August 12, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan leader, Salva Kiir has vowed to establish an all-inclusive government in order to end the nearly eight months of conflict that could cause severe famine in the country.

South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, addresses the media in Juba on 2 May 2013 (Photo: Reuters/Paul Banks)

Kiir made these remarks at the meeting with members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) who visited the capital, Juba on Tuesday.

“I always say if peace is to come today, I will be the happiest person because all those who are dying are South Sudanese, whether they are fighting on the side of Riek Machar or fighting in the course of defending the nation as part of the constitutional mandate and requirements”, the president reportedly told the UNSC members.

“It is the commitment of this government to end this war and we will try to do anything within our capabilities to implement the agreement once it is signed. Based on the demand of our people, we will to move to expeditiously form an all-inclusive government,” he added.

South Sudan's foreign affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin and his cabinet affairs counterpart, Martin Elia Lomoru welcomed the 31-member delegation from the world body upon arrival at Juba airport.

Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN, described the visit as an “emergency” and that the leadership in South Sudan needed to know just how urgent it was for the warring parties to form a transitional governing body in the run-up to the country's elections.

“We will engage Riek Machar as well, probably tomorrow, and we will deliver a very tough message to him as well that the international community will not tolerate violations of the cessation of hostilities and that people who spoil the peace agreement, people who commit gross violations of human rights must be held accountable,” Samantha told reporters shortly after a meeting with the South Sudanese leader.

She added, “That is our message to all parties. We have delivered that message here; we will deliver it to Riek Machar”.

NO MILITARY SOLUTION

The US special envoy also said the Security Council was concerned over reports that arms were being brought in to the young nation, stressing that there was no military solution to the South Sudan conflict.

“The council has made it very clear that it is prepared to impose consequences if there continue to be spoilers, if there continue to be people carrying out gross violations of human rights, United states ambassador to the united nations,” said Samantha.

“We will not tolerate violation of the cessation of hostilities and people who spoils peace agreement. We have delivered that message here and we will deliver it to Riek Machar,” she stressed.

The UN delegation also held talks with other government officials, civil society activists and the internally displaced prior to their trip to Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday accused both sides of failing to commit to the peace process, a day after they failed to meet the sixty days ultimatum set to form a transitional government.

(ST)

August 12, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese government said Tuesday that it will oppose any proposal to dissolve elected institutions on grounds that it will set a "bad precedent”.

South Sudan's vice-president, James Wani Igga, speaks at a press conference in the capital, Juba, on 28 December 2013 (AP)

“We have discussed and communicated in no uncertain terms with every player in the region and with the international community that any proposal seeking to dissolve the elected institutions will not be acceptable, because it will set a bad precedent," said vice-president, James Wani Igga.

“Dissolving elected institutions violate the constitution and that is a red line for us and that there would be enormous consequences if we start working against the constitution instead of upholding it," he added.

Igga, formerly the speaker of the legislative assembly, urged members of the United Nations and the international community to take clear positions on how the country's conflict can be resolved.

Foreign affairs minister, Barnaba Marial equally echoed the vice-president's stance, saying dissolution of elected institutions would compromise constitutional and democratic principles.

“As the government, we welcomed the visit of the Security Council. This visit will help the world understand the dynamic of this conflict with firsthand knowledge. They will have the opportunity to visit all parts of the country. They will visit those affected and those which have not experienced the violence. We would facilitate their movement so that they get the real information”, he told reporters Tuesday.

Marial said the world should support his government in its quest to resolve political differences with the opposition in order to bring lasting peace and stability to the country.

“We would like the United Nations, the African Union and the GAD member countries to clearly come out and take strong position with the government to end this conflict. We want the peace process to proceed in order to end the current humanitarian crisis in the country”, he said

The South Sudanese conflict, which started late last year, has killed thousand and displaced over a million people internally and into neighbouring Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia.

(ST)

August 12, 2014 (JUBA) - South Sudan government on Tuesday acknowledged making changes within its police force in Bahr el Ghazal region, saying they were normal administrative changes within the institution.

Map detail showing South Sudan's border state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal

The move saw Maj Gen. Akot Deng Akot, the police commissioner for Western Bahr el Ghazal swapped with his Northern Bahr el Ghazal counterpart, Maj Gen. Peter Mading Duor.

“These are administrative changes necessitated by circumstances. It is not the policy of the government that a police commissioner must be someone from the area where that officer comes,” the police chief, Gen. Pieng Deng Pieng, told Sudan Tribune Tuesday.

Although he did not elaborate further on what promoted these abrupt changes, police sources claimed the move was “political”.

