August 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) -Sudan's president Omer Hassan al-Bashir has officially rejected the call of the African Union (AU) to hold a pre-dialogue meeting in Addis Ababa, saying he wants the dialogue to be an exclusive Sudanese process.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (TIKSA NEGERI/REUTERS)

Last week, the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) reiterated its call for an urgent pre-national dialogue meeting of all Sudan's relevant parties, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, to discuss and agree on procedural matters relating to the dialogue.

Bashir, who addressed the army officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers at the Wadi Siedna military compound on Sunday, said his government refuses to hold the dialogue abroad, stressing that the AU, United Nations and the United States can't force the Sudanese government to hold the national dialogue abroad.

He said that doors are open for all parties to discuss ways for resolving Sudan's problems without foreign tutelage, warning rebels groups against insistence on resorting to arms to resolve outstanding issues.

Bashir said the coming year would be the year for achieving a decisive peace, pointing they offer the full opportunity for all parties to engage in the dialogue.

“We are authorized to wage war against those who refuse to engage in the dialogue,” he added.

In the same context, Sudan's foreign minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, told the Swedish ambassador to Khartoum, Mette Sunnergren, that his government would not accept to hold any dialogue conference abroad.

In a meeting held on Sunday, Ghandour informed the Swedish diplomat that his government wants the dialogue to be "an exclusive Sudanese process", pointing that Sudan coordinates with the AUPSC and the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) only as partners who offer opinion and efforts to ensure the success of the process.

In September 2014, the peace and security body endorsed a roadmap aiming to facilitate the national dialogue. It provides to hold a national dialogue preparatory meeting in Addis to agree on issues related to the process.

But before they have to negotiate a cessation of hostilities immediately followed by security arrangements.

Bashir launched the national dialogue initiative more than a year and a half ago in which he urged opposition parties and rebels alike to join the dialogue table to discuss all the pressing issues.

But the initiative faced serious setbacks in wake of the government's refusal to create suitable atmosphere in the country leading several major participants to pull out.

OPPOSITION CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT STANCE

RNM leader Ghazi Salah Eddin Attabani speaks in a press conference held in Khartoum on 30 August 2015 (Photo ST)

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Reform Now Movement (RNM), Ghazi al-Attabani, described the government refusal to participate in the pre-dialogue meeting as “irrational and unsustainable”.

Attabani, who spoke in a press conference held by the Alliance of National Forces (ANF) including the political forces which withdrew from the government-led dialogue on Sunday, said the government would be forced to change its position sooner or later, wondering why it drags its feet on accepting the pre-dialogue meeting while it engages in external negotiations on its entire affairs.

He called on the Sudanese government to stop political manoeuvring on the issue of holding the dialogue inside Sudan, accusing it of trying to portray the opposition forces as seeking to hold the dialogue abroad.

“On the contrary, all political forces are committed to hold an exclusive Sudanese dialogue inside the Sudan”, he added.

RNM leader pointed that some opposition forces agreed to initiate the dialogue by holding a preparatory meeting abroad, describing the AUPSC call for the dialogue as “historic and unprecedented”.

He said the government will be the losing party if it insists on rejecting the AUPSC call for holding the pre-dialogue meeting, warning against underestimating the African support for Sudan.

Attabani further pointed if Africa withdrew its support for Sudan, the government would be exposed to international pressures and would be forced to engage in the dialogue at a higher cost than any genuine dialogue among the sons of Sudan.

He pointed that the recent AUPSC communiqué shows that the regional body was visibly irritated by the procrastination of the Sudanese government in taking the right steps to conduct a genuine and comprehensive dialogue.

“[The AUPSC] is standing one step away from declaring that the ongoing dialogue is worthless because it doesn't meet the minimum standards of political dialogue that have been implemented in similar experiences,” he said.

Attabani demanded the government to immediately respond to calls made by the “Sudan Call” forces for stopping the war, urging it to engage in serious talks to achieve a cessation of hostilities that leads to a comprehensive ceasefire.

“It would be futile to talk about political reform or national dialogue or to address Sudan's economic or regional and international relations crises while the war is ongoing,” he added.

ANF spokesperson, Taha Abdallah Yassin, for his part, said that failure of the government to put the dialogue in the right track would force them to resort the alternative dialogue project which they had agreed to launch with the rebel umbrella Sudan Revolutionary Forces (SRF).

He added the alternative dialogue will be based on the consensus of the entire Sudanese people, saying its outcome would form the basis of the national constitution.

NFC CALLS FOR UPRISING

In a related development, the opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) issued a statement saying that past and current developments prove they prove right their long-standing position that the government is not serious in its call for a negotiated solution for the country's issues.

"As the regime has rejected all the requirements and objective conditions for dialogue, the choice of the National Consensus Forces (...) is to overthrow the regime through a popular uprising, political strike and civil disobedience, and total rejection of any settlement aiming to maintain this system," the alliance of the left forces said.

The statement underscored that in line with Berlin Declaration, the opposition forces have to stop seeking a negotiated solution and to work altogether in a popular uprising to topple down the regime of President Omer al-Bashir.

RNM DENIES CONTACTS

RNM deputy chairman Hassan Rizq denied they were being contacted by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to resume participation in the ongoing dialogue, accusing NCP leaders of turning a deaf ear to other political forces.

It is worth mentioning that the RNM pulled out of the dialogue last year blaming the NCP for its refusal to implement a number of confidence building measures aimed at creating a conducive environment before the start of the process.

Rizq called on the Sudanese government to listen to the voice of reason and avoid any confrontation with the AUPSC in order not to prevent transfer of the dossier to the UN Security Council.

“It is the duty of the wise men (within the government) to rein in those who seek to drag Sudan to this confrontation (with the AUPSC) ,” he added.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 30, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese musicians in Ethiopia stage a concert in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to celebrate the final peace agreement signed by the two warring factions in the world's youngest nation.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (seated) signs a peace agreement in Juba, August 26, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Jok Solomu)

South Sudan peace ambassador, Gatwech Koak Nyuon, who chief guest, opened the concert held on Saturday at Gerji community hall in Addis Ababa.

Gatwech made presentations on truth, reconciliation and healing and also awarded top artists.

The Chairperson for South Sudan Artists Association in Ethiopia (SSAAE), Khor Deng Jang, welcomed the signed peace accord to end 20 months long conflict in South Sudan.

"I welcome the peace signed by the president [Salva Kiir] and Dr. [Riek] Machar" Jang elaborated at the closed ceremony.

Khor urged the IGAD-Plus and the international community to help implement the peace process.

In a joint communiqué, the South Sudanese called on IGAD-Plus, the international community as well as on all South Sudanese in the diasporas and at home to keep working together and help the leaders of the parties on implementation process.

They also urged leaders of the two South Sudanese warring factions to quickly establish truth, healing and reconciliation commission as it was done in South Africa.

The musicians further stressed a need for the religious communities to preach for peace and love to bring all South Sudanese communities together as one united family.

The South Sudanese artists planned to compose new songs which are noble to peace so that war affected South Sudanese hurt in this ongoing crisis are healed from trauma.

Over 800 people attended the concert organised by South Sudanese artists in Ethiopia.

Although the two rivals inked a final peace deal which brought hope for permanent ceasefire, some South Sudanese in Addis Ababa, however, still doubt on its implementation citing at least seven ceasefire agreements which were broken quickly.

