June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – US-based powerful lobby and human rights organizations have filed a petition with US president, Barrack Obama, urging his administration to impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for the genocide and war crimes and perpetuating the ongoing civil war in South Sudan.
The six organizations that include American Jewish World Service, United to End Genocide, Humanity United, Human Rights Watch, The Enough Project and National Association of Evangelicals said it was time for the US administration to further operationalize the Executive Order 13664 of April 2014 which called for sanctions on South Sudan.
US earlier imposed travel ban and assets freeze on two commanders from the sides of president Salva Kiir's government and armed opposition leader, Riek Machar. The group however urged there was need to designate and target many other individuals responsible for the continuation of the war.
“We write to urge you to impose targeted sanctions against more individuals from all parties to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan who are responsible for serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law,” partly reads the letter.
They criticized the Obama administration for only condemning the ongoing situation but not taking a swift action to punish those responsible.
It said the US Treasury Department should collect more evidences about individuals that should be hit with sanctions. It also called on the administration to push both the United Nations (UN) and individual countries around the globe to impose sanctions on the belligerent parties in the young nation.
“In order to shift the calculation of the warring parties in advance of renewed peace talks, and to provide a form of accountability for widespread and horrific violations that have taken place in the conflict, the U.S. needs to take action to ensure the people of South Sudan do not bear the cost of war alone,” it urged.
The call by the rights groups came days before the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) called for targeted sanctions during this week's summit of heads of state and government in Johannesburg, South Africa, and urged the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to designate individuals who should be sanctioned.
A UN team is reportedly already on the ground in South Sudan touring states for the task of designating individuals responsible for the gross human rights abuses and perpetuation of the 18-month long civil war.
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June 17, 2015 (BOR) – The governor of Jonglei state, John Kong has urged lawmakers and stakeholders to strengthen efforts to restore unconditional peace among citizens.
Kong made these appeal while meeting members of the ruling party (SPLM) in the state capital, Bor. Several ministers, commissioners, lawmakers and other officials attended Tuesday's meeting.
“Let us not wait for peace which will come through IGAD [Inter-governmental Authority on Development] and the Troika. Let us engage our people on peace at grassroots,” he said.
Earlier this year, a state-wide peace conference that was planned to bring all the chiefs and elders both opposition and government areas in Jonglei, did not succeed partly due to logistical challenges.
Duk county, which currently hosts over 20,000 displaced people from Lou Nuer and Garwar areas, was chosen as the conference venue.
The governor urged citizens to support government efforts to bring to an end the ongoing conflict between South Sudan's warring factions.
“It is our responsibility to preach peace to them. I know our people's mind. If they say yes, they mean it. If they say no, they mean to say no. But for us, it is the opposite, you say yes when you don't mean it,” stressed Kong, further adding, “We in the government, we are united so if we don't tell them to live in peace, then we are the problem”.
Meanwhile, the governor appealed to the population to provide facts to a United Nations investigation team in currently in Jonglei state to investigate allegations that some individuals and entities should face sanctions for obstructing the peace process.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon appointed the five-member sanctions committee, whose findings, officials hinted, are expected within 60 days.
The probe team is led by arms experts, Vladimir Zhagora from Belarus. Other members include, Lucas Van de Vondervoort from Holland, humanitarian affairs expert, Anna Oosterlinck from Belgium, Payton Knopf for regional issues from United States as well as natural resources and finance expert, Andrew Atta Asamoah from Ghana.
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June 18, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - A Sudanese human rights activist called upon the United Nations Security Council to stand firm by the innocent civilians in Darfur and renew the mandate of the United Nations and African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
The UN 15-members council on Friday will hold informal meeting to assess the evolution human rights situation in Darfur 10 years after a report by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Darfur which in January 2005 concluded that the atrocities committed during the counter-insurgency campaign in 2003-2004 constitute crimes against humanity.
The Arria-formula meeting take place as the Security Council is preparing to renew the mandate of the hybrid peacekeeping operation tasked with the protection of civilians in Darfur, amid expectations that the draft resolution would reduce the activities of the mission in Western Darfur state in line with an exit strategy of UNAMID troops from Darfur.
However, Sudan, which is supported by China, Russia and several African and Arab non-permanent state members, calls for more effective and gradual withdrawal while the United Kingdom and United States maintain that the human rights situation and attacks on civilians remains unchanged in Darfur.
"The UN Security Council should not appease Bashir or surrender to his blackmailing by withdrawing UNAMID at this critical juncture of the history of Darfur that marred by unspeakable human rights violations. Darfurian innocent civilians cannot be left at the mercy of the perpetrators- President Bashir and his notorious Janjaweed's field commander, Hemeti Daglo," said Ahmed Hussain Adam, a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for African Development (IAD) at Cornell University.
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Thursday Adam further said that the people of Darfur are expecting the Council to take the right decision on June 24th, "the Council should be on the right side of history by renewing the UNAMID's mandate," he added.
He further emphasized that the protection of the civilians in Darfur should not be politicized or subjected to a rivalry or competition among the world's powers. He argued that, this is not about politics; this is about humanitarianism- it is about the innocent people who are in an urgent need for protection and security.
