March 11, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Delegations from forty countries began to arrive in the Sudanese capital to participate in the First Conference on Environment which will kick off in Khartoum on Saturday.

Baobab tree in western Sudan

The conference, which is organized by the Higher Council of Environment, Urban and Rural Promotion (HCEURP) in Khartoum state from 12 to 15 March, will discuss environmental problems facing the state.

The higher committee tasked with the preparation for the conference headed by director the HCEURP Omer Nimir said the entire subcommittee are ready for the start of the conference on Saturday.

The head of the information committee Musab Dirair told the official news agency SUNA that delegations would begin to arrive on Friday, saying the opening session will be attended by the First Vice President Bakri Hassan Salih.

The conference will tackle issues of desertification, water and irrigation shelter-belts and the renewable energy.

It aims to attract funds from the various organizations and countries to support the environmental projects in the state of Khartoum.

PARTICIPATION OF SWEDEN

Meanwhile, the Swedish ambassador to Khartoum Mette Sunnergren expressed her country's desire to participate in the conference.

On Thursday, Sunnergren discussed with Sudan's minister of environment, natural resources and urban development Hassan Abdel-Gadir Hilal, ways for supporting the waste management project across the Sudanese states.

Hilal pointed the meeting also discussed the policy recommendations of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference besides the financial support that could be rendered to Sudan from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

He disclosed that 40 nations would reflect on their experiences in growing green belts, pointing that such projects are funded by international organizations.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) said its fighters repulsed the twentieth government attack since last December against the strategic area of Jebel Kolgo, 30 km. south-west of the Blue Nile state capital of Ed-Damazin.

A SPLA-N fighter holds up his rifle near Jebel Kwo village in the rebel-held territory of the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan on 2 May 2012 (Photo: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Friday, SPLM-N official spokesperson, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, said their forces repulsed an attack carried out by the government army against Jebel Koglo, noting the fight continued from 8:30 pm. (local time) on Tuesday until the next morning.

It should be recalled that Jebel Kolgo lies in a rough terrain and is considered an important location for the SPLM-N.

Lodi pointed that the SPLM-N fighters under direct command of lieu. Col. Farid al-Fahal Musa inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers, saying the 18 government soldiers were killed in the battle and several others wounded.

He added that injured government soldiers were taken to Ed-Damazin military hospital in three big trucks, saying the SPLM-N didn't suffer any casualties.

According to Lodi, SPLM-N fighters also destroyed one mounted Land Cruiser vehicle.
The Sudanese army spokesperson was not reachable for comment.

The fighting between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N fighters in Blue Nile started in September 2011 three months after the start of hostilities in South Kordofan state.

In December 2015, the warring parties failed to strike a cessation of hostilities deal.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (JUBA) - A group comprising legislators, politicians, opinion leaders as well as elders in the newly created Gogrial state, home to President Salva Kiir, have issued a strong worded statement condemning the arrest of a youth leader, describing the arrest as unacceptable and intolerable act.

South Sudan's Warrap state highlighted in red

The state is one of the 28 states which President Kiir unilaterally created in October 2015 when he divided up the country and expanded the constitutionally recognized 10 states into new 28 states.

Former state information minister, Ariech Mayar Ariech, told Sudan Tribune on Friday that he was surprised by the arrest of one of the youth leaders on directives from the state governor, Abraham Gum Makuac.

“I was surprised by the report that comrade Lual Aterdit was picked up by the car of governor from the ministry of education and arrested immediately. I still do not have clear information of the cause of the arrest. But what I have heard from the family and his colleagues as well as other relatives and friends is that he was arrested because he is influential youth leader and one of those who have been questioning the basis of selection of officials who were not recommended by either their own communities or SPLM (Sudan People's Liberation Movement) for ministerial appointments by the governor,” Ariech explained.

“This has been interpreted to mean disrespect and equated to insults by the governor himself and his supporters and that was why they acted that way, which is unacceptable and cannot be entertained,” he added.

Lual Aterdit, according to Ariech, was an executive secretary in the office of former minister of education, Achol Chier Rehan, who was one of the officials who were left out of the new cabinet by governor Gum. This is despite president Kiir having allegedly indicated his preference for Achol and Ariech to remain in the cabinet since the officials did not spend longer time in office after they were appointed by the former caretaker governor, Akec Tong Aleu, before Warrap state was divided up into three new states.

Ariech, a close ally of General Gregory Basili, who is President Kiir's brother-in-law, was a longtime critic of former governor, Nyandeng Malek. He and several other groups including youth leaders, fought against the poor performance of the previous government, leading to removal of governor Malek.

Malek was replaced with Akec Tong Aleu who later appointed Abraham Gum Makuac.

President Kiir in October 2015 issued a controversial establishment order, dividing up the country into 28 states and appointed Akec as the governor of Tonj state and promoted Gum to the position of governor of Gogrial state on the recommendation of Akec and his supporters.

Akec went to Tonj with some cabinet ministers he appointed while a governor of Warrap state. He later on appointed most of those with whom he seceded to form Tonj state but Gum appointed completely new faces, most of whom are people reportedly appointed outside the knowledge of their communities and party officials in the state.

Some of the new officials, according to the officials, are illiterate who do not know how to read and write, specifically the minister of information and speaker of parliament. Their appointments generated a row among intellectuals, some of whom questioned the motives of their appointments.

A critical leader told Sudan Tribune on Friday that they would not let the governor to play with the affairs of the area because it would discourage some youth going ahead with their studies if it takes no efforts to get a ministerial position without proper educational background out of sheer ignorance and loyalty mired with corruption.

“It is no secret that bad leadership at the top has long been a brake on the economic, political, and social development. And we will not allow that. If we leave this man out of the fear that we will be arrested, then our state will never see a step forward,” he said.

The youth who preferred to remain anonymous claimed he saw a huge man lifting up the arrested youth by the collar, slapped him hard across the face and sent him sprawling to the floor before they could push him into the cell run by the criminal investigation department (CID) in Kuacjok town, capital of Gogrial state.

He said his colleague has been arrested because he has been overheard repeatedly accusing governor in various forums and social gathering places as being undemocratic, dishonest, uneducated and corrupt.

