April 17, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese army (SPLA) on Thursday said it repulsed a rebel attempt to overrun Renk, another strategic Upper Nile state town located at the North-South Sudan border.

Soldiers from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) sit on a pick-up truck during a patrol in Upper Nile state Malakal on 21 January 2014 (Photo: AFP/Harrison Ngethi)

“The SPLA Sector Command in Paloich has repelled a rebel assault on Renk town this evening. They (rebels) attacked the town around 4:00PM on Wednesday from South West of the town," said Maj.General Garang Mabil.

"The fighting raged for more than four hours," added the military officer who is part of the SPLA command forces in the area.

Sporadic gunfire, multiple residents told Sudan Tribune, was heard in areas south of town, while details of the attacks remained sketchy. Military sources, however, claimed several civilians and military personnel sustained injuries during the attack.

Local authorities said the attack caused panic among civilian population, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and spend the night in bushes after the town was stormed.

Renk is more 970km north west of Juba and just 35km south of Sudan border.

The attack on Renk added another pressure on the government troops struggling with the insurgency to assert full control of the Upper Nile region, especially areas where oil is produced. The attack came after government lost Bentiu town, the Unity State capital on Tuesday and has since been fighting running battles with the rebels within the outskirts of the town.

Government troops in Malakal town, the Upper Nile state capital, said on Wednesday they were involved in clashes with rebel forces in Doleib Hill, located some 16 kilometers south of the town, in addition to the clashes in Renk town.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

April 17, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – The South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, on Thursday arrived in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where he held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn on the political turmoil in South Sudan.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (L), South Sudanese President Salva Kiir (C) and Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta in Juba, December 26, 2013 (AP)

Ateny Wek Ateny, South Sudan's presidential spokesperson earlier said President Kiir's visit to Addis Ababa was mainly to discuss the way forward for the ongoing conflict, which has displaced over a million people.

"President Kiir will also hold talks with the African union and the IGAD mediation team on the current security developments, and to affirm commitment of the government to bringing lasting peace to the country," Ateny told reporters in Juba.

"The president is keen to see that talks are confined to the two warring parties," he added.

But while Ateny insisted the visit would focus on the current peace talk process, a senior diplomat at the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, claimed the South Sudan leader was also expected to ask the Ethiopian prime minister, to expedite deployment of the regional troops to replace Uganda forces in the country.

Kiir recently paid visits to Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda where he held talks with leaders of the respective countries on the faltering peace process.

Part of his visit was also to push members of the East African regional body the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to immediately deploy peace keeping forces.

The deployment of an IGAD force - on top of the UN Mission in South Sudan - as had been agreed at previous meeting of the group, but it has been rejected by the South Sudanese rebels led by former vice president, Riek Machar.

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, President Kiir was warmly welcomed by Aster Mamo, Ethiopia's deputy prime minister for good governance and reform cluster and minister of the civil service.

Government sources told Sudan Tribune that during their meeting, the South Sudanese leader briefed his Ethiopian counterpart on the current situation in South Sudan, as well as his recent regional tour.

President Kiir and Desalegn have reviewed the way IGAD was handling the peace process between South Sudan's warring parties since its outbreak in December 2013.

The two sides also consulted on ways how the next round of negotiations should proceed in a way to that would quickly end the fierce fighting and bring about a peaceful and durable solution to the current crises in the world's youngest nation.

The South Sudan leader's visit comes as the SPLM-in-Opposition forces led by Machar, recaptured Bentiu, the strategic oil-rich Unity state capital.

Rebels have further launched military attacks to control other key towns.

There are reports that the two rivals are now engaged in a heavy fighting in Renk County of the oil-rich Upper Nile state.

South Sudan has been shaken by fierce violence since mid-December last year when rival factions of the presidential guards clashed in Juba.

The conflict which quickly spread to other parts of the country and eventually took ethnic lines claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced over one million.

Continued fighting and food insecurity has also forced over one million people, including some 100,000 people to Ethiopia.

The two sides signed a shaky ceasefire agreement on 23 January following weeks of IGAD led negotiations in Addis Ababa.

However, the cessation of hostilities agreement did not stop fighting on the ground with both sides trading accusations of violating the terms of the agreement.

A fresh round of negotiations between the South Sudanese government and the SPLM/A-in opposition is due to resume on 22 of April in Addis Ababa without the participation of the seven former detainees (SPLM-seven) who were recently excluded from the talks mediated by IGAD.

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April 17 2014 (JUBA) – The UN's humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan, Toby Lanzer, said he was deeply saddened and frustrated by the violence that has ravaged the strategic towns of Bentiu and Bor over the past few days.

Civilians fleeing violence seek refuge at a UN camp in Bor, the capital of South Sudan's Jonglei state, following the eruption of violence in the country in mid-December (AP)

In press statement from the capital, Juba, Lanzer said there is no excuse for direct attacks on civilians, or on those providing protection to them.

Lanzer was reacting to an attack on a UN base camp in the Jonglei state capital Bor, which is sheltering about 5,000 civilians displaced by violence in the country, predominantly from the Nuer ethnic group.

There are unconfirmed reports that at least 30 people were killed after armed youth demonstrators stormed the compound, opening fire on civilians and clashing with a peacekeeping contingent from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Two UNMISS peacekeepers also sustained injuries during the incident, but the final death toll remains unknown.

The incident followed the capture of Unity state capital Bentiu on Monday by rebel forces aligned with former vice-president Riek Machar, who hails from the Nuer group and is accused of staging a coup attempt in mid-December last year to depose president Salva Kiir, a Dinka.

The incident reportedly occurred after armed local Dinka Bor youths entered the site to deliver a protest letter calling for IDPs to be relocated from the area.

It's believed protesters were angered after witnessing IDPs celebrating after the fall of Bentiu.

Youths have claimed they were simply responding after being fired on from the UNMISS camp, but UNMISS disputes these accounts, saying the armed mob forced its way inside after ignoring repeated warning shots fired into the air by its forces.

Lanzer has warned that South Sudan is facing a bleak future if the current cycle of violence continues.

“These events show, yet again, the pointlessness of the violence engulfing South Sudan. The current cycle of revenge will get the people of this country nowhere. It wrecks the present, and casts a dark shadow over what should have been a very bright future,” he said.

In a strongly worded statement following the raid on the Bor base, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon said any attack on UN peacekeepers constitutes a war crime.

“This attack on a location where civilians are being protected by the United Nations is a serious escalation,” the statement said.

“The secretary- general expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and pledges all possible support to those wounded in this attack,” it adds.

Meanwhile, Lanzer said the number of people seeking shelter at the UNMISS base in Bentiu has doubled in recent days, with at least 9,000 people sheltering inside.

Lanzer called on parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and resume meaningful negotiations to find a political solution to the ongoing crisis.

Lanzer's and Ban's comments reflect a growing sense of frustration among UN agencies over the failure of parties to the conflict to stem violence in the country.

“We are doing an awful lot, but we can never do enough and we shouldn't be called on to do everything,” said Lanzer in a separate statement on Tuesday. “This is the responsibility of the leaders of South Sudan … It is only the leaders and the people of South Sudan who can reconcile their differences and who eventually can build their own country.”

He said if South Sudan is to achieve peace and become “viable state” it would need “compassion, humility and a new way of thinking”.

