Africa

October 29, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan and Ethiopia Saturday have signed in Addis Ababa a memorandum of understanding providing to enhance joint security and military cooperation between the two neighbouring countries to fight terrorism.

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the meetings of the Joint Ethiopian Sudanese Higher Military Committee chaired by Sudan Defence Awad bin Auf and his Ethiopian counterpart Siraj Fegessa.

The agreement was signed by the head of the General Staff of the Sudanese army Lt. Gen. Imad al-Din Adawi and his Ethiopian counterpart, General Samora Mohamed Younis.

The Sudanese defence minister reiterated the importance of military and security cooperation between the two countries "to counter terrorism in all its forms".

"The signed memorandum of understanding provides to secure the borders, the exchange of criminals, and prevent any hostile activity to the two countries, especially from the anti-peace groups," he said in statements reported by the Ethiopian TV after the signing ceremony.

The terms "anti-peace" and "terrorism" are used in the two countries to describe rebel groups .

From his side, Minister Fegessa stressed the desire of the two countries to work together to combat terrorist activities on the common border.

"The two countries also stressed the need to develop the capacity of the joint defence forces," he said, adding that Khartoum and Addis Ababa were able to stop cross-border crimes through coordination and cooperation.

Last March during the 14th meeting of the joint Sudanese Ethiopian technical committee in Khartoum, Sudan proposed to deploy joint border units on the border between the two countries.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

October 29, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) - Ethiopia says its move to withdraw its troops from Somalia has nothing to do with the recently declared state of emergency.

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government imposed a state of emergency in the wake of continued anti-government protests across its Oromia region.

The country's information and communication minister, Getachew Reda told journalists that the withdrawal has nothing to do with the state decree, but was related with the "financial burden" and "lack of support" rather than the need for more troops at home.

"It has nothing to do with the state of emergency," said Getachew.

"We have been making a very conscious and responsible decision to evacuate our forces from many parts of Somalia. We cannot remain there indefinitely," he added.

The minister blamed the international community for the withdrawal of troops from Somalia.

"The international community also has a responsibility either to train or to support the Somali national army in whatever way they promised, and if they do not make good on that promise and [the] Somali national army fails to discharge their responsibilities then of course, as they say, nature – and al-Shabaab – abhors a vacuum, so they'll just move in”, said the minister.

He said the violence at home was not "enormous enough for us to shift our policy in Somalia".

Ethiopia, the official said, was only withdrawing troops from Somalia, but not the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

He underscored that Ethiopia was not withdrawing troops from the 4,400-strong Ethiopian contingent of the internationally-funded AU peace-enforcement mission.

Those being pulled out he said are those few thousands deployed in Somalia unilaterally for which his government is paying all the expenses.

"These troops are not under AMISOM and unfortunately are not being helped in their efforts to assist the Somali national army," said Getachew.

Ethiopia began withdrawing thousands of its forces from central Somalia and since Al-Shabaab militants have reportedly managed to recapture three towns.

Getachew, however, said AMISOM troops were not affected and neither were all non-AMISOM forces being withdrawn.

He added that Ethiopian troops under AMISOM are on their regular duties, and the country will continue to step up its effort to bring about peace and stability in Somalia.

The minister also said the state of emergency declared recently has enabled the government to control the violence; and stability has been restored in many parts of the country, adding that many investments are back in business.

Ethiopia's state emergency was imposed for first time after over quarter a century.

The rules within the state emergency include travel restrictions on diplomats.

Accordingly, diplomats are not permitted to travel beyond 40 kilometers of the radius outside the capital, Addis Ababa. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has also been imposed around areas where factories and major projects are based.

As per the directive, security personnel can search suspects, search homes or arrest anyone who violates the rules without court authorization.

The new directive also grants the police and all security forces a power to defend themselves from any threat or attack.

Publishing news and distributing documents or republishing reports of anti-peace elements or opposition movements branded as terrorist entities is prohibited.

The six-month state of emergency also bans terrorist-leaning groups such as the Ethiopian Satellite Radio and Television (ESAT) and Oromo Media Network.

Access to internet services and social media was still impossible in Ethiopia.

(ST)

In a telephone conversation with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon regretted the country&#39s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court and expressed hope that it would reconsider the decision before the withdrawal takes effect.

October 29, 2016 (KAMPALA) - Students from South Sudan's greater Bhar-El-Gazal region in Uganda have expressed concerns over the continuous ethinic killings, and urged the population to desist from counter-revenge practices for the sake of peace.