Pointing to the opposition of Darfur IDPs to the UNAMID's exit strategy, Adam called to reinvigorate efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Darfur
"Nevertheless, UNAMID also needs peace to keep. The UNSC should push for a clear and fresh roadmap for a meaningful peace and new democratic transition in Sudan. Status quo will push Sudan into more violence, chaos and further fragmentation. The Addis Ababa process under the AHUIP has failed miserably to deliver peace and credible national dialogue," he said.
Also, he called on the Security Council to reform and enhance UNAMID's capacity to carry out its mandate without restrictions, adding that the Sudanese army continue to bomb civilian areas and the government militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commit atrocities against them. He also pointed to the alleged rape of 200 women in Tabit of North Darfur.
"This is not a counter-insurgency. This is a cheap war on the civilians. This is about re-structuring Darfur demography, occupying more land and controlling the whole of Darfur," he said.
Last week, UN secretary-general assistant for peacekeeping operations Edmond Mulet told the Security Council that the attacks by the government forces displaced 78,000 people this year. He added that there are unverified reports about additional 130,000 IDPs in Jebel Marra.
"There is also significant concern about reports of indiscriminate attacks against civilians, as well as other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law," Mulet further said during a presentation of a periodic report about the UNAMID activities.
However, the Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations, Hassan Hamid Hassan accused the UN secretary-general assistant of seeking to provide a distorted picture about the security situation in Darfur and to attribute the displacement of civilians, caused by the tribal clashes, to the military campaign on rebel groups.
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June 18, 2015 (JUBA) - Members of parliament in Warrap state on Thursday approved a motion, which was last week tabled before the assembly requesting the amendment of the state constitution so as to extend the mandate of governor, Nyandeng Malek.
Local government minister, Acuil Tito had earlier moved motion in the state assembly.
The request, however, sparked sustained two days of street protests, attracting heavy deployment of joint security and police forces, allegedly to provide law and order.
The speaker of the state legislative assembly, Moses Madot Dut Deng told Sudan Tribune after the vote that majority of the parliamentarians approved the extension of the term of governor Malek to remain in office for additional three years.
The decision, according to speaker, was in accordance with the national government decision to extend the terms of the elected positions to remain in office up to 2018.
Deng, however, admitted the process was "not easy" but necessary to avoid administrative and political vacuum and keeping a crucial lifeline as "a political act of common sense and democracy".
I hope there would be no another attempt for request to extend the constitution without getting direct mandate from the people and pledging to get to work with the executive on provision of services, further stressed the speaker.
Governor Malek, on part, welcomed approval of the request and promised that now her administration would “work hard” in order to provide basic services and unite people.
The local government minister urged members of parliament last week to support giving the governor additional breathing space, commended the approval of the amendment of the state constitution to allow the governor state in office for three more years in power.
“When I presented the request to parliament last week, I knew it would be passed because we are in a critical moment of our time where we do not need any political and administrative vacuum”. I asked parliament, each lawmaker, not to reject the request, which wasn't easy because there were difference views but urged them to be mindful of the need to stay without leadership so that it does not do a great harm to our people and our future," said Tito.
The extension, he was, was an act of solidarity towards working for peace and reconciliation in the state and the country at large, adding "leaders have now recognised that Warrap has turned Thenew page on political differences and stand together.
"This is the time for us as leaders of this state to come together as the country needs holistic approach to reaching peaceful coexistence, which government at level is pursuing seriously. Our commitments to working together should override powerful interests”, explained the local government minister.
The acting head of the parliamentary committee responsible for information and communications, Ariech Mayar Ariech said the approval was unconstitutional because it was not done in accordance with parliamentary rules, procedures and processes.
He said a request to amend the constitution requires a period not exceeding month to allow members of parliament properly study the request tabled before the assembly.
The legislator said the decision making mechanisms were not followed in accordance with the state transitional constitution. He said the constitution provides for consensus and secret voting in the case of contentious matters arising from a parliamentary debate on matters related the public interest.
“But like we have seen in the past, the constitutional processes and procedures were not followed. The request was not allowed to stay for up to one month period. Also members were not given enough time to hold consultation and enlighten the public. This was an act of bad intention which I said before”, Ariec told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.
“Members were forced to stand up and be counted. This is an old method of voting. It is a traditional way of voting used commonly in the process were majority are illiterate and cannot read and write. But in parliament, majority of the members are literate, so we decided to ask for secret voting but the speaker refused and made use of the presence of the security forces to intimidate and forced members to stand up and asked security to start the counting”, he explained. The legislator said 33 members were forced to stand up to be counted and 13 members refused to get up and be counted," said Ariec.
“The way it was done was too traditional. The speaker bulldozed the procedures”, he added.
STUDENTS WELCOME EXTENSION
Meanwhile, Warrap students and youths in Uganda havewelcomed another term for governor Malek's continued stay in office, following parliament's decision on Thursday.
Peter Agolong Mading, the deputy chairman for Warrap youth said they warmly welcome the state legislative assembly's move to keep Malek in power till July 2018.
“We students of warrap state in Uganda congratulate governor Nyandeng
Malek Delic for her re-extension term of governorship," Mading told Sudan Tribune.
Mading said youths from Warrap state who study abroad and in East Africa salute the decision for giving Malek another chance to continue with her good governing skills.