(ST)

30 people killed following clashes at UN base in Jonglei: reports
UN condemns “deadly attack” on Jonglei's Bor camp

April 17, 2014 (JUBA) - South Sudan on Thursday downplayed the significance of the sanctions which the United States government threatened to impose on individuals believed to be blocking the peace process between Juba and rebels that split from its ruling party and the army.

South Sudan's Salva Kiir (L) and US President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington (londoneveningpost)

"I said it clearly that it is not appropriate at this moment to take actions that would undermine the process and frustrate the efforts. I made it very clear that with us moving forward, we need support", said South Sudan's minister for the presidency, Awan Guol Riak.

Minister Riak was briefing journalists on his recent trip to the US, where he reportedly held successful meetings with key officials from its governing administration, including the secretary of state and national security advisor.

Describing relations between Juba and Washington as "warm" and "strong", the minister admitted that the latter expressed "grave concern" over the ongoing crisis, stressing that US officials assured him of their commitment to support the people of the new nation.

"The other thing I discussed with them is the targeted sanctions. There are no names which have been identified. The intention of the executive order was to hasten and encourage commitment to engage in current talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with full commitment and desire to end the conflict," Riak explained.

"As the government we have already shown commitment and willingness to negotiate in faith with the other side. The president is fully committed to bring peace to this country”, he added.

He clarified that the United States did not raise with him any matter relating to interim arrangements, which would exclude participation of President Kiir and his political rival, former vice president Riek Machar.

"There were no discussions about interim arrangements. We did not discuss that", said Riak.

Another presidential aide who was part of the foreign trip claimed the United States expressed commitment to strengthen and intensify cooperation with the new nation, if the latter adopts strong institutional reforms, specifically in the areas of rule of law and good governance.

“We had frank discussions with the American officials and they told us clearly that the United States is ready to support the promotion, protection and observance of human rights and the rule of rule, democratic transition, inclusive political processes, economic modernization and social inclusion," said the official.

"They also expressed readiness to build our capacity of our officials in areas of financial management to enhance transparency and accountability”, he added.

SOUR RELATIONS

Relations between Juba and Washington began to shows signs of strain in 2011 immediately after South Sudan seceded from Sudan following its self-determination referendum necessitated by 2005 peace deal, which ended its over two decade conflict with Khartoum.

But observers attribute the growing uneasiness in relations between the two countries, to claims that President Kiir, during one of his official visits to Washington after the country's independence misled his US counterpart about Juba's alleged support to Sudanese rebels fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

At a meeting with President Barack Obama, the South Sudanese leader reportedly denied that his country was maintaining any links with the SPLM-North rebels, which were until South Sudan's secession part of Juba's ruling party and its army.

Some observers have, however, attributed the strained relations between Juba and Washington to the emerging undemocratic tendencies, which critics say has stalled internal reform within the country's ruling party.

(ST)

April 17, 2014 (LAINYA) - A total of 116 students completed four-month courses in various areas at Lainya vocational institute in South Sudan's Central Equatoria state.

Some of the beneficiaries from Plan South Sudan support in Kapeota county in Eastern Equatoria state April 16, 2014 (ST)

The students who completed training in auto-mechanics, electrical installation, tailoring and business management, were the first batch to graduate since the institute was inaugurated last year.

Seven of the 116 students were who completed training were female. The students were trained for free, courtesy of financial support provided by Plan South Sudan.

Sebit Kenyi, a project manager at the organisation, said the scheme targets 12,000 students for a three-year period.

“With vocational training, there is no hustling for jobs,” said Kenyi.

“This training equips students with skills, in fact six of the graduates are already employed and eight more have been called to places where they did attachments to be employed,” he added.

Sachin Bharti, a technical advisor at Plan South Sudan, said the training was basically on employable skills.

“We did a research and found out there was overwhelming need for this kind of training,” stressed Bharti.

"The program was designed in a manner that does not require candidates to posses high literacy knowledge," he added.

The three-year project, Plan South Sudan officials said, was funded the European Union and mainly targets the youth.

Central Equatoria state's education minister said his department initially preferred a new curriculum of education in which vocational training was emphasized.

“We have adopted a new curriculum and dropped that of Sudan,” said Hastin Yokwe Anisio Roba, adding “We must establish more vocational schools to train our youth.

Joseph Alex Lemi, the principle of Lainya vocational institute agitated for upgrading of the institution to include carpentry and joinery, agriculture, building and aquaculture.

(ST)

April 17, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - The opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) decided to freeze the membership of Hassan Al-Turabi party because they accepted to take part in the national dialogue process.

From left to right; Leader of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) Hassan Al-Turabi, Reform Now Party (RNP) head Ghazi Salah Al-Deen Al-Attabani; National Umma Party (NUP) Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi and 2nd Vice President Hassabo Abdel-Rahman attend a speech by president Al-Bashir to announce the national dialogue initiative on 27 Jan 2014(SUNA)

The NCF which gathers the Communist party and other small political forces said they suspend the Popular Congress Party (PCP) and another small formation called Justice Party, for their participation in the political process launched by president Omer Al-Bashir last January.

The decision to freeze the membership of the two parties was taken by the NCF in a meeting held on Wednesday "because the PCP breached the common position of the coalition on the issue of dialogue", NCF spokesperson Sideeq Youssef told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

"How we can say that we are allies and stand in one platform while at the same time express sharply divergent views," he stressed.

The opposition official reiterated the NCF firm rejection of dialogue with the regime unless the ruling party fulfils a number of conditions, including measures to ensure freedom of expression, formation of a national unity government, and the signing of a cessation of hostilities with the rebels.

The National Umma Party (NUP), which also participates in the dialogue, suspended its membership in the NCF in October last year over disagreement with the alliance on the stance towards the regime.

The two major opposition forces, NUP and PCP, say they accepted the dialogue, but nevertheless they intend to bring the ruling National Congress Party to implement their demands before to effectively engage in the process.

PCP political secretary, Kamal Omer, expressed to Sudan Tribune their regret for this decision adding they will call for a meeting at the leadership level to discuss this development.

Omer further said they stick to the membership of the opposition alliance, terming the decision as "unfounded".

He however disclosed they have initiated a series of contacts to mull over a new large alliance for democracy and freedom in the country.

The opposition Congress Party spokesperson, Abu Bakr Youssef, stated the NCF can review their its decision, if the Popular Congress Party reconsiders its participation in the national dialogue.

The opposition coalition was founded in 2009 before the general elections by the SPLM which is now the ruling party of the independent South Sudan, UNP, PCP, Communist Party, Congress Party, Baath Party and other political formations.

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese president, Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, said that several Western countries which encouraged South Sudan's independence have apologised for their actions and urged Khartoum to reunite with the newborn state.

SPLA soldier stands next to a machine gun mounted on a truck in Malakal town, on December 30, 2013 (Photo Reuters/James Akena)

Bashir, who addressed a meeting of ruling party's pastoralists and farmers' secretariat on Thursday evening, said that Sudan's enemies who supported secession of the south in order to destroy the north regretted their action, noting they are now begging Khartoum to reunite with Juba.

“They pushed the south to secede in order to destroy the north, however when they saw what happened in the south they secretly told us they were mistaken and wished they had listened to us and now they asked us to reunite”, he said.

The Sudanese president said his government can't decide on reunification with the south, underscoring the matter must be referred to the Sudanese people.