“Our people and particularly our leaders of today don't like to hear the truth. They should be careful if they don't want people to talk about what they do. And instead of misbehaving and using state resources to intimidate people, they better work hard to change the impression about the negative things which they do in the society,” he added.

He accused them of wanting to turn the newly created Gogrial state into a “police state” even before spending less than six months in office.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (JUBA) – Mabior Garang de Mabior, eldest son of the founder of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), late John Garang de Mabior, and a senior official in the armed opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by the South Sudan's First Vice President designate, Riek Machar, has accused the South Sudanese army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir of carrying out new attacks on opposition's locations in Upper Nile state in violation of the permanent ceasefire.

Mabior Garang de Mabior (L), the son of late South Sudanese leader John Garang and member of the rebel negotiating team arrives in Addis Ababa with other delegates on 2 January 2014 (Photo:AP/Elais Asmare)

“The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) condemns in the strongest terms the continued offensive by government forces, which started on 08/03/2016,” Mabior said in a press statement he issued on Friday, 11 March, and extended to Sudan Tribune.

“The forces of the government attacked SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) positions ten kilometers (10km) east of Nassir Town; the government forces also attacked SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) positions in Pandanyang, Torpuot and Nyatot Payams on the eastern bank of River Sobat,' he claimed.

Mabior, who is the chairperson of the opposition faction's national committee for information and public relations, described the recent government's attacks as instigated by “rogue” army commanders in the government.

He called on the leadership of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body established to monitor the implementation of the August 2015 peace agreement signed between Kiir and Machar, to investigate the violations by the government.

“The SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) calls on the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) to investigate these blatant violations committed by rogue government military commanders, who continue to wage war despite the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS),” he said.

Mabior also directly called on President Salva Kiir, to “rein in on the hard-liners in his government”; who he said were making peace impossible to implement in letter and spirit.

He also added that the “hard-liners in the government” continue to illegally detain and torture journalists, as witnessed by the most recent incident of Afandy Joseph Deng, who was arrested, tortured and dumped at a grave yard by suspected government security operatives.

“This type of unruly behaviour can only create a negative environment for the implementation of the ARCISS,” Mabior further lamented.

“The hard-liners in the government should not misinterpret the SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) desire for peace as weakness; the Movement wants to give the ARCISS a chance. The contention of the SPLM/SPLA (in opposition) is that the implementation of the ARCISS presents the best opportunity for the people of South Sudan to extricate themselves from the senseless war which has been imposed on them.”

The forces of the SPLM-IO, he added, however remained vigilant and shall continue to exercise the “natural right of self-defence” - while using all means to persuade the government to abandon the pursuit of a military solution to the conflict.

He said the full implementation of the peace deal is the only solution to end the war and embark on national development.

The peace agreement aimed to end the 21 months of war and to form a transitional unity government which will run the country for two and a half years at the end of which a general election shall be conducted.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (JUBA) – Japanese government has announced it has contributed $3.2 million United States (US) dollars to the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations to support the organization's lifesaving relief operations in South Sudan.

A woman carries water through a UN camp for internally displaced people in South Sudan's Upper Nile state (Photo: IOM)

The financial assistance also targets specialized nutrition treatment for mothers and children and a critical aviation service for humanitarian workers in the war-ravaged new nation.

In a press release issued on Friday and extended to Sudan Tribune, Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan, Kiya Masahiko, said the contribution demonstrated commitment by his government to help alleviate the suffering of the South Sudanese people.

“We are alarmed by the food scarcity and malnutrition rates in South Sudan. Through this contribution, the Government of Japan demonstrates its unwavering commitment to supporting WFP's unparalleled relief efforts in saving the lives of thousands of women and children amidst the protracted crisis in South Sudan,” said Ambassador Masahiko.

From the Japanese contribution, he said, $2.4 million will be used for nutrition support under WFP's emergency response, adding that this will enable WFP to assist more than 28,000 children and 6,660 pregnant women and nursing mothers with vital nutrition supplements.

He said women and children diagnosed with moderate acute malnutrition will receive specialized fortified foods to treat the condition and help them recover, while mothers and children in particularly food-insecure environments will receive highly nutritious foods to prevent them from becoming malnourished.

On his part, WFP's deputy country director in South Sudan, Hakan FAlkell, appreciated the contribution from the Japanese government, saying this will enable the organization to continue with provision of the badly needed relief assistance in the country.

“We appreciate this contribution from the Government of Japan, which is a sign of its steadfast support for WFP's efforts to eliminate malnutrition in South Sudan,” said Falkell.

“Young children and women in this country need good nutrition for a healthy and productive life, and Japan's support will enable WFP to continue its assistance during the challenging times facing South Sudan.”

The remaining Japanese funds – US$800,000 – will go towards the WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which provides air transport and cargo services for humanitarian workers delivering lifesaving assistance in South Sudan.

In 2015, UNHAS served 248 organizations, flying to 77 locations, as well as transporting light relief cargo.

WFP requires an additional US$220 million for food and nutrition operations and another US$16 million to run UNHAS over the next six months in South Sudan.

The organization is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.

Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries worldwide.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Arab League called for the removal of American economic sanctions on Sudan, and vowed to exert more efforts with the international funds and organizations to support the Sudanese economy and cancel its foreign debit.

A general view of the Arab League foreign ministers meeting on Syria at the league's headquarters in Cairo March 10, 2012 (Reuters)

The Council of the Arab League Thursday kicked off an ordinary session chaired by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa to discuss a number of Arab issues including the economic sanctions on Sudan.

The agenda of the ministerial meeting included the “unjust” U.S. embargo on Sudan particularly on the purchase of airplanes and spare parts which threatens the safety of civilian and commercial aviation in the east African country.

In a decision adopted on Friday the meeting urged the newly elected AL Secretary General and Egypt's former Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit to continue the coordination of positions between the African Union and Arab League to suspend an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir.

The Council called on the state-members and Arab funds to engage contacts with international funds and financial organizations to support the Sudanese economy, and to relief its foreign debts.

Regarding the U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan, the Arab League meeting rejected a ban on the purchase or lease of aircrafts and spare parts to Sudan, saying it threatens the safety and security of civil aviation.