South Sudanese students at their embassy in Kampala, Uganda (ST/File)

The call comes following after a letter from a group in Bhar-El-Gazal region warned Equatorians working in the region to quit their jobs or face revenge attacks.

James Mabor Ikau, the head of Bhar el Ghazal students in Uganda urged
South Sudanese community in both regions to desisted from violent attacks and called upon them to embrace peace and unity.

“We call and beg all our community members more especially our brothers (youths) back home or in the region to be in peace and swallow the pain of the lost of people and accept all other tribes to stay with them peacefully,” he told Sudan Tribune.

More than a dozen people were killed in several ambushes along the Yei-Juba and
Nimule-Juba roads by unidentified armed groups from Equatoria region.

Also, students from the Dinka tribe, particularly those from Bhar el Gazal described the targeting of Equatorians as unfortunate, calling on all South Sudanese to work for peace.

“Our people should not be dragged into this senseless thing, we need peace and unity in our country, no more war; its time has gone," said Mabor.

“We condemn in strongest terms these targeted killings and satanic behaviour and urged our government to devised mechanism of protecting innocent people to achieve peaceful co-existence soon,” he stressed.

(ST)

October 28, 2016 (NYALA) - South Darfur authorities has deployed large military force to protect harvesting season and to prevent the repeated clashes between farmers and pastoralists.

Displaced women commute between West Darfur's Dorti camp and their home village of Borta to farm their land during the rainy season, Aug 31, 2005. ©UNHCR/H. Caux

An official source told Sudan Tribune Friday that South Darfur State government has deployed military forces to end any clashes between farmers and pastoralists. The force is also tasked to maintain the prevailing security environment in the state after the recent tribal reconciliation conferences, he added.

“South Darfur State government has issued firm decisions on the demarcation of livestock migratory routes to organize the herders' movement and prevent attacks on farmed lands. Such measures would lead to reduce frictions,” stressed the official.

The source who is not authorized to talk to the media went to say that “Nomadic People and Routes Committee” has urged farmers to immediately report any attacks by pastoralists to avoid any clashes between the two parties.

On his part, a local leader Ahmed Saleh Eisa told Sudan Tribune that there are no clashes between farmers and pastoralists during the current cultivation season due to the security measures imposed by the South Darfur state security committee.

“Farmers need to finish harvest and open their farms for herdsmen by the end of December,” said Eisa, pointing that the given period is sufficient for farmers to harvest their crops.

In previous agricultural seasons there were violent clashes between farmers and pastoralists triggered by herdsmen attempts to graze their animals on agricultural fields. The clashes between farmers and pastoralists led to furious tribal clashes and dozens of people were killed and massive displacement occurred after burning down villages.

(ST)

October 28, 2016 (JUBA) - leaders of Ethiopia and South Sudan have signed a series of cooperation agreements on Friday, including a security arrangement to stop hosting armed opposition groups in their respective countries.

The deal per a communiqué signed at the presidential palace in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, on Friday between President Salva Kiir and his visiting Ethiopian counter-part, Hailemariam Desalegn, calls on Ethiopia not to support armed groups, probably targeting members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) under the leadership of the controversially ousted former First Vice President, Riek Machar.

Ethiopia hosted and led the mediation of the the peace process between Kiir and Machar which was signed in August last year to end 21 months of civil war, but which implementation has been disrupted by the recent renewal of violent conflict between the two factions in July in Juba, resuming the war.

In his statement, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, has reiterated the commitment of his administration and the people of his country to help in the implementation of the peace agreement, saying he would want to see a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan.

“We are very keen to see South Sudan be a peaceful country and a prosperous country... because we believe that the South Sudanese people have suffered enough for half a century and peace should prevail in South Sudan,” Prime Minister Desalegn said.

“We will not support an armed struggling group or anyone who opts for path of war and therefore we will not allow any armed movement which is detracting from peace in our region both in Ethiopia and South Sudan and will cooperate in a strong army-to-army cooperation where the president has agreed to send his chief of staff quickly to Addis Ababa and they will agree on the common cooperation of making our borders and also inland secure,” he said, while speaking to the media in Juba alongside South Sudanese President Kiir.

During the one day visit to Juba, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Deselagn, also addressed the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and reiterated his country's support to peace in South Sudan in addition to a few economic and infrastructural agreements the two nations want to jointly implement.

Other agreements signed include five roads construction project - with Ethiopia funding two highways through a loan to South Sudan. Oil agreement and trading was another area of agreements signed by respective ministers of both countries.

President Kiir on his part said he was happy with the agreement with Ethiopia on security and development projects, saying he was hoping to see change coming.

"We will be vigilant always to review all the agreements for the benefit of the two countries and we are hopeful that things will change," said Kiir.