“We are a sovereign state and if another country seeks to join us, the government must be convinced by the move and then refer the issue to the Sudanese people”, he added.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.

Observers say that strained relations between the countries and the internal crises they are currently facing are direct consequence of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which failed to adequately address several post-cessation issues.

Following the start of the inter -South Sudanese crisis last December many analysts said that South Sudan succumbed in the old "African bugaboo": tribalism and called to put the new born state under UN trusteeship.

However, Sudanese foreign minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, violently rejected the idea saying “These suggestions undermine authority of a sovereign state and no country would accept such views”.

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese government has strongly condemned Thursday's incident in which armed gunmen attacked a United Nations base in Jonglei's state capital, Bor.

South Sudanese information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth attends a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sunday Jan. 5, 2014 (Photo AP/Elias Asmara)

A statement from the UN mission in the country said the “unprovoked attack” came under the “guise of peaceful demonstration” organised by youth.

Government officials, however, assured on Friday that they would cooperate with world body to determine the motive behind the attack on a base, which currently houses more than 5,000 displaced civilians.

Medical sources told Sudan Tribune that at least 30 people died following the incident which saw youth march towards the protection of civilians site in Bor.

South Sudan's information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told reporters on Friday that government would probe the incident to determine who first fired the shot.

“Before the presentation of the protest [letter by the youth] and for unexplained and unclear reasons, gunshots were heard and this lead to breakdown of peaceful procession,” said Makuei, flanked by his foreign affairs and interior counterparts.

"Both the government and UNMISS [UN Mission in South Sudan] will cooperate to establish the cause of the firing and “culprits will be brought to books," he added.

Deng Dau Deng, the chairperson of the Greater Bor lawmakers in Juba, described Bor as a home to all citizens, denying its people were responsible for the procession.

“Bor is cosmopolitan town and I am told even a youth from Sudan was injured during the shooting,” said Deng, who also denied the issuance of any ultimatum demanding that Nuer internally displaced people leave Bor town.

Foreign affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said “there is no reason to revenge.”

“The government and rebels are at peace talks and civilians should give peace a chance,” he said, urging the international community to support the peace process.

“This is an elected government and everybody know that,” Marial stressed.

Violence broke out in the South Sudan capital in mid-December last year and later spread to three of its 10 states. More than a million people, the UN says, have since been displaced within the country, with 280,000 fleeing to neighbouring countries.

(ST)

April 18, 14 (PULUK) - The Governor of Jonglei state said armed youth first visited his residence in the capital, Bor while demonstrating against the presence of the 5,000 Nuer displaced people sheltered at the United Nations base, but left on learning he was not home.

The United Nations acting Jonglei state coordinator, Yusef Abueljedian and Jonglei state governor Lt. Gen. John Kong Nyuon to meet Internally Displaced People at the UN's camp in Bor. 29 March 2014 (Photo: John Actually/ST)

"This was an organised attack by youth. They came shooting randomly to the air, they came up to my gate but the were told that the governor was around. They turned immediately singing and they went to UN where they exchanged bullets with UN soldiers," Lt. Gen John Kong Nyuon Sudan Tribune Friday.

"My government condemned this killing of the innocent people and UN peacekeepers in Bor. It is unacceptable", he stressed.

The world body said the protestors used the petition as pretense to get close to the base before forcing their way into the camp and opened fire before they were forced back by the Indian peacekeepers, deployed there as part of the UN mission.

The death toll remains unclear. Medical sources told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that 30 people were killed. However, while Ateny Wek Ateny, the spokesperson for South Sudan's president said 48 people died, unconfirmed sources say the final number of fatalities could be higher.

Some protestors told Sudan Tribune that they had intended to deliver the petition, which demanded that the 5,000 mainly Nuer civilians peacefully be relocated out of Jonglei, but their non-violent demonstration was hijacked by armed youth.

The petition, a copy of which Sudan Tribune obtained, claimed that members of the Nuer White Army, a group of armed civilians who have fought alongside the rebels, were allegedly in the UN compound in Bor.

UN CONDEMNS ATTACK

The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon said in a statement on Friday that the attack could constitute a "war crime".

Members of the Security Council condemned in the "strongest" terms these acts and underscored that attacks on civilians and UN peacekeepers may constitute a war crime.

"The members of the Security Council called on the Government of South Sudan to immediately take steps to ensure the safety of all civilians and UNMISS Protection of Civilian sites in South Sudan, to swiftly investigate these incidents, and to bring the perpetrators of these egregious acts to justice," partly read a UN statement.

They further called on both parties to allow UNMISS to fully implement its mandate, pledging full support for the mission peacekeepers in their protection of civilian roles.

The Security Council members, however, called on all parties in the South Sudanese conflict to refrain from actions or statements that could further escalate the situation.

A military intelligence source told Sudan Tribune that extra soldiers had been deployed to guard the UN base in Bor to protect it from further attack.

"The army will conduct a civilian disarmament campaign within the town," he said.

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (KAMPALA) - Students from South Sudan's Unity state currently studying in Kampala, Uganda have condemned Thursday's attacks on civilians sheltered at the United Nations base in Bor, the capital of Jonglei state.

Displaced people arrive in Lakes state's Awerial after crossing by river barge from Jonglei capital Bor, where government and rebel forces are battling for control (Photo: Ben Curtis/AP)

Medical sources told Sudan Tribune that at least 30 people were killed during clashes between local youth demonstrators and peacekeepers from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), while other sources say the numbers could be higher.

The clashes occurred in the morning when armed youth from Bor town opened fire on the UN compound where thousands of people displaced by the ongoing violence in the country have been sheltering since the conflict began in December.

William Malek Bol, the chairman of Unity state students studying at universities and colleges in Uganda says the killing of innocent civilians in Bor was a "barbaric" act.

Bol accused the South Sudanese government for being behind the bloody attack and alleged that officials mobilised the young men to attack the UN base in the same way they encouraged people to demonstrate against the UNMISS head, Hilde Johnson.

"Officials from Bor had a hidden agenda by allowing the armed youth to demonstrate near the UN compound," he claimed.

Bol said that residents' demands for the people in the Bor camp to be relocated are meaningless and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.

A student study at Cavendish University, only identified as JJ, urged UNMISS to provide better protection for civilians, especially the displaced people.

"We know this will happen, but the United Nations must protect the lives of South Sudanese people who have been affected by the conflict. This is the first signal and they should act immediately to prevent more bloodshed”, said JJ.

He said that UNMISS should fulfill its mandate to protect civilians, warning that what happened in Bor could equally take place in other states of the country.

"If the UN does not strengthen its position to protect civilians, then I fear this may applied in others states in South Sudan”, added JJ

The killing of internal displace people in Bor town came after the government lost control of Bentiu, the capital of oil-producing Unity state on Tuesday.

There are reports that senior officials were angered by reports that the IDPs in the camp in Bor danced and celebrated the news that Bentiu had fallen back into the hands of rebels, led by South Sudan's former vice president, Riek Machar.

Unity state, Machar birthplace, is predominately Nuer, while Jonglei has a more diverse population, including large Dinka and Nuer populations.

Although the conflict was triggered by a political power struggle within South Sudan's ruling party (SPLM), there have been many reports of civilians being targeted because of their ethnicity since fighting began in Juba more than four months of ago.