But thousands of South Sudanese residing at refugee camps in Ethiopia are still hoping to return back home soon to rejoin their families. Since conflict in South Sudan erupted in December 2013, over 200,000 South Sudanese crossed borders into Ethiopia.

The international community has threatened to impose tougher measures on any party that fails to implement the peace agreement initiated by the IGAD-Plus mediators.

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (RUMBEK) – A renowned youth activists have been killed in Rumbek East county of South Sudan's Lakes state, relatives and officials told Sudan Tribune.

Map detail showing South Sudan's Lakes state in red

Makuer Bol was reportedly killed last Saturday night in Cueicok payam.

A Criminal Investigation Department said a team was dispatched to probe the incident

“Although Makuer was the most influential youth member, he never took sides in all cycles of revenge occurring in Lakes state,” the officer, who preferred anonymity, said.

Meanwhile, unknown gunmen reportedly killed a primary eight pupil along with his father in Mabui village near Rumbek airstrip on Friday night.

Dut Makat's father, Makat Moon was a soldier in the army's division six headquarters.

The state government has intensified the search for the suspected gunmen believed to be from Rup section of Rumbek Central county.

Lakes state has experienced waves of violence following the unsolved murder of paramount chief Apareer Chut Dhuol, an elder brother of the embattled caretaker governor, Matur Chut Dhoul.

There have been growing demands among Lakes state residents for Dhuol's removal, but President Salva Kiir has overlooked these calls.

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

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – President Yowerei Museveni of Uganda has held unexpected high profile meeting with a high level delegation from the South Sudan's armed opposition faction under the leadership of former vice president, Riek Machar, days after a peace deal was signed by two warring parties in South Sudan.

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni chairs a meeting with SPLM-IO delegation (R) in Kampala, August 29, 2015 (Photo ST)

The SPLM-IO said the meeting took place in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Saturday following an invitation extended to the former rebel group after signing of a final peace agreement with president Salva Kiir, which was brokered by the East African regional bloc, IGAD, and its international partners.

“Our Chairman and Commander-in-Chief, Comrade Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, dispatched a high level delegation to Kampala and met with President Yoweri Museveni,” Machar's spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

“They met President Museveni on Saturday and the meeting was cordial,” Dak said, but declined to provide details of the outcome of the meeting.

He however said the high profile interaction discussed a wide range of issues on implementation of the peace agreement and relations between Kampala and the opposition group.

South Sudan's opposition has since last year opened an office in the Ugandan capital and dispatched a representative based in Kampala to deal with humanitarian issues and build on mending relations between the two.

The 10-member opposition delegation was led by the deputy chairman and deputy commander-in-chief of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement/Army in opposition, General Alfred Ladu Gore.

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (JUBA) - A group of defected rebel officials in South Sudan conflict have rejected a recently signed peace deal between the government of President Salva Kiir and the rebel faction under former vice president, Riek Machar, demanding that peace renegotiations between warring parties should take place inclusive of their group.

Gabriel Changson Chang (ST Photo)

The group calling itself Federal Democratic Party (FDP) with it military wing South Sudan Armed Forces (SSAF), an army pending name they borrowed from the South Sudan's transitional constitution is led by former national minister of youth, culture and sports, Gabriel Changson Chang.

The group called upon the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to adopt a new strategy in the peace negotiation.

“We in the federal democratic [party] and South Sudan armed forces believe that the IGAD must adopt a new strategy in the peace negotiation. We believe that in order to bring a lasting peace to South Sudan, all parties and stakeholders in the conflict must be included in the peace talks so that any agreement reached by [parties] must [be] owned by South Sudanese,” the statement dated August 29, 2015 reads in part.

The statement criticized IGAD, an east African bloc, which mediated the end to more than 20 months conflict in the country, for allegedly restricting negotiations “to a few favoured clients are contrary to the spirit of peace.”

IGAD, according to the statement, must allow open discussion of the root causes that triggered the conflict. It expressed doubt whether president Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar will be able to work together after “failing to gain trust despite working for eight years in the same government.”

“Both president and Dr. Riek Machar worked with each other for eight years and could not trust each other. It is doubtful whether these leaders will invent or generate any trust between them in the short period of transitional period,” he Changson said.

“Due to this mistrust between the two leaders, it remains to be seen whether the Juba massacre will not repeat itself,” he further predicted.

He claimed that the peace agreement between Kiir and Machar failed to recognize the Juba massacre and this “is very disappointing to the Nuer ethnic group in general and the families of the massacred people in particular.”

However, the peace agreement provided for compensation and reparation of the victims of the massacre in Juba and in other areas. A report by the African Union's Peace and Security Council also addressed the Juba massacre and to hold those responsible to account once it is released during the implementation of the peace deal.

But Changson further predicted that rivalry between the two major communities of Dinka and Nuer may continue.

“This shows lack of respect for the dead and this can heighten the sentiments that can threaten reconciliation and healing between the Nuer and the Dinka ethnic groups,” he argued.

The statement further added that imposed peace hardly changes the attitude and behaviours of people involved in the conflict, thus demanding the need to involve all the stakeholders in negotiations.

“In condemning this agreement, we are aware and convinced that this imposed peace will not alleviate the suffering of our people. We have learnt from the history that imposed agreement do not change attitude and behaviours of people previously in conflict. It is only when agreement and reconciliation are concluded through free wills of the people that commitment and respect for those agreement is upheld,” he added.

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir on Sunday issued a decision to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances of a brawl between members of two factions of a former rebel group signatory of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

The chairman of Darfur Regional Authority and NLJP leader Tijani El-Sissi (Reuters)

On Wednesday 26 August members of the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP), led by Bahar Idriss Abu Garda fought with members of National Liberation and Justice Movement (NLJP) led by Tijani al-Sissi during the launch ceremony for Phase II of development projects in Darfur in the Sudanese capital.

The LJP supporters came to contest the legitimacy of the attribution of 640 development projects and reiterated accusations of corruption for the NLJP led Darfur Regional Authority (DRA).

The presidential decree provides that the committee should investigate with the official and non-official persons involved in the incident, the circumstances and motivations of this unprecedented development in the conflict between the two parties.

LJP and the Justice and Equality Movement -Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo) call on president Bashir to appoint a new chairman for the regional authority and to be equally represented in the DRA which controlled by al-Sissi's pary.

The decree appointed the minister of justice Hassan Awad, as chairman of the committee and the minister of the federal affairs Faisal Hassan Ibrahim, and the deputy chief justice Idris Awad al-Majid as members.

The three member investigation body had to submit its findings to the president within a week from the date of the presidential decision.

BOYCOTT OF RDA

In a related development, LJP and the JEM-Dabajo ministers in the DRA decided to boycott the meetings of the regional body till an expected reshuffle takes place.

The two political groups are expected to hold a press conference to explain their decision.

The DRA chairman Sissi on Sunday headed a meeting of the regional authority at its headquarters in Khartoum with the participation of the five governors of Darfur states.

DRA information minister Abdel Karim Musa told reporters that the meeting stressed the government's determination to enforce all the 1071 development projects in Darfur.

Musa disclosed that the federal finance ministry approved 900 million pounds for the implementation of the second phase of recovery and development projects.

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (RUMBEK) – Two former Members of Parliament (MPs) in South Sudan's Lakes state, called for peace and reconciliation among rival communities after they were released last week in the state capital, Rumbek, after 10 months in prison without charges.