The agreement would deny hosting or support of Machar and his faction, implying that the Ethiopian government would recognize the current setup in Juba after the 8 July violence which kicked out Machar from the capital.

SPLM-IO DOWNPLAYS DEAL

Machar's spokesperson James Gatdet Dak, said the SPLM-IO and its army, the SPLA-IO, are both intact inside South Sudan and will use all means necessary, including peaceful dialogue and revival of the peace deal and the right to self-defence through popular armed resistance, to save the country from the “failed anti-peace regime” of President Kiir.

He further dismissed claims that their armed opposition and its leadership has been isolated in the region, saying what is happening is a temporary misunderstanding by some leaders which will be sorted out in time through engagement.

Some IGAD leaders who have not yet met Machar after he escaped the assassination in Juba, he said, may still want to hear from him in a face-to-face engagement before they could have a better picture of the situation.

Dak, said there seemed to be misunderstanding among some leaders of IGAD, saying some of them were reneging on their communiqué of last August which called for reinstatement of Machar as First Vice President and the implementation of the agreement once a regional force is deployed.

However, he said Machar will be consulting with such leaders in order to clear the air by telling his side of the story of what transpired in Juba and to undo the “lies” told by the regime in Juba.

(ST)

October 28, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, has dismissed reports that he has sent a military convoy to his controversially created Yei state to help in the relocation of members of his ethnic Dinka purportedly living in a constant fear that they could become a target.

President Salva Kiir addresses the nation at the South Sudan National Parliament in Juba, November 18, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomon)

Presidential advisor on military affairs, Daniel Awet Akot, has denied the reports, describing them as untrue.

“I just spoke to the president of the republic to ask him about these reports and he told me that he is not aware of such reports. He said he did not send any of the institutions concerning security like the ministry of interior, national security and defence to send a military convoy to Yei. What for? There is nothing like that. The President did not send,” Akot told Sudan Tribune on Friday.

Akot was responding to reports claiming that 10 military trucks loaded with government soldiers have been dispatched to the area to help in the relocation of the members of the ethnic Dinka fearing they could be targeted by other non-Dinka tribes in the area.

The top presidential aide argued that Yei, located southwest of the capital, Juba, is part of the country and was therefore odd for the government to facilitate relocation of the citizens living there without general security threat.

Earlier reports suggested that 10 military trucks were dispatched on directive of President Kiir asking his chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, to relocate members of his ethnic Dinka living in Yei.

While Akot denied the reports, several government officials and private citizens have told Sudan Tribune that many of the people from the Dinka ethnic group who were living in Yei have been leaving the area in a military organized escort.

It is not clear whether this mass exodus out the town is sanctioned by the government or individual basis. Observers say the move could be both voluntary relocation and informal approval by individual officials and officers in the government and army.

“What I know is that there is no formal directive from either the office of the president or chief of general staff but I know some senior government officials and military officers who [have] relocated their family members to towns at the border from neigbouring Uganda due to the current economic crisis were forced by the developing security situation to relocate their family members once again. Because of their positions in the government and in the army, some people interpreted their involvement to mean decision of the government,” a presidential aide told Sudan Tribune Friday.

Crtics have argued that the move to relocate ethnic Dinka from Yei was to allow the army predominately members of ethplnic Dinka to target civilians in the name of hunting armed dissident groups.

(ST)

October 28, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Nearly nice months since its inception, the opposition alliance Future Forces For Changes (FFC) has split over the relation with the armed groups.

FFC leaders at the launch ceremony held in Khartoum on 23 February 2016 (ST Photo)

Last Tuesday, the FFC led by Ghazi Salah al-Din Al-Attabani issued a statement dismissing al-Tayed Mustafa and his party, Just Peace Forum (JPF), from the alliance for breaching the objectives and commitments of the coalition and harming its interests and unity.

In turn, the leader of the far-right JPF, on Wednesday, released a statement announcing Attabani's eviction from the FFC leadership and appointed Mustafa a new chairman of the heterogeneous coalition which includes Islamist and liberal groups.

Publicly the participation of Mustafa's faction in the National Dialogue Conference earlier this October triggered his dismissal from the FFC. Attabani and his faction believe that nothing has changed and the government should implement the confidence building measures provided in the African Union Roadmap Agreement before to join the internal process.

Also, Attabani's faction considers that striking a deal over the humanitarian cessation of hostilities and organization of an inclusive preparatory meeting, remain necessary steps towards an inclusive process to end war and achieve democratic reforms in Sudan.

