March 13, 2016 (YEI) - One person was wounded when armed men ambushed passengers traveling along Yei-Kaya road in South Sudan's Yei River state on Saturday.

Yei River County commissioner Samuel Henry speaking to the press on March 13, 2016 (ST)

Some unspecified money sums, eye witnesses said, were lost in the attack. The incident occurred in between Yari and Legi bomas in Mugwo payam.

“We were group of local traders who are travelling from Yei town to Morobo county to buy local food staff for business there. When we reached between Yari and Legi nearing to Jombo area, we saw one gun man appear in front of us and told us to stop,” narrated a survivor.

“Shortly we saw other men with guns while others without guns and they asked us do you know us. We said no, they ordered us to get into the bush a distance more than five hundred meters off the road. They told us to sleep down in which we responded quickly,” he added.

Speaking to reporters in relation to the incident, the Yei River county commissioner, Samuel Henry Malimbo said although they made no arrest, security forces have been deployed in the area to patrol the highway.

“These people were armed in uniforms while others [were] without. According to reports, there were more than 20 men. They stopped four motorcycles, took passengers about 500 meters into the bush and robbed money. A woman shot on the leg is now under treatment”, said Malimbo.

He said security forces were deployed to the area following the incident.

“We have sent some soldiers to the incident area and the security situation is now normal. Let our people not worry, we still don't know these people but our intelligence are working hard to find out who these people are and where they are going,” stressed the commissioner.

The Yei county police inspector, Jeremiah Makier strongly condemned the incident.

“We have been having stable security over the past weeks, but now there are some individuals who are trying to cause another problem here. I want to call up the citizens in Yei River county to cooperate with the security personnel by providing [information on] any unusual movement of people with guns and threatening lives of the ordinary citizen”, Makier.

A business man, only identified as Mawa, urged government to improve security among the citizens.

“We have been crying for peace [and] now the peace [deal] has been signed. Why is it that there are attacks, lootings and killing of incident lives of people on high ways? If possible let governments improve economic conditions of the people so that such attacks can stop,” said Mawa.

“We need the peace be implemented as soon as possible so that suffering ends," he added.

(ST)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

March 13, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia's bid to secure membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is gaining momentum with Brazil being the latest country to back the horn of African nation, a foreign affairs ministry official said Sunday.

A United Nations Security Council session (UN)

Ethiopia's bid for a non-permanent membership in the Security Council was officially launched by foreign affairs minister, Tedros Adhanom on 29 February after Seychelles agreed to leave its candidature for the former.

Ethiopia, currently the only East African country, has wider chances of becoming a non-permanent member in the world body's powerful panel.

The spokesperson for Ethiopia's foreign affairs ministry, Tewolde Mulugeta, said a number of African nations have backed Addis Ababa's current bid.

Brazil's foreign affairs minister, Mauro Viera told reporters in Addis Ababa that the South American nation supports Ethiopia's bid for a non-permanent seat at the UNSC.

“Ethiopia would contribute a lot if elected as a non-permanent member of the Council”, Viera told reporters Saturday.

“With its ample experience in regional, continental and global peacekeeping operation, Ethiopia would have an immense contribution in the Council,” he added.

The African Union (AU), during its 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government held last January, endorsed Ethiopia's candidacy for the election to be held in New York in June.

Ethiopia intends to become a key player in the UN Security Council's efforts in maintaining international peace and security.

If elected, Ethiopia vows to boost roles of African countries in the global decision making process which had been dominated by western powers.

Addis Ababa is currently doing lobbying activities and election campaigns by drawing best experiences from member states.

There are a number of supporting factors that would help Ethiopia in its efforts to secure a non-permanent seat in the in the UN influential body.

One among others - Ethiopia is the seat of the African Union (AU) and it has a significant role in maintaining regional peace and security.

It has long been a key security partner to the west particularly on the fight against terrorism. With over 8,000 personnel, Ethiopia is also the second most peace force contributing nation deployed in various UN peacekeeping missions.

The country is one of the two African founding members of the United Nations Organization and has also an experience in serving a non-permanent seat in two occasions in 1967-68 and 1989-90.

The UNSC includes 10 non-permanent members, with five elected each year. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and United States make up the five permanent members of the Security Council with veto powers.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Inclusivity in the opposition forces is a guiding principle in building a national army for the country, said a media official of the South Sudan's armed faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).

Members of the SPLA-IO Military Command Council (MCC) listening to briefing on security arrangements, Pagak, November 8, 2015 (ST photo)

A peace agreement signed in August 2015 between President Salva Kiir's government and the SPLM-IO led by the First Vice President designate, Riek Machar, has provided for security arrangements of twin national armies for a period of at least 18 months beginning from formation of a transitional government of national unity. This is pending their reunification into one national army.

While President Kiir will command the current government's army, the opposition leader, Machar, as First Vice President will command the opposition army. There will be security sector reforms implemented, including trainings, before their gradual reunification.

Critics have however expressed doubts whether the talked about reforms will come to light particularly in the two armies given the continued domination by the two major tribes in the country, the Dinka and the Nuer.

Media official in the opposition's group however said on their part they have a policy to accommodate diversity even in the army.

“A policy of the leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) for building a future national army of South Sudan includes promoting equality and diversity. Inclusivity is a guiding principle,” James Gatdet Dak, opposition leader's press secretary, told Sudan Tribune.

But he added that it will always be difficult, if not impossible, to implement the policy of the diversity involving all the ethnic groups in South Sudan in terms of equal numbers and ranks of the military personnel and officers.

Dak was responding to mixed reactions on social media where discussants from tribes across South Sudan are divided between those who commended and criticized the list of the recent preliminary deployments of senior officers of the opposition faction which was published on Thursday.

Discussants in different groups on social media facebooks and blogs seen by Sudan Tribune, and who criticized the deployments, said overwhelming majority of the senior officers came from the Nuer ethnic group, where Machar hails.

Many of them went as far as condemning the selection processes of the officers, adding that it had no difference from the actions of President Salva Kiir's government which is dominated by his ethnic group, the Dinka.