“The Arab Foreign Ministers Council reaffirms the right of all Arab countries in the development of its fleet within a free competitive atmosphere far from any requirements and political prohibition,” said the decision.

The Council called on the Arab countries to approach the "concerned countries" and all international and regional civil aviation organizations to redress the situation and remove the embargo imposed against the Sudanese civil aviation and airline companies.

In June 2014, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed a $21 million fine on the Dutch aviation services firm Fokker Services for selling aircraft parts to Iran and Sudan in violation of U.S. sanctions on the two countries.

The Arab states also pledged to exert the necessary efforts within the framework of the United Nations and the international organizations to prevent the harbouring or support to rebel groups and ensure their commitment to negotiate a peaceful agreement.

The meeting further called on the holdout political and armed opposition groups to join the national dialogue to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Sudan.

(ST)

Non-food items distributing to IDPS by the UNHCR workers in Maridi on 4 March 2016 (ST Photo)

March 11, 2016 (NEW YORK) – Major international relief organizations providing humanitarian assistance to the vulnerable populations in South Sudan said there is lack of funding from donors in order to carry out their operations in the war-ravaged country.

After a joint briefing in New York where representatives of different organizations shared their experiences, a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, decried the gap between their proposed budgets and the actual money received from donors.

Chaired by Ahmad Fawzi, Director, United Nations Information Service in Geneva, the briefing was also attended by spokespersons of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration, the International Labour Organization, and the World Health Organization.

Christophe Boulierac, spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said humanitarian funding for the world's youngest country had collapsed, putting the lives of tens of thousands of children at risk.

“For the first time since the start of the crisis, which was now in its third year, children were being threatened not only by a lack of access or capacity, but really by a lack of funds. For South Sudan, UNICEF was facing a gap of some USD 128 million for 2016. In other words, only 18 per cent of the appeal for South Sudan had been received so far,” he revealed.

He said the implications of the funding gap were extremely concrete, explaining that “essential nutrition supplies would run out in August 2016, 3.3 million children would not be vaccinated against measles, the efforts to reunite 7,300 children with their families would be halted, and 260,000 children affected by conflict would not be supported to return to school.”

The peak of the lean season in May, he added, would bring with it the threat of famine to over 40,000 people in central Unity state, heavily affected by violence.

He also reminded that fighting had spread to previously peaceful areas in the west of the country, including Wau and Western Equatoria, where UNICEF had not been planning initially to provide a life-saving emergency response.

“In addition to those urgent needs, there was also alarm over the growing number of poor urban families struggling to eat even one meal a day due to skyrocketing food prices. In Juba, child malnutrition rates were three times higher than in surrounding rural areas.”

He decried that South Sudan was becoming a forgotten emergency by donors, threatening the lives of tens of thousands of children.

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that their organization's overall humanitarian response plan for South Sudan, of USD 1.3 billion, was only 7.8 per cent funded overall “as of today.”

“It had been launched in December 2015, and a gap of USD 1.2 billion remained. There were an estimated 6.1 million people in need of protection and humanitarian assistance across South Sudan. The central emergency response fund had given an injection of USD 15 million, including to Unity State, where there was a risk of food insecurity and even famine,” Laerke said.

He added that an amount of $100 million that had been contributed to the appeal had come partly from carry over, saying the top five countries having provided the new funding were Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States and Ireland.

The spokesman, for the United Nations Refugees Agency (UNHCR), Leo Dobbs, on the other hand said fighting had spread to previously peaceful areas in South Sudan, causing thousands of people to flee into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and even the Central African Republic.

UNHCR, the official said, was hoping to gain access in the week of 14 March to an estimated 7,000 South Sudanese refugees living in desperate conditions in Bambouti, located in a difficult to reach area in the easternmost part of Central African Republic.

The new fighting in Western Equatoria had since late 2015 also forced more than 11,000 people to cross into Democratic Republic of the Congo and seek shelter in the towns of Doruma, Bangalu, Gangala, Duru and Bitma.

In Uganda, more than 14,000 South Sudanese refugees, the vast majority of whom were women and children under the age of 18, had been registered since the start of the year.

Many of the new arrivals, the statement added, were fleeing from Western Equatoria, often having walked for days, and were tired, hungry and in need of help.

Over 2 million South Sudanese have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict while nearly 7 million others are food insecure.

(ST)

March 11, 2015 (NAIROBI) - Forces loyal to the South Sudan government “deliberately” suffocated over 60 men and boys detained in a shipping container before dumping their bodies in an open field in Leer, a town in Unity state, a campaign group said Friday.

An SPLA soldier is pictured behind a South Sudan flag as he sits on the back of a pick-up truck in Bentiu, Unity state January 12, 2014. (Photo Reuters/Andreea Campeanu)

Amnesty International, in a report, said its researchers unearthed fresh evidences upon visiting Comboni Catholic Church where the October 2015 killings allegedly took place.

At the time killings took place, the Comboni Catholic Church compound had reportedly been taken over by government forces.

Remains of many broken skeletons, it said, remained strewn across the ground at the site, which is about a kilometer from Leer town.

“The arbitrary arrest, torture, and mass killing of these detainees is just one illustration of the South Sudanese government's absolute disregard for the laws of war. Unlawful confinement, torture, willfully causing great suffering, and willfully killing are all war crimes,” said Lama Fakih, Senior Crisis Advisor at Amnesty International.

Researchers from the campaign groups reportedly interviewed more than 42 witnesses, including 23 people who said they saw the men and boys being forced into a shipping container and later saw their dead bodies either being removed or at a mass burial site.

Between 20 and 23 October 2015, witnesses told Amnesty International, government soldiers arbitrarily arrested dozens of men and boys in Luale village and Leer town.

“They [soldiers] then forced them, with their hands tied behind their backs, into one or more shipping containers located at the Comboni Catholic Church,” the report says.

Witnesses told the campaign group, they heard the detainees crying and screaming in distress and banging on the walls of the shipping container, which, had no windows or other form of ventilation.

Civilians and military officials reportedly had direct knowledge that the detainees were in distress and dying, but did nothing to help them.