Marik Nanga Marik at the right and Isaac Makur Buoc Apac at the left speaking to press at Rumbek airstrip upon their arrival from Yirol west on 25 August 2015 (Photo ST)

Thousands of people including relatives and friends on Sunday gathered in the house of Isaac Makur Buoc, one of the released MPs, to thank South Sudan's president Salva Kiir for having instructed state authorities for their release.

MP Isaac Makur Buoc, representing Rumbek East county constituency number 13, was released with his colleague, Marik Nanga Marik, representing constituency number 2, on 22 August, 2015 in the county.

The two lawmakers spent over 300 days in jail and released without charges after president Kiir intervened late.

Speaking during the thanksgiving event, Buoc urged Rumbek East population to advocate for peace and reconciliation within their family members. Buoc He said talking for peace was the best tool to wed for peaceful future.

He encouraged his supporters to work hard for putting platform for peace instead of allow revenge and counter-revenge in the community.

Marik Nanga Marik, flanked his colleague and urged residents to be valiant in putting peace first than supporting personal interests that divide state inhabitants.

He described his arrest as normal and urged his supporters to support national government to implement the peace deal signed by South Sudan's president Kiir and the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

“Work in support [of the] recent peace signed by president Kiir – your goal now must be to build peace if you really supported me- supported national government with your heart and soul. We need peace so that our children could harvest nice future,” he said.

The thanksgiving ceremony was attended by top government officials.
Lakes state has been in cycle of revenge killings and unlawful arrests of civil activists and politicians with public losing interest in the current state administration led by military caretaker governor, Major General Matur Chut Dhoal, who also survived the recent reshuffle.

(ST)

August 30, 2015 (JUBA) – The Japanese ambassador to South Sudan, Kiya Masahiko, concluded a visit to South Sudan's Upper Nile state last week to show solidarity with the refugees and appreciate the impact of Japan's aid contribution to their living conditions.

Sudanese refugees wait to board a truck heading to Batil refugee camp in South Sudan's Upper Nile state on 15 July 2012 (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

A delegation of local authorities and partner organisations, including the country representative of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), Ahmed Warsame accompanied Masahiko.

During the trip, the Japanese envoy reportedly visited some of the projects funded by the government of Japan in Doro camp, including classrooms at the Nur primary school, a solar-power borehole and the mud-plastered transitional shelters for vulnerable refugees.

Masahiko, UNHCR said, also visited Maban county hospital, which has been equipped with a X-ray room, two operating theatres, three paediatric wards and a pharmacy over the last two years, courtesy of funding from donors, including Japan.

"This hospital serves more than 200,000 people from the refugee and host communities and remains the only functioning hospital in the entirety of Upper Nile State since the start of the conflict in December 2013," UNHCR said in a statement.

Japan, UNHCR's second largest donor globally has reportedly contributed more than $16 million since 2014 to support UN refugee agency's efforts to protect and assist refugees and extend a helping hand to host communities in the world's youngest nation.

"Japan's support has been key in improving the living conditions of tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees who have found shelter in camps in Upper Nile and Unity states as well as many South Sudanese living within and around Maban camps," said Warsame.

"We were able to build better shelters for families and ensure higher standards in health, water, sanitation and education," he added.

The Japanese envoy reportedly met the refugee leaders to hear the concerns of their community. Access to higher education, health care, food and shelters were said to be top priorities for the refugees as do Internet connectivity for education and access to labor-saving modern farm technologies like tractors to increase agricultural production.

"Resources are limited, but we are committed to continue our support for refugees and host communities in South Sudan," said ambassador Masahiko.

"It is important that the contribution of the people of Japan reaches the most needy refugees and makes substantive improvements in their livelihoods," he stressed.

Currently, South Sudan reportedly has some 265,000 refugees of which nearly 90% are from South Kordofan and Blue Niles states and live in Unity and Upper Nile state camps. The remaining 10% are refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia who live mostly in Central and Western Equatoria state.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (JUBA) – The newly appointed caretaker governor of the oil-rich Upper Nile state, Chol Thon, has announced readiness of his administration to support president Salva Kiir in the implementation of the peace agreement he signed with former vice president, Riek Machar, the leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).

Troops from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) have been engaged in an armed struggle with rebel forces loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar since mid-December last year (Photo: Reuters)

Governor Thon, according to Upper Nile state's information minister, Peter Hoth Tuach, was the first senior official in the state to welcome the signing of the agreement and sent his congratulatory messages to the head of state on behalf of the people of the state.

“The new governor and the government of Upper Nile state was the first to welcome and sent congratulatory message to the president on the signing of the peace [agreement]. The governor on behalf of the people of Upper Nile state affirmed readiness of the leadership of the state to stand behind the decision of the president and pledged unwavering support in the implementation because signing the peace is one thing and the implementation is another thing,” minister Tuach told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

He accused the opposition forces of allegedly launching attack on the position held by government in and around Malakal in violation of the permanent ceasefire which the rival leaders declared and came into force midnight, Saturday.

“The rebels are claiming that they were attacked by our forces. It is not true. It is just propaganda to cover their behaviours. You know that rebels are always very fast to come out and accuse our forces even when they are known to have carried out the attack,” he further claimed.

The question remains, is Malakal under whose control, the government or the rebels? Malakal has been in the hand of the government and it is being known by IGAD. The rebel claim is baseless and unfounded because if Malakal is being attacked, who is attacking it? Can the government attack itself,” asked Tuach.

Rebels however dismissed claims that their forces attacked Malakal town, saying it was the government forces in Malakal that shelled their positions on the west bank of the River Nile.

South Sudan's military spokesman, Colonel Philip Aguer, told reporters that government forces were attacked by opposition fighters on Monday in Unity and Upper Nile states.

SPLA-IO REFUTES ALLEGATION

Opposition forces under the leadership of Machar refuted allegations by the government and said they were only fighting in self-defence, blaming the government for violations of the permanent ceasefire.

The newly appointed military spokesperson for the rebels, Colonel William Gatjiath Deng, in a press statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday said the opposition forces came under separate attacks in Upper Nile and Unity states.

He also claimed that one of the government's barges carrying troops and mounted with heavy weapons has been destroyed by the opposition fighters.

“The government troops have attacked our forces in Tonga county [Upper Nile state] this late afternoon [Monday]. One of the government's barges has been burned by our forces and the fighting is still going on now,” Deng said in the statement.

He said in Unity state, government troops moving in the river with three barges and 7 gunboats shelled Wathkech payam, accusing the government of carrying out offensive despite peace deal.

“We want to inform the people of South Sudan that government is sabotaging the implementation of the peace deal,” he said.

Deng called upon the IGAD Plus, AU and international community to take action by investigating what was going on as the government continued to violate the ceasefire.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 31, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA/KAMPALA) – Leader of the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), Riek Machar, on Monday commended Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, saying he has noticed positive approach to ensuring peace in South Sudan.

Riek Machar prepares to address a news conference during the peace signing meeting in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, August 17, 2015. (Photo Reuters/Tiksa Negeri)

“When president Museveni was here during the summit I saw a shift in his attitude and his commitment to support the peace agreement,” said former vice president, Machar in a press conference he held in Addis Ababa on Monday.

He said he had dispatched a high level delegation of 11 members to Kampala who met president Museveni last Saturday in a bid to engage the authorities in Uganda on the implementation of the peace agreement he signed with president Salva Kiir to end the 20-month long civil war in the world's youngest country.

“We want to read the mood in Kampala on the implementation of the peace agreement,” said Machar.