“We students in Diaspora do hereby ask our youth and politicians back home to support her with development plan of our state to promote peace in communities," he said.
Ring Deng Ajith, the secretary general for Jieng Union in East Africa and adviser for Warrap youth said their entire communities welcome the governor's term extension.
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By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Thursday defended the rejection of the South African government to arrest and hand over Sudanese president, Omer Hassan al-Bashir, to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Earlier this week, the South African government came under huge pressures from rights groups, ICC and international community to deliver Bashir to the war crimes court in response to two arrest warrants issued against him since 2009 and 2010.
Speaking in a meeting with a visiting Sudanese media delegation Desalegn said the South African government wasn't cooperating with the ICC to arrest the Sudanese President as some reports speculated.
The Ethiopian prime minister said the attempt to arrest the Sudanese president was instigated by non-governmental organizations and not the South African government.
71-year-old Bashir, who was re-elected recently for a new term was in Johannesburg to attend the 25th Ordinary Summit of the African Union.
However, shortly after his arrival in South Africa on Sunday, a South African court ordered the Sudanese president not to leave the country until decision is made on whether he should be sent to ICC to stand trial over alleged war crimes.
In defiance of a court order and amide urgent calls for his arrest, the Sudanese president, however flew home on Monday after the South African government reportedly let him leave the country despite the court's decision.
Dessalegn, who also is IGAD chairperson, assured that his country “objects the imposition on African leaders” for which Ethiopia along with the African Union will continue to struggle against "such injustice".
African states have repeatedly accused ICC of double standards arguing the Hague based court was only targeting political leaders in Africa but not to those war criminals elsewhere.
During the African summit in South Africa, AU chairman Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, has urged African leaders to pull out of the ICC.
South Africa's ruling party (ANC) has also slammed ICC recent attempt to arrest the Sudanese president and voiced support to the Africa Union's position for amendment to the Rome Statute.
The visit of the Sudanese media delegation to Ethiopia was part of the ongoing efforts to cement existing strong relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan and address regional concerns.
During the meeting, Desalegn briefed the 22-member Sudanese media team, on bilateral relations, Ethiopia's plan to use Sudanese port and boosting investment with Sudan as well as on the ongoing South Sudan peace process.
Also, he briefed the delegation on Ethiopia's multi-billion dollar Nile dam project which had been a source of dispute with Egypt and the current tripartite relations and progress achieved with that regard.
The Sudanese media delegation have visited Addis Ababa light railway network, transformer factory and Addis Ababa university Science Faculty.
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June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's former vice-president, Riek Machar, who leads an armed opposition faction against president Salva Kiir's government, has written to the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki Moon, over what he said were “many shortcomings” in a proposed draft agreement by the East African regional bloc, IGAD, in order to end the 18-month long civil war in the young country.
Machar said the document which the IGAD special envoys proposed mainly on power-sharing and security arrangements, and distributed to regional heads of state and government as the basis for a final peace agreement, would not bring peace between the warring parties.
“I am writing to point out the shortcomings in the IGAD Special Envoys' document that is distributed to the Heads of State and Government…However, this document has many shortcomings and leaves a lot of problems unaddressed,” partly reads the letter to the UN secretary general, dated 11 June, which copy Sudan Tribune has obtained.
In the six-page long letter, Machar narrated to the UN chief in details “fundamental” issues that should have been addressed by IGAD proposal, but not addressed, and the faults in their proposal in regard to various outstanding issues.
For instance, the armed opposition leader criticized IGAD proposal for leaving out the issue of compensation and reparation of victims of what he said was a genocide in the capital, Juba, and beyond that allegedly left over 20,000 people dead, mainly from the Nuer ethnic community, killed in cold blood by president Salva Kiir's presidential guards and allied ethnic Dinka militias from his home region of Bahr el Ghazal.
He also reiterated his call for release and publication of report of the African Union's (AU) Commission of Inquiry on the crimes committed and for those responsible to be held accountable, saying non-disclosure of the report implied lack of transparency. He also decried the dire situation faced by over a hundred thousand internally displaced persons in the UN camps across the war-torn country.
The rebel leader said a hybrid court to try those responsible for the war crimes and crimes against humanity should be established outside South Sudan, and that a program of reconciliation should also be anchored to final peace agreement. He stressed that many of the present problems persisted because the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between South Sudan and Sudan in January 2005 did not address the issue of reconciliation internally in South Sudan.
The opposition leader further argued that federal system of governance should be part and parcel of a final peace agreement and implemented in the transitional period, saying this had been a popular demand of the people since 1947 and should not be referred to future permanent constitutional making process.
On institutional reforms he said there was need to overhaul the system in all its sectors and expressed pessimism that such a change would not take place under the current leadership in South Sudan.
“The current regime has been described as kleptocracy. I agree with this description. It is corrupt. It is difficult to envisage any reforms under the current leadership. However difficult, fundamental reforms must be done in the economy, security, public service, judiciary and political pluralism practice,” he said.
In the area of security arrangements, Machar attacked the IGAD proposal, saying it only limited scope of ceasefire to the three states of the oil-rich Upper Nile region, which included Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei, leaving out the other seven states of Central, Eastern and Western Equatoria states in the greater Equatoria region and the four states of Lakes, Warrap, Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region.