But the JPF leader who campaigned for the separation of South Sudan, had kept his hostility unaltered towards the armed groups, particularly the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

Reached by Sudan Tribune to comment on the split, FFC Media Official Ussama Tawfiq said Mustafa's presence among the FFC components was a hindrance to the establishment of relations with the armed groups.

Tawfiq further said that now the FFC groups led by Attabani will develop its relations with the armed groups, pointing to the good relations between him and the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) which mediates the negotiations.

"The issue of al-Tayeb Mustafa is over now. The purpose of the statement that we issued was to drop his membership alone but the door remains open for the others (who followed him)," he stressed.

On the other hand Nagi al-Karbashi, from the FFC Mustafa-faction, admitted that the Sudan Call forces remained unwilling to develop its relations with the FFC because of the presence of JPF in the coalition.

"Attabani and his faction are seeking to please the Sudan Call alliance unlike Mustafa who seeks to resolve Sudan problems regardless the satisfaction or rejection of the armed movements," Karbashi said.

He further said that JFP's hostile position to the "New Sudan" project makes it difficult for the Sudan Call to accept to accept the FFP; confirming that the FFC more than once tried in vain to establish a channel of coordination with the alliance of the armed groups and main opposition parties.

On Saturday 8 October, Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid and FFC Deputy Chairman Abdel Gadir Ibrahim Ali signed a framework agreement titled "Areas for an agreement on cooperation and solidarity'' providing the two sides will discuss "joint political initiatives to promote the dialogue, especially those relating to the participation of any other political force".

Further, the National Dialogue Secretariat announced that the FFC would take part in the National Dialogue Conference.

Following these developments, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Mayada Soar al-Dahab, announced 24 hours later its withdrawal from the FFC coalition to protest this rapprochement with the NCP led process.

Tawfiq explained to Sudan Tribune that Mustafa who is the uncle of President Omer al-Bashir expressed his "sweeping desire" to join a national dialogue. He said that this move was supported by FFC members who were part of the regime adding it would "allow them to return to the power from the gate of the national dialogue".

He added that Mustafa threw the eight-point agreement with the dialogue mechanism ahead of the dialogue conference on October 10, and took part on behalf of the FFC at the dialogue meetings without negotiating the implementation of the eight points related to African Union Roadmap.

However, Karbashi defended the position of his faction, claiming that the mechanism "7 +7" agreed to all the terms of the eight-point memorandum of understanding, including the inclusion of the FCC in the dialogue process.

"So the FFC has no option except to participate in the national dialogue to address the issues of Sudan : ending war and achieve peace," he said.

Attabani and Mustafa pulled out of the national dialogue process last year, calling for the implementation of a road map the African Union endorsed in September 2014 for peace and constitutional dialogue.

Following what, they launched the FFC in Khartoum on 23 February 2016.

(ST)

Denouncing recent violence and increasing tensions in parts of the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular the town of Bambari, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals, the United Nations mission in the country has called for an end to the attacks and reprisals as well as appealed for dialogue to resolve the situation.

October 28, 2016 (JUBA) - The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) has called for an end to military hostilities between South Sudan's two main rival forces.

Arms and light weapons have been used by both warring parties in South Sudan to commit abuses (Photo courtesy of SSANSA)

JMEC's deputy chairman Augostino Njoroge told the African Union Peace and Security Council in the South Sudanese capital, Juba that fighting will harm the peace process.

"The peace agreement is wounded, but it is still alive and remains our best hope for sustainable peace in South Sudan," Njoroge said in a statement issued Friday.

“Every diplomatic effort must be made to stop all hostilities and restore the ceasefire with immediate effect so that implementation of the Agreement can resume properly," he added.

Fihting resumed in Juba on the eve of South Sudan forcing the country's first vice president and armed opposition leader, Riek Machar to flee the young nation, capital.

Both the government and the rebels deny there is fighting, but JMEC dismisses their claims.

“Insecurity around the country is having a profound impact on the lives of ordinary South Sudanese. Human Rights are being compromised, livelihoods are destabilized, the economy is weakened and people are left scared and anxious," said Njoroge.

A delegation from the African Union Security Council is in Juba to get first hand account of the security situation in the country. Their visit concided with the Ethiopian Prime Minister's trip to Juba.

(ST)

October 28, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Minister of Electricity and Water Resources, Mutaz Musa, Friday said that Sudan intends to build a 3000 megawatt power transmission line from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to link Ethiopia and Sudan electricity networks.

The planned Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project (AP)

The Sudanese minister pointed that Sudan would increase imported electricity from Ethiopia to 300 megawatts instead of the current 200 megawatts in the coming summer season.