“We are satisfied that the Ugandan government is behind the peace agreement which is very important to us because it is part of the conflict and they have troops which they will have to withdraw,” he said.

The Ugandan troops were deployed in South Sudan in December 2013 at the invitation of president Kiir shortly after fighting broke out between forces loyal to Kiir and those allied to Machar.

The latest peace agreement signed between the two rival leaders in general states that the troops of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) must pullout from South Sudan with the exception of those in western equatoria state who came under a different arrangement to hunt for the Uganda rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

According to the peace agreement, UPDF will withdraw from all locations in South Sudan including Bor and Juba, but a number of their troops will remain in Western Equatoria start per the arrangement made with the African Union (AU) as a regional task force to battle the LRA rebels.

Earlier, Ugandan minister of foreign affairs, Henry Oryem Okello, said on Saturday that the UPDF will not withdraw from the South Sudan despite the internationally backed and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediated peace agreement which demanded their withdrawal.

“We are not pulling out. Uganda is not part of the agreement. We have a bilateral arrangement with South Sudan government like U.S. has troops stationed in Japan,” Oryem was quoted as saying by a number of regional media outlets.

Following Saturday's statement by the Ugandan foreign minister the rebels have requested explanation and other Ugandan officials including from the ministry of defense said their deputy foreign minister was misquoted, saying their troops will withdraw within 45 days in accordance with the peace deal.

“When we heard of it we inquired and we were told that the minister was misquoted,” said Machar.

NO GRUDGE AGAINST UGANDA

The spokesperson of the rebel delegation to Kampala, Stephen Kuol told Sudan Tribune he was optimistic of Uganda's positive contributions in implementing the peace agreement.

"Let is be known that the SPLM/SPLA under the able leadership of Dr. Riek Machar does not hold any grudges against the Republic of Uganda and its leadership. We are saying for us to implement this peace agreement, we must everything behind us," said Kuol.

"Let bygones be bygones," stressed the armed opposition official on Monday.

The main focus, Kuol further said, was on how to effectively implement the new peace accord.

"We need the support of the Ugandan leadership, the leadership of the region, African Union, United Nations, the Trioka and all people of goodwill who made it possible for us to get another opportunity for peace in the country," said the rebel delegation spokesperson.

Rival forces in South Sudan conflict have issued statements counter-accusing each other of violations of the permanent ceasefire hours after it came into effect on Saturday midnight as declared by president Kiir and armed opposition leader, Machar.

Meanwhile the rebels accused government forces of continued attacks despite the signed peace agreement which calls on both warring factions to take into effect a permanent ceasefire.

In a separate interview with Sudan Tribune, acting spokesperson of SPLM-IO army, Colonel William Gatjiath Deng, alleged that government forces have launched bombardments on Saturday in Unity state's Leer, Koch, Mayiandit, and Rupkotni counties.

“They are today on their way going to Jonglei state in Fangak county in the river. They have also started bombardments on the river bank in our controlled territories,” he said.

Deng added that the rebel forces did not retaliate but remained standing in their defence positions.

The military official further alleged that the Ugandan troops were fighting against them along side the government even after the peace deal was signed.

The spokesperson of the government forces, Colonel Philip Aguer, on Saturday and Sunday similarly accused the rebels of launching attacks at government controlled territories in Malakal town in what he said was to gain more territories.

“Their intention is to gain more territories. This is the purpose of these attacks. That was why they attacked the positions of our forces in Malakal yesterday (Saturday) and again today (Sunday),” said Aguer.

“For us, our forces will not attack them but they have the right for self-defence,” he added.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Four Sudanese female students have secretly flown to Turkey to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to local media reports

FILE - Two ISIS supporters hold flag (ABC News)

Khartoum newspapers reported that the group which includes twin sisters have left the country to join ISIS while other media reports claimed that there five in this group.

ISIS presence in Sudan has made the headlines last March after British media outlets confirmed that nine medical students from Sudanese origins entered Syria via Turkey to work in hospitals under the control of ISIS.

Also, last June 18 college students ran off to join ISIS in Syria including the daughter of senior diplomat.

Security cameras at Khartoum airport have captured images of Aya al-Laythi al-Hag Youssef, a third year medical student at the University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST) besides the twin sisters Manar Abdel-Salam, a UMST graduate and medical doctor at Garash Hospital in Khartoum and Ibrar Abdel-Salam, a medical student at the National College.

Cameras also captured images of a fourth female student by the name of Thoraya or Sumaia Salah Hamid.

However, aAl-Sudani daily newspaper on Monday quoted the student affairs official at the UMST as saying the two students are not enrolled at his college.

According to the reports, names of the female students were among the list of the departing passengers on the al-Arabiya airlines heading to Istanbul via Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, saying that security officers at Sharjah airport sought to stop them but to no avail.

It has been reported that the students might have used Somali travel documents.

Meanwhile, Turkey has pledged to intensify efforts to prevent the flow of ISIS sympathizers crossing its border into Syria.

Turkish deputy undersecretary for foreign affairs, Ali Kamal, stressed importance of the international cooperation to fight against this security threat.

“In order to ensure success of Turkey's efforts to prevent flow of people from 100 countries seeking [to join ISIS], we need the support of the international community by providing information and close coordination,” he told reporters in Khartoum Monday.

Kamal further urged the Sudanese authorities to take the necessary measures to curb activities of those extremists groups.

Earlier this month, Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) re-arrested the Salafist Jihadist preacher and supporter of ISIS, Masa'ad al-Sidairah along with several of his disciples.

Also, On 30 June NISS arrested the general coordinator of the far-right One Nation Movement group and the openly supporter of ISIS, Mohamed Ali al-Gizouli.

Last May, Sudan's minister of Higher Education Sumaya Abu-Kushawa accused unnamed circles of actively recruiting students to join ISIS.

At the time, Sudanese second vice-president Hassabo Abdel-Rahman blamed internal and external parties as well as international intelligence agencies for the phenomenon of extremism in the Arab and African communities.

Last Month, Abdul-Ilah, the son of the late leader of Jamaat Ansar al Sunnah, Abu Zaid Mohamed Hamzah, was killed in armed clashes in the ISIS stronghold of Sirte in Libya.

One week earlier, a Sudanese Jihadist nicknamed Abu Ja'afar al-Sudani blew himself up in a car bomb in the Libyan city of Derna last week, killing 9 people and injuring dozens others.

Also, in June ISIS announced that one of its Sudanese fighters nicknamed Abu al-Fida al-Sudani was killed in their stronghold of al-Riqa.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (NYALA) – Security committee at three localities in South Darfur state met on Monday to assess the security situation against the backdrop of the ongoing tribal clashes between Salamat and Falata tribes.

Sudanese tribal leaders attend the Darfur talks at the venue of the Darfur peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria on 2 May 2006 (AP)

Members of security committees of Tulus, Buram and Damso localities met in the headquarters of Tulus locality, 90 kilometer south of South Darfur capital, Nyala to evaluate the security danger posed by conflict between the two tribes.

The commissioner of Tulus locality, Ibrahim Abakar Shamna, told Sudan Tribune that security committees of the three localities besides the local administration discussed in an expanded meeting ways for achieving lasting solution to prevent renewal of clashes between Falata and Salamat.

He pointed that the security committees developed strict security measures to arrest any individuals or groups seeking to wreak havoc particularly robbers and looters who drag tribes to bloody clashes, noting that specific groups became known for stealing cattle.