Over 10,000 people are believed to have been killed and over one million displaced in the country's worst-ever violence outbreak since its independence in July 2011.

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has announced it would seek regional participation in the national dialogue in order to encourage all political forces to engage in it without exception.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir has called on political parties to participate in national dialogue aimed at stimulating a reform plan announced earlier this year (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

The NCP media secretary, Yasser Youssef, said on a talk show broadcast by the state-run Radio Omdurman on Friday that his party would consult with its partners in the national dialogue in order to allow political forces which didn't take part in the recent political roundtable to be part of the dialogue mechanism which will be developed soon.

Earlier this month, the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, held a political roundtable in Khartoum with the participation of 83 political parties. The move came within the framework of a call he made last January for a comprehensive national dialogue.

The opposition alliance of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) boycotted the political roundtable, saying the government did not respond to its conditions for creating an environment conducive for dialogue.

The NCF wants the NCP-dominated government to declare a comprehensive one-month ceasefire in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. In addition it has called for the issuing of a general amnesty, allowing public freedoms and the release of all political detainees.

Youssef said the government will seek to offer the necessary safeguards in order to engage all political forces in the national dialogue, noting the African Union (AU) and the Arab League will observe the dialogue process.

He stressed the NCP "doesn't want the dialogue bus to leave with empty seats", announcing they will exercise patience with the political forces which refused to take part in the national dialogue.

The rebel alliance of the Susan Revolutionary Forces (SRF), demanded the government to hold direct talks with them to negotiate a cessation of hostilities and open humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel areas.

The SRF also says that a conference attended by all political forces should be held outside Sudan and brokered by the United Nations (UN) and the AU in order to agree on the national dialogue mechanisms.

The NCP, the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), and the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) rejected holding the national abroad, saying it is an inter-Sudanese process and must take place inside the country without foreign intervention.

Youssef said the government responded to the NCF's conditions not only by issuing presidential directives but also a presidential decree in order to emphasise credibility and seriousness in holding the national dialogue.

The NCP official pointed the dialogue mechanism would include seven members from the government side and seven others from the opposition according to the suggestion made at the political roundtable.

BASHIR SELECT GOVERNMENT DELEGATES

Meanwhile the political parties of the “broad-based” government of the NCP have delegated Bashir to name members of the government parties in the dialogue mechanism.

Informed sources told Sudan Tribune that opposition forces which joined the dialogue including the NUP and the PCP failed to name their members in the dialogue mechanism due to differences on names and level of representation of each party.

The PCP objected to Bashir's chairing of the dialogue mechanism and instead demanded a neutral person to head it.

But representatives of the political parties in the government said in a meeting on Thursday with the presidential assistant and NCP deputy chairman, Ibrahim Ghandour, that Bashir is the person most capable of selecting individuals who could lead the dialogue to “safe shores”.

The meeting underscored the need for engaging non-signatory rebel groups in the upcoming dialogue, praising the role of political parties which refused to take part in the dialogue in participating in the ongoing political consultations to make recommendations relating to the dialogue.

According to Sudan's official news agency (SUNA), party sources close to the dialogue process didn't rule out that a presidential decree regarding the dialogue mechanism would be issued soon.

(ST)

April 19, 2014 (KAMPALA) – South Sudanese rebels have announced further victories over the government troops in the Unity state, days after taking full control of the state capital, Bentiu, as well as Unity oilfields.

SPLA soldiers get off of a pick-up truck in Bentiu, Unity state January 12, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

The government confirmed that the rebels led by the former vice president, Riek Machar, had taken the control of the town since Tuesday.

Rebel military spokesperson based in Unity state, Lt. Col Peter Riek Gew, however told Sudan Tribune on Friday that the opposition forces have again captured Leer county, home of the rebel leader, Machar, southeast of Bentiu town.

He further said that they have also recaptured Tharjiath oilfields, the remaining oilfields in the state located in Koch county, about 40km south of Bentiu.

"Our forces have now taken full control of Leer county, Mirmir and Tharjiath oilfields in the operations to clear the state from the pro-Salva Kiir soldiers and their foreign mercenaries,” he told Sudan Tribune by phone from Bentiu.

He said the government forces in those areas were retreating towards Bahr el Ghazal region.

The SPLA spokesperson is not reachable for comment, despite several attempts.

Military sources in the area claimed their positions had been under sustained rebel attack since Thursday afternoon, despite SPLA receiving huge reinforcement from its fifth and third divisions in West and Northern Bahr el Ghazal, where headquarters are located.

The rebel spokesperson further added that fighting was also going on in Mayom county, west of Bentiu, as the rebels wanted to control the bordering town on the road to Warrap state.

Another attempt by the government forces was repulsed at Pariang junction on Friday as they tried to head to Bentiu from the northern direction, the rebels said.

The rebels claimed they killed 57 government in that confrontation, adding that the opposition forces were on their way to Pariang county in the far north, which borders Sudan.

Rebels say if the IGAD-mediated peace process fails in Addis Ababa, they intend to clear the whole of Upper Nile region during the rainy season and take the fight to the national capital, Juba, and Bahr el Ghazal region.

Well informed sources in Juba say the government was planning to deploy more troops in Warrap state as they expect that rebels would seek to intensify attacks during the wet seasons.

Currently, there is a combined presence of South Sudan army and Ugandan UPDF forces in Upper Nile and Equatoria regions, fighting against the rebels.

In his recent visit to Addis Ababa, president Kiir reportedly urged the regional governments to quickly deploy the suggested forces to South Sudan to protect government's vital installations.

Last month, Kenyan foreign ministry rejected to contribute troops in the IGAD force and instead declared this week it was sending 300 more troops to add to its 700 contingent already serving in the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese army on Friday rejected accusations that it backed attacks on the internally displaced persons at the United Nations base in Jonglei, saying it alerted the world body of youth movement towards its location.

A group of soldiers from the South Sudan army gather around a truck while on patrol in the capital, Juba (Photo: Samir Bol/AFP/Getty Images)

“The SPLA forces were far away from Bor town. They were 6 kilometers and because of logistical challenges and poor communication networks, they came when the incident had occurred," Brig Gen. Malaak Ayuen, the army's head of information and public relations said in a Friday statement broadcast by the state-owned SSTV.

"But the state authorities communicated to the United Nations the message of the youth going to present their memo. The essence of notifying the United Nations by the state authorities was to be on alert," he added.

The military officer was reacting to the public outcry over the manner in which what was initially viewed as a peaceful presentation of the memo to the UN against the alleged celebration of the fall of Bentiu town to the rebels by some members of the internally displaced persons, turned violent.

“The SPLA did not play any role in this incident and does not encourage such act. It is the national army with the constitutional mandate to provide protection to any citizens and their properties regardless of their opinions, whatever the reasons may be”, Ayuen explained.

But multiple human right activists and survivor accounts point accusing fingers at the government, claiming the demonstrators who attacked the displaced were purely members of the armed forces and police service disguised as youth, some whom wore military and police uniforms.

“What happened in Bor, cannot, by any standard of judgment be claimed to be a mere youth activities. It was something well planned. The government has strong knowledge. It knows what was happening otherwise they [demonstrators] would not have been allowed to carry weapons if it was a mere presentation of the memo," Dut Morris, a resident of Juba told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

He claimed there were people in the government working against President Salva Kiir by engaging in activities likely to cause ignite public uprising.