He said war started in the national capital, Juba, and spread to the other states, adding that the war was also raging and spreading to the other two regions.
Machar also argued in the letter to the UN chief that although the intensity of the war was being felt in greater Upper Nile, government forces fighting in the three Upper Nile states came from all the ten states of the country.
He proposed that the national capital plus all the ten states capitals and other major towns must be demilitarized and the United Nations peacekeepers in the country take over the security of these capitals and major towns.
The rebel leader further said both the opposition forces and forces of the government should be cantoned, and described IGAD's proposal on security arrangements as only biasedly targeting the rebel forces.
“Cantonment must include regime's forces. IGAD proposal tackles only SPLM/SPLA forces. It is a project for disarmament of SPLM/SPLA, that is a disaster plan and cannot contribute to peace,” he said.
He also added that the proposed 18 months for reunification process of the two rival armies during a transitional period was not feasible as the process needed a lot of activities before they could come under a unified command.
“Unification of both SPLM/SPLA and GRSS forces involves selection, amalgamation, integration, training, deployment of the unified forces (Army, Police, Correctional Services, Fire Brigades and Wildlife and National Security) under unified command. This task cannot be completed in 18 months period,” he told the UN secretary general.
On the ceasefire agreement signed between the two warring parties since 23 January 2014, he said this could not hold because one of IGAD's member states, Uganda, plus “four” Sudanese rebels and Chadian rebels involved in the war on the side of president Kiir's government.
“This agreement was born dead,” he said.
On power-sharing he said this should be applied across the ten states of the country, including the other seven states of Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria, not only in the three states of Upper Nile region. He also questioned the logic behind IGAD's proposed 33% of share to the government, saying populations in Upper Nile region had risen against the government. He added that war was also going on in the other regions against the government.
Machar further stressed that the document failed to share power in the Council of States, an upper house of the national legislature.
He also criticized the draft proposal for giving more percentage to only “10 individuals” known as former detainees than all the 16 opposition political parties combined in the country. He said these individuals were also lumped with 7% share in Upper Nile region although some of them did not come from the region.
The rebel leader also criticized IGAD for going against the 75% decision-making threshold at executive and legislative organs as initially agreed by the warring parties and instead introduced 67% threshold.
He accused the regional bloc of playing to the tune of tribal politics by proposing a divisive power-sharing deal for the regions and states.
“Is IGAD submerged in tribal politics in South Sudan? We cannot understand this mindboggling logic. South Sudan is one country striving to create a multi-national, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural nation based on equality, justice, freedom, democracy that shall prosper in the Nile Basin,” said the opposition leader.
On illegitimacy of the current government in Juba, Machar said both the national legislature and the president had become illegitimate, explaining that their elected terms in office had already expired on 8 March 2015 for the national legislature and on 21 May 2015 for the president.
He also added that president Kiir became illegitimate with additional counts including the act of genocide in Juba and beyond, usurping power of the people and fabricating a coup that led to the current war, a case he said the president lost in his own court in Juba.
Machar in the letter to the UN secretary general further accused the national legislature of usurping the power of the people of South Sudan in amending and enacting laws extending their lifespan and that of the president when the national legislature itself was already illegitimate.
The amendment of the constitution done by the national legislature after 8 March 2015 by an “illegitimate” body, he said, was unconstitutional.
“An illegitimate president and an illegitimate national legislature are now ruling South Sudan,” he told the UN chief.
“Finally, we urge the world to declare president Salva and the national legislature constitutionally illegitimate on July 9, 2015,” he concluded.
The former vice president however said his organization was committed to the IGAD peace process and welcomed the new IGAD-Plus mechanism, saying there was need to allow the parties to the conflict to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
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By Mahmoud A. Suleiman
This article comes against the backdrop of the Génocidaire Omer al-Bashir escaping arrest by South African Court through a plot hatched by the Government of President Jacob Zuma on Monday 15, June 2015.
Background information about Omer al-Bashir's crimes is important before delving into the current events that led to his escaping arrest. In 2009, Omer al-Bashir and three of his senior aides, Abdelrahim Muhammed Hussein, Ahmed Harun and a Janjaweed commander Ali Abdelrahman Kosheib indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The following year, 2010, the ICC also charged Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir with three counts of genocide and issued arrest warrant.
Troops under al-Bashir's command in Darfur have spent years attacking and destroying villages, chasing survivors into the dessert, surrounding refugee camps, killing almost 500,000 in cold blood and uprooting millions of civilians from land –known locally as Hawakeer they possessed for centuries. When applying for a warrant for his arrest, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said clearly that al-Bashir's “intent was genocide” and that he wanted to erase the history of an entire people.
The Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir oversaw it all. He remained as one of the world's most wanted men, charged with a horrific genocide. Nevertheless, for 6 years no one has succeeded in apprehending al-Bashir and locking him up.
During the period Sunday 14 – Monday 15, June 2015, Omer al-Bashir was in a state of ruefulness in South Africa fearing apprehension and handing him over to the ICC at The Hague. Nevertheless, the Génocidaire Bashir managed slipping and flying out of South Africa despite Pretoria High Court decision. Political analysts strongly believe that a plot Hatched by the government of President Jacob Zuma facilitated for Bashir escaping Arrest in Pretoria.