“For example, one witness said that she saw the then area commander order soldiers to open the container and remove the bodies of four dead men and then close the container again on the remaining detainees who were still alive inside,” it further revealed.

Another witness told Amnesty International researcher that all, but one of the remaining detainees had died by the following morning.

“We could see the people inside and they were not alive….what we saw was tragic…the container was full of people. They had fallen over one another and on to the floor. There were so many people”, it said.

The new revelation, if confirmed, could cast dark shadows on the progress so far made in the implementation of a peace deal signed by South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition leader, Riek Machar to end over 20 month of conflict in the country.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million displaced in the country's worst ever violence since South Sudan seceded from neighbouring Sudan in 2011 following a referendum.

NO INVESTIGATIONS

Meanwhile, despite evidence of war crimes no steps have been taken to hold perpetrators to account or to provide reparations, including compensation to relatives of the deceased for the loss of their loved ones, the campaign group further observed.

“Dozens of people suffered a slow and agonizing death at the hands of government forces that should have been protecting them. These unlawful killings must be investigated and all those responsible brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty,” said Fakih.

“In order for effective prosecutions to take place, the African Union Commission should immediately take steps to set up the hybrid criminal court provided for in the August 2015 peace agreement, and ensure that it immediately opens investigations into crimes under international law, including into this atrocity,” he adds.

Reports on the killing of up to 60 civilians in a shipping container in Leer was first revealed by the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, which is tasked with reporting on the implementation of the permanent ceasefire.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (JUBA) – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it has embarked on providing shelters and other basic necessities to tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge in the United Nations manned protection of civilians (PoC) site in the Upper Nile's state capital, Malakal.

Women carry the body of a civilian killed in the centre of Upper Nile state capital Malakal on 21 January 2014 (Photo: AP/Mackenzie Knowles-Coursin)

The organization painted a gloomy picture of the situation the IDPs are facing following the destruction of 35% of their camp when it was attacked by armed men on 17 February, adding IOM was also racing against time as rainy season approaches and would make the health situation for the mostly affected 40,000 IDPs more devastating.

“Before the rains begin, damaged areas must be repaired in order for IDPs to return and relief services to resume. At the same time, efforts should start immediately to develop additional areas to provide acceptable living conditions and reduce overcrowding,” said Anders Haugland, IOM's Malakal Head of Sub-Office, in a statement emailed to Sudan Tribune on Friday.

“Even before the February attack, at least 36,000 IDPs already lived in severely congested areas due to space constraints,” the IOM official further explained.

The organization's head in Malakal's office further lamented on the prevailing situation in the area, with further worries that it may deteriorate unless action was taken to arrest it.

Fighting which erupted on 17 February 2016, forced most IDPs to flee their shelters to areas of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base perceived to be safer but not suitable for accommodating thousands of IDPs.

At least 25 people died during the attack and more than 120 were injured, according to the IOM's statement.

Over 30,000 people are now living in makeshift shelters. The area is extremely crowded, with an average of only 2.5 square metres of living space per person. Congestion is leading to poor sanitation and increasing the risk for the spread of disease.

After a devastating rainy season in 2014, IOM led a massive expansion of the site to improve living conditions and IDPs access to relief services. Now that IDPs have fled these areas, it said, humanitarian workers fear a repeat of 2014, when thousands lived in knee-high water and waterborne diseases were rampant.

IOM said it has taken swift action to provide safe drinking water to more than 40,000 IDPs. For instance, on the second day of fighting in Malakal, one staff risked his life to walk 2 kilometres, after dark and without protection, to IOM's water-pump system at the White Nile River to ensure that water continued to flow to the PoC site.

The organization also said it is constructing latrines and conducting hygiene promotion to minimise the impact of crowded conditions on the health of children and their families. Its primary health care clinic, the statement said, including a new maternity ward, was burned to the ground during the attack and had to open a temporary clinic, offering full primary health care services and maternal care.

IOM's shelter partner in Malakal is the Danish Refugee Council (DRC); which is also the camp manager. IOM is working closely with all agencies to provide support to IDPs and ensure proper shelter.

Also, "DRC implements shelter construction at the PoC site in Malakal, stressed Ashley McLaughlin, in an email sent to Sudan Tribune.

Last week, it said, its medical staff saw nearly 2,300 patients and delivered nine babies.

Most IDPs fled the fighting with little-to-no belongings, many with literally only the clothing on their backs. One such IDP, Nyarok, a young mother of four, is living with her relatives and children in two tents cobbled together with IOM plastic tarp, poles and sheets.

Despite immense needs, when asked what she wanted most, Nyarok said “we only want our people to live in peace.”

While warring parties in South Sudan signed a peace deal in August 2015 to end 21 months of civil war, its implementation has been shaky as many obstacles continue to impede on the realization of the deal.

(ST)

March 12, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese Childhood Diabetes Association (SCDA) on Saturday has expressed deep concern over the high incidence of diabetes among children in Sudan.

(Gulf News Photo)

SCDA chairman Mohamed Ahmed Abdallah said that 60% of deaths among children in Sudan are caused by non-communicable diseases including diabetes.

Abdallah, who spoke at the opening session of the 7th conference of the African Diabetes Association in Khartoum, pointing that 4,700 cases of endocrine and iodine deficiency were registered at the Sudanese Center for Childhood Diabetes (SCCD).

He added that the SCCD also received 2,700 cases of juvenile diabetes, pointing to additional cases in the various Sudanese states.

Abdallah said the conference would discuss 50 scientific papers besides presenting the experiences of the African countries in addressing problems of iodine deficiency and insulin storage besides the rates of childhood diabetes.

He pointed that the conference would offer recommendations for the various African governments, saying the childhood diabetes hospital would be inaugurated within few weeks.

In December 2011, the Journal of Science and Technology published a study about the increase of Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) cases among children in Sudan.

The study, which covered the reported cases of diabetes mellitus (chronic or lifelong) in Sudan from 2005 to 2007, found that most of the positive results are among poor and very poor families.

"The classified 4 groups of socio- economic status of diabetic patients which are, very good, middle, low and very low were found to be 5%, 10%, 17% and 67%, respectively," says the study.