“I was in Khartoum when people came out to remove former president, Jafar Nimeri. People who positioned themselves as close to him were the ones who later staged against a coup against him," Dut explained.

"This is what I see happening to our president. There are people who appear to be working for him but in reality they are working very hard for his downplay”, he added.

Anthony Sebit, key member of the civil society group warned that the seeds of genocide have already started to appear in the ongoing conflict in the country.

"What is happening now must been seen with fully opened eyes. The international community must come out with a clearly stated action plans to resolve this conflict, otherwise the country risks going the Rwanda way," Sebit said in an interview.

He further said the grave human right abuses so far committed in South Sudan should have caught the attention of the international community and the UN Security Council, but wondered why less attention was being paid to its “intensity and horror".

"The United Nations Security Council should form a fact finding committee to carry independent investigation and refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which investigates war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression," Sebit told Sudan Tribune.

Under the Rome Statute, the ICC can investigate crimes in countries that have joined the institution, but it can only pursue crimes in non-member states if authorised by the Security Council, as was the case with Libya and Darfur in western Sudan.

"Only the Security Council can change the situation with immediate effect. With the help of the international community must come up with impartial and just action to secure accountability, fulfill the responsibility to protect, put human rights right and stop grave human rights violations from undermining peace and security," he said.

Survivors of the Bor attack claimed it was well organised as the systematic slaughter of men, women and children occurred allegedly in full view of area authorities.

“The attack on displaced persons in Bor highlights the extent to which the method of prevention of genocide has utterly failed. If civilians could be attacked inside the base of the United Nations without immediate action, the assertion never again will something like what happened in Rwanda be allowed to repeat itself is mere political statement," said Moses Duku, who hails from South Sudan's Central Equatoria state.

"It is statement which lacks commitment," he added.

(ST)

April 18, 2014 (JUBA) – At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured when suspected cattle raiders attacked a village in South Sudan's Warrap state on Thursday, an official said.

South Sudan's Warrap state highlighted in red

“On Thursday 17, at around 2: am, a group of armed men infiltrated security arrangement of Tonj North County and entered Alabek payam. The attackers targeted cattle camps while people were sleeping and tried to drive away the cattle,” Paul Dhel Gum, the acting minister for information and telecommunications told Sudan Tribune by phone Friday.

“The fighting continue from Thursday till Friday 19 when [the] attackers got [the] chance to run away with nothing in hand,” he added.

The minister claimed the attackers were backed by men in military uniform believed to have come from neighbouring Unity state.

“The community played a great role in defending their properties through community police and over 85 attackers were killed and many small arms AK47 were captured by Lou Ariik community,” said Gum.

A community policeman in the area said the attackers suffered heavy losses.

Meanwhile, the governor of Warrap, Nyandeng Malek condemned the “barbaric” act on innocent people in the state, vowing thorough investigations into the matter.

She said her government would protect the lives and properties of people in the state.

(ST)

Is there foreign policy principle justifying Uganda's military intervention in South Sudan civil war and under whose authority could the exercise be carried out?

By Kuajien Lual Wechtuor

April 18, 2014 - International law's non-intervention doctrine has not only been a comprehensive but `the United Nations General Assembly describes the intervention as dictatorial interference in the political independence and territorial integrity of the sovereign state´ and has been an important principle especially for `liberal statesmen and moralist with commitment to universal human rights.`[1] The international law sanction and prohibit the intervention with the exception of the right to humanitarian intervention, the “responsibility to protect” but subject to and preceded with unanimous authorization. It's morally believed that the intervention does not itself justify military intervention rather peaceful intervention following certain conditions followed. The responsibility to protect should exert political, economics and peace but military intervention as the last option. I argue that this foreign policy is building up a new exception which I call collusion intervention. A kind of partial or random agreement concluded orally by the two state presidents, which give only one country rights to interferes with political independence and territorial integrity of invited country, which is necessitated due to power consolidation and political greedy. This debate would develop itself into a kind of exception to nonintervention principle on further arguments, owing to the fact that, UN has not such illegal intervention been punished, neither condemned nor pushing for an end to Uganda's illegal army deployment. Thus AU, if not UN might have wants indirectly creating new principle in exception of its own constitutive Act to save the future of its dictatorship member leaders, or otherwise, UN and AU are losing senses.

The responsibility to protect from humanitarian intervention stem from ICISS report and its created term 2001 dated back to the 1990s broad debate on the idea of the right to humanitarian intervention, ´the raison d'être of both ICISS and the responsibility to protect´.[2] International politics has been shake by heinous violations the world experience and fall the need to incorporate this exception to non-intervention foreign policy. The justification for this concept are as example of bitter human suffer in the two World War, Cold War conflicts and the geopolitical rivalry between US and Russia, international passiveness in Rwanda (1948), NATO's decision to bomb Kosovo (1999), the debacle in Somalia (1993) and the powerlessness of UN troops in Srebrenica (1995) believed as kind of lack of capacity to respond since these were likely threats the international peace and security.[3] These comes the type the UN peace keeping mission and later auxiliary AU peace keepers' arrangements for establishing long lasting peace. In the UN and AU provision, the responsibility to protect against the threats to international peace and security is incorporated on basis of preventive diplomacy, peace keeping/making and post conflict peace building. All in all, the union tries to do with the responsibility to prevent and address the root and direct causes of international conflicts and other manmade crises that put populations at risk, respond either with coercive measures or rebuilding measures.[4]

It's questionable why Uganda interfered in South Sudan domestic politics? There is misunderstanding of interest or conspiracy to pursue ethnic cleansing in the part of Uganda and South Sudan autocratic president's inexperience on foreign policy. But on the other hand, it is complicated by a lack of legal and political commitment in the international community to combat the sovereignty violation and the loss of thousands lives perpetrated and perpetuated by Ugandan army, which used banned cluster bombs. It is a pure absurdity in the international politics whence contrasting the application of foreign policy principle, “non-intervention doctrine” in the international law and the case of the African double faced nation, Uganda military intervention in South Sudan's internal affairs on the alleged collusion between the two countries to interfere with South Sudan political independence and territorial integrity but not applicable to Uganda. The responsibility to protect concept defined that, “when a government does not fulfills the basic principle of modern state of providing protection to its citizens, then the international community can assume the responsibility to protects.[5] Kiir must admit his failures. Uganda and international community mean different things like sky and earth. Hence, the former does not hold proofs to provoke human rights violations and genocide threats to legitimize her military invasion on South Sudan. Her dirty and dangerous hand of violence in international arena violates the principle of nonintervention and the international law's proportionality and the last resort for military measure.