Others criticized the publication of the list itself, saying it should not have been published for the public to view it. They argued that the publication has made it possible for the public to read the names and recognize their ethnic groups, preferring that it should have been kept as a secret from the public knowledge in order to avoid the exposure and negative criticisms.

Reached by Sudan Tribune for reaction, Dak said the commendable public comments supporting the publication or constructive criticisms against it were welcomed as “contributions of views in advocating for the implementation of the security sector reforms, including diversity in the national army.”

He however added that many other critics had “emotionally and negatively reacted too soon” but should have given themselves time to properly get informed about what transpired and waited for next deployments.

The preliminary list released on Thursday, he explained, was about commands of the sectors and divisions based in Greater Upper Nile region, predominantly inhabited by the Nuer ethnic group who also happened to have joined the opposition forces in big numbers, “constituting over 90% of foot soldiers and officers in the area.”

He said senior officers in the two other regions of Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr el Ghazal have not yet been deployed to the army sectors and divisions in the areas they are based, saying this will be done “soon” by the leadership.

Dak however emphasized that unlike a number of scholarships for studies which can be distributed in equal numbers to students from different regions, states, counties or ethnic groups if so decided, enrolling in the army is mainly a voluntary decision of the individual from any ethnic group, state or region.

“We should not expect each and every ethnic group in South Sudan to have equal or similar big numbers of soldiers and officers and ranks in the army. This is impossible and unnecessary,” he emphasized.

“Also we don't have a policy of forceful conscription,” he added.

Since military deployments are mainly based on seniority, he explained that those who are seniors in the military hierarchy head top commands in their respective structures or departments.

He further added that the top leadership of the SPLM-IO was trying his best to fill the gap through the promotions of officers from the minority tribes.

This included, he said, a policy of an affirmative action in composition of a future category of a special force to be selected from all the different states of the country.

During the October 2015 leadership conference in Pagak, for instance, he said, Machar had directed respective leaderships of the 21 proposed federal states to contribute from each and every state a certain equal numbers of soldiers who will be trained together and compose a future exemplary diverse presidential guards force.

The two years old violent conflict erupted on 15 December 2013 between the Tiger presidential guards who were almost all from the two ethnic groups of the Dinka and the Nuer and had to easily split on tribal lines.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has received a $4.9 million grant from Japan to address the basic needs of children in the conflict affected states of South Darfur, East Darfur, South Kordofan and West Kordofan.

Newly displaced persons in Sortoni, North Darfur, following clashes between rebel and government forces in Jebel Marra area, on 10 February 2016 (UNAMID Photo)

"The funds will specifically support the provision of improved water drinking sources and adequate sanitation for 50,000 people; screening services for 140,000 children under the age of five for severe acute malnutrition and treatment for 10,000 identified severely acutely malnourished children ," said a statement released by UNICEF Sudan on Sunday.

Also, the Japanese grant will enable the U.N. Children's Fund to reach 140,000 children with essential vaccines, 36,000 pregnant women will receive Tetanus toxoid vaccines and 37,000 children will receive treatment for common childhood illnesses; UNICEF further said.

Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, Hideki ITO, expressed hopes that the "contribution enables UNICEF to tackle the challenges faced by children and women affected by emergencies in the targeted areas”.

The head of UNICEF Sudan, Geert Cappelaere, hailed the Japanese support to the well-being of children in Sudan saying it " will advance UNICEF's emergency response plan and enhance the resilience of Sudanese children and their caregivers especially in the face of the recent escalation in violence in some areas”.

Some 2,000,000 children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition of which 550,000 are severely acutely malnourished and at risk of death.

Women and children remain the first victims of the armed conflicts in the Two Areas and Darfur region.

UN agencies, said the ongoing clashes between the government and rebels in Darfur's Jebel Marra area displaced over 105,000 persons mainly women and children.

UNICEF said the recent displacements in Darfur have increased the risk of disease outbreaks such as acute water diarrhoea and measles, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

(ST)

March 13, 2016 (JUBA) - Abraham Gum Makuac, governor of Gogrial state, home to the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, has threatened to kill a vocal legislator in parliament who has fallen out with him after the appointment of his cabinet and speaker of parliament.

Women from a cattle camp walk near Gogrial (Photo Tim Freccia/Enough Project)

Governor Gum, according to former state minister of information, Ariech Mayar Ariech, called him (Ariech) at exactly 9:04am on Saturday and warned him to stop talking about him and his government in the media and other public forums, saying he should not be blamed if he acts.

“I just want to tell you to stop writing and speaking to the media. If there are issues which you would like to raise with me and my administration do that through administrative channels. Come to me in my office. We will talk. This is what I want to tell you. Don't talk in the media,” Ariech quoted governor Gum as saying during a telephone call conversation.

“I have been telling you to stop. Now I am telling you because I don't want to be blamed later that I did not talk to you, if you are not looking for me,” Ariech told Sudan Tribune, saying he had recorded the phone conversation for the purpose of evidence should the governor try to deny that he had threatened him.

The cause of the reaction, according to Ariech, was because he and several others in the state have reacted to the arrest of one of youth leaders in the state, Lual Aterdit.

It remains unclear why Aterdit was arrested. Police sources say they were instructed by the governor and Awan Chan county commissioner to arrest the youth leader because he mobilized the community to not turn out for reception on arrival to Akon, the administrative headquarters of the new country.

Other charges, according to the letter of arrest at Kuacjok police station run by criminal investigation department (CID), include criticism of the governor in public forums, engaged in a fist fight with other people in Akon, home village to President Salva Kiir before running away to Kuacjok for hiding.

The people in the area, according to sources quoting the commissioner, were still looking for him and have opened a court case again Aterdit and therefore was one of the reasons for the arrest.

Aterdit denied the charges and accused the governor and commissioner of fabricating the cause for his arrest. He wondered why he would go to court with the legal counsellor for the state government if the cause was connected to an alleged local fight in which none is reported to have been hurt and no one had opened the case.

