August 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Two Darfur groups have attacked the African Union High Implementation Panel- (AUHIP) which brokers Sudan's peace talks and accused it of siding with the Sudanese government.

JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim (C) speaks at the opening session of Darfur negotiations flanked by SLM-MM leader Minni Minnawi in Addis Ababa on 23 November 2014 (Photo courtesy of AUHIP)

After a series of talks in Addis Ababa between 9 to 14 August, the Sudanese government, Sudan Liberation Movement–Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) failed to sign cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements in Darfur.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the AUHIP said the obstacles in the negotiations arose when JEM and SLM-MM “re-opened numerous issues that had previously been agreed and others which contradicted the Roadmap Agreement”.

The Panel further said the rebel groups refused “balanced options” the mediation proposed on the location sites of fighters and mechanisms for the monitoring of humanitarian assistance.

“While the Government accepted those proposals, the introduction of new issues by the JEM and SLM-MM, inevitably broke the negotiations,” emphasized the AUHIP.

In response, JEM and SLM-MM stressed they entered into these negotiations in good faith and were prepared to make every effort towards reaching an agreement on cessation of hostilities, saying the government didn't share their commitment to achieve an agreement.

Also, they regretted that the AUHIP had incorrectly blamed them for the failure of talks, “while vindicating the Government”.

“The AUHIP's statement was incorrect, however, due to the fact that they did not take the opportunity to fully discuss with SLM-MM and JEM proposals and modifications made by them to the most recent draft agreement before adjourning the talks or before releasing its statement,” said the two groups in a statement extended to Sudan tribune on Thursday.

The statement pointed that JEM and SLM-MM were prepared to move the negotiations forward and conclude a reasonable agreement, saying the government, however, insisted upon unreasonable positions regarding the disclosure of forces, humanitarian mechanisms, and the release of POWs.

“Additionally, the Government insisted on referencing selective resolutions irrelevant to the cessation of hostilities agreement,” read the statement which was signed by SLM-MM Chief Negotiator Trayo Ahmed Ali and JEM Chief Negotiator Ahmed Tugod Lissan.

“Instead of making efforts to budge on the government's intransigent positions, the mediation adopted the government position with regard to POWs, [fighters] locations, humanitarian mechanisms and arbitrary selection of [African Union] resolutions and blamed the parties that demonstrated the highest degree of flexibility and objectivity,” they added.

JEM and SLM-MM added they have demonstrated their good faith “not only by our signing of the Roadmap Agreement, but also by our having twice declared six-month unilateral cessation of hostilities with our colleagues in the Sudan Revolutionary Front”.

“We have remained continuously willing to sit with the Government of Sudan to negotiate a cessation of hostilities for the benefit of the people of Sudan, and we engaged in this last round of talks in the hope that we would conclude such an agreement,” read the statement.

The two groups pointed that the government negotiating team insisted on making the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) the basis for negotiations, saying the cessation of hostilities talks has nothing to do with the DDPD.

“That was one of the barricades that prevented the conclusion of a cessation of hostilities agreement,” said Ali and Lissan.

JEM and SLM-NN underlined they remain committed to the process and hopeful that further negotiations will move forward successfully.

“We look forward to not only swiftly achieving a cessation of hostilities agreement, but also to promptly move forward with the implementation of the Roadmap Agreement,” the statement further reads.

The Sudanese army and its allied militias have been fighting a number of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

Doha facilitated 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.

Since several years, 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.

However, SLM-AW led by Abdel-Wahid al-Nur 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.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese national army, known as the Sudan People's liberation Army (SPLA), has denied any connection to the death of up to 46 people, including Commissioner of Mayendit county in Unity region. 30 others were injured in an attack.

Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang, SPLA spokesperson, is seen at a containment site outside of the capital Juba on April 14, 2016. (AFP Photo)

“The SPLA forces in the area have nothing to do with these allegations. We heard about them but when we contacted our forces and verified, we found out they were not a party to that incident. It was just a smear campaign by anti-peace elements and those who would like to tarnish the image of the SPLA for political reasons," said SPLA spokesperson, Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang when reached to comment on the development on Thursday.

The military officer, however, confirmed that Mayendit county commissioner and 45 others were killed in an attack carried out by armed elements on 8 August. He did not identify the group and under whose command and areas in which they operate in the region.