“The cooperation with Ethiopia is a model for regional integration in East Africa,” said Mutaz.

Sudan suffers power shortage especially in summer season as of late April to the end of July. During this period every year there is power cut for nearly eight hour on daily basis.

Sudanese government acknowledges the gap in electricity production and attributes that to the impossibility to import new power generation units due the economic sanctions on the country.

There are two main power generation equipment companies which are not dealing with Sudan due the economic sanctions imposed on the country, according to Sudanese officials.

The Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is being built in Benishangul Gumuz region's Guba locality, a vast, and arid land some 40 kilometres away from the Sudanese border. This dam and others are built in Ethiopia to generate power covering not only the needs of land locked country but the whole region.

In a press statement to Anadolu Agency in Addis Ababa where he attends the meetings of the joint Ethiopian Sudanese Advisory Technical Committee, Mutaz pointed that Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt are committed to cooperate on GERD.

Mutaz stressed that the three countries have officially agreed to continue negotiations on the GERD.

“We are not concerned by what is reported in the media on GERD,” stressed Mutaz.

On his part, Ethiopia's Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Motuma Mekasa pointed that Sudan's strong position from the GERD is driven by the desire to achieve the mutual interest of Nile Basin countries.

Mekasa noted during meeting his Sudanese counterpart that GERD is 54% complete and pledged to accelerate construction process to complete the project within the set timeframe.

In September, Technical teams of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have signed the additional studies agreement of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The technical studies aimed at safeguarding the water quotas of the three riparian states.

The multi-billion dollar dam is being constructed on the Blue Nile, about 20 kilometres from the Sudanese border, and has a capacity of 74 billion cubic meters, and is expected to generate electrical power of up to 6,000 megawatts.

Egypt is concerned that the dam could reduce its quota of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile water, while the Ethiopian side maintains that the dam is primarily built to produce electricity and will not harm Sudan and Egypt.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

October 28, 2016 – Two members of the Eritrean air force defected to Ethiopia by flying a military aircraft to Mekelle, the capital of northern Tigray region bordering Eritrea, an Eritrean opposition group confirmed on Friday.

Eritrea, which borders Sudan and Ethiopia, has been dubbed the North Korea of Africa (HRW)

Speaking to Sudan Tribune, Ibrahim Haron, leader of the Ethiopia based Eritrean opposition Red Sea Afar Democratic organization (RSADO) identified the two pilots as Mebrahtu Tesfamariam and Afework fissehaye.

He said the pilots along with their military jet arrived at Mekelle international Airport on Wednesday at around 10 am.

Haron said Ethiopian fighter jets had accompanied them upon their entrance into the country's air space.

According to Haron this is the first time for Eritrean air force members to defect to Ethiopia with their military Jet.

It is not yet clear if the defectors have sought political asylum.

In the past few years, dozens of pilots and members of the navy have defected to neighboring countries. This is not the first time Eritrean air force members defected.

In the past few years, dozens of pilots and members of the navy have defected to neighboring countries mainly to Saudi Arabia.

In 2012, two Eritrean military pilots secretly flew President Isaias Afewerki's plane to Saudi Arabia where they sought political asylum.

A year later, three other members of the Eritrean air force have defected with their fighter jet to Saudi Arabia.

In April the same year, another female Eritrean air force pilot sent by the regime to retrieve the stolen jet from Saudi Arabia has herself defected.

Haron said the latest defections are clear indication of a growing discontent within the Eritrean military.

“This is a big blow to dictatorial Eritrean regime which has increasingly become brutal to hold grip on power” he said.

The opposition group vowed to step up the military struggle to topple current president Issaias Afeworki-led regime in Asmara.

He called on other opposition forces to unite in the struggle to end the regime's repression and atrocities.

The Eritrean president had been in power since 1991, when the country gained independence from Ethiopia after 30 years of freedom for struggle
.
The Red Sea nation had never conducted elections since independence nor did it implementem the constitution ratified in 1997.

After the country gained independence President Afewerki has turned the nation into a one-party state.

The Afar opposition group has long been accusing the Eritrean government of intensifying what they allege is an “ethnic cleansing” strategy against Afar minorities.

Haron says thousands of Eritrean Afars had been killed and many others remain in prison.

The reclusive Red Sea nation has one the world's worst records in terms of human rights and press freedom.

The country is Africa's foremost jailer of journalists and is known by some human rights groups as a “giant prison”. The tiny nation is believed to be home to up to 10,000 political prisoners.

Every month, thousands of Eritreans immigrate to neighboring countries as a result of political oppression.

(ST)

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