Ariech said no amount of threats from the governor and his supporters would stop him from speaking out, as the legislator representing people in parliament against abuse of power and resources due to intimidation done to people from whom authority to run the affairs of the area emanates.

“I am an elected member of parliament and the role of the legislature is very clear. The parliament does oversight functions of the activities of the executive. It is not just about making laws. The members are therefore the representatives of the people and we cannot keep quiet when people we represent in parliament are being abused. They are being intimidated and arrested for speaking out, which is their constitutional right. The constitution permits freedom of speech and expression,” said Ariech.

The legislator called for unconditional and immediate release of the youth leader whom he said has been illegally arrested on directives of the governor and commissioner.

“As a member of parliament, I condemned this act in the strongest term possible and call for unconditional and immediate release of comrade William Lual Aterdit,” he said.

No statement was released from either the office of the governor or the office of police commissioner in the state to provide explanation behind the arrest.

Deputy governor, Akot Abiem, is reported to have distanced himself from what transpired, claiming he was not aware of the threats and cause of the arrest.

Officials say governor Gum was not the choice of the people of Gogrial when he was appointed by President Salva Kiir after splitting the country into 28 states, thereby dividing former Warrap state into three separate states comprising Twic, Tonj and Gogrial.

Gum was appointed on the recommendation of Tonj state governor, Akec Tong Aleu, who replaced his predecessor, Nyandeng Malek as the caretaker governor of Warrap after she was removed from the office in August 2015.

Malek was removed from the office as a result of more than five years political campaign against her administration.

Ariech was one of her fiercest and long-time critics. He briefly became a state minister of information but was removed before spending less than six months in office.

Many officials, including President Salva Kiir, preferred he and several other colleagues, who were appointed and did not spend long time in office, should have been given time to allow the public to assess their performances.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government has planned to “temporarily” close down many of its embassies abroad due to lack of money to continue to operate them as the country's economy continues to deteriorate, a source has disclosed.

Embassy of South Sudan in Oslo, Norway (Wikipedia Photo)

The world's youngest East African nation, which got its independence in July 2011 from the Sudan, has about 24 embassies and missions in Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia and America.

However, a source from within the South Sudan's ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation disclosed to Sudan Tribune that there is a plan to close down several embassies in different continents.

“We plan to close down at least 10 embassies from around the world. It is an austerity measure due to lack of money to run the embassies,” an official source who preferred anonymity told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

He said the challenges faced by the South Sudan's embassies include lack of money to rent embassy premises, no salary monies for staff and even for operations.

The source said landlords who rent their buildings to the embassies in different countries also threaten to evict and sue the South Sudanese government in courts due to arrears of many months of rent not paid to the owners by the government.

“To avoid the embarrassment the ministry [of foreign affairs] has suggested to temporarily closing down some of the embassies until when the situation improves,” he said.

The official could not however specify the names of the countries of which its embassies will be shut down.

The situation also comes amidst protests by government soldiers and civil servants in different states of the country who claimed they have not been paid their salaries for a number of months because the government seems to be broke.

South Sudan has faced economic deterioration mainly due to the two years of civil war between President Salva Kiir's government and the armed opposition faction led by his former deputy, Riek Machar.

The war has resulted to significant reduction of oil production in the country which solely depends on oil revenue for the government overall budget by over 98%, as its economy has not been diversified.

Other reasons for the lack of money include drop in global oil prices and corruption in the country.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir has disclosed that his government handed over unidentified number of Saudi extremists to Riyadh.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir (L) walking with Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdel Aziz in Riyadh on 25 March 2015 (SPA)

In an interview with the Saudi-based Okaz daily newspaper on Monday, Bashir refrained from mentioning the specific numbers of the Saudi extremists, saying several small groups attempted to base themselves in Sudan but were arrested and handed over to Riyadh.

“Security of the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] takes precedence over the security of Sudan because it is the security of the Two Holy Mosques,” he said.

The Sudanese president said he expressed readiness to help Riyadh to defend its borders against the Houthi's attacks since the era of the late King Abdallah bin Abdel-Aziz, pointing he conatcted the Saudi monarch in this regard.

“I expressed our readiness because the security of the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] is considered a red line for us,” he said.

Bashir added that Sudan didn't hesitate to participate in the Saudi-led “Decisive Storm” operation, saying the deteriorating conditions in Yemen posed a serious danger to the whole region not only Saudi Arbia.

“Because if the Huthi's managed to control Yemen, it wouldn't definitely be their final destination,” he said.

He revealed that Sudan provided the ousted Yemeni President Ali Abdalla Salih with ammunition during his war against the Houthi's, saying Salih unexpectedly became an ally for the Huthi's.

Sudan participates with over 850 troops in the Saudi-led "Decisive Storm" against the Iranian-allied Houthi militants in Yemen.

Sudanese troops are also participated in the “North Thunder” military manoeuvres in Saudi Arabia among 20 other Arab and Islamic nations.

The Sudanese military participation in the military campaign in Yemen and the Islamic alliance reconciled Bashir's regime with the Saudi government, and marked the divorce with Iran.

Meanwhile, Bashir said that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad represents the minority Alawite sect and he wouldn't abandon power except by force.

“He would fight to death particularly as he receives support from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah,” he added.

The Sudanese president pointed that Iran has a regional expansionist project, saying his government cut ties with Tehran once they discovered its plans to spread the Shii'te ideology in Sudan.

He added that Saudi Arabia wasn't content with Iran's presence in Sudan because it poses a great danger to the region.

“We later realized that the [Saudi stance] toward Iran's intentions and bad behaviour was right [and that is why] we expelled them from our country,” he said.

Bashir expressed hope that Sudan could join the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), saying “we thought about that and our relationship with all leaders and peoples of the Gulf States without exception are excellent”.

He denied that the death of the Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi would create a vacuum or negatively impact on the government, saying his passing could weaken the Sudanese opposition.

“His [Turabi's] party gave the opposition additional weight and created a balance in the political process,” he said.