“This was a directive from the higher authority and the inspector general [of police] had to comply because there is a concern that the current security situation in Northern Bahr el Ghazal requires someone like Akot Deng. It is believed by the leadership that Akot would handle this situation well”; a police source told Sudan Tribune Tuesday.

Local officials, however, said these changes could have made to counter the massive defection of youth from Northern Bahr el Ghazal in to the rebellion led by South Sudan's former vice-president, Riek Machar.

“Because Gen. Akot comes from the same area with Gen. Dau [Aturjong], the government feels it would be wise sending someone with significant influence in the community so that more defections from security organs in the area from members of the community are contained,” an observer told Sudan Tribune.

The only way to save the situation, he said, was for the new police commissioner to persuade the community or exert full authority over them.

“Gen. Mading Duor did not exert authority because he fears his actions would be misinterpreted by the local population and their politicians since he comes from Warrap state where President Salva Kiir comes,” noted the observer.

(ST)

August 12, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir received a phone call on Monday from the Turkish president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan in response to congratulatory cable, state media reported.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party (AKP) during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara April 16, 2013 (Reuters)

Sudan's official news agency (SUNA) said that Erdogan inquired on Bashir's health following his left knee surgery over the weekend.

Erdogan, who is currently Turkey's Prime Minister, praised Bashir and his country's strong stances on the Gaza crisis and his support of other issues in the Islamic world.

Bashir also applauded Erdogan's courageous international positions in supporting just causes in the world.

The two sides also discussed progress of bilateral relations, SUNA reported and also exchanged visit invitations.

Erdogan was supposed to visit Sudan since 2012 to inaugurate a Turkey-funded hospital in Darfur but his trip kept getting postponed for unknown reasons.

In late 2009, Bashir who is a target of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur, cancelled a visit to Turkey to attend the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) following intense international pressure.

Ankara at the time defended its stance saying it did not send out the invitation to Bashir but they were simply hosting the conference and asserted that it has no intention of inviting him in the future for bilateral talks.

Later Turkish media reported that Ankara quietly asked Bashir to stay away and suggested that their prosecutor could act on his own initiative to arrest the Sudanese leader despite the country not being an ICC member.

Nonetheless Erdogan defended Bashir saying that a Muslim is incapable of committing genocide.

“In any event a Muslim could not commit genocide, he is not capable of it,” Erdogan said at the time.

“If there was such a thing [genocide] we could talk about it face to face with President Bashir” he added.

The Turkish Premier said he visited Darfur and saw no signs of genocide.

(ST)

August 12, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has confirmed the arrest of a senior member of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Merriam al-Mahdi, by the security service, saying she will be treated according to the law.

Meriam Al-Mahdi is the daughter of the National Umma Party leader al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, who has been in jail since 17 May 2014 (AFP)

The NUP deputy leader was arrested at Khartoum airport on Monday evening when she returned from Paris after participating with her father and chairman of the opposition parties in a series of meetings with the rebel Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF).

The rebel groups in Darfur region, Blue Nile and South Kordofan states led by Malik Agar struck a deal with the opposition parties aiming to create a joint political platform for the opposition parties in order to end war and achieve democratic transformation in Sudan.

NCP Media secretary, Yasir Youssef, told reporters on Tuesday that al-Mahdi “will be treated according to the law in forces in the country”.

The Sudanese authorities arrested in the past several opposition members after meetings with the rebels and accused them of seeking to overthrow the government.

On 27 June, Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir warned opposition parties against contacts with the rebel groups which he described as “agents and traitors”.

“Whoever wants to deal or sign agreements with the rebels has to know that the SRF has some areas in South Kordofan, Blue Nile, Darfur, Israel and Kampala. We will not accept that some speak (with them) in Khartoum and our sons are fighting and die in South Kordofan,” he said.

The president made his remarks after statements by the leader of the opposition National Umma Party, Sadiq al-Mahdi who following his release expressed his intention last Friday to coordinate with the rebels in order to achieve a comprehensive peace in the country.

The NUP leader had been arrested in May for accusing the government militias of committing atrocities and war crimes in Darfur.

In a press statement Tuesday, the NUP secretary-general, Sara Nugdallah, said that the deputy chairman was transferred to Omdurman prison for women after had being arrested for several hours at the buildings of the security service in Khartoum North.

The SRF condemned on Tuesday the detention of Merriam al-Mahdi saying the move is "consistent with the actions and methods of the security apparatus that violate international conventions of human rights, and (even Sudan's) interim constitution”.