For his part, Sudan's First Vice President Bakri Hassan Salih expressed the readiness of the presidency to review the health policies according to the ongoing state reform programme, pointing to doubling the funding for the health projects.

Salih, who addressed the conference, instructed the concerned bodies to complete the construction of the childhood diabetes center, directing the health and finance ministries to increase the spending on the health sector.

Sudan's minister of health Bahar Idris Abu Garda said his ministry would offer the equipments for the childhood diabetes centre, pointing the provided the necessary support for the diabetic children at the centre.

He vowed to exert the necessary efforts to implement the outcome of the conference.

(ST)

March 12, 2106 (KHARTOUM) - The ruling parties in Sudan and Chad began talks Saturday in Khartoum to implement the agreement signed between them in N'djamena last month.

Chad's President Idriss Deby (L) with President Omer al-Bashir greets Sudanese officials at Khartoum airport on Friday 9, 2015 (Photo SUNA)

Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and Chad's Patriotic Salvation Movement (CPS) signed a joint cooperation agreement during the visit of the Sudanese presidential aide and NCP deputy chairman Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid to N'djamena last February.

Amira al-Fadil, NCP head of foreign relations sector said the visit of the Chadian delegation to Sudan is the first since the signing of the cooperation agreement, pointing it comes within the framework of implementing the training and capacity building parts of the agreement.

She added the Chadian delegation would meet with the NCP's leadership besides the woman and youth secretariats. Also, it would also hold political meetings as part of the activation and implementation of the joint agreement.

For his part, the CPS deputy secretary general Zakaria Salih praised the NCP's desire to strengthen friendship and cooperation ties between the two countries.

He pointed to the Sudanese medical aid convoy which travelled recently to N'djamena, saying it received warm welcome and praise from the Chadian people.

Salih added the visit comes within the framework of implementing the joint agreement particularly with regard to training and capacity building, saying they also seek the support of the NCP in the Chadian electoral campaign which will take place from March 20th to April 10th.

Since the outbreak of Darfur crisis in 2003, Sudan and Chad traded accusations of support to respective rebel groups. But seven years later, the two countries put their differences aside and decided to work together for peace and regional stability.

(ST)

March 12, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's armed opposition faction warned on Saturday that attacks by pro-government forces in Bahr el Ghazal region could derail commitments made towards the full implementation of the peace accord mediated by regional leaders.

South Sudanese rebels pictured in Jonglei state on 31 January 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

The agreement, which is in its eight months and has curbed violence, though not entirely, has been showing signs of possible collapse, despite repeated expression of commitments by the leaders of the two main warring parties to abide by the terms of the deal and implement it in order to end war and suffering.

Speaking exclusively to Sudan Tribune, Deng Geng, the rebel's commanding officer under the command of General Dau Aturjong in Northern Bahr el Ghazal area said their forces came under sustained and heavy attacks in a clear violation of permanent ceasefire agreement by the government forces in the area on Saturday morning.

The latest unprovoked attack on the opposition held positions in Aweil North County would undermine efforts to guarantee the continuation of the truce and lead to the collapse of the global supported political process.

The rebel commander explained that government staged an attack on areas where their forces, abiding by the truce, were operating and accused government soldiers of allegedly deploying heavy artilleries in those areas causing many civilian casualties.

Multiple South Sudanese military sources and local officials on Saturday confirmed in separate interviews with Sudan Tribune that the army has indeed carried out attack on the opposition held positions in violation of the peace deal.

Officials at defence ministry declined to comment and no official statement was released by either the office of the chief of general staff of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which is the official army of South Sudan, Paul Malong Awan or the governor of the area, Rizik Zackariah Hassan, who has not been in good working relationship with the chief of general staff over political and administrative matters. Awan indicated interest to continue to remain as the overall head of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) branch offices for Lol, Aweil State and Aweil States.

The idea has, however, been rejected by Governor Hassan and his supporters. This, according to several officials, has angered him since it reduces his support base.

Local and national officials say Awan has now indicated readiness to fight for removal of Hassan, including looking for any situation that would compel the president to remove him from the office. One of the strategies has employed to remove Hassan from the office, according to officials, is to cause insecurity at the border with Sudan so that a road coming to Aweil north from Eastern Darfur is not used by the traders and to stop the movement of goods and people to and from either side of the country.

This, analysts say, would deprive local authorities and the state government of revenues from commercial activities at the border with Sudan, thereby shifting the traffic to his Aweil East state and subsequently cause tension and insecurity in the area to influence removal of governor when insecurity has become a threat to national security.

“You don't know Malong. This is the plan he is working on it and he wants to achieve it at any cost. Now he has two strategies in place already. He wants to cause insecurity in Aweil north by instructing local commanding officers to attack SPLA-IO forces in the area so that the SPLA-IO reacts and when there is a fighting there will be insecurity and the road will be closed. When the road is closed, the local authorities and state government will be deprived revenues," a lawmaker at the national legislative assembly in Juba representing Aweil North told Sudan Tribune.

"The government of Sudan will also react and the reaction of the government of Sudan will not be taken lightly by the government of the republic of South Sudan. And when it is not taken lightly, the result will be removal of the state governor, which is what he wants. He had instructed former Aweil county commissioner, Kuol Athuai Hal to close the border. When this idea was opposed by the state authorities and even by many government officials here in Juba, he decided to order the army to attack the SPLA-IO forces today," he added.
The legislator called on President Salva Kiir to control Awan so that peace is not derailed. Under the accord which president Kiir signed with the leader of armed opposition, Riek Machar as well as other stakeholders in the peace agreement last year, fighting should cease so that aid can reach civilians. Natives and local officials in Gok Machar, the administrative headquarters of Aweil North County, explained in series of interviews on Saturday that they have seen a line of military vehicles moving towards the direction of Sudan and later heard explosion of heavy gunfire.

Several leading officials of armed opposition said the attacks caught their forces unaware and became more intense in the afternoon after their forces had regrouped and pushed the government forces away.

The armed opposition official, who is part of the advance team in Juba, said they have informed Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission about the incident as they await hearing about these violations at the time their forces were preparing to go to Juba in preparation for formation of transitional government of national Unity.