Shamna stressed that security organs are now equipped more than ever with military gears which allow them to curb any security threat in the area.

The commissioner emphasized that security organs wouldn't hesitate to arrest anyone who seeks to create tensions among tribes residing in the three localities, pointing to coordination among security committees, local administration and ordinary citizens to clamp down on the outlaws.

He noted that a mechanism to heal the rift between the two tribes has been developed, saying it would tackle issues of blood money and reparations in a way that preserves the rights of the victims.

Clashes between the two Salamat and Falata erupted last March following theft of cows in Rajaj area. At the time 67 people were killed. Also, seven people were killed in renewed clashes between the two tribes last month.

The central government admitted the failure of traditional reconciliation approach and decided stop these bloody tribal conflicts by bringing to justice the perpetrators of the attacks and through the massive deployment of troops.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – A number of foreign ambassadors in Khartoum asked the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) for more details on steps undertaken to ensure the success of the national dialogue progress that is scheduled to formally convene on October 10th.

3rd meeting of the national dialogue national assembly in Khartoum on Thursday 20 August 2015 (Photo - SUNA)

The NCP political sector secretary Mustafa Osman Ismail held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Japan, Sweden and Italy at their request for an update on the dialogue initiative.

Ismail said in press statements on Monday that the three ambassadors stressed their strong support for national dialogue and expressed their desire to see the dialogue make a positive leap that would contribute to bringing about stability and development in Sudan.

"We conveyed to the ambassadors the steps undertaken so far in the dialogue process and the keenness of the government and the parties especially the 7 +7 mechanism to make it a success so that it would address the country's problems and lead to the opening up of Sudan's foreign relations," Ismail said.

He went on to say that he conveyed to diplomats his assurances that the dialogue aims to stop the war and create political consensus and addressing all the problems facing the country.

The NCP official said that consensus in the upcoming dialogue conference will contribute and help in drafting a new constitution for the country that would improve Sudan's foreign relations that would eventually reflect on the people's livelihoods.

"The Sudanese are keen on a dialogue that would bring about a positive shift in light of the tension that the world is witnessing, and a positive shift in security, stability and development in Sudan," Ismail said.

In a speech before the general assembly of the dialogue process this month, the Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir expressed readiness to declare a two-month ceasefire in Blue Nile, South Kordofan states and Darfur region and renewed his offer of amnesty for the rebel who are willing to join the national dialogue.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (JUBA) – A South Sudanese opposition movement has demanded that the East African regional bloc (IGAD) to initiate fresh peace talks aimed at resolving the conflict in the young nation.

South Sudan's former vice president and opposition leader, Riek Machar, signs peace agreement together with SPLM SG Pagan Amum in Addis Ababa, on July 17 2015 (ST)

In a statement issued Monday, the Revolutionary Movement for National Salvation (REMNASA) asked IGAD to consider the views of the people of South and instigate negotiations between the unified South Sudan ruling party regime and other armed opposition fronts in the country to achieve lasting peace to the suffering population.

“The called “Compromised Peace Agreement” signed by the SPLM-IG of Salva Kirr, SPLM-IO of Dr. Riek Machar and SPLM-FD of Pagan Amum is not worth to bring peace as it has been rejected even by the key members of the conflicting parties that signed the agreement,” partly reads the statement signed by its spokesperson, Col. John Sunday Martin.

The opposition group also castigated South Sudan's main rival factions of violating the signed agreement less than 24 hours after they both declared a permanent ceasefire in respect to the accord.

REMNASA said it was worried the peace agreement concluded last week in Juba may remain on paper without effective implementation, thus making it a “dead” peace deal of IGAD-Plus.

“Peace cannot be brought full in any nation by small portion of warring factions, and never will any peace be sustainable while others warring factions are not involved in sustaining it”, stressed the group.

“REMNASA has disowned this peace agreement and so is Federal Democratic Party (FDP); and therefore, without inclusiveness of REMNASA and any other revolutionary forces, IGAD-Plus must not expect any peace, but full scale war”, further added the statement.

Failure by IGAD to initiate fresh talks, the group warned, could provoke “military” options and full scale war against the Juba regime.

They accused the regional bloc of a selective approach in choosing parties to continue ruling South Sudan, which was allegedly against the will of the ordinary citizens in the world's youngest nation.

FAILED LEADERS

Meanwhile, the revolutionary movement described both President Salva Kiir and opposition leader, Riek Machar as “failed” leaders allegedly responsible for the problems the nation currently faces.

“In fact, they (Kirr and Riek) worked perfectly together to loot our national resources, and failed to work as a team to offer constructive political leadership to this nation, as well deliver services to meet the expectation of the suffering people of south Sudan,” the group further said in their statement, which was also extended to Sudan Tribune.

“We are therefore calling for the two leaders to be excluded from the Transitional Government of the National Unity and should they need to come back to lead, they should wait for the general election, and seek it through popular vote of the people,” it added.

The opposition group, however, says it was willing to seek for alliance with every excluded faction such as FDP to ensure IGAD responds positively to their national calls for fresh peace talks with unified SPLM or else launch full scale war as an option for peace in the nation.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

August 31, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's armed opposition leader, Riek Machar has accused President Salva Kiir's government of allegedly "slaughtering hundreds of political prisoners" in the country.

Riek Machar answers questions during a press conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on July 9, 2014 (Photo AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)

Speaking at a press conference held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa Monday, Machar alleged that the South Sudanese government killed nearly 600 political prisoners on 25 August, the day before president Kiir signed the final peace deal to end the conflict.

Those allegedly slaughtered, he told reporters, were political prisoners in custody under the government's military intelligence.

He said members of his armed opposition movement were concerned over “mass slaughter” that allegedly happened in the capital, Juba.

The rebel leader demanded for an immediate probe into the alleged incident, further stressing that the mass killings that took place against the political detainees undermines the peace accord.

“We question the political will of the government. Is the government serious to implement the agreement or do they have divisions?” he asked.

Machar urged the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-Plus and the international community to look into the matter.

Sudan Tribune could not immediately verify the rebel leader's allegations on the killings.

Both warring factions have, despite signing a peace deal, accused each other's forces of violating the agreed permanent ceasefire.

The rebel leader, however, reiterated his commitment to respect implementation of peace accord and that his group held talks with South Sudanese in Ethiopia asking them to back the peace process.

He said a rebel delegation was dispatched to Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and Egypt to galvanise minds of South Sudanese to support the peace deal and its implementation.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government said on Monday that Uganda will not withdraw all its troops from the country as stated in the recently signed peace agreement with armed opposition, claiming the former was in the country at the behest of the latter on bilateral arrangement between two sovereign states.

An unidentified man sits in the gun turret while leading a convoy of armoured vehicles from both the South Sudanese government forces and the Ugandan People's Defence Forces (UPDF) in the streets of Jonglei capital Bor on 19 January 2014 (Photo: AP/Mackenzie Knowles-Coursin)

In some of the security provisions under transitional security arrangements of the new compromise peace deal signed between president Salva Kiir and armed opposition leader, Riek Machar, all foreign forces are required to leave the country within 45 days from signing of the agreement.

But Mawien Makol, South Sudanese spokesperson for the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation confirmed reports attributed to senior officials in the Ugandan government as saying their government and the country will instead continue to support and maintain some of its troops in the country as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.