Responding to a question about South Sudan, the Sudanese president described the newborn country as “failed state”.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan lawmakers have requested the finance minister and Central Bank Governor to appear before the national assembly on Wednesday in relation to what they described as poor handling of the economy resulting into high market prices.

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

Legislators, after a lengthy and heated debate, voted unanimously to seek answers from the two monetary institutions in the country.

“Right now, the prices are skyrocketing in the market and civil servants and soldiers have not received the pay increase promised [by the executives in January],” said Tulio Ayahu, the government chief whip in the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

Ayahu also backed a proposal by the assembly's business committee to form an ad-hoc body to handle the economic crisis.

This ad-hoc committee, he said, will coordinate efforts to address the management of auctioned dollars to commercial banks, regulate prices, monitor customs works and report to parliament.

The leader of minority in South Sudan parliament, however, rejected the proposal.

“We are supposed to discuss the problem of skyrocketing prices in the market but I am surprised that I am not seeing the minister of finance and the governor of central bank here,” said Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, accusing his counterparts of failing to tackle real issues.

The agricultural committee chairperson, Pascal Bandindi said the ad-hoc committee will intervene in the macroeconomic welfare of the country in monetary and physical policies, examine constraints affecting the smooth collection of the non-oil revenue, ensure discipline in budgetary expenditure, oversight on monitory performances and examine areas of investment in natural resources.

Lawmakers opposed Bandindi's proposal on an ad-hoc body, saying the parliamentary committee of finance and economic planning is capable of doing this work, rather than creating more institutions.

The legislators accused finance ministry and central bank of “poorly managing” the floating exchange rate of South Sudanese pounds against the United States dollars.

One USD now sells at 37 SSP in black markets, a rate central bank seeks to equalise.

After rejecting to form a new committee to handle the economic crisis, the MPs resolved to summon finance minister, David Deng Athorbei and Central Bank Governor, Kornelio Koryom.

“The only institutions capable of explaining the steps being taken to address the economic crisis are the minister of finance David Deng Athorbei and Governor of Central Bank,” said Oliver Benjamin, chairperson of parliament's committee for information.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) said its fighters repulsed a second government attack within a week against the strategic area of Jebel Kolgo, 30 km. south-west of the Blue Nile state capital of Ed-Damazin.

A SPLA-N fighter stands near Gos village in the rebel-held territory of the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, May 1, 2012. (Reuters)

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Monday, SPLM-N official spokesperson, Arnu Ngutulu Lodi, said the battle between the government army and the SPLM-N continued from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm (local time) on Sunday.

He pointed out that the SPLM/N forces second division in the Blue Nile under command of Maj. Gen. Ahmed Alomda Bade and direct command of lieu. Col. Farid al-Fahal Musa managed to defeat the government force for the second time in Jebel Koglo.

Lodi stressed that 40 government soldiers were killed and more than 80 others wounded, saying they seized a number of weapons in good condition including 3 PKM-mg, one RPG-7 missile launcher and 25 AKM-47 rifles.

According to Lodi, 2 fighters from the SPLM-N were killed in the battle and 3 others injured.

The Sudanese army spokesperson was not reachable for comment.

On Friday, SPLM-N said its fighters repulsed the twentieth government attack since last December against Jebel Kolgo.

Meanwhile, Lodi said a government Antinov warplane Saturday dropped 14 barrel bombs on the village of Fadam, in Kurmuk County killing a large number of cattle.

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 14, 2016 (KAMPALA) – A South Sudan general who defected from the armed opposition faction says the young nation be under the trusteeship of the United Nations.

UNMISS troops from India patrol the perimeters of a compound in South Sudan's capital, Juba (AP)

Makuac Teny told Sudan Tribune that South Sudan's peace partners have failed to implement the August 2015 accord in accordance to its terms.

The general, who defected from opposition, wants the international community, regional leaders and African Union heads place the world's youngest nation under ex-Botswana President, Festus Mogae who heads the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) overseeing the implementation of South Sudan's peace accord.

“Since he [Mogae] was once awarded best President in Africa, let him show both Riek [Machar] and Salva [Kiir] how a country is ruled, since they have both failed to rule South Sudan for the last 10 years,” he said.

Teny said his National Resistance Movement (NRM) deserves the prime minister's position, since representatives from both the Juba government and the armed opposition will be deputy presidents in the proposed Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

He said his party was willing to cooperate with the UN, regional leaders and AU in case both Machar and Kiir decline to step down.

The NRM leader claimed the United States government could have done much better rescue the young nation from collapse, having played a key role in the referendum ahead of its July 2011 secession.

“The US government must know that for the South Sudan to get its independence, it was through their consistent support. However, it seems they forgot it completely and it's very unfortunate,” said Teny.

“The question is, why are they [US] letting it [South Sudan] fall apart? In other words South Sudan was America's made product, hence they have a moral obligation to save it or keep it safe”, he added.

Meanwhile, the former rebel opposition official said the re-unification of Sudan and South Sudan, five years after the latter's secession, will end to all forms of conflict.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (YAMBIO) – A total of 55 fire fighters, comprising of 45 men and 10 women, who successfully completed a fire fighting course in South Sudan's Western Equatoria state, have graduated.

The newly graduated fire brigade officers in Yambio March 14, 2016 (ST)

This is the second batch to graduate establishment in 2005 of the fire brigade force by South Sudan's former founding leader, Dr. John Garang.

While speaking at the graduation ceremony, the minister of local government in the newly-created Gbudue state, Jackson Ezekiel Buguwa urged the fire brigade officers to use the skills they have acquired during the training in order to protect people from fire and other dangerous outbreaks, which may occur in their communities.

The minister urged the officers to always act fast when called upon to rescue given situations so that lives and properties are saved.

The director of the fire brigade, Paul Mbengo said the institute strives to save lives, protect government and community properties, create awareness on fire dangers and the natural and manmade hazards.

“The main motto of the fire brigade is to save lives, to protect government properties, to protect properties of the citizens and to give awareness of the fire precaution to the citizens,” said Mbengo.

