin Makuer Mabor was tasked to execute what intellectuals and legislators resolved during their meeting.

“Shoot anybody carrying illegal firearms – let him/her put down the gun or shoot him/her to death,” partly reads a resolution from the meeting.

Rumbek, the Western Lakes state capital, has witnessed several highway robberies with authorities blaming it on nomadic pastoralists who often move with illegal firearms.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Saturday has declared extension of the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for one month, disclosing that a higher committee would be established to draft a permanent constitution for the country.

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

Last June, al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities in the Two Areas. In October, he extended the ceasefire for a two-month period, and renewed call to the armed and political opposition groups to join the internal national dialogue process.

In his address on the occasion of Sudan's 61st Independence Day, al-Bashir declared “the extension of ceasefire, except in the case of self-defence, for one month in order to make the holdout opposition think positively to join the dialogue”.

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

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

Al-Bashir further underscored his government commitment to implement the outcome of the national dialogue, saying the dialogue's doors are still open for the opposition to sign the National Document.

He disclosed that a higher committee to draft the permanent constitution would be formed during the coming few days, saying the constitution will be approved by an elected parliament.

The Sudanese President denied that the dialogue coordination body known as 7+7 was dissolved; saying new members have been added to it in order to follow up on the implementation of the dialogue recommendations.

Since January 2014, al-Bashir has been leading a national dialogue process whose stated aims are to resolve the armed conflicts, achieve political freedoms, alleviate poverty and the economic crisis, and address the national identity crisis.

Last October, the political forces participating at the national dialogue concluded the process by signing the National Document which includes the general features of a future constitution to be finalized by transitional institutions.

The opposition groups boycotted the process because the government didn't agree on humanitarian truce with the armed groups and due to its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures.

(ST)

December 31, 2016 (JUBA)- South Sudanese army in collaboration with different security organs have beefed security, setting up check points, searching and seizing illicit weapons from those carrying them without permission.

Acting SPLA spokesperson,Dominic Santo, described the exercise as a disarmament campaign in Juba to recover illegal weapons and to boost security situation in the capital before New Year's celebrations.

The measure comes in the wake of escalating insecurity and rampant killings and clashes between government forces and armed bandits at night in the city, which have led to several deaths since Dec. 2013.

“The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) with other members of organized forces has begun an operation of collecting illegal firearms from civilians in Juba,” said Col. Santo.

He said they believe there is a huge amount of illegal firearms in the wrong hands in the city, which has seen a rise in robberies and attacks from armed bandits.

The army will not hesitate to use “necessary force” if necessary, he stressed.

(ST)

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