Youssef, on the other hand, refused a call by the NUP leader asking the ruling party to accept or to reject the Paris Declaration saying “they have their own choices”

(ST)

August 13, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS), Abdel-Rahman Hassan Abdel-Rahman, disclosed that Sudan received $1.22 billion in credit guarantees from Qatar following the visit by president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to Doha last month.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha on 8 July 2014 (QNA)

The Qatari newspaper al-Sharq on Tuesday quoted Abdel-Rahman as saying that the governor of the Qatar Central Bank (QCB), Abdullah Bin Saud, agreed to provide Sudan with $500 million in credit guarantees to import Qatari products, noting that the step would encourage Qatari companies and businesses to export their products to Sudan.

The agreement stated that Qatar National Bank would offer $750 million in credit lines to improve Sudan's financial position and import basic and strategic goods besides stabilizing the exchange rate of the Sudanese pound against major international currencies.

The Sudanese finance minister Badr Al-Deen Mahmoud last April announced that Qatar deposited $1 billion in the CBoS as part of an aid package.

Sudan has been struggling with what was described as an economic shock following the loss of the oil-rich south in July 2011. Oil revenues constituted the majority of Sudan's exports, national income and source of hard currency.

One US dollar is now trading at 9.4 Sudanese pounds (SDG) in the black market. The official exchange rate is around 5.7 pounds to the dollar.

Qatar has been one of the few countries where Sudan enjoys relatively warm relations with. For years the rich Arab Gulf state has hosted peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups which eventually resulted in the signing of a peace accord in 2011.

In 2012, Qatar announced that it will inject $2 billion of investments in Sudan including “the purchase of government bonds issued by the Sudanese government and investments in different sectors particularly mining, oil, agriculture and services”.

(ST)

August 13, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese health ministry has announced on Wednesday that 77 people were killed and 227 others injured by the heavy rains and floods which recently hit various parts of the country.

Sudanese people try to walk at a flooded bus station in Khartoum on 3 August 2014 (Photo: AFP/Anadolu Agency/Ebrahim Hamid)

The health ministry's Department of Emergency and Humanitarian work stressed in a news bulletin that it registered 227 injuries mostly wounds and fractures due to collapse of homes besides one death caused by electrocution.

It underscored that 51 localities in 15 states have been affected by the heavy rains and floods, saying the total number of the affected households reached 36,256.

According to the bulletin, the most affected states include Khartoum, Kassala, River Nile, North Darfur and the White Nile respectively.

It added that 15,234 homes and 25,822 toilets have been completely destroyed while another 20.604 homes were partially destroyed, pointing that the health ministry had set up 94 emergency clinics in the affected areas covering 90.4% of the actual needs.

The bulletin further said that the major diseases reported at the emergency clinics included malaria, dysentery, diarrhea, pneumonia and eye infections, denying existence of any epidemiological cases in the affected areas so far.

The health ministry on Wednesday said that it had carried out 28 environmental sanitation campaigns at an implementation rate of 46.7% in various states, including 11 campaigns in Gezira, six campaigns in River Nile, five campaigns in Kassala, two campaigns in South Kordofan, two campaigns in the White Nile, one campaign in Gedaref and one campaign in North Kordofan.

The bulletin acknowledged poor implementation of environmental sanitation activities in most of the states, stressing that the health ministry dispatched several teams to assess health conditions and implementation of activities in the affected states.

It also mentioned that the health ministry provided a ton of pesticide to Khartoum state besides anti-scorpion venom serum to the While Nile and Northern states.

Meanwhile, the higher committee for floods at the Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday reviewed water levels at the upper reaches and along the course of the Blue Nile, the main Nile and the Atbara River.

The committee said in its daily report that data collected from the main stations and satellite pictures showed rainy clouds on the Ethiopian plateau which means that water levels would continue to increase in most of the Nile reaches.

It said that the reach between Damzeen and Sennar is stable, while the one from the latter and Khartoum is witnessing a remarkable rise, with the reach from Khartoum to Dongola in the Northern state also rising.

The committee demanded the concerned bodies and the people in all reaches to be cautious and take the necessary measures to protect life and property.

Heavy floods have been common in the past few years in Sudan's east along the Blue Nile but happen more rarely in the capital and the north where much of Sudan's population live.

Floods and rains that hit different areas in Sudan last year lead to the death of at least 38 people and injured dozens.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 13, 2014 (SEMERA, ETHIOPIA) – An Eritrean opposition group, Red Sea Afar Democratic Organisation (RSADO) on Tuesday vow to step up military attacks to topple the current repressive rule in the East African nation.

The opposition political organisation held a three day conference in Ethiopia Afar region's Semera town where participants discussed a framework of government should they succeed to remove the current President Isaias Afwerki led government in Asmara.