Fire brigade officers will die to save lives of people in danger, he added.

Meanwhile, the Yambio county commissioner, Hussein Enocka urged the fire fighters to reach out to the community instead of sitting in the office, contrary to the mandate for which they were trained.

Protect citizens and create awareness to the community because the work of the fire brigade is to protect people from fire and dangerous things which can kill or harm somebody, stressed Enocka.

They should respect the oath they have taken and be nationalistic to serve the nation and there is great need for fire fighters from the community in Yambio county as well as the other areas, he added.

Last month, a woman and her three children were reportedly burnt to death in Tombura county after a wildfire started from an unknown location. Several properties were also burnt.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - As the date of the Strategic Consultations Meeting is approaching, the government and the SPLM-N voiced their positions on the resumption of negotiations for peace and democratic reforms.

Chief AU mediator and former South African president Thabo Mbeki speaks to the media after his meeting with Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum on 6 April 2012 (Photo: Getty Images)

Khartoum has started blowing hot and cold saying the agenda of the meeting depends on the outcome of consultations with the chief mediator Thabo Mbeki who is expected in the Sudanese capital on Wednesday.

On the other hand, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) called on the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) to separate between the humanitarian and political process.

The government, the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) and three armed groups; SPLM-N, Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) will meet in Addis Ababa on 18 March to discuss the way forward to end armed conflicts and the participation of the holdout group in a national conference for a new constitution.

The invitation for the consultative meeting was already criticized by the parties for its ambiguity and lack of clarity. The government even issued conflicting statements on its participation as the opposition groups exchanged letters with the mediation over its purpose.

So, the former South African President and AUHIP chairman Mbeki will visit Khartoum two days before the meeting, to brief the Sudanese officials and discuss preparations for the meeting with the opposition groups.

The head of Darfur Peace Office and co-chief negotiator Amin Hassan Omer Monday , that Mbeki will clarify the purpose of the invitation adding they discuss with him "the future of negotiations and its prospects".

In statements to the semi-official SMC, Omer further stressed that the agenda of the consultative meeting depends on the outcome of their discussions with the mediator.

The government last week announced its participation with two delegations one chaired by the Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid and the second is headed by Omer. The 18 March meeting seemingly will discuss the resumption of peace talks and the participation of Sudanese holdout opposition groups in the national dialogue which include government and some opposition forces.

SEPARATE HUMANITARIAN AND POLITICAL FILES

Efforts to end the nearly five-year conflict in South Kordofani and Blue Nile states failed to achieve any progress on the political file as the government says ready for discussions to implement the peace agreement of 2005 while the SPLM-N says they want a new process based on a comprehensive approach.

Also, there is no change in the positions of the warring parties on the humanitarian discussions. The government continues to deny humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel held areas, saying a political agreement will pave the way for humanitarian assistance to the war affected population.

The SPLM-N issued a statement Monday calling on the mediation to separate the humanitarian and political discussions and to focus on the first file. The rebel group further expressed readiness to resume discussions on this respect with the government.

"The SPLM-N is ready to take the Switzerland humanitarian agreement on the Nuba Mountains, which was sponsored by the U.S. government and Switzerland, as a basis to resolve the current impasse with regard to reaching an agreement on the humanitarian situation," said the statement which refers to an agreement reached with the government on 19 January 2002.

The rebel group also reiterated readiness for an agreement "on multiple access points from inside and outside Sudan that would include Elobied, Kadugli and Damazen from inside and Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan from outside Sudan".

The Sudanese government has refused the SPLM-N demand to bring the humanitarian aid directly from outside the Sudan. Khartoum also says the Sudanese aid workers should be involved in the distribution of the relief.

The government says not ready to repeat the previous humanitarian deals signed with the SPLM because the rebels diverted it also to feed their troops.

In return, the SPLM-N rejects the presence of Sudanese aid workers in the rebel controlled areas. They say they are infiltrated by the Sudanese security agents.

Recently international facilitators sought to convince the rebel group to give up on their demand for the transportation of food from outside Sudan.

"The SPLM-N is never wrong when doing the right things, and we will stick to the international humanitarian law even if others decide to abandon it," said the statement.

SPLM PARTICIPATION IN THE DIALOGUE

The SPLM-N also reiterated that they would not join the ongoing dialogue process in Khartoum, saying they want a "credible" process in line with a road map endorsed by the African Union.

"The SPLM-N and the Sudan Call forces will never be included in the present first phase of the national dialogue that is cooked and controlled by the National Congress government whether they extended it for 1 month or 1,000 months," said the statement.

During an informal meeting held in Germany last February, the Sudanese government refused a proposal calling to conclude the current dialogue conference in Khartoum and to launch a second phase with the participation of the holdout groups.

(ST)

Sudan people's Liberation Movement - (North SPLM-N)

March 14, 2016

On the Eve of the Addis Ababa Meeting on 18 March 2016, the SPLM-N calls for:
· the AUHIP to separate the humanitarian process from the political process
· an agreement between the parties on humanitarian access
· the UN to implement the agreement reached by the two parties
· the Sudan government to halt aerial bombardment against civilian populations

After five years of the NCP war against the SPLM-N and after the same period of negotiations, it is evidently clear that the call made by the SPLM-N five years ago to separate the humanitarian process from the political process is not only in line with the international humanitarian law, but it is the only option to end the suffering of civilians and to deny the Sudan government their usual game of using humanitarian assistance for war and political purposes. Therefore, on the eve of the Addis Ababa strategic consultations with the AUHIP between four Sudanese opposition organizations and the Sudan government, the SPLM-N leadership calls for the following:

1) The AUHIP needs to separate the two processes, the humanitarian and the political processes, and to put much focus on the humanitarian process and the right of civilians to humanitarian assistance regardless of the failure to achieve a common political agenda between the parties. That has been a consistent position of the SPLM-N over the last five years, which has been rejected by the Sudan government in a clear violation of the international humanitarian law.