The position of Zuma in Pretoria is not surprising given the issue of the African dictatorship Club whose members work for their survival in power. The authoritarianism group sticks to the conspiracy theory that the West always targeted its members and conspired to incarcerate them into the darkness of prison in the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The Pan-Africanist rhetoric says that the ICC only targets the African leaders.
Thus, the Génocidaire Omar al-Bashir managed to escape from the mousetrap of South African Court for survival and fled to his den in Khartoum. The disgusting and abhorrent conspiracy theory utilized by the African Union (AU) Dictators Club to cover up their heinous crimes against the disenfranchised fellow citizens and to exonerate the perpetrators among their ranks.
The Southern African Litigation Centre, a legal rights group, had launched an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to force the authorities to arrest the Génocidaire Omer Hassan Ahmed al- Bashir. South Africa is a signatory to the States Parties to the Rome Statute, which established the (ICC) that has often been criticised for only targeting Africa leaders.
The justification that the Government of Jacob Zuma relied on for allowing al-Bashir to leave as the duty to protect its invited guests the heads of states of the African Union (AU) countries is utterly flimsy, given the fact that South Africa is in the Rome Statute of 2002 members.
President Jacob Zuma had betrayed the noble spirit of the people of South Africa's struggle against apartheid. At the time of the Apartheid, the people of Sudan stood steadfast with the struggle of the disenfranchised South African people. The people of Sudan were not waiting for the leadership of South Africa to deal the Sudanese cause with such flout that ignores the blood of the victims and the noble Sudanese people struggle for freedom, justice and democracy. The judiciary in South Africa is exposed to a difficult and historic test to either prove its integrity and independence or trample its glory and reputation in the ground. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has already protested against arrest and could pressure the court to give in. However, a massive outcry can ensure they stay out of it, given the fact that it is a legal decision, not a political one. South Africa should arrest al-Bashir and either try him for genocide, or send him to the International Criminal Court, political analyst said.
On Sunday14, June 2015, Judge Hans Fabricius ordered authorities to stop Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir from leaving the country, pending a decision on whether it should order his arrest or not. The court was due to reconvene at 11.30am (09.30 GMT) on Monday, 15 June 2015 when a member of al-Bashir's delegation brushed aside the court case, telling Agence France-Presse (AFP) “President Bashir... will leave on Monday 15, June 2015.”
The African Union (AU) 54-member summit chaired by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe in Johannesburg invited al-Bashir to attend. The International Criminal Court (ICC), arrest warrant for the Génocidaire Omer al- Bashir overshadowed the AU meeting. Al-Bashir is a genocidal criminal fugitive from the international justice. He annihilated more than 500000 innocent civilians and forced more than half the population to leave their homes fleeing into the middle of nowhere in makeshift camps for refugees, as Internally Displaced People (IDP), or as Diasporas. There is indistinguishable similarity between the National Congress Party (NCP) regime in Sudan and the White Supremacy entity of the former Apartheid South Africa.
Sudan's ruling regime of the NCP-led by the genocidal criminal Omar al-Bashir has been practicing the same apartheid tactics but tougher and more arbitrarily against the people of Sudan in the Darfur region, as was practiced by the White minority against the Majority People of South Africa. President Jacob Zuma and his government is definitely aware of this, but intersection of the interests played a major role in allowing Omar al-Bashir to escape from being arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. The United States imposed sanctions against the Islamist regime of the National Islamic Front (NIF). More than 20,000 international peacekeepers, known as United Nations and African Union Mission for Darfur (UNAMID), poured into Darfur.
Omer al-Bashir who has been ruling people of Sudan with iron fist for 26 years and starting further five-rear term will inevitably attend under arrest to The Hague to face the result of the crimes he committed in the right of the people of Sudan in Darfur. The African dictators club has nothing to do with the rights of peoples of the continent. All that they care for is to stay in power for indefinite terms, whether the people of the country people refused or accepted the feta accompli situation.
The ICC is still young and a nascent institution and because of political maneuvers, al-Bashir has avoided arrest in several countries over the years. Some — including the ANC — have criticized the court for focusing on crimes in Africa. Nevertheless, most of the cases at the ICC were brought forward by the countries themselves and Sudan is one of just two cases where the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) managed to agree to bring perpetrators to the court. Moreover, when it comes to crimes as horrific as those in Darfur, its justice that should matter, not politics, political analysts continued saying. The accused of leading a horrific genocide in Darfur, Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir has escaped arrest for 6 years. The world needs taking action to bring Omar al-Bashir to justice. Omer al-Bashir sneaked out of South Africa fearing impending apprehension and handing him over to the (ICC). Bashir's scape has been decried as disgraceful scar on the non-apartheid state of South Africa.
The blood of the victims of genocide in Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Ingasana in South Blue Nile, the victims of the massacres of the Beja in Eastern Sudan and the Nubians in the far north of Sudan await Justice. As well, the victims of human rights violations in all parts of Sudan, and the recent massacre of the civilians in the Khartoum North neighbourhood of Al-Jiraif Sharg, who struggled steadfast for their land rights and the wails of the widows would not go unheeded without accountability or transitional justice and revenge.