"We are awaiting the response of Joint Monitoring and Evaluation commission to these violations. We have informed and the situation is in the balance now and self-restraint will not last long. If they (government forces) launched an attack on the position held by forces again, then our forces have the right to fire back in self-defense and this will not be one or two day activities because the government has intention to derail the peace already”, said the armed opposition official in Juba.

"The decision is to remain quiet, not to do anything, and I believe we will stick to the truce," he said of the commitment of armed opposition leadership. We came in order to implement the peace because war is not in the interest of people and the country. You now know how the living condition is deteriorating because of war”. We want it to stop so that our people return to their homes and begin to cultivate and rebuild their lives again. This war was imposed. Nobody wanted it”, he said.

Analysts say the motive of the attack on armed opposition forces in Northern Bahr el Ghazal is to push them away from the area so that their positions are not found by monitors of Joint Monitoring and Evaluation commission currently in Aweil town.

The attack is therefore seen as a political strategy to back up government position in the security arrangement which denies the presence of the forces of armed opposition in Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria regions, despite having key figures in rebellion.

(ST)

March 11, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 12 attacks on journalists in South Sudan were registered in the last three months alone, local media advocacy groups said Friday amidst fears this could worsen.

Journalists attend a briefing on new media laws approved by South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, on 9 September 2014 (ST)

In a joint statement issued on Friday, both the Association of Media Development in South Sudan (ADMISS) and the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) described the situation as “alarming.”

“From late December 2015 to March 2016, a record of twelve cases of threats, intimidation, detention, kidnapping, shooting and torture of journalists has been recorded,” partly reads the joint statement.

The group said it had documented several cases of attacks on journalists, in Western Bahr Ghazal, Yambio and the capital, Juba.

“Crimes of this nature against journalist also constitute crimes against the rights of the ordinary citizens to know and access information,”, the group said, faulting the government for failing to hold anyone responding and for “further exacerbating a culture of impunity.”

Alfred Taban, the chairperson of ADMISS, said the harassment meted on journalists threatens the future of media in South Sudan and that the government has a constitutional mandate to protect its citizens.

“According to the constitution, the government should be able to protect all its citizens but it is clear that the government is not able to protect journalists and we therefore lay the blame on the course of the government,” said Taban, a former BBC stringer.

He, however, expressed fears that most journalists could leave the media profession and venture in to other fields to save their lives.

Meanwhile the African Centre for Transitional Justice (ACT-J) has equally expressed concerns over what it described as the continued attacks, torture and harassment of journalists in South Sudan.

ACTJ's executive director, Peter Gai Manyuon called on South Sudan government to respect the freedoms of press and expression stipulated in the country's Transitional Constitution.

“Torturing, harassment or killing journalists and human rights defenders is an act of terrorism that should be observed with care by international human rights bodies,” Manyuon said in a statement.

He cited an incident in which Afandi Deng, a South Sudanese editor who had earlier been kidnapped was abandoned at a graveside in the South Sudan capital this week.

“Journalism is not terrorism, neither a criminal act, but a profession to educate society. Anyone who harasses, tortures and kills journalists in South Sudan should be referred to as a terrorist,” he said.

(ST)

March 12, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese first ladies have been invited to New York to discuss the role of women and their contributions to the ongoing peace process in South Sudan.

South Sudan first lady Mary Ayen Mayardit in New York (File Photo/Larco Lomayat)

The event which is scheduled to take place on 17 March is organized by the International Peace Institute (IPI) and United Nations women as a policy forum to discuss peace and women's role in the world's youngest country.

Madame Mary Ayen Mayardit, Madame Angelina Jany Teny, Madame Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, widow of late founder of SPLM, John Garang and Priscilla Joseph, current chair of South Sudan's Peace Network (SSWPN) are invited to the event.

Speakers at the event will discuss key lessons learned from the peace process in South Sudan as the women's role will be the main topic for discussion.

Experts in women's affairs and roles from the ‘UN Women' forum will also participate in moderating or discussing the events.

The panelists, according to a statement Sudan Tribune obtained, will share their goals for the continued rebuilding of South Sudan and how they envision women taking a greater role in South Sudanese government and society in the future.

The engagement aims to provide greater insight into how women can better engage with future peace processes.

(ST)

March 12, 2016 (NYAL) - Youths and community members from Payinjiar county in South Sudan's Unity state have criticised the recent rebel deployments within the area.

SPLM (IO) Chairman, Riek Machar, addressing the 2nd National Liberation Council (NLC) meeting in Pagak, November 5, 2015 (ST Photo)

Payinjiar, located south of Unity state, is an opposition stronghold.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Saturday, the group, comprising of youth and the area chiefs, petitioned the armed opposition's militarily commander, Gen. Gatwech Dual and rebel leader, Riek Machar demanding that the deployments be halted.

“The recent deployment of the SPLA-IO higher officers and various administrations has really brought doubts among the youths of Payinjiar about your administration's intentions concerning our community, as we learned [people] from Payinjiar county were not represented at all,” partly reads the petition Sudan Tribune obtained.

“We take this opportunity to inform you that the army deployment for Unity state is biased,” further noted the statement.

The group, in the petition, strongly condemned the recent military deployments, calling on the armed opposition leadership to immediately reverse it to encourage participation in the movement.

“Our community lost many heroes not simply because the conflict targeted us all, instead it is a clear evident for the vital trust between you and us,” the group said in the petition to the rebel leadership.

“We want to know how and why the Payinjiar community was not given equal representation in the army deployment. History will prove that since 1991 to date, the Panyinjiar community fully supported your leadership and remain united for the common purpose of your cause,” stressed the petition.

The armed youths, most of who fought alongside Machar's led movement since South Sudan's conflict broke out, have questioned the SPLM-IO's “unfair” representation after edging out eight Major Generals hailing from Payinjiar without assignments.

“What is the value of our generals you promoted? Are they not qualified and meet the basic criteria you used to deploy their colleagues to various army positions in Unity state? Did you promote them by mistake,” queried the group.

DEMAND REMOVAL OF COMMANDERS

Meanwhile, the group accused Simon Maguek Gai, who was recently promoted to a Lt. General and assigned as sector two commander and Maj. Gen. Samuel Dok Wanjang, at the helm of division 4B commander for allegedly engineering the ongoing mess.