RSADO leaders told Sudan Tribune that the armed wing of the group was more than ever strengthened and ready to launch full-scale military attacks to unseat the Eritrean leader and turn the red sea nation into a democratic federal state.

As the ultimate outcome of the struggle, the Semera conference declared to draft a new constitution and establish a federal system of governance in Eritrea which participants' believed would guarantee democracy, self-governance and equal rights of the different nations and ethnic groups.

The conference agreed on the urgent removal of the ‘dictatorial' rule calling on other Eritrean opposition groups to collectively launch attacks to curtail the life of the 23 years old regime.

The group, on the other hand, accused the Eritrean government of further intensifying an “ethnic cleansing” strategy against Afar minorities.

The group alleges that thousands of Eritrean Afars had been killed and many others were subjected to extradition and forced displacement.

“RSADO is committed to end the regime's repression and atrocities right now rather than later” the group said in a communiqué.

The opposition group blamed the international community of giving “deaf ears” to the ongoing atrocities by the regime against the Afars and other Eritreans.

The conference brought together over 500 participants including political leaders, executive members of RSADO, Red Sea Afar youth and women league, elders, representatives of refugees, civic societies, international observers as well as Afar Diasporas.

The ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), is the only legal party in the secretive nation which is functioning since the country proclaimed independence in 1991 after 32-year long civil war with neighbouring Ethiopia.

Afwerki, who assumed power in 1991 remains to be the leader of the country, making him one among the very few remaining dictators in Africa.

The regime has ‘zero tolerance' to dissent. Any citizen who attempts to criticize the government is considered as traitor or spy of arch foe Ethiopia and will be thrown to indefinite jail term or could be punished by death without court ruling.

On the 23rd independent anniversary celebrated last May, president Isaias Afwerki pledged to draft a new constitution.

However opposition groups have downplayed the pledge saying “business as usual”

RSADO officials told Sudan Tribune that it rather was a start to a second chapter of oppression and dictatorship under the pretext of new constitution.

The group was founded in 1998 to stand for the rights of the Afar people including to the respect of self determination up to secession.

Militarily, RSADO is relatively considered stronger than the other Eritrean rebel groups.

In the past its armed wing has carried out a number of successful attacks against the Eritrean government army.

(ST)

By Peter Gai Manyuon

August 14, 2014 - Is politics preaching about tribalism? Is politics taking Country resources? Is politics killing people in ethnicity line? Is politics raping women and girls? Or what is the politics that is going on in South Sudan under the leadership of Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit?

Logically, what I have visualized in the Republic of South Sudan is that, most of the politicians joined politics when they have not known the principles of politics. Well any one can defined the term “politics” in different way. To my own understanding politics meaning; is the practice and theory of influencing other people on a global, civic or individual level. Do Mayardit and his tyrants understand politics in intellectual way? Very bad situation, I think God should close the gabs now before South Sudan collapse!!

More narrowly, Politics it refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance organized control over a human community, particularly a state. Furthermore, politics is the study or practice of the distribution of power and resources within a given community a hierarchically organized population as well as the interrelationship(s) between communities.

Absolutely, a variety of methods are employed in politics, which include promoting one's own political views among people, negotiation with other political subjects, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare against adversaries. Politics is exercised on a wide range of social levels, from clans and tribes of traditional societies, through modern local governments, companies and institutions up to sovereign states, to the international level. But for the case of South Sudan, politics is not practice in good way and eighty percent (80%) of the people don't know what a politics is all about in South Sudan context. Very disappointing scenario and complex issue that need to be observe very well.

I don't know whether it is because most of the people who are in the system are not well educated or not? Something needs to be study by researchers for further consumption in South Sudan.
Moreover, coming to the politics of inciting other groups to kills other community like what happened in Juba last year 2013 and what also happened in Maban County indicates that, President Kiir administration or whatever the call you might describe Mayardit government, lost legitimacy in governance, and influencing the people of South Sudan. The only best term to describe Mayardit government it can be call “Consumers Government” on earth.

Each and every one knows that, at first there was killing based on the ethnicity beginning from December 15th, 16th and 17th 2013 up to March 2014 in the Republic of South Sudan where by Nuer were massacred, tortured and other got rapes especially the women. I don't know what is behind the killings of the six (6) aids workers that were assassinated in Maban County again? When the current crisis is now the regime within the regime fighting.

I think one might have read how the six (6) gentlemen were slaughtered like goats in Maban County of Uppernile State by the government Militias. Very irritating situation that only need God attention to dismantle who is doing wrong to civilian's population.

Hence, since the current crisis is the regime within the regime fighting; therefore both parties MUST know that, civil populations is far away from the current man made catastrophe that have taken thousands and thousands of people for shortest period of time in both sides.