“Of course in the agreement Ugandan People Defence Forces (UPDF) are supposed to leave after 45 days but before that, there was a bilateral agreement between Uganda and South Sudan. This agreement allows UPDF to come here and do the other works which is to pursue and cut down the activities of Lord Resistance Army (LRA). That thing stands there. It is not going anywhere,” Makol told reporters on Monday reiterating earlier comments asking when the Ugandan troops would withdraw.

The diplomat confirmed that reports quoting officials at the Ugandan ministry of foreign affairs were correct.

“If they leave within 45 days given in the agreement still we have to hold on [to] some of them. Not all of them will go. Some forces will have to remain in the country in accordance with the bilateral agreement. So the Ugandan officials are correct, their troops will be here to do the things that they have been doing before the war,” he said.

He explained Ugandan troops were in the country way back before the country descended into civil war, but many believe more troops were deployed in the country following the events of the December 2013 when political debates within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) turned violent.

Ugandan senior officials made contradicting statements when their deputy foreign minister, Okello Oryem, reportedly said UPDF will not withdraw from South Sudan as it had no part in the agreement, but later on an explaining statement from the Ugandan ministry of defence said the deputy minister was misquoted and that UPDF will leave South Sudan within 45 days with exception AU contingent in Western Equatoria state.

The Ugandan contingent deployed to Western Equatoria state before the war broke out in December 2013 will remain per a previous arrangement under the African Union to hunt for the LRA.

(ST)

August 31, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The leader of National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) and chairman of Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Tijani al-Sissi has signed a political cooperation agreement with a splinter faction of Dabajo group.

Tijani el-Sissi (SUNA)

The Memorandum of Understanding on Political Cooperation aims to cement relations between the NLJP and the Justice and Equality Movement of Abdel Rahman Banat who spited from Dabajo group in November 2014.

The signing of the political alliance intervenes as al-Sissi is facing a strong rejection by his peace partners: the Liberation and Justice Party (LJP) of Bahr Idriss Abu Garda and the Justice and Equality Movement led by Bakheit Dabajo (JEM-Dabajo).

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Khartoum, the NLJP leader however stressed that this agreement is not directed against any other party but seeks to bring Darfur to what he called "the wider national space".

He further called on the Darfurians to distance themselves from ethnicity and tribalism, adding "I'm not inclined (to support the idea) that our parties and movements be on the name of Darfur, and that is the problem," he stressed.

NLJP president is embattled in a struggle for the DRA chairmanship. His detractors accuse him of not consulting them in the management of the region's matter. They further say that al-Sissi who is a Fur dignitary ignored the areas of the other ethnic groups in the allocation of development projects.

From his side, Banat disclosed that the memorandum pave the ways for merger of the two groups.

Rifts between the groups signatory of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) have become a source of concern for the government after a recent fight between a group of LJP supporters with NLJP members during the launch ceremony of development projects in Khartoum attended by government officials and diplomats.

President Omer al-Bashir formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the circumstances of the incident as he is expected to issue a number of decisions related to the organisation of the regional authority within two week.

(ST)

Bashir`s dialogue is nothing but adding insult and injury on Sudan`s crises
By Mahmoud A. Suleiman
It comes as no surprise that the NCP regime President Omer al-Bashir using his fake 'national' dialogue again after apparently felt rest assured that he has recently secured the rapprochement between his regime and the US Administration. The news media reported that the (NCP) regime President Omer al-Bashir declared that he would offer a two-month ceasefire and general amnesty to the rebel movements to participate in the National Dialogue. The reports indicated that the decision comes during the General Assembly for National Dialogue, the third meeting held on Thursday, August 20, 2015 in Khartoum. Here, people of Sudan would say to Omar al-Bashir that the one who tries out something already tried before and proved invalid is an addict par excellence. The Sudanese people ranked them with the political elite group, which became addicted to failure.

The Coordinating Supreme Committee for the National Dialogue 7 +7 of the Republic of Sudan.

The Thursday 20 August 2015 alleged National Dialogue assembly is nothing but a copycat version of its predecessor assemblies, which served nothing for adding credibility to the Wathba Dialogue.

It seems that the members of the National Congress Party met to dialogue with each other about the fate of Sudan amid the economic deterioration caused by financial corruption and nepotism and tribalism, racism and the lavish expenditure on frivolous civil wars of attrition

The members of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime met on Thursday 20 August 2015 to dialogue with each other on the unprecedented determination the economy of Sudan reached through recklessness extravagance and expenditure because of the epidemic corruption, nepotism, tribalism, racism and cost of the absurd civil wars of attrition. The so-called Supreme Coordinating Committee for National Dialogue meeting has provided the opportunity for the NCP membership to dialogue with each other over an array of issues. These issues include the destiny of their regime under the current grinding financial crisis and economic woes faced by the National Congress Party (NCP) government led by their master of grace, the Génocidaire war criminal fugitive from the international justice, Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir.

There are clear contradictions in Omer al-Bashir's intentions behind the national dialogue. While declaring a ceasefire for two months, he has put Sudan's armed forces (SAF) and the Janjaweed militia loyal to the security forces device (NISS) called Rapid Support Force (RSF) on alert and armed them. He has also continued the ongoing aerial bombardment of civilians in the war zones, which is part of the blatant plot to deceive the armed opposition. Meanwhile, the holdout Darfuri armed rebels groups of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Mohammed, the Sudan Liberation Army Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA- AW) led by Minni Arko Minnawi and Abdel Wahid Mohamed al-Nur respectively are speaking to the Acting Joint Special Representative (AJSR) of the UNAMID to discuss with them ways to reinvigorate efforts for peace in Darfur.

Omer al-Bashir who keeps acting as judge and hangman tried presenting his fake 'national' dialogue swindle to further mislead and cheat the parties in the dispute. The country's crises and issues remained eluding the solutions because of the intransigence of the head of the ruling regime of the NCP Omar al-Bashir and his clique who deliberately fail to offer advice to al-Bashir but instead work to ignite the fire of the problems and increase the complexity.

Al-Bashir kept his alleged ‘fairytale' Wathba Dialogue on hold for more than a year since he announced it in January 2014 and repeatedly delayed it to gain ample time in the face of the opposition's imposed wait.

The dilemma and the irony is that the regime that took power by a military Coup d'état and repeatedly abrogated peace agreements it signed with parties has become impossible to trust. Thus, eternal loss of confidence in the words and promises issued by the President of the (NCP) regime Omer al-Bashir and his entourage became master of the situation.

The methods used by Omer al-Bashir and his clique to deceive the Sudanese people exceeded the borders and became offensive to the memory of the nation of Sudan and the Sudanese people. However, the nimble fiery acumen of the Sudanese people mocks at them. Moreover, the Sudanese people consider that the regime is gasping for breath and happens to be in a pathetic state. It has become the subject of contempt and mockery.

Even worse is that most of the names mentioned as national figures are originally committed members of the National Congress Party (NCP) regime. Moreover, the marathon of political parties who have allegedly attended the Wathba Dialogue are a creation of the NCP regime to give some legitimacy that was originally missing or never even existed , at best; their actual membership does not exceed the party chairperson!

Thus, the meaning of the Saying of the Holy Prophet Peace be Upon Him (PBUH) that says “a person lies and continues to lie until Almighty God writes him a liar”, literally applies on the membership of the Islamist ruling regime, the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum par excellence.

The people of Sudan have become immune against the (NCP) regime's bag of lies because the President of the ruling (NC P) Omer al-Bashir is negligible and cannot be relied upon. The Sudanese people should not believe the regime nor attach any hopes for returning benefits to them and should refrain from betting upon them. As the poem goes: “This is your era, Oh farces, when the hunting dog was considered among the knights!