However, neither UN nor AU as the international community had prior authorization to Uganda or prior request from South Sudan (the member state) to seek intervention into his internal affairs.[6] And, neither did UN nor AU protect South Sudanese from being subjected to IGAD member geopolitical interest due to international politics of anarchy within UN or AU. Simply watching flying airplanes bombarding using UN banned weapons and heavy armed ground force killing civilians and mass destructions. UN has positive and eligible intervention because the intervention to protect principle only work in peaceful manner, unless otherwise, UNSC authorized the use of force unlike ugly multiple and ill defined intervention and motivation by Uganda President Yoweri Museveni's dictatorial personal interest in South Sudan and eluded personal exploitation of Ugandans. Uganda intervention contradicting itself, claiming that it was forced to intervene militarily to protect her interests and genocide but in fact she intervened to pursues the genocide by carrying out mass killing using banned weapons, Gun-shift Alcopters and MIGs bombarding and thousands ground forces against dominantly Nuer, survivors from president Kiir's Juba Nuer (15th -17th Dec, 2013) massacre and genocide. It is controversial because neither humanitarian intervention sanctioned or supported nor ordered by UN or AU Security Council. Despite the double face IGAD, which half of it fighting proxy war while other half thinks to broker peace, it seem that there is a discrimination to South Sudan by the world bodies because when in fact a doubtful Uganda intervention continue unconfronted or sanctioned by any of the international community, UN, AU or Troika countries. Giving Kiir leverage to the extent that he could bring Egyptian, JEM/SPLA-N & other foreign armies to fight for him, thinking the sovereignty has given him anarchical supremacy to go to heaven & come down as he wants while world is laughing him.

In comparison, take for example, the similar unlawful invasion by Russia on Ukraine's sovereignty which saw a bitter condemnation and sanction, by western world in particular. On the part of South Sudan, it really shows that there is no considered rule of international relation between and among equal sovereign civilized states which equally prohibited the intervention and the law which contains the value of coordination and consensual legitimacy.[7] It is questionable whether intervening into third world or poorer country is not a violation of a sovereignty and foreign policy principle, whence intervention in Ukraine is an invasion on Ukraine's sovereignty but no hurry up on South Sudan invaded. Basically, one would wonder to ask, does sovereignty and nonintervention foreign policy connote international relation anarchy discrimination politics? This would better mean absent of international political commitment in South Sudan politics by the western nations or awry interest by the later and poor African Union which is mostly a union of dictators, if Uganda should militarily intervened at will without being restrained or refrains from giving assistance to one party in the South Sudan civil war fought within its territory.[8]

Consequently, therefore, this man ruled law of South Sudan and Uganda fatally paralyzed South Sudan's rule of law system with much suffering engulfed South Sudan now due to lack of responsible world leaders to caution Kiir's imposed indiscriminate war. World could see how the foreign forces impacts on South Sudan war, partaking the existing rules and duty to protect deteriorating human rights and the assumption that international political leaders requires to act with integrity, respect, competence and in a public manner accorded with the notion of the rule of law that govern its relations. I may ask question like, can sovereignty change? I question because the sovereignty of individual country can and will not likely change as a result of a change of sovereignty of the other state. What about the international politics or community foreign policy? Hence, on any result that shows the change in the sovereignty of the nation state do not necessarily mean tuning point of the foreign policy of a given international community. However, someone may wonder to see whether deposing the president of South Sudan would result in the discernible high or low shifts of the international community or overthrowing Uganda president in particular, which of course I believe it is not the case. If the international community (AU or UN) in some extent enjoys and relaxes their foreign policy to or by testing a partial oral agreement to serve as an exceptional ground for intervention, thence there shall exist a new theory or foreign policy principle, which would be collusion intervention or an intervention on a mere oral agreement simply on a telephone call to a friend by the president who might seen his leadership fading away.

Consensus is needed on how to approaches these issues to forge unity around the basics international law principles and processes involved. To do the necessary measures, both peace and Security Council must assess the potential situation by sending fact finding missions to the troubled spot in order to legitimize the intervention in the internal crises. In other hand, the member state can request for the intervention from the Union to restore peace and security not directly to other member state. Uganda's unilateral military intervention into South Sudan's domestic conflict without any justification, her ulterior motives is ignorant of the UN and AU reform legacy and undermining the common foreign policy principle of the non-intervention doctrine. Moreover, Uganda president Museveni overridingly expanding his horror of terror opportunities for aggressive war against international law owing to lack of prior authorization and hence nothing else than invasion on South Sudan. Furthermore, none from international law doctrines nor UN/AU treaties warrants the arrogant president's intervention in South Sudan's sovereignty on the question of whether democracy, the so called elected president Kiir is to be deposed off the power, from which he has originally been elected by the same own citizens to whom he has turned wild against, political or economic interest in the good neighborhood is endanger or two member states can authorizes military intervention as between themselves without Union's Ok.
The chronic Uganda president's dictatorial consolidation trying to crown his neighbor, new African (South Sudan) dictator tendency and his suspicious interest in South Sudan oil were only and presumed persuasive elements taken as permissive as ease as outdated the international law by the duo dictators with their group (of dictators) union (AU). Finally, if there is reason to believe the intervention justify, it also matter whether the sovereignty is revelatory to the interest of the head of state without state functional organs or else dictatorship automated the silent. Uganda and non-intervention doctrine does not adequately consider the relationship between international politics and domestic political process in South Sudan. Thence Uganda's action doesn't conform to international norms as such to justify her ramifications[9] on the South Sudan's domestic political sphere that were not envisaged by the foreign policy models. Consequently, the duo must be faced seriously.

Last but not least, let make theoretical comparative study of Russia's Ukraine with Uganda's South Sudan invasion owing to the fact that, the international community did not response in the same position. When in South Sudan, unlike Ukraine, coupled with a grave human rights violations those including restriction on freedom of press & association and UN (humanitarians) movements, attacking UN premises and killing of over 150 Nuer (ethnic) civilians under UN peace mission protection in Bor, UPDF bombardment used UN banned weapons, lootings and destructions of properties by foreign forces, extermination of democracy activist leading to insecurity, forceful arrest of individual deem critical to the undemocratic government, denial of access to detainees, detention of civilians in military jails and detention without charge or court appearance.[10] Mostly believed that, a continue present of Uganda's UPDF forces directly lead to total absent of democracy in South Sudan, the country has been seen with many problems those involve humanitarian disasters and corruption, meaning appointment of foreigners and spending public money on war funding mercenaries and resulting to unemployment and consolidating the dictatorship style which goes back to Nuer massacre (ethnic cleansing) on 15-19th December 2013 Juba. Onecemore, the international community took silent over Uganda aggressiveness while strong war on Russia on Ukraine, where in fact was at least twenty demonstrators died that had cost the former president his job. Uganda interference with South Sudan domestic politics is likely causing regional, if not eastern African war. So do Russia invasion on Ukraine sovereignty to Europeans or all western worlds. As my view point, I would question what justify the international community's reaction on Russia while not seriously on Uganda whose intervention equally threatens international peace and security. Roughly, I would think that, it is the world leaders' dissatisfaction with the South Sudan president regarded as unsatisfactory leader to lead RSS that is why we are neglected not even seen on BBC unlike other sufferings.

Non-intervention foreign policy principle and sovereignty of nation state is too vague and controversial, which is easily contravened by simple interest in a pretext of sovereignty, democracy, interest and national threats. This legal doctrine as human rights are as protective against arbitrary of the states and so do with country fallen in its darkest days with the rule of law and human rights constrained by the state of anarchy of the international politics. It is hopeless to the victim of lawlessness in South Sudan followed by the whims of power without clue as a result of a dictate of international politics. The internationally recognized non-intervention principle which has its objective of prohibiting foreign state from involving in other sovereign state's internal affairs is important concept. Hence strengthening fair and defendable foreign policy would restore hope of peace and democracy in the world. State sovereignty is a conditional requirement to any foreign government not simply the head of state is too strong to kill and invite at wills. The international community's responsibility to protect concept did not qualify Uganda to represents its interest in South Sudan's internal conflicts nor do the claiming invitation by the authoritative president.