2) The SPLM-N is ready to immediately continue engaging in order to reach an agreement that will provide for the unquestionable right of the civilian populations to access humanitarian assistance and, for the world at large, to uphold the principles of impartiality, neutrality and the independence of humanitarian assistance and the need for unhindered access of humanitarian supplies.

3) The SPLM-N is ready to take the Switzerland humanitarian agreement on the Nuba Mountains, which was sponsored by the U.S. government and Switzerland, as a basis to resolve the current impasse with regard to reaching an agreement on the humanitarian situation. It is to be recalled that the same Sudan government has signed this agreement under General Bashir on 19 January 2002 and it is the same government that is denying around 1 million displaced persons in the Two Areas from access to humanitarian assistance under the eyes of the international community.

4) The SPLM-N equally is ready to reach an agreement on multiple access points from inside and outside Sudan that would include Elobied, Kadugli and Damazen from inside and Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan from outside Sudan.

5) The SPLM-N would welcome the United Nations to implement an agreement on humanitarian assistance as it has been reached by the parties to the conflict and in accordance to international humanitarian law. It is worth mentioning that the SPLM-N has signed two agreements with the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance that were shut down by the Sudan government with complete silence from Africa and the international community in 2012 and 2014 despite the broken promises of the Sudan government to the United Nations in order for the government to buy time and to continue to deny access.

6) What is taking place now in Marra Mountain in Darfur is a clear evidence of how the Sudan government disregards the United Nations and continues to target civilian populations throughout Sudan, and yet, they are promoting a charm offensive and they expect to be rewarded by allowing them to control the humanitarian access in the Two Areas, in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, in a complete breach of international humanitarian law.

7) The Sudan government and its air force continue to target civilian populations in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile where there are more than 25,000 civilian causalities, wounded and dead from the aerial and ground attacks of General Bashir's air force and army and around a million are displaced, terrorized and denied humanitarian access, and more than 300,000 are refugees in South Sudan and Ethiopia. As of today, a full fledge dry season offensive is at its peak in the Two Areas whereby the civilians are the primary targets of the Sudan government. In Blue Nile, they are attacking the SPLM-N liberated areas from three directions for the last three months; and in the Nuba Mountains, they are attacking our areas from eight directions. The civilians are the first targets in their attacks. The same happened in Marra Mountain, yet the victims are being blamed, not the Sudan government.

8) There are many resolutions by the UN Security Council that ask the Sudan government to halt its aerial bombardment against the civilian populations in Darfur, yet the Sudan government extended its holy mission against the civilian populations in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, which constitutes clear war crimes that have been documented by many human rights organizations. The government is using all types of bombs, including cluster bombs, and yet the issue of these thousands of civilians has been forgotten, and as a result, the Sudan government is continuing its war crimes, and now they are more encouraged by their participation in the Yemeni war coalition and the resources they are getting from the coalition.

9) It is worth mentioning that in the political process, the SPLM-N is ready to participate in a second phase of a credible national dialogue process under the auspices of the AUHIP and in accordance with the African Union resolutions. The SPLM-N and the Sudan Call forces will never be included in the present first phase of the national dialogue that is cooked and controlled by the National Congress government whether they extended it for 1 month or 1,000 months.

Lastly, the SPLM-N is never wrong when doing the right things, and we will stick to the international humanitarian law even if others decide to abandon it.

March 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Opposition National Umma Party (NUP) and Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) Monday agreed to coordinate efforts for peace and democratic transition in Sudan.

NUP leader Sadiq al-Mahdi (L) and SCoP chairperson Omer al-Digair in Cairo on 14 March 2016 (ST Photo)

SCoP leader Omer al-Digair held a meeting with NUP self-exiled leader Sadiq al-Mahdi in Cairo where they discussed political developments in the country, said a joint statement released on Monday.

"The parties agreed to consider (political) developments and to come to up with a unified position," further said the statement.

The meeting took place on the eve of a consultations meeting the African Union High- Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) will organize in Addis Ababa on 18 March to discuss the needed confidence building measures for the participation of the holdout opposition parties in the National Dialogue Conference.

The meeting will also hold parallel discussions between the government and rebel groups over the resumption of peace talks.

The ''Sudan Call'' coalition, which gathers the two parties, the other members of the National Consensus Forces (NCF) and the armed groups, says they will join the dialogue conference after the implementation of confidence building measures included in the AU road map.

They also call for an independent chairmanship of the constitutional conference instead of President Omer al-Bashir.

Al-Digair was elected last January as a SCoP leader replacing Ibrahim al-Sheikh. The Party's statues provide that the chairman should only be elected for two terms.

(ST)

March 15, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has dismissed as “rumours” media reports that the government had planned to close down some of its embassies and foreign missions across the world due to lack of money to operate them as the country faces deteriorating economic crisis.

South Sudanese students at their embassy in Kampala, Uganda (ST/File)

The government has however admitted that it plans an austerity measure to cut down the number of its current officials working in the various South Sudan's embassies due to the “economic crisis.”

‘The Republic of South Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has noted with a deep concern the rumours circulating around the world that the Country is temporarily planning to close down many of its embassies abroad,” partly reads a press statement issued on Tuesday, 15 March, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“This is baseless, unfounded and unrealistic rumours. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is planning to reduce or downsize the staff in its embassies abroad. This does not mean that the embassies are being closed down,' further reads the statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

The statement further blamed the economic crisis in the country for the forthcoming action to cut down the number of staff deployed to the South Sudan's embassies around the world, but reassured that the decision will only affect the staff working in the embassies, but not the embassies.

“In conclusion the country is not closing its embassies but rather reducing the number of staff to cut down expenditures due to the economic crisis in the country,” the statement said.

On Monday, an official working for the foreign affairs ministry in Juba revealed to Sudan Tribune that the government suggested closing down at least 10 embassies due to the economic crisis.

He said the challenges faced by the South Sudan's embassies include lack of money to rent embassy premises as well as lack of money to pay staff their salaries in addition to no-money for operations.