Sudan's army, National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and militia, the notorious Rapid Support Force (RSF) have been terrorizing and displacing the population of Darfur out of their homes for years. They murdered the men, raped women and small girls in front of their families. Moreover, they have escaped justice until now. The hope rests on the good humane people of the world to support the efforts of the components of the Sudanese people to bring about change in the country by ousting the National Congress Party (NCP) regime by all available means. The people of Sudan are struggling for democracy, freedoms, rule of law, good governance, sustainable peace and prosperity with decent living.
Quote about a Tyrant states: “In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the People." Eugene V. Debs, Voices of a People's History of the United States.
Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is an author, columnist and a blogger. His blog is http://thussudan.wordpress.com/
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June 17, 2015 (WAU) - Leader of the newly established People's Liberal Party (PLP) in South Sudan, Peter Mayen Majongdit, said a power-sharing proposal revealed by the East African regional bloc (IGAD) to end the 18-month long civil war in the country needed to be renegotiated by the parties in an inclusive process.
The draft power-sharing deal gave president Salva Kiir's government 53% of executive power at the national level while 33% went to the armed opposition faction led by former vice president, Riek Machar, and 14% to be equally divided between the former political detainees led by former secretary general of the ruling (SPLM) party and the other political parties.
In greater Upper Nile region reforms are to be effected with the reverse of giving the rebel faction 53% in charge of the three states of Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei in the oil-rich region. The government in that region will get 33% and former detainees plus other political parties to equally share the remaining 14%.
Majongdit however said the draft deal was unfairly distributed, questioning why should only 10 individuals of former detainees be given a share in the 14% with the other political parties while majority of these individuals were already members of the national parliament or ruling party's political bureau.
“Why should the former political detainees share 14%,” he inquired.
He was referring to the notion that the 10 membership of the former detainees, sometimes known as G10, were just individuals without declared constituencies as far as the war is concerned. Critics also describe them as “opportunists” who were only hoping for an opportunity to sneak into the leadership of the country by portraying themselves as neutral “good boys” in the eyes of the international community while they were partly responsible for the current crisis.
According to Majongdit, he argued that the former detainees were either members of the SPLM highest political executive and legislative organs which should share from the 53% taken by the government because there were cadres of the SPLM if the Arusha agreement was to be incorporated into IGAD proposal.
He further warned that other opposition political parties might reject the participation in a transitional government of national unity if not allocated proper percentage.
“That means it will not be called government of national unity in the absence of opposition parties,” he said.
Majongdit, whose party base is in Warrap state from where he hails, further revealed that his political party may not take part in the transitional government and shall only focus on preparations for the upcoming general elections at the end of interim period.
“PLP shall be aspiring for country's leadership when the time is due, through election, so it has no interest to be part of government which they shall soon challenge. Our priorities are peace for now,” he said, adding that the preparations may not be easy.
He said there was need for institutions such as election commission to be independent from government's influence.
He also stressed the need for the peace talks to be inclusive, rather than bilateral between the warring parties so that issues were also widened beyond the mere power-sharing to include ensuring that accountability was addressed.
He also called on IGAD and the warring parties to extend power-sharing deal in the other two greater regions of Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria, saying these regions equally needed reforms and the change should therefore not be benefiting only Upper Nile region.
The opposition leader, who hails from Warrap state like president Salva Kiir, was kidnapped this year, severely beaten and detained for several days by security operatives. He said as a condition for his release he was warned not to talk much about the shortfalls in the country's leadership or risk disappearance. He however said he defied such threats against his constitutional right.
PLP was formed earlier this year with the aim to create liberal democratic society with human values, according to its statement. Since its formation the party chairperson has been actively engaged in the country's political affairs winning public attraction.
(ST)
June 17, 2015 (RUMBEK) - Traders in Rumbek, capital of Lakes state, have gone on strike following the killing of Sudanese trader last Sunday by unknown gunmen. The shops in Rumbek market have remained closed for three days in protest of endangered traders.
Head of traders union, Alfred Makur Acuoth, confirmed to Sudan Tribune markets were closed and that traders were demanding safety and for local tax to be reduced by the state government.
Acuoth said traders were experiencing losses in life and in materials due to rampant insecurity while the state government was levying more taxes from them, saying the strike aimed to address the grievances.
“Yes we close market for three days and it will continue till clear message would come from state government – we are losing life and properties – we need protection and tax to be easy on our goods – we gain nothing in all our goods – we are being killed and being harassed,” lamented Acuoth.
Also the exchange rate of US dollars, he said, had increased from 1,000SSP to 1,500SSP per $100 in Rumbek market, making it difficult to import goods from the neighbouring countries as South Sudanese pounds has either not been recognized by the exporting countries or it has become almost worthless.
South Sudanese pound' exchange rate against the US dollar in 2005 was only 2SSP per $1 when the new local currency was introduced, becoming the strongest currency in Africa at the time. Now it has rapidly depreciated by nearly 1000% in the black market, especially after the 2013 crisis in the country.
Acuoth also said Rumbek town, Lakes state's capital, has become more synonymous with insecurity, adding traders were always in danger from unknown gunmen. He called upon state government to provide security and to reduce local tax.