Sophistry and philosophy, which one is superior upon the other these days is really a difficult question to answer.

The 2011 arbitrary National Security Act allows the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) unlimited powers of arrest and accountability, inspection and the daily appearance of the accused to the premises of the device in a humiliating manner in a blatant violation and contradiction to the clauses of the 2005 Constitution.

The tyrant Omer al-Bashir seems to have become like the Pharaoh of Egypt who underestimated his people and yet they followed him. and thus the staunch supporters of the National Congress Party (NCP) are such as the people of Pharaoh who used to see only what he sees as al-Bashir and do not listen to the lies of anyone other than the lies of al-Bashir.

As usual, al-Bashir undermined his announcement and knocked it off early on as a preemptive measure to refuse the release of prisoners of war (POWs) one of the liabilities of the opposition as a condition for agreeing to participate in the alleged national dialogue process. This is despite the constant sense of the opposition about lack of sincerity and vacuousness of the promises of Omar al-Bashir. His promises proved as free of credibility consistently over the lean 26 years he ruled Sudan with iron fist and deceit.

Furthermore, Omer al-Bashir put forwards his preconditions that the national dialogue will be inside Sudan and not abroad. The foregoing will increase the likelihood of the opposition refusing to accept engaging in dialogue and this is undoubtedly a great victory for al-Bashir and contributes to buy more time on the account of the opposition cheaply. Moreover, this would stand as an evidence for al-Bashir submitting it to the regional and the international community as a model for non-seriousness of the opposition in the peaceful settlement of the Sudanese crises. This adds to the tactical maneuvering of the dire Sudanese politics by the autocratic Génocidaire Omer al-Bashir and his entourage.

Moreover, of Omer al-Bashir's tactics to divert the opposition components away from participating meaningfully in solving the crisis of Sudan is to create repulsive obstacles such as non-release of political prisoners and prisoners of war and restraining freedoms as well as hindering the passage of relief to citizens in the war zones. Because Omar al-Bashir continues to go solo in his power hegemony in Sudan and feel assured that the hands of the International Criminal Court will not reach him as long as he is in power. Not only that, he is protected by the loyal members of the Sudan armed forces (SAF) and as well as the Janjaweed militia, Rapid Support Force (RSF) which is fighting a proxy war against the armed opposition in lieu for public money and provided it with weapons. The regime continues ignoring the crimes committed by gangs of mercenaries against citizens even in the capital Khartoum.

Recently there are some harbingers that the opposition had agreed to the national dialogue and through it the settlement of crises of Sudan take place. The settlement in question includes the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile and the Darfur region. Furthermore, it is understood that the opposition agreed to the new role of the joint mission of the United Nations and the African Union - UNAMID - in the peace process as well as its role in the protection of citizens. Thus, there is a date for the meeting of the Parties in Addis Ababa shortly in this regard.

It is clear since the beginning that in no did Omer al-Bashir way consider any other option than single (NCP) rule in Sudan. All that the ruling regime of the NCP, led by President Omar al-Bashir seeks is to monopolize power forever and ever!

In view to the bitter fact that the Sudanese country of Sudan, once the largest nation in Africa size wise, has been living at war with itself since before independence from the British colonials of January 1, 1956. In fact, the first war began in the City of Torit in the then south of Sudan on August 18 1955 when Torit military garrison mutinied. The insurgency of the Torit garrison meant to deliver their voices to those responsible in Khartoum and meet their desires to improve the conditions of military camps in the south, similar to the Eastern and Northern Areas of Sudan. Further to that, the southerners demanded during the Juba Conference of a regional rule or a Regional autonomy for the southerners in the southern Sudan, but the authorities rejected their request. The Juba Conference delegates attended the conference held in June 1947 from British and Sudanese in the city of Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The apprehension of the Southerners was realized when 800 administrative posts were vacated by the British in preparation for Sudanese "self-rule" Only four of the government posts went to Southerners. In discussions to determine the future of the modern state of Sudan, the southern provinces were largely excluded from the political process. The same marginalization happened to Darfur when the 800 jobs were allocated to the provinces of Sudan prior to the independence.

Sudan is now a state living in a situation similar to the status under international trusteeship, by the sheer presence of the UNAU force (UNAMID) formed under the 1769 UN Resolution on July 31, 2007 as the largest peacekeeping mission consisting of force of about 26,000 personnel began to deploy to the war-torn Darfur region in October 2007. As of December 2008, it has deployed 15,136 total uniformed personnel, including 12,194 troops, 175 military observers, 2,767 military police officers, supported by 786 international civilian personnel, 1,405 local civilian staff and 266 United Nations Volunteers! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations%E2%80%93African_Union_Mission_in_Darfur

The blockage of the political horizon, cultural famine , the escalation of state violence and interventions in all matters of people's lives are the causes of the crisis in Sudan.

The foregoing factors have forced a large number of Sudanese youth who have completed their university studies and could not find work to ride doom boats across the sea and especially the Mediterranean Sea to get to Europe and to be prey to the human trafficking gangs to sadly die in the English Channel Tunnel. There are a number of examples for those who have gone prey to human traffickers including the late Hussam Osman Zubeir and Abdulrahman Haroun who crossed the Channel Tunnel and were arrested by the British police lately.

It takes a real genius to realise that Sudan under the twenty-six lean years of the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement (MBM) is at its worst times since it became a nation. In addition, to respond to the words of one of the staunchly loyal members of the entity that was reported as saying boastfully that had it not been for the coming of the National Salvation Revolution (NSR) the Sudanese people would have been a group of paupers and beggars! He was pointing to the military coup, which was carried out by Islamists in June 30, 1989. The (NSR) is aka 'Ingaz, meaning rescue in Arabic'.

The Claim of cultural and ethnic superiority in Sudan has become rife in the era of the rule of the infamous oppressive (Ingaz) regime.

Sudan is a country characterized by cultural and ethnic plurality (570 tribes that speak 595 languages divided into 75 ethnic groups on the basis of linguistic and cultural characteristics and other ethnographical characteristics).

The principle of my brother and I against my cousin and I and my cousin against a stranger becomes prevalent in communities with cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity which leads to the sovereignty of some and the marginalization of others as happens in Sudan today, unfortunately.

This regime went to general elections solo in April 2015 when Bashir was announced as the winner of 94 percent of the votes overwhelmingly in one-sided elections that were boycotted by the opposition political parties, criticized by the West and even by the African Union (AU) and failed to excite the Sudanese people.

The NCP regime refused to attend the preparatory meeting for the process of national dialogue called for by the African Union (AU) and which the opposition, both armed and civilian, attended. The representatives of the so-called Committee of 'Seven plus Seven', who represent the dialogue committee under the pretext of the elections.

After the series of postponements and delays, followed by postponement, the regime now comes and declares the formation of the so-called Supreme Coordinating Committee for the national dialogue consisting of membership of the National Congress Party (NCP) for the distraction of the opposition as well as deception of the regional and international communities and for more time wasting.

AU Resolution 539

While we commend the positions of the African Union (AU) and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Resolution No. 539 for 2015, but at the same time we know very well that the regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) will work hard to undermine it as it did over the lean 26-year rule of Sudan.