Landlords or landladies who rent their buildings to the South Sudan's embassies in different countries also allegedly threatened to evict and sue the government in courts due to arrears of many months of rent not paid to the owners.

The world's youngest East African nation, which got its independence from Sudan in July 2011, has about 24 embassies and missions in Africa, Middle East, Europe, Asia and America.

The situation now confirmed by the government to reduce expenditures through downsizing of officials in the embassies also comes amidst protests by government soldiers and civil servants in the national capital, Juba, and in different states of the country who claimed they have not been paid their salaries for a number of months.

South Sudan has faced economic deterioration mainly due to the two years of civil war between President Salva Kiir's government and the armed opposition faction led by his former deputy, Riek Machar.

The war has resulted to significant reduction in oil production in the country. South Sudan solely depends on oil revenue for the government's overall budget by over 98%, as its economy has not been diversified.

Other reasons for the lack of money include drop in global oil prices and corruption in the country.

The country's only hope now, observers say, is to end the war and establish a transitional unity government to attract foreign aid and investments as well as implement the economic and other sector reforms as stipulated in the August 2015 peace agreement.

(ST)

March 15, 2016 (JUBA) – Thousands of people from South Sudan's Bahr el Ghazal region are fleeing across the borders to the neighbouring Sudan due to hunger crisis in the north-western part of the world's youngest nation, aid agencies have revealed.

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

A report released this week by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), in collaboration with humanitarian partners, has revealed the dire situation affecting populations of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, with hundreds of thousands more reported to be in crisis situation internally.

“The humanitarian situation is deteriorating in the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan and across the border in Sudan. There are about 280,000 people identified as being in crisis situation in Northern Bahr el Ghazal,” partly reads the report extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

The report said the hunger situation started to deteriorate last month with humanitarian organizations reporting that the number of children being admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition has increased during the month of February 2016.

Thousands of civilians fleeing from Northern Bahr el Ghazal state are reportedly seeking assistance across the border in Sudan's East Darfur and El Daein locality.

World Food Program (WFP) has intervened by distributing one-month food rations to 5,000 people in February as registration inside Sudan is ongoing to establish the exact figures of new arrivals from South Sudan.

The report also painted a gloomy picture about the situation of those trapped inside Northern Bahr el Ghazal, as over 12,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have left their villages due to food scarcity and encamped in the wilderness in search of food.

“They [12,000 people] are staying next to a river, where they rely on fish to survive and are living in makeshift settlements,” it said.

SOUTH SUDANESE ARRIVALS IN SUDAN

Meanwhile the number of the South Sudanese who have fled to Sudan for the last two years has reached nearly 200,000 people.

As of 29 February, the registered number of South Sudanese who have arrived in Sudan since fighting erupted in South Sudan in mid-December 2013 was recorded as 173,834 following the completion of the roll-out of individual biometric registration in White Nile State,” according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

As of 28 February, the reported said, an estimated 130,000 of these refugees or IDPs had received some form of humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR and Sudanese humanitarian agency's registration teams have resumed registration in Al Alagaya and Dabat Bosin sites for people who arrived after the last registration was completed in November 2015.

(ST)

March 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) seized copies of Al-Sudani newspaper in the early hours of Tuesday from the printing house without giving reasons.

Members of Sudanese Journalists Network (SJN) hold banners outside the National Council for Press and Publication (NCPP) premises in Khartoum in protest against repeated seizure of newspapers, on May 26, 2015 (ST photo)

Journalists working for Al-Sudani told Sudan Tribune that NISS seized print runs of the newspaper without giving reasons, saying they can't speculate on the likely reasons behind the move.

According to an administrative officer at Al-Sudani, the financial losses incurred by the newspaper due to the confiscation amounts to 70,000 pounds (SDG) ($5,800).

He pointed that NISS seized 20,000 copies of the newspaper, saying the total sales of the confiscated copies amounts to 40,000 pounds (SDG) while the paid advertisements worth 30,000 pounds (SDG).

The NISS routinely confiscates newspapers either to prevent circulation of certain stories or to punish them retroactively on previous issues.

In February 2015, NISS seized entire print runs of 14 newspapers in one day without stating the reasons for its decision.

Journalists say that NISS uses seizures of print copies of newspapers, not only to censor the media but also to weaken them economically.

SAUDI AUTHORITIES RELEASES SUDANESE BLOGGER

Meanwhile, the Sudanese non-governmental Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) network said the Saudi authorities released the Sudanese blogger Walid al-Hussein after 235 days in arbitrary detention.

Al-Hussein, who runs the Sudanese opposition website Al-Rakooba, was taken by security agents on July 23 rd 2015 from his home in the city of al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, Al-Rakooba website said that al-Hussein has been released and returned to his home on Sunday night but didn't elaborate on the issue.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune Monday, JHR said that Al-Hussein was released by the Saudi authorities unconditionally, pointing he hasn't been asked to leave the country.

Reliable sources told JHR that the Saudi authorities has neither filed any charges against al-Hussein nor brought him before trial.

According to JHR, NISS sought to arrest al-Hussein for running the Al-Rakooba website which is designated by the government as an opposition website.

Al-Rakoba started off in 2005 as a discussion forum but has eventually transformed into a news website that carries stories and op-eds that are fiercely critical of the Sudanese government.

The website has attracted wide readership even inside Sudan despite intermittent government moves to block it.

There were fears that al-Hussein could be subjected to torture or extradited to Sudan.

In 2005, the interior ministers of Saudi Arabia and Sudan signed a security pact in Khartoum which included clauses related to preventing any activities by residents or citizens on their territories that are hostile to the government of the other side.

Saudi Arabia is generally very sensitive to any foreign political activities on its territory.

In 2011, the Saudi government issued a decree banning any events of political nature without prior permission and warned of consequences to foreign nationals for violating this order which included deportation.

(ST)

March 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - A senior Sudanese official Tuesday disclosed that President Omer al-Bashir will visit Darfur's five states ahead of the administrative referendum scheduled to be held on 11 April.