Gai and Wanjang hail from Machar's home town of Leer county.

By assigning the two men, the group alleged, Machar is turning the armed opposition's movement in to a one man's property.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune by phone, the SPLM-IO commissioner in the area, Brigadier General Tap Puot Kang confirmed that Payinjiar youths were angered by the recent militarily deployment.

He, however, said the youth had the right to channel their demands as well as position to the SPLM-IO leadership council, acknowledging that he received a petition paper from the community and the youths.

“Yes, I have received the letter and am urging everyone to remain calm,” adding, that the SPLM-IO leadership will soon address demands raised by youth and community.

(ST)

March 12, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan Armed Forces (SAF)'s counter-insurgency experience was useful for the Arab and Islamic armies participating in the Northern Thunder military exercise recently held in Saudi Arabia, a military spokesperson said.

SAF troops march during the concluding ceremony of Northern Thunder in Saudi Arabia on March 12, 2016 (ST Photo)

Over 150,000 troops 20 countries including Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries, Bangladesh, Chad, Jordan, Egypt Morocco, Pakistan, Sudan and other Arab and Islamic nations participated in the Northern Thunder drills which run between February.14 and March 10.

The manoeuvres are held against the backdrop of growing Iran's influence and the expectation of an international military campaign on the positions of the Islamic State (ISIS) group in Syria.

In statements to Sudan Tribune on Saturday, the spokesperson of SAF troops participating in the Northern Thunder, Major Hassan Ibrahim Mohamed, said the exercise was fruitful and beneficial for the Sudanese troops.

"We carried with us our practical experience which benefited much the brothers in the States participating in the exercise," he said.

"We succeeded in reflecting the bright side of the Sudanese army and this appeared in the multiple praises the troops got from the highest levels," Ibrahim further added.

The spokesperson was alluding to the experience of the Sudanese army in the counter-insurgency operations which its different armies have being carrying since the independence of the east African nation against rebel groups in southern, eastern and western Sudan.

Regular armies in such law-intensity operations resort to a combination of means, including political, economic, informational, and military instruments.

He said the exercises provided the opportunity for the Sudanese forces to deal with an arsenal of advanced weapons from the East and the West," adding it was also a learning experience for SAF soldiers who received high-quality military training.

The purpose of the manoeuvres which took place in Hafar Al-Batin area near the Iraqi border is to send a clear message that Saudi Arabia and its allies “stand united in confronting all challenges and preserving peace and stability in the region,” said the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) .

The 12-day exercise focused on how to deal with irregular forces and terrorist groups and to carry out low-intensity operations.

Sudanese President Bashir attended the concluding ceremony of "North Thunder" last Thursday along with 20 heads of state and government.

Bashir was the only head of state to attend the event wearing military fatigues.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (JUBA) - General Gathoth Gatkuoth, one of the senior rebel commanders who defected from armed opposition faction, SPLM-IO, under the leadership of former vice president, Riek Machar, and formed their own faction, has returned to South Sudanese national capital, Juba, ending several months of behind the scene negotiations with the government.

Rebel commander Brig General Joseph Gai Gatluak (left) pictured in front of his troops in Upper Nile state's Manyo county in March 2015 (ST)

It was not immediately clear under what terms General Gatkuoth, second in command of the defectors, and several other rebel commanders, including self-appointed chairman of ethnic Nuer council of elders, an equivalent of the Jieng (Dinka) council of elders, returned to the country from Kenya.

The group last year split from Machar's faction with the vision to continue with the fight to either remove president Kiir from power or reach an agreement which would exclude participation of president Kiir and armed opposition leader, Machar, in transitional government of national unity.

Other rebel commanders who accompanied General Gatkuoth included James Malith Gatluak, Chuol Gakah Yier, Gabriel Gatwec Puoc, Mario Dhuor and Gabriel Yoal Dok, chairman of Nuer Council of elders.

Other lower ranking officers and officials were also part of his delegation accompanied by the director general for internal security bureau, Akol Koor Kuc, who has been one of the representatives of the government team under presidential advisor for security affairs, Tut Gatluak.

The government team comprising exclusively security officials, has been in an on and off behind closed door discussions with the group for more than 6 months since 2015.

Presidential advisor for security affairs, Tut Gatluak, welcomed their return and affirmed commitment of the government to ending the conflict through dialogue.

On his part, Gatkuoth said his return to Juba with high ranking commanders from his side was indication of their commitment to ending war and work for peace, unity and reconciliation of the people and the country.

It is not clear whether Peter Gatdet would join Gatkuoth or would continue to remain as one of the holdout groups with the view of pursuing the vision for which they broke away from the faction being led by Machar.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour has held the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nur fully responsible for the ongoing clashes in Jebel Marra.

Sudan's FM Ibrahim Ghandour (R) receives UNAMID head Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi in his office in Khartoum on January 07, 2016 (Photo released by the Sudanese foreign ministry)

Intense fighting has been going on since mid-January between the Sudanese army and the SLM-AW displaced thousands of civilians to North and South Darfur states. Also, some affected villagers in Central Darfur state remain unreachable as the government denies humanitarian access to their areas.

Ghandour told the Joint Special Representative for Darfur and head of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Martin Uhomoibhi Sunday that al-Nur continued to call for overthrowing the government via military action, adding he holds civilians captives and imposes taxes and royalties on them in areas under his control.

Ghandour further said that the army managed to defeat the rebellion, pointing that students are currently taking the high school exams for the first time in Jebel Marra since thirteen years.

He pointed to the conflicting figures of the IDP's issued by various bodies, saying his government seeks to return the IDP's to their original villages and help them resume their ordinary lives.

In a press statement late last month, the US States Department spokesperson, John Kirby, accused the SLM-AW of initiating attacks on the Sudanese army in Jebel Marra. However, the SLM-AW dismissed Kirby's claims as “baseless and unfounded accusations" saying it did not initiate the attacks on Jebel Marra.

But the rebel group denied the accusations and claimed that Washington seeks an excuse to normalize relations with the Sudanese government.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported that more than 105,000 people are estimated to be displaced by the Jebel Marra clashes. But, the Sudanese government says the number of persons fleeing the fighting doesn't exceed 73,000 people.