So that UPDF must go out from South Sudan to have a peace and respect to international norms but Museveni can't get away from the responsibilities of the mass destructions inflicted on South Sudanese. It's absurd if the world leaders talking that they don't want another Rwanda genocide happened again, while South Sudan president, with a full support of Uganda president, could kills as much as he is blessed to take a lives of over 20,000. What is legitimacy of Salva Kiir and Museveni if their forces jointly should carried out killing and purported Dinka-SPLA killing over 150 & wounded over 300 Nuer IDPs civilians in the UNMISS resident, Bor 17.04.2014, Jonglei State? Ugandan president claimed that his military intervention is to protect civilians and facilities (genocide), then why didn't they show up to protect mass killing. Instead their Jets fighters flown to Bentiu to bombs the opposition forces but evil ended up bombing Bentiu's 2 UNMISS camps. Uganda military intervention, even before Dec.15-17th 2013 Juba Nuer massacre in a present of UN forces and the recent one in UN POC Bor, marked the inability of the world leaders to fight injustice and human rights violations. Had it not been UPDF disproportionate intervention, this mass killing and mass destructions would never happened in South Sudan and the later would be a quite heaven all over the world. President Museveni and Salva Kiir, with his Greater Dinka, with exception of peace loved Dinka (Mama Nyandeng), destroyed the image of South Sudan. But the world leaders must be crazy, if the present of Museveni's UPDF could perpetuates the mass killing and still as enjoys as the innocent civilian lives risking death. Salva Kiir thinks he has America super power, whence he must deploy Museveni to any corner in South Sudan to pursue ethnic cleansing without getting heat of their actions from the world leaders for the violation of the international norms. UN peace mission would use force if New York authorizes use of force but could think of thousands SPLA and UPDF hundred tanks with its only ten tanks. Why should violators immune over international community, the international community must hold these two presidents responsible for the cost of this war.

Kuajien Lual Wechtuor, Germany, is a researcher on “Human Rights and the Rule of Law (South Sudan)” and prospective PhD researcher on “Non-Intervention Doctrine or Foreign policy principle.” He can be reach by nyatuachlual@gmail.com

[1] Doyle (2006), 1
[2] Garrigues (2007), 4
[3] Ibid
[4] Murithi (2009), 91
[5] Garrigues (2007), 2
[6] UN Charter (1945), Art.2 (4); Constitutive Act of the African Union (2002), Art. 4 (g, h & j); Kioko (2003), 1
[7] Doyle (2006), 5
[8] Schindler (1975), 2
[9] Goodman (2006), 115
[10] United Nation Security Council, ‘Report of the Secretary-General on South Sudan,' S/2013/366, para.52 July 23, 2013, Website (accessed October 20.2013).

Khartoum, 18 April 2014 --- Today in Khartoum airport, UNICEF received 89 tons of life-saving supplies to support the humanitarian response to children affected by emergencies in various hot spots throughout Sudan. These supplies were airlifted as Sudan faced unexpected high numbers of displaced children in the first quarter of 2014 in what is clearly another major crisis for Sudan's children. In some cases, children account for 70 per cent or more of the newly displaced in Darfur and of the South Sudanese seeking refuge in several states throughout the country.

The high and growing number of children affected by emergencies in the Darfur region and Sudan's southern border states has spurred UNICEF to procure and import additional water, sanitation, health, education and protection supplies to help children and their families stay alive, together, sheltered and with access to essential medicines.

From tents, tarpaulins and plastic sheeting to midwifery kits, water tanks and education kits; these supplies are sorely needed by the growing number of children displaced by various emergencies in Sudan.

Flexible funding from UNICEF's donors made the swift procurement of supplies possible. Several Ministries – Education, Health, Water Resources among others – will play a critical role at Federal and State levels to ensure that the supplies reach the most vulnerable children.

UNICEF responds to children in need of assistance wherever they may be. This is a humanitarian imperative and a core part of our mandate, and we will continue to do it as long as needed. However, I must stress that what Sudan's children really need is an end to all conflicts. An end to conflicts in Sudan would be the beginning of a normal childhood for displaced children in Sudan; it would give them and their families a fighting chance to create a future for themselves , said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Representative in Sudan.

# # #

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April 19, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese military on Saturday said it was scaling up major operations against rebels seeking to control the country's state oil fields, saying it had repulsed sustained attacks in Unity and Upper Nile states.

SPLA spokesperson Phillip Aguer (Reuters)

"Bentiu remains a contested town. Our forces are at the outskirt and it is a matter of time before they take full control. This is a war which is being fought with military tactics," Phillip Aguer, the army spokesperson said by phone.

"They [rebels] have resorted to guerrilla tactics and declared their objectives to hamper oil production,As the national, we have a constitutional responsibility to protect lives and properties of our people, the army spokesperson," he added.

The rebel military spokesperson, Lt. Col Peter Riek Gew told Sudan Tribune on Friday that their forces have again captured Leer county, southeast of Bentiu town.

He further said that they had recaptured Tharjiath oilfields, the remaining oilfields in the state located in Koch county, about 40km south of Bentiu.

"Our forces have now taken full control of Leer county, Mirmir and Tharjiath oilfields in the operations to clear the state from the pro-Salva Kiir soldiers and their foreign mercenaries,” he told Sudan Tribune by phone from Bentiu.

Aguer denied the rebels had taken full control of all Unity state oil areas, but admitted the army was facing “sustained attack on their positions” since Thursday afternoon.

“The general security in the country is relatively calm except in the states of Unity and Upper Nile where rebels have been launching sporadic attacks on the positions of the SPLA forces for the last two days. They made attempts to overrun Renk with shelling but forces there managed to contain and situation is now under control. There are on the other side of the river. They also made similar attempts on Malakal from Doleib and canal on Wednesday. The same thing unity state, but forces repulsed all these attacks and are in process of taking full control of all these areas," Aguer told Sudan Tribune.

"It is just a matter time and the whole situation will return to normal," he added.

Meanwhile, an oil ministry official who asked not to be named said the rebels damaged a refinery in Tharjath, injuring three Russian oil workers at the facility.

"There is a big security threat for oilfields and they have to be given maximum protection to continue production in Paloch and secure resumption in Unity state," said the official.

Production in Upper Nile state's Paloch oilfields, where output has not been hampered by the conflict, stood at 159,000 barrels per day this week. The conflict has disrupted oil production, which mainly provides government revenue.

Recently, the rebels issued warnings to oil firms, giving it workers a three-week ultimatum to pack up and leave following last Tuesday's recapture of Bentiu town.

(ST)

April 19, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - An unidentified armed group has killed two guards and kidnapped three workers including two foreign nationals at Kanar oilfield in South Kordofan state, said the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), on Saturday.

Sudanese oil workers at one of GNPOC fields in South Kordofan (file photo Asawer oil company)

SAF's spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad, said that unknown gunmen attacked Kanar oilfield in Baleela area in South Kordofan state on Saturday morning, pointing that two guards were killed and three workers, an Algerian, a Chinese, and a Sudanese were kidnapped.

He asserted that three attackers were killed in a firelight with the guards at the site, saying they have not yet determined identity of the attackers.