He also called on the state government to ensure US dollars were in circulation in the state in order to ease importation of goods from neighboring countries.
“Let state government make dollar available for us as well as roads to be secure from robberies,” he added.
Lakes state has been in turmoil for years due to rampant insecurity caused by inter-sectional fighting and revenge killings between ethnic Dinka rival clans, coupled with robberies in towns and along the roads.
A rebellion is also in the making as Brigadier General Khamis Abdel Latif, allied to the former vice president, Riek Machar, has been mobilising, recruiting and training youth from the area to begin military activities against the state government.
(ST)
June 17, 2015 (JUBA) - A bid by Warrap state government in South Sudan, home to president Salva Kiir, to extend the term in office of governor Nyandeng Malek, has sparked street protest amid deployment of a joint police and security forces in Kuacjok town, capital of the state.
Governor Malek, whose term came to an end in May is the first elected woman politician into the office of governorship in the country. She was elected in April 2010 and took oath of office on 10 May 2010, marking the beginning of her five year term in the top elected state executive position.
Some members of parliament and critics of her administration however argued that she was no longer a legitimate governor after her term has expired; pointing out that the latest attempt for new mandate was not in the interest of the public.
Protesters in reaction to move for extension took to the street on Wednesday as the state parliament was holding its first discussion on the report examining request presented last week to the house by the state minister of local government, General Acuil Tito.
It remained unclear whether the state parliament would approve or reject the request seeking the extension of the term of governor Malek for three more years in office since the national elections commission postponed holding of elections in response to the request by the national government to cancel the polls due to lack of conducive environment to carry out prerequisite processes.
Karlos Maluil Makuek, a member of the youth group coordinating the protest told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday from Kuacjok, Warrap state's capital, that they were barricaded in parts of the town by security and police forces in an attempt to block members of the general public from joining them.
“Police are blocking people from joining the demonstration because they are aware that more people want to come to the parliament to protest this request seeking extension of the term of the governor,” Makuek told Sudan Tribune.
“The security forces and police have been deployed to quell the protests but we are determined to not allow this to happen. We are more than 200 members but this will [increase] group,” he said.
Acting head of parliamentary committee responsible for information, communications and public relations, Ariech Mayar Ariech, said he told the house at the start of the discussion of the request to put the common interest first and stand with the desire of the public rather than with individuals.
The legislator said youth came to the parliament holding placards showing “no extension for the term of the governor, yes for extension of the state legislative assembly and the office of the president.”
Observers however said the protesting Warrap youth were contradicting themselves since they only rejected extension of the governor's term in office while at the same time approving of the extension of terms in office of both president Salva Kiir and state legislative assembly who were elected in the same 2010 elections.
All the South Sudanese elected officials in April 2010 at all levels of executive and legislature have their terms expired either in March or May this year.
(ST)
June 17, 2015 (JUBA) – The United States on Wednesday announced $133 million additional humanitarian assistance for South Sudanese displaced by the 18-month old conflict at a conference held in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The United States joined other countries in voicing support for South Sudan's citizens who are internally displaced or have fled to neighboring countries as refugees and others caught up in the conflict,” party reads a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
A US delegation led by its special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Donald Booth announced this during an international conference on the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan and its impact on the region.
The leading humanitarian provider in South Sudan, the US said it intervened “in response to a surge in conflict and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in South Sudan over the last two months.”
Meanwhile, US delegation reportedly emphasised the urgent need for the warring parties in South Sudanese conflict to negotiate a peaceful solution to end the fighting.
Since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, the US government has contributed more than $1.2 billion in humanitarian assistance for South Sudan.
“This new funding will allow US-funded organisations to provide food and livelihood support and prevent the spread of diseases by providing emergency health services, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education,” noted the statement.
“The fund will help survivors of gender-based violence, malnourished children, and persons with disabilities among affected populations in South Sudan, and neighboring countries",
Over 4 million people, aid agencies say, are at risk of starvation in South Sudan. The US, however, said no amount of money will end the suffering of those affected by the conflict.
(ST)
(Johannesburg) – Angolan authorities should drop politically motivated charges against the author Rafael Marques de Morais and two other human rights activists.
June 17, 2015 (WAU) – The governor of South Sudan's Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Rizik Zakariah Hassan has been granted three additional years in power by lawmakers.
Speaking to reporters after handing Hassan a certificate, the assembly speaker, John Mario Nyibang acknowledged the MPs' decision.
The state assembly members extended the governor's mandate up to 9 July 2018.
“I have come to the governor to present him a certificate extending his office term and of assembly members for three years,” said the speaker.
Nyibang said members of the state legislative assembly reached amended Article 62 (2) [of the State Transitional Constitution], which would terminate the state legislative assembly period on 9 July 2015.
“We have also amended the article 92 (2) which terminates the period of the state governor on the 9 July 2015,” said the speaker.
Hassan thanked the state assembly members for extending his mandate
“Your move to extern my period means that the state assembly is working towards the needs of the citizens of Western Bahr el Ghazal because our people need services from this government,” said the governor, vowing to prioritise development and security.
(ST).
June 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) gave its blessings to the economic reforms carried out by the Sudanese government, an official here said today.