Sometimes, I also urged that, most of the South Sudanese who claims calling themselves politicians and moreover they are not. I always says, people don't know politics at all, what is in people minds is the ideology of Corruptions, Tribalism, nepotism, raping children girls under age and parochialism where some people minds are low or narrow minded and more interestingly their psychological black boards lack intellectual dynamism. Very contagious situation!!!

Well, illiteracy is the major problem that had caused the current civil war in South Sudan. Most of the people, who work in the civil servants, are all semi-illiterate. Most of the Generals who instructed the massacred of the civilians in Juba are illiterate. Most of them range from class four (4), five (5) and eight (8) as per the Education is concern. How would you expect someone who has not study well to lead the Nation or direct people in one way or the other? I only see this in South Sudan, in the whole world no illiterate President or semi-illiterate who is leading intellectuals. Most of the people who studied well, they know the value of human lives and observing democratization processes.

However, since April 2014 up to now, the problem became the general issue whereby both warring rivals are mixed up.

The current crisis had reached to another level of dimension where civil populations should not be targeted in the Republic of South Sudan.

Since January up to date, there had been many defections from the government side to the Rebels side and most of the people who defected are from all tribes of South Sudan. When you see the rebellion side, all the sixty four tribes (64) are there as well in the Government, there are different groups in the system fighting among them, no need to target the civilians.

In the Republic of South Sudan Transitional Constitution, there is need to regulates some of the demands in order for the President, Vice President and the entire cabinets to be elects , appoints base on the qualifications of an individual. At least someone with Bachelor Degree and above should come up because senior four (4) qualifications/ primary eight(8) is what have destroyed the newest State up to zero level. Once someone holds a Degree and above, he/she is very mature enough in term of thinking intellectually, coming up with programs that might benefits the entire Nation and the world.

Author is an Independent Journalist and Columnist who has written extensively on the issues of Democratization and Human Rights in South Sudan; you can contact him on independentjournalistpgm@gmail.com or www.independentjournalistpgm.wordpress.com.

August 13, 2014 (BOR) – The governor of South Sudan's Jonglei state, John Kong Nyuon, has warned government officials against the removal of Pibor constitutional members from the state administration.

The Greater Pibor area was recently granted special status, but the central government has yet to issue any orders for the removal of officials in the state administration.

Nyuon told a meeting of government members at the South Sudan Hotel, that current government officials from Pochalla and Pibor counties would remain in their positions until the central government provided further instructions.

“You better wait and see what the government will do. It is not you to say what will be done, the government knows what to do and when,” said Nyuon.

“There are people beating drums in Juba and now they want us to join them; that cannot happen … we will be informed by Juba,” he added.

The governor was reacting to statements by people campaigning for the removal of Greater Pibor constitutional post holders from the state administration.

Jonglei rebel leader David Yau Yau was this week appointed by the president to head the Pibor administrative area.

The government signed a peace deal with Yau Yau's South Sudan Democratic
Movement (SSDA/M) cobra faction, giving Greater Pibor, a semi-autonomous status, answerable directly to the presidency.

Yau Yau, as the chief administrator of the Greater Pibor autonomous area, is now equal to the state governor.

Jonglei's deputy governor, finance minister, minister for gender affairs and the minister for child and social welfare are all members of the news administrative area and removing them would create a significant gap in the cabinet.

“I know all of us had heard about this agreement, but we did not understand it. The main thing is that we want peace in the country. The war we fought is enough. We don't need more lives to lose. We don't need more suffering than the one we went through,” he said.

“There are people, who are saying, ‘let this be done. Why was it not done this way?' All these, my people, are not right. When CPA (Comprehensive Peace Agreement) was signed, it did not happen one day that all South Sudanese moved from Khartoum to Juba ... There was a process. Let us continue with our normal duties as usual,” Nyuon added.

The meeting in Bor was attended by all state directors, ministers and other officials from the civil service sector, as well as heads of organised forces and MPs.

(ST)

August 13, 2014 (RUMBEK) – The Athoi clan in Lakes state's Rumbek East county have appointed Tuol Aparer Chut as its new paramount chief days after his father, Aparer Chut Dhuol, was assassinated.

The map of Lakes state in red

The 5 August incident occurred in Pacong payam (district), about 20km from Rumbek Central county.

According to the police criminal investigation department (CID), the attack was in retaliation for the death of Maker Mabor, the paramount chief of the Gony clan killed in 2002.

Rumbek East has been the scene of tensions between the Athoi and Gony clans, with the latest incident raising fears of further violence among the two sections.