In spite of our reservations, the Resolution-539 restores some hope after periods of despair of dealing with Omar al-Bashir and his entourage. Moreover, at the same time that this historic decision restores credibility to AU its real role ascribed to it.
The African Union (AU) and its organs are supposed to stand with the African people in their just struggle for freedom, democracy and decent life and for a sustainable peace, justice and equality.

The (AU) should not be the mission to support totalitarian regimes that overpower people to stay in power, as in the case of Sudan where citizens have been suffering under the scourge of senseless wars of attrition that destroy everything good to mankind without paying any consideration to their rights.

Having said the foregoing, one will not be flabbergasted if the Islamist regime rebuffs the resolution 539. The ruling regime of the NCP-led by the genocidal criminal, fugitive from the international justice, Omar al-Bashir who has a long history in the lack of commitment to international resolutions or the peace agreements signed with the parties in the conflict.

Breach of contracts and lack of commitment to the peace agreements signed with the parties in the conflict remained the motto for the Muslim Brotherhood entity in Sudan.

Moreover, we are confident that the solutions to the issues of Sudan remain in the hands of the components of the Sudanese people. They are formed of activist youth and peaceful opposition parties and the armed opposition, students and trade unions and women's organizations are able to resist and compel the military junta to submit to the will of the people.

As expected, the news media reported that the NCP President Omer al-Bashir officially rejected the (AUPSC) call for the 'Pre-Dialogue' conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa by saying that he wants his 'Wathba' Dialogue to be Sudanese for the Sudanese inside Sudan! He added saying that while addressing a meeting with the Sudan Armed Force (SAF) at the Wadi Sayedna Military base on 30, August 2015. He reiterated his earlier statement that the dialogue he announced in January 2014 will not be held abroad and nobody will be able to force him to change his decision. He went on saying that he would reject any interference from the AU or the United Nations (UN) and that doors are widely open for participation for those willing to see Sudan's issues resolved. He said addressing (SAF) that the year 2016 will be the end of the insurgents who refuse peace through his 'Wathba' Dialogue. Moreover, the NCP regime's Foreign Minister was reported as saying that the role of the AU High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) chaired by Thabo Mbeki is merely to offer an opinion for success of the Wathba Dialogue and nothing more. This means that the regime does not recognize UNAMID as a 'Peace Maker' and it will remain only as a ‘Peace Keeping' Mission regardless of the UNSC and AU bestowing new powers to the United Nations and African Union Mission for Darfur (UNAMID) lately. By saying that the Dialogue will remain solely a Sudanese affair without need for a foreign intervention, Omer al-Bashir tries to exclude the international community from his dialogue.

In a News conference about the current political situation and the future of the national dialogue held on the same date -30' August 2015 - Omer al-Bashir rejected the AUPSC proposal, some opposition parties described Bashir's position as irrational. The participants in the conference described the opposition taken by al-Bashir as irrational and that he is likely to change his opinion and give in to pressures of the international community as he did on several occasions! Some others have said that this is the typical false heroism and vacuous courage that Omar al-Bashir presents to face up to the predicaments of his irrational decisions. However, it is very likely that al-Bashir unexpectedly bows in acquiescence under the pressure of the international community and especially to the looming big stick waved by the United States of America (USA).

The Sudanese people should not attach any hope for achieving solutions to the crisis of their country and citizens languishing in. All the positions of the regime of the NCP affirm the lack of its seriousness in resolving the crisis in Sudan because all the main concern is directed towards maintaining the power to protect President Omar al-Bashir from the pursuit of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This ruling regime of the NCP constantly seeks to undermine all peace efforts to resolve the crisis the country suffers from and is working on more complexity. Therefore, any attempt for entering into the alleged national dialogue is considered to be falling in the camouflage of no way out and devoid of any benefit.

Thus, the regime kept continuing in the same policies that have deepened the crisis of the nation with indifference without giving any attention to the seriousness of those policies that threatened national unity. The policies referred to above resulted in the secession of southern region of the country in 2011. The escalation of the crises of the country do not have any remedies but to overthrow the regime across the widest possible public front by a popular uprising and civil disobedience and political strike.

Albert Camus, a French Nobel Prize–winning author, journalist, and philosopher quoted as saying (The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Camus

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

To Secretary General Ban Ki-­moon
Secretary-­?General of the United Nations

Dear Mr. Ban,

Tuesday, 1st September 2015

To the military parade in Beijing on September 3rd you have been invited as an official guest along with other dignitaries including Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. As the survivors of the Genocide perpetrated by Bashir in Sudan, we at the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan openly call on you not to share a public stage with a murderer.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on ten counts of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. His actions were declared a Genocide by the United States Government in 2003. Millions of Sudanese have been killed on his orders since he took power in a military coup in 1989. It sends the wrong message for the leader of the United Nations to socialize at events with him while arrest warrants remain outstanding Sent from my iPhone

Mr. Ban, you have highlighted “Advancing the responsibility to protect agenda” as part of your five-year action agenda. Bashir led a violent response to civil war with the south that led to the deaths of million of Sudanese and resulted in the separation of South Sudan from Sudan. He has used Janjaweed militias to murder entire populations in Darfur and continues the scorched earth tactic today. Rape continues to be used by his forces across Sudan as an instrument of war and oppression. It is not responsible to grant Bashir your tacit acceptance by sitting side-by-side with him in the public view.

The United Nations has come under criticism from the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC for not doing enough to help achieve the arrest of Bashir. As survivors of Bashir's Genocide we at the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan beseech you to show your support for the good work of the ICC by not attending the parade in Beijing on September 3rd and instead calling on the Chinese Government to arrest Bashir so that he can be brought to trial.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Gibril Ibrahim Fideil Chairman
The Justice and Equality Movement Sudan

August 31, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese lawmakers have warned the country's finance and economic planning ministry against spending irregularities after it emerged that some government departments were overpaid and others were deprived of funds.

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

In a heated parliamentary debate that ensured during the second reading for 2015/2016 fiscal year budget on Monday, the MPs said the security sectors of government spent more than it was budgeted for and money had to be cut from the service delivery ministries.

“There is a general disparity in the release of funds by the ministry of finance,” said the parliamentary finance chairperson, Goc Makuac.

“Others [ministries] overspent [and] the committee recommended equitable release of funds to all spending agencies monthly,” he added.

According to the parliamentary findings, the ministry of defense spent 3.7bn South Sudanese Pound (SSP), instead of the approved 3.28bn. The national security ministry in the office of the president took SSP 229m, surpassing the approved SSP 207m.

In sharp contrast to the release of funds for security purposes, the ministry of finance reduced the approved budget for the ministry of health, releasing just SSP 172m of the approved SSP 357m. The roads ministry, on the other hand, got SSP 75m of the SSP 107m, which was approved by the national assembly in the appropriation Act 2014/15.

Onyoti Adigo, leader of the minority in parliament, said the discrepancies violate country's financial laws and was a breach of parliamentary approvals of budgetary allocations to the ministries.

“We call for auditing of all the [government spending] agencies which overspent and accountability must be made,” said Adigo.

“This [overspending and under spending] is a breach of the appropriate Act 2014/2015 and public finance management accountability Act, 2011,” he added in reference to anti-graft laws requiring the finance ministry to operate within approved budgets.

The 2015/2016 fiscal year budget for South Sudan started on 01 July. This year's budget is due for its third and fourth reading this week.

It however remains unclear if the new budget will be approved before the formation of the Transitional Government National Unity (TGNU) in accordance to the IGAD-led peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

(ST)