Sudan's economy has suffered an economic shock after it lost 75% of the country's oil reserves following the secession of South Sudan in July 2011 which subsequently led to soaring inflation levels and the sharp decline of the local currency value relative to major currencies.
The Sudanese Finance Minister Badr al-Din Mahmoud urged the IMF to support Sudan in achieving further economic reforms, especially in the field of development and modernization of revenue collection tools and to back the zero option with the government of South Sudan for resolving the external debt issue.
The minister stressed during his meeting on Wednesday with the IMF mission headed by Eric Mutu his government's commitment to respecting the agreements it signed with Juba and affirmed the success of the reform policies pursued by the ministry in 2014 and the first year of 2015.
He explained that performance indicators confirm this success where inflation has been reduced from 39% to less than 25% and the enforcement of tax reform through computerization of tax processes and the implementation of a single treasury system.
For his part, the IMF official confirmed their interest in promoting economic stability in Sudan and acknowledged the economic reforms that have been implemented, and attention given to development and economic stability and support of vulnerable segments of society.
Mutu said that the mission's visit to Sudan is aimed at reviewing economic performance in the previous period and agreeing with the government on a new program for the coming period aimed at achieving stability in line with the government's priorities.
The IMF Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) for Sudan has expired in December and has yet to be renewed and it appears that Sudan is looking to renew it.
The SMP is an informal agreement between country authorities and IMF to monitor the implementation of the authorities' economic program. SMPs do not entail financial assistance or endorsement by the IMF executive board.
In 2009, Sudan agreed to SMP to help it achieve a set of economic and financial policies and objectives which include sustaining economic growth, controlling inflation, reforming the banking sector and reducing budget deficit among others.
(ST)
June 17, 2015 (JUBA)- South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has reiterated his rejection of a new peace proposal by Intergovernmental Authority on development (IGAD) mediators, aiming to end the 18-month conflict in which several lives have been lost and millions more displaced since December 2013.
According to the minister at the presidency, Awan Guol Riak, President Kiir told the heads of state and government attending the African union summit in Johannesburg that his government was committed to peaceful settlement of the conflict but the new proposal undermines peaceful coexistence, hardens ethnic sentiments and polarization of the country.
“Regarding the new IGAD proposal, the President of the Republic and our team made reservations and gave them to the African Union. It is our view that some areas of the proposal should be revised or removed and so we felt that it should be returned to the chief negotiators to hold exhaustive discussions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, so that the result of the consultations would be the basis of new proposals and the agenda”, Riak told reporters on Tuesday upon his arrival at Juba international airport from South Africa.
Earlier this month, the mediation proposed a draft agreement that gives the SPLM-IO 33% power-sharing ratio at the national level and 53% in the three states of Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei within the oil-rich greater Upper Nile region.
South Sudanese government officials rejected new proposal pointing it undermined national unity and social cohesion as it put the oil-rich greater Upper Nile region under the control of the opposition faction of the former vice-president, Riek Machar.
Also the rebels who call for a federal system in the country brushed aside the proposal saying it encourages the other two regions of Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria to continue with the war.
The minister explained that issues discussed at the summit were vast and complex. He added that African leaders made significant efforts to address challenges from the wider problems of security and immigration to more specific matters.
The recent 25th African Union (AU) summit discussed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, and the current political upheaval in Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
However, observers have argued that the summit did not come out with significant resolutions especially in the light of the continent turning into part of the world in which some of the leaders are trying to remain in power by changing their countries' constitutions.
Other questions which have continued to be posed include those asking whether the continental body is achieving its original goals for greater unity and good governance.
The activities of the summit were overshadowed by the presence of Sudan's President Omer al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes and genocide charges.
(ST)
June 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - June 17, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Armed Forces (SAF) said its troops repulsed an attack by unnamed rebel group against its positions in Silai'a area, 64km north of West Darfur state capital of El-Ginaina.
The official news agency SUNA on Wednesday quoted SAF spokesperson, Col. al-Sawarmi Khaled Saad as saying that a rebel group on Tuesday attacked army position in Silai'a area, noting their troops repulsed the attack and inflicted a number of dead and wounded on the rebels.
Saad added the government forces seized two Land Cruiser vehicles and destroyed two others, pointing that one army soldiers was killed in the attack and four others injured.
The Sudanese military also said their forces combed the area and chased the fleeing rebels, noting the situation is currently stable in the area.
However, the spokesperson did not clarify whether the attackers belong to an armed rebel group or they belong to an armed gang.
Armed clashes between government army and rebel groups are rare in West Darfur which has been recently classified as the most secure and stable state amongst Darfur's five states.
CENTRAL DARFUR PROTESTS
Meanwhile, the pro-government Sudan Media Center (SMC) said that a joint regular force has contained Wednesday rioters in downtown Zalingei, capital of Central Darfur state.
According to SMC, the protest was carried out by a group of former fighters from rebel groups who are seeking integration into the Sudanese army.
A reliable source from the state's security told SMC that a joint force from the army, police and security services managed to contain the situation by driving the rioters out of commercial market.
The same stressed that the security situation is stable and life is going on as normal in Zalingei, describing the way the regular forces dealt with the protesters as “wise”.
(ST)