Crowned by relatives on Wednesday, Chut, 28, is expected to carry out the responsibilities of his father who served as paramount chief since 1987.

There are growing calls for South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, to relieve Lakes state's caretaker governor, Matur Chut Dhuol, from his position, but these calls have so far been overlooked.

(ST)

August 13, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan announced Wednesday that it had put in place measures to prevent the possible spread of the deadly Ebola virus, which has hit many parts of West Africa.

“We are very concerned about the possibility of the spread of this deadly disease, Ebola. We have many people flying into the country from different parts of the world. Some of these people are working in different capacities helping us here either as part of the humanitarian workers, business people or the United Nations mission and it agencies,” said the health minister, Riek Gai Kok.

He stressed that South Sudan had not imposed any ban on flights coming into the country from the countries affected by the disease, but said the leadership, in collaboration with health partners, have put in place precautionary measures and created awareness on the disease.

Ebola is a viral disease, which reportedly spreads through direct physical contact with body fluid such saliva, urine blood, stool, vomit, virginal secretion sweat from infected person and soiled linen used by infected person. Symptoms of the disease start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches.

SCREENING OF PATIENTS

The health minister said concerned government institutions have started mounting health checks at Juba airport, explaining that the country experienced the first Ebola case in 1974 and later in 2004.

“As of now, we do not have any case with symptoms suggesting sign of Ebola but we call upon the general public to be vigilant and take precautionary measures in case of suspicion”, said Kok.

A multi-disciplinary taskforce, headed by the health minister, has been established to raise awareness on dangers of the disease. It works in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health partners.

"The primary objective of this task force is for precautionary purposes. It is to coordinate the national respond in case of any Ebola outbreak. We have instructed the states to form similar task force at their level and put in place a team of experienced health workers to handle the situation,” said the health minister.

“We have mobilised necessary efforts and assistance for this. We have mobilised necessary drugs and logistical supplies. The central medical store has been instructed to send necessary medical supplies to health facilities and instructed Juba teaching hospital to establish a special ward for isolation of the suspects”, he stressed.

Meanwhile since its outbreak was announced early this year, the disease continues to spread, with WHO reporting 1,013 Ebola deaths across Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone by last week.

(ST)

August 13, 2014 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese parliament has approved an annual budget amounting to a total of 11.3 billion South Sudanese Pounds (SSP).

South Sudanese MPs stand during a parliamentary session in Juba on August 31, 2011 (AFP)

The budget, which covers the 2014/15 fiscal year, was passed with little changes on 12 August. It prioritises agriculture, road construction, assistance to states affected by the conflict, funds constituency development projects and payment of arrears.

Goc Makuac Mayol, head of parliamentary committee for economy, development and finance said the house had cut SSP 162 million from expenditure meant for travel cost, training, supply, tools and materials and other unexplained operating expenditures found in the draft budget by the ministry of finance.

The cuts, said the lawmaker, were made to fund agriculture and the road sectors.

“The parliament recommended the minister of finance and economic planning to rehabilitate roads facilitating transport of local produce to access the markets. The Juba-Kajo-Keji, Juba Yirol- Shambe, Juba- Yei-Kaya, Juba-Bor, Juba-Mundri-Yambio, have identified in the budget as priority,” Mayol told reporters on Tuesday.

Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity are the states which will receive special assistance as they are the areas which have witnessed destruction of key infrastructures.

The legislator said the committee made the recommendations based on the fact that some of the needs observed in the report were critical for the economic growth of the country. The committee also allocated SSP 750,000 pounds to the council of states for domestic travel to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area and Greater Juba district.

Meanwhile, SSP 2 million was also set aside for the recruitment of personnel to work in the orthopedic and rehabilitation centre while directing finance ministry to streamlined collection of revenues from all government and non-governmental agencies and ensure that they are remitted to the national revenue funds to support the fiscal budget.

(ST)

August 14, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) Sadiq al-Mahdi, briefed the Arab League (AL) about a political agreement reached with rebel groups calling for an inclusive peace process and democratic reforms.

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al Araby (Reuters)

After the signing of Paris Declaration with the alliance rebel of Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) on 8 August, al-Mahdi told Sudan Tribune he would carry out a diplomatic campaign to raise regional and international support for the deal.

On Wednesday he met with the Arab League secretary-general Nabil al-Arabi to discuss political developments in Sudan and the role of the regional organisation in the ongoing efforts to bring peace and democracy in the country.

The opposition leaders told reporters following the meeting that it was necessary to brief the Arab League on this political development, looking forward to get its support to reach a negotiated settlement over peaceful alternation of power and put an end to the armed conflicts in Sudan.