Sudan's incumbent president Omer Hassan al-Bashir waves to supporters during a campaign rally at El Fasher in North Darfur on 8 April 2015 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

Next April, the residents of Darfur region are called to determine the administrative status of the region as they have to vote the retention of the status quo of States system or the re-establishment of one region.

Sudan's state minister of cabinet affairs and spokesperson of the National Liberation and Justice Party (NLJP) Ahmed Fadal Allah said Bashir's visit comes within the framework of promoting security and peace in the region.

He told the official news agency (SUNA) that Bashir would check the security conditions on the ground after the recent clashes in Jebel Marra between the government army and the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nur.

Fadl Allah pointed that Bashir's visit coincides with the intensive preparations to hold the administrative referendum in Darfur.

The referendum has the support of former rebel groups signatory of the Doha framework agreement. But it faces some opposition from the dignitaries of the ruling party in the region.

Many in the strongly tribally divided region fear that this creation of the regional body would revive tribal trivialities.

The opposition and rebel groups insist on the timing and the legitimacy of the procedure. They say that referendum would not express the will of Darfurians, pointing to the IDPs and refugees in Chad who will not participate in the vote.

(ST)

March 14, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan's minister for the presidency, Awan Guol Riak has warned Eastern Nile state's governor against “creating more serious rift” in the area.

Eastern Nile state Governor Chol Thon Balok (SSTV Photo)

Riak, in a letter to Governor Chol Thon Balok, terminated services of all government employees and transferred them from Eastern Nile state to Western Nile and Latjoor states.

“H.E the President of the Republic of South Sudan has directed that the divisive and destruction order by your office on the 1st February 2016 should be stopped immediately, because it is creating more social rift,” partly reads the 14 March letter.

Last month, lawmakers from Latjoor, one of the new states curved out from Upper Nile state when President Kiir unilaterally issued an order creating 28 states, condemned an attack on civilians at a United Nations protection of civilian camp in Malakal, Upper Nile.

The lawmakers held responsible the Eastern Nile state governor for allegedly masterminding the attack in which at least 18 people were killed in the UN protection camp, while up to 90 others sustained injuries.

The parliamentarians said they were deeply saddened by what they described as “barbaric killing” of innocent unarmed civilians inside UN mission's protection site which occurred on 17 and 18 February.

The violence pitted members of the Dinka and Shilluk, but later on involved members of Nuer tribe when some of their members were allegedly killed by armed Dinka youth.

“We therefore, strongly condemn this horrific incident in strongest terms possible. We also would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of victims from Nuer, and any other communities in Malakal UNMISS camp who were affected by this senseless fight. We strongly believe that Governor Chol Thon, the Governor of Eastern Nile State is behind this tragic incident,” said the MPs.

According to eyewitnesses, those who attacked civilians at the UN camp were dressed in uniforms of the South Sudanese army (SPLA).

Governor Thon, the MPs said, refused to cooperate with the governors of Latjoor and Western Nile states since their appointments.

“We believe that his activities are a clear insubordination to the President's order, because Governor Chol Thon has refused to visit former Upper Nile State capital - Malakal with other two States Governors namely, Latjoor and Western Nile,” the MPs noted.

The lawmaker urged government and the UN to urgently form a high level of investigation team and dispatch to Malakal for a fact-finding mission and bring the culprits to book.

(ST)

March 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government Tuesday quickly rejected SPLM-N's call for a separate humanitarian agreement in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, and warned Juba against providing military support to the rebel group.

A woman holds her child in a cave in Bram village in the Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan on 28 April 2012. (Photo: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

In a statement issued on Monday, Sudan's People Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N), said civilians have the right to access humanitarian assistance, and reiterated its demand for an agreement providing to deliver humanitarian assistance to civilians in the rebel areas directly from South Sudan and Ethiopia.

"The SPLM-N sticks to its demand that Humanitarian assistance for the Two Areas be delivered through South Sudan because it intends to open the door for weapons smuggling and transfer of its injured fighters for treatment abroad," said foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq.

Sadiq further called on the international community to put pressure on the SPLM-N to "halt trading with the suffering of the affected civilians" in its war against the Sudanese army.

The SPLM-N explains its position saying the Sudanese security would infiltrate the aid workers to collect information about their positions and forces.

The two warring parties will meet on 18 March in Addis Ababa with two armed groups in Darfur and the opposition National Umma Party (NUP) to discuss ways to create a conducive environment, including humanitarian access, before to participate in the national dialogue process inside the country.

Sadiq said his government sticks to the tripartite mechanism of the African Union, Arab League and United Nations to supervise the distribution of food and relief items to the civilians in the rebel held areas.

He also said that the government has "bitter" experiences with the foreign stations to transport humanitarian relief to the needy inside country, in reference to the UN humanitarian base in Lokichoggio, Kenya during the Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), 1989-2005.

At the time the government accused the UN agencies and aid groups of providing food and relief aid to the rebels directly. It also accused them of transporting weapons and offering their service for the displacement of rebel officials.

REPRIMAND TO JUBA

On a related development, the spokesperson of the foreign ministry warned Juba against providing support to the SPLM-N rebels in order to destabilize Sudan.

Al-Sadiq called on the South Sudanese government to distance itself from supporting the SPLM-N and to opt for a neutrality "similar to Khartoum's position from the South Sudanese rebel groups".

He also said it would be in the interest of the two countries to work for developing bilateral relations after Sudan's initiative to open the border and reviewing oil transportation fees.

The statement comes as the semi-official SMC news website which is close to the Sudanese intelligence service reported that the SPLM-N leadership held a meeting with the South Sudanese defence minister and the head of the South Sudanese security service to discuss their military needs and ways to support them to face the summer campaign launched by the Sudanese army.

South Sudanese Presidential Adviser for Decentralization and Inter-Governmental Linkage, Tor Deng Mawin, was in Khartoum on Sunday 13 March where he met with the First Vice-President Bakri Hassn Saleh.

No details were released about the purpose of his visit.

(ST)