However, security sources in Khartoum accuse the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) of abducting 8 engineers including three foreign nationals working for the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company (GNPOC) from an area between Al-Muglad and Hegleg.

The same sources affirmed that abductees were taken to South Sudan's borders, saying the commander of the JEM force is named Hashim Ginzeer.

It further added the group carried out the attack using three armed vehicles including one which was seized from a merchant in the town of Al-Muglad.

SAF and other regular forces in the area have intensified pursuit operations in order to free the abductees and arrest perpetrators.

The Sudanese government has been battling the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan state for nearly three years.

However, the state host now JEM fighters who moved to the troubled state following the formation of a joint command for the rebel alliance of Sudanese Revolutionary Front.

During the past years, the rebel group attacked oil fields in South Kordofan and Abyei several times but denied abducting oil workers in similar attacks.

The conflict erupted in 2011 when Sudan attempted to forcibly disarm SPLM-N fighters it accuses of being backed by their brother-in-arms in the South Sudanese army.

(ST)

April 19, 2014 (JUBA) - South Sudan revealed on Friday that the mandate of the United Nations mission in the country (UNMISS) will not be renewed in July without approval by its parliament.

Peacekeepers guard UNMISS compound in Bor, Jonglei (file photo AFP/Waakhe Simon Wudu)

Responding to questions on the future of UNMISS, foreign affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin and his interior counterpart, Aleu Ayieny Aleu, told reporters that the government had submitted a request to the world body demanding that UNMISS's mandate be reviewed.

"The council of ministers has already formed a committee headed by the minister of justice and others ministers and we have already written to the United Nations so that we can begin to review the [Status of Forces] agreement," said Marial.

"We have our lawyers who are looking at the agreement with the full involvement of the government. They will sit together with the United Nations to see if there are things to be added; things to be changed," he added.

The foreign affairs minister stressed that UNMISS mandate, currently under chapter seven, will "not just be a renewal without being reviewed" for the first time since South Sudan's independence in July 2011.

UNMISS was established from UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) formed in 2005 to monitor the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended over 20 years of civil war between Southern Sudanese rebels and the Khartoum government.

Under the CPA, Southern Sudan held a referendum in January 2011, which resulted in South Sudan's independence on 9 July 2011.

Interior minister Aleu said as a member of parliament in 2011, he had asked why the Status Of Force Agreement (SOFA) that established UNMISS with a strong chapter seven mandate to protect civilians protections was not brought before the parliament.

He added that most people thought UNMISS "was coming to protect the South [Sudanese] from the north [Sudan]." Since its independence, however, South Sudan has mainly witnessed battles with rebel groups and other armed forces.

"Up to now, it has never gone to parliament for rectification [...] but the [South Sudanese] constitution says it must be rectified by the parliament," said Aleu.

"If the representatives of the people say that thank for your protection but go, they will go. If they say will still need them, we will need them," Aleu added.

Relations between UNMISS and Juba government reached all time low early after fighting broke out in December, between soldiers loyal to former vice president Riek Machar those supporting president Salva Kiir's government, triggering a conflict that has displaced over one million people.

President Kiir in January accused the UNMISS of running a parallel government after his information minister was refused entry into the UNMISS camp in Bor because he was accompanied by armed bodyguards.

President Kiir later withdrew his criticism, saying the UN has always friend of South Sudan.

However, at Friday news conference hosted by minister of information Michael Makuei Lueth and flanked by foreign affair and interior ministers, the ministers criticised what they described as "individuals running the UNMISS but not the UN because we [South Sudan] are a member of the UN."

"We have to separate UN as an institution and whoever is coming to the UN [in South Sudan]. This government will accredit anybody coming to work in the UN. We don't even where they come from, we don't know their backgrounds and this is where problem is. But we are learning from our mistakes," minister Aleu said.

"We will accredit everybody including messengers coming to work here [in South Sudan] if we will allow them to continue," he added.

(ST)

April 19, 2014 (JUBA) - South Sudan's government on Saturday accused “enemies" of peace and regional stability of sabotaging its improving relations with the government of neigbouring Sudan, asserting it remains committed to respecting the terms of the Cooperation Agreement the two sides signed in 2012.

South Sudan's foreign affairs minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin (Getty)

"War is not in the interest of our two countries" South Sudanese foreign affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, said on Saturday.

Marial's comments come after the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) dismissed claims by the spokesperson of the South Sudanese army that rebels led by former vice-president Riek Machar are being trained at camps inside Sudan.

In a statement released from Khartoum, SAF's spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Khalid Saad, described the allegations as "false and unfounded".

Saad stressed that Sudan had no intention of interfering in the domestic affairs of its southern neighbour and would continue to maintain a neutral position on the conflict.

Philip Aguer, the spokesman for the South Sudanese army (SPLA), was quoted as making the accusation - that rebel troops that attacked Unity state capital Bentiu this week were trained inside Sudan - in the London-based Asharq Alawsat newspaper on Tuesday.

"What we know now is that Machar forces received training inside Sudanese territory and under the supervision of the government army," he said.

The South Sudanese government admitted on Tuesday that rebel forces are in full control of Bentiu and that its troops had withdrawn following heavy clashes over the weekend.

Aguer told Asharq Alawsat that South Sudanese rebels are present in the Heglig and Kharsana areas in West Kordofan state. He add that the SPLA would respond militarily, but it was up to the Juba administration to take appropriate political measures to address the issue.

Earlier this month, South Sudan accused Sudan of attacking its oil-rich border regions where government forces loyal to president Salva Kiir are battling pro-Machar rebels.

Having come close to returning to all out conflict in the April 2012 over disputes over oil transit fees and border issues, South Sudan and Sudan signed an agreement in September 2012 to work together to resolve all the issues relating to South Sudan's secession from Sudan in July 2011.

"This was what we have agreed before the international community. There are mechanisms which could be used to address issues where misunderstanding arises" Marial said.

He however said some unnamed people "would like to spoil these improving relations between the two countries. They have realised their interests would not continue, if the peace is achieved, so they want to once again cause mistrust."

Marial, a close ally of President Kiir, told Sudan Tribune on Saturday that his country would continue to respect the terms of the cooperation agreement, stressing that war between the two countries would destabilise the entire region.

Sudan has been fighting a civil war in Darfur since 2003. After South Sudan's independence in 2011 as part of a peace deal ending decades of civil war conflicts began north of the new border in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. In both states many had fought with the rebel movement that is now South Sudan's ruling party (SPLM) and army (SPLA).

Since December, a split in the SPLM and SPLA has plunged South Sudan into its own civil conflict leaving over one million people displaced.

"The spoilers of peace and stability might want to cause this developing situation. What is happening at the border might be the work of individuals wanting to cause mistrust and spoil the confidence which have been built by the cooperation agreement for their own interests”, Marial said.

South Sudan's top diplomat, who repeatedly avoided accusing Sudanese government of participating in the attack on Bentiu, said his government was in contact with the government of Sudan to resolve the differences through established mechanisms.

"There are discussions between the two governments to try to resolve this. The heads of the security from both countries are in contact. Our minister of defence is discussing with the Sudanese defence minister the way forward. The security arrangement is the basis of discussions. It is one of the mechanisms which can be used to resolve any misunderstanding relating to border issues", Marial explained.

(ST)

• Sudan denies training South Sudan rebels