He expressed hopes that the Arab League blesses the move and plays a strong role in the regard, especially the African Union and the United Nations undertake important missions in order to bring peace in Sudan.

“We hope that the secretary-general consider this matter, especially that he has great relationships with all (the Arab) governments,” he added.

Following an arrest warrant in March 2009 issued by the International Criminal Court against president Omer al-Bashir, the Arab League initiated the Doha process to end Darfur conflict and decided to financially support the recovery and developments projects in the western Sudanese region.

Reacting to a question about his position from the national dialogue, Mahdi said Paris Declaration is more inclusive because it seeks to include the SRF rebels and other forces that are not part in the ongoing process in Sudan.

He also did not exclude his return to the country despite the arrest of his daughter and deputy Merriam al-Mahdi after her arrival at Khartoum airport.

The return to Sudan “is possible, but we have many tasks abroad, so whenever I finish it I will return,” he said.

The NUP suspended its participation in the national dialogue and demands to include the rebel groups in the process.

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August 13, 2014 (RUMBEK) – Authorities in Lakes state's Cueibet county have shot dead one pastoralist who attempted to escape from a local prison in Abiriu payam (district) on Tuesday.

Another three inmates managed to escape from Abiriu jail, located in the eastern part of Cueibet county, after being held without charge since their arrest last month.

The inmate shot dead is believed to be from Abiriu town.

The four men were suspected were suspected cattle thieves, but an investigation into the allegations had not yet been launched.

An officer from the local criminal investigation department who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident, saying that investigations into the allegations of cattle raiding had been delayed due to a lack of investigators on ground.

Local police say state authorities have become increasingly isolated, with the public refusing to share information with law enforcement officers, making in difficult to investigate killings and maintain law and order in the region.

Cases of arbitrary arrest are also on the rise across the state's eight counties, leading to lengthy delays in court appearances.

Lakes state resident Mayor Muou expressed deep concern over the state's failure to control rule of law, blaming it for the high incidence of violent crime and revenge killings.

He said “jungle laws” remained widespread in the areas of Greater Rumbek and Greater Yirol counties, with civilians often denied their basic rights.

“It is only in Lakes state government where people are still kept in the prisons for two months without [an] investigation being done,” he said.

“The laws contribute to clan clashes and poor governance [is] still closing their eyes on these issues. Why should we talk of independence when internal marginalisation is still prevailing?” he added.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, three men sustained gunshot wounds and one person reportedly died in clashes suspected to be revenge attacks carried out by the Nyang section of Rumbek Central county against the sub clan of the Rup section.

The clashes erupted in Ayen cattle camp, about 10km away from Rumbek Central county. The three wounded were admitted to Rumbek civil hospital.

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August 13, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese rebels led by the former vice-president, Riek Machar have accused president Salva Kiir's government of violating the cessation of hostilities agreement and planting landmines in the Greater Upper Nile region.

In press release issued on Wednesday seen by Sudan Tribune, rebels military spokesperson Brig Lul Ruai Koang claimed that the South Sudanese army continued to violate the ceasefire deal in areas of Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

“The Government of South Sudan have continued to violate the Cessation of Hostilities agreement on daily basis in Unity State in particular, and this has been manifested by attacks and occupation of relief centres in Nhialdiu in Rupkoni County and Guit County even during the distribution of relief items to the displaced,” Koang said.

He said government forces had been carrying out indiscriminate shelling of villages surrounding Bentiu town which resulted in the killing of civilians.

“The latest violation was committed on 12 August when the government forces attacked our positions at Kal-Jak, Maan-Kuach and Thoan military outposts in Rupkoni and Guit counties respectively,” he said.

Similar violations targeting civilians, he said, were being committed in the presence of international forces and monitors in Nasir and Ayod counties in Upper Nile and Jonglei states respectively.

“Our forces will no longer condone such acts of aggression against civilian targets by Salva troops and would exercise the right to defend civilians in areas under our control as well as act in self-defence when attacked.”

ARMY PLANTING LANDMINES

Koang further accused government forces of planting landmines along routes used by civilians who escape from the fighting.

“In a move contrary to international conventions banning the use of all types of land mines against civilians, the government forces have been laying anti-personnel land mines on routes used by civilians,” he said.

He further explained that most of the land mines have been planted on routes used by civilians to escape to neighbouring Republic of Sudan with Bentiu-Manga- Heglig roads being the heavily mined routes.

He said ,any innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly, had lost their lives, after falling victim to the landmines.

The two warring parties signed a cessation of hostilities agreement on 23 January, but since then both sides have accused each other of committing violations.