For his part, Uhomoibhi briefed Ghandour on the outcome of his visit to Doha last month, saying he discussed with the Qatari officials the peace process in Darfur and the ongoing efforts to allow other rebel groups to join the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).

The Sudanese army has been fighting a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

Doha brokered the Darfur peace negotiations which resulted in the signing of the DDPD by the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) in July 2011. Also, a dissident faction of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) joined the DDPD in April 2013.

JEM led by Gibril Ibrahim and the SLM-MM led by Minni Minnawi have engaged in peace talks with the government under the auspices of the African Union.

SLM-AW, however, is not part of the African Union mediated peace talks. The rebel group rejects negotiating a peace agreement with Khartoum government, unless the government militias are disarmed and displaced civilians return to their original areas.

UNAMID EXIT STRATEGY

Meanwhile, Sudan's foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadig told reporters Sunday that the tripartite team tasked with developing an exit strategy for the UNAMID would meet in New York on March 20 th.

He said the team would resume discussions on the mission's exit according to criteria the put forward by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC).

A tripartite committee including the Sudanese government, AU and UN has been set up in February 2015 to develop an exit strategy for the UNAMID from Darfur.

The committee was expected to sign an agreement last May. But in June, Sudanese officials said that the UN retracted from an agreement reached by the joint team on an exit strategy.

The hybrid mission has been deployed in Darfur since December 2007 with a mandate to stem violence against civilians in the restive region.

It is the world's second largest international peacekeeping force with an annual budget of $1.35 billion and almost 20,000 troops.

KILLING OF SOUTH AFRICAN PEACEKEEPER

Al-Sadig described the joint statement issued by the African Union and the United Nations on the killing of a South African peacekeeper in North Darfur as “unclear”

On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen killed a South African soldier in an ambush on a patrol of the hybrid peacekeeping mission, 40 km south west of Kutum, North Darfur.

In a statement on Thursday, the deadly ambush was condemned by Chairperson of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon.

The two leaders called on the warring parties in Darfur to respect the integrity of the peacekeeping mission. Also they urged the Sudanese government to probe the attack and bring the culprits to book.

Al-Sadig said the concerned bodies are still collecting information on the killing incident, pointing that the statement issued by the AU and UN was “unclear” and “written in haste”.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has expressed readiness to hold early general elections, pointing that its date must be determined by the political and armed groups participating in national dialogue conference.

Sudanese electoral workers begin the process of counting votes for the presidential and legislative elections in Khartoum on 17 April 2015 (Photo: AP/Abd Raouf)

NCP political secretary Hamid Mumtaz disclosed that the political and armed movements participating in the dialogue have made two proposals to implement the outcome of the dialogue conference.

Mumtaz told the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC) that the first proposal calls for mandating President al-Bashir to form the national unity government, while the second proposal demands formation of the government three months after approval of the final recommendations by the general assembly of the dialogue.

“The general assembly [of the national dialogue] would choose between the two proposals in the presence of the heads of the political parties and armed movements [participating in the dialogue],” he added.

The NCP official said the dialogue mechanism known as 7+7 and the dialogue general secretariat would soon hand over the recommendations of the conference to President Bashir, pointing the final recommendations would be approved by the general assembly.

Meanwhile, Mumtaz, who addressed the NCP's youth secretariat forum Sunday, said the dialogue conference doesn't seek to re-unite the Islamists as claimed by some, stressing it aims to unify the Sudanese people to end the power struggle.

He underscored that the dialogue is a means to forge social and political partnership with all political parties and armed movements.

Mumutaz further pointed that the NCP and the political and armed groups participating in the dialogue are committed to implement the outcome of the conference.

The internal dialogue conference was inaugurated in Khartoum on October 10 th, 2015 amid large boycott from the major political and armed opposition.

The political forces members of the opposition alliance National Consensus Forces (NCF) and other parties refuse to take part in the conference before the creation of a conducive environment and the implementation of specific confidence-building measures provided in a roadmap proposed by the African Union mediation team.

Some significant political parties, such as the National Umma Party, the Reform Now Movement and the Just Peace Forum, that approved the process in the beginning. But later they suspended their participation, criticizing the government refusal to postpone the general elections and the lack of political freedoms.

Also, the major armed movements in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile refrained from participating in the dialogue conference citing similar demands.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (BOR) - At least 300,000 people have been reported to be in dire need of food assistance inside Ayod town, the state capital of Fangak state, which has been under government's control since April 2014.

Thousands of people wait for food aid in the hot sun near the air drop zone in Leer, South Sudan, in July 2014 (Photo AFP/Nichole Sobecki)

The minister of information, culture, youth and sports, James Lony Kang, told reporters on Sunday that the majority of the people had already returned to Ayod town and are now waiting for food assistance there.

“Right now, we have over 300,000 civilians inside Ayod town, and that is according to the report we heard on the ground. We have our people [from the government side], they give us the report,” said Lony.

Western Bieh state, one of the 28 states decreed by the president, had its name changed to Fangak state, with its headquarters in Ayod.

According to Lony, the state government had been in contact with various organizations operating in the country to offer assistance to Fangak civilians.

World Food Program (WFP) is said to have sent 21 trucks loaded with food items.

“21 trucks with food stuff by World Food Program have reached Ayod, the state capital of Fangak state,” said Lony. Some of these trucks are now going to other places like Wau, Mogok and Pagil, west of the state.”

“Since the peace was signed, individuals have been coming to Ayod, day and night, seeking for support, and now the number has gone up,” he said.

However, Catholic Relief Service (CRS), another partner of WFP on the ground, has dispatched trucks loaded with none food items to cover the gap. The food trucks would be sent after this month by CRS to identify locations in the same state.

Both WFP and CRS have sent thousands of metric tons of food to Uror, Nyirol and some areas of Akobo by road, beginning in February 2016 when both the government and rebel leadership granted security clearances.

A source told Sudan Tribune that CRS alone, had sent over 1500 metric tons of food to both Uror Nyirol and Akobo as emergency assistance.

Fangak state government is now fully formed, cabinet is legislated, the members of parliament are appointed, and now the government is ready to go to the capital, said the minister.

(ST)