A peace process mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to try to end the nearly eight months old war is underway in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

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August 14, 2014 (RUMBEK) – Authorities in Rumbek, the capital of South Sudan's Lakes state, have arrested executive chief Agok Deng Manyon.

Manyon was detained on Tuesday for having refused to share information with security agents on the whereabouts of suspects in the killing of Athoi regional paramount chief Apereer Chut Dhuol, who was shot dead by an unknown gunman on 5 August.

The chief is reported to have been “tortured and humiliated” by security forces, who were conducting a search for the suspected assailants, believed to be in hiding in Wulu county.

Schools have been closed temporarily in Rumbek East county, as revenge attacks in response to the paramount chief's killing spiral out of control.

The state's education minister, Dut Makoi Kuok, says youth vandalised four primary schools in Pachong payam (district), forcing more than 3,000 students to flee to Rumbek town.

Kuok says the attackers appeared to be looking for students to kill in retaliation for the chief's murder.

“They were looking for grown up children to kill because of the killing of the paramount chief. We closed down CueiChok Primary School and Maleng-Agok Primary School, with [student] populations of more than 1,700 children,” he said.

The Panbakou and Gorok primary schools, which have a population of 600 and 700 pupils respectively, have also been closed, with benches, textbooks and exercise books also vandalised in Gorok.

Dhuol, who is from the Gonyi section, was the elder brother of the state's military caretaker governor.

Radio Miraya has reported that mass rapes and lootings are being carried out in various Rumbek East communities apparently in revenge for his killing.

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August 13, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union and Norway called on the Sudanese government to release the deputy leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), saying it is in disagreement with government's efforts to engage in national dialogue, including the opposition forces.

Merriam al-Mahdi was detained last Monday following her return from Paris, where she participated in talks with rebel groups over ways to unite the opposition forces and reach a negotiated solution. She also participated in a meeting with EU MPs in Strasbourg over peace in Sudan.

“The Delegation of the European Union, the resident EU member states, embassies and the Embassy of Norway in Khartoum express their concern about the imprisonment of Dr Meriam Al Sadig al Mahdi, vice-president of the Umma National Party,” said a statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement further recalled that “detentions of political leaders and civil society activists go against the spirit of an open and inclusive national discourse and call for Dr Meriam to be released”.

The EU previously announced its support to the national dialogue and expressed readiness to support the efforts aiming to achieve a comprehensive negotiated solution .

Observers say the crackdown on the opposition and rights activists hampers the whole political process and would lead to more tensions in the country.

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August 13, 2014 (NEW YORK) – The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has reported that the situation in Maban county's Bunj, where several aid workers were killed last week, remains calm, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing in New York on Wednesday.

Food is distributed at a refugee site in South Sudan's Upper Nile state (Photo: WFP/Ahnna Gudmunds)

UNMISS is continuing to carry out daily patrols close to refugee camps and in Bunj town, with the agency extracting a humanitarian aid worker from Kaya refugee camp on Tuesday.

“Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that aid agencies are still operating with minimal staff due to the tense security environment, but essential humanitarian operations are continuing in the four camps,” said Dujarric.

The UN began evacuating some 220 non-essential staff and aid workers last Wednesday after at least five aid workers were killed.

Local militia group the Mabanese Defence Forces have been blamed for carrying out the killings, which came one day after another aid worker was murdered in the same area.

Gabriel Yien Gach, a South Sudanese national who worked for Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), was dragged from an NPA vehicle and shot dead last Monday after identifying himself as a member of the Nuer ethnic group.

The militia group appears to be targeting civilians of Nuer origin after it clashed with Nuer soldiers defecting from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) a week ago.

The killings have outraged the UN, with the Security Council warning that attacks against humanitarian personnel may constitute a war crime.

During a recent visit to Bunj, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Toby Lanzer, said the humanitarian community was committed to staying in Maban, and in other areas affected by the conflict, but that aid workers had to be able to do their work in safety.

According to Dujarric, there have also been reports of small arms and mortar fire in the strategic Upper Nile town of Nasir on Wednesday.

The fire, which appeared to be coming from the direction of a South Sudanese army (SPLA) military camp, was believed to be directed towards the Sobat River as well as Nassir market.

Conflict has been raging in South Sudan since mid-December last year after a political rift in the country's ruling party (SPLM) turned violent, reigniting tribal tensions across the country.

Ongoing peace talks have failed to halt the violence, with aid agencies warning the country is now facing a humanitarian catastrophe.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that aid agencies are preparing to send a rapid response team to provide food, health and other emergency assistance to people in Upper Nile state's Longochuk county in response to reports of exceptionally high levels of malnutrition there.

Upper Nile State has the highest annual number of acute malnutrition cases in South Sudan.

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