Local officials claimed that attackers wearing SPLA uniforms attacked Rubkuai, the administrative headquarters of Mayendit during which they killed 46 people including the commissioner.

Sources claimed about 24 SPLA soldiers and 22 civilians including the commissioner and two women were killed in the incident in which about 6,430 heads of cattle were also taken by the attacking force.

The attackers came from Koch county in neighbouring Northern Liech State. This occurred after the government-appointed Koch county commissioner, Gordon Kuony, asked the Southern Liech government for reinforcement from Northern Liech authorities in response to repeated skirmishes.

It was not clear whether Koch county commissioner had joined the opposition faction led by Riek Machar, former first deputy to President Salva Kiir.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese opposition faction led by the former First Vice President, Riek Machar, said they have cut off Taban Deng Gai, the new First Vice President, from all the areas controlled by the opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO), including from its headquarters of Pagak in Upper Nile region.

“Honourable Taban Deng Gai will not set foot in the SPLM/SPLA (IO) controlled areas across the country, including the General Headquarters of Pagak,” said James Gatdet Dak, official spokesperson for Machar, the leader of the opposition faction, SPLM-IO.

“Let him deceive President Salva Kiir in Juba by claiming that he is also a leader of the organization called SPLM/SPLA (IO). He may get away with the deception in Juba because the two of them seem to be so desperate and are comfortable with mutual deception. The President may not bother to ask him about who is actually in charge of the SPLM-IO controlled territories in the country, including the General Headquarters, Pagak. But the reality is that he is alone leader with no grassroots support or base. He is a defector to President Kiir,” he added.

He said Gai can only visit President Kiir's controlled areas, adding he is in reality part and parcel of the faction led by the President after his recent defection from the SPLM-IO.

Dak added that a directive was already issued by the leader of the SPLM-IO, Riek Machar, dismissing and cutting off Gai, not only from his previous contacts with the SPLA-IO army, but also with the civil administrations of the SPLM-IO in the states and counties they control.

He said Machar is in full control of the civil administrations and the entire army of the SPLM-IO faction, and that Gai only "defected" with his bodyguards and some of the SPLM-IO politicians “who were only after positions in the government and not for the reform agenda in the country.”

SURRENDER NOT COHESION

Dak also described the current working relationship between the new First Vice President, Gai, and President Kiir as based on “surrender and conspiracy to avoid reforms in the country” but not about the claimed cohesion in the presidency.

“Their working relationship now is based on the fact that Honourable Taban Deng Gai has surrendered while President Salva Kiir has embraced him for a mutual conspiracy to avoid reforms and accountability in South Sudan. It is about compromising and abrogating the August 2015 peace agreement. So it is never based on cohesion to do the right thing as they claimed,” he claimed.

The opposition leader's spokesman was responding to comments from the presidency that their working relationship had gone well without Machar in the implementation of the peace agreement.

He further argued that with the current situation to destroy the peace deal by scrapping its important provisions, the country would never implement reforms, further claiming that the two leaders have already begun to dismantle some of the mechanisms that are crucial for ensuring that reforms are implemented.

The declaration to immediately begin integration of SPLA-IO, although Gai has no force to integrate, he said, is an indication of the desire to avoid implementing security sector reforms which was necessary before the amalgamation of the forces can take place.

For instance, Dak further argued that Gai has surrendered to President Kiir the position of the speaker of the transitional national legislative assembly which was very crucial for driving the reform agenda among the lawmakers in the country.

This came after President Kiir insisted that he was the one to select the speaker of parliament. Previously, Riek Machar wanted the position to be contested by the two factions and the winner takes it.

“See how he has surrendered the position of the speaker. We in the opposition wanted to contest for this seat because it is crucial for driving the needed change and passing reform laws in the parliament. We would have won the speakership position if it was contested democratically. We had huge support from within President Kiir's members of parliament who wanted us to spearhead the change. This is the reason President Kiir did not want democratic election for the position. But now Honourable Taban Deng Gai has simply surrendered this important position. It means he is not for change but only interested to maintain the status quo,” he said.

“We will not however become magnanimous at the expense of scrapping provisions in the peace agreement and nipping reforms in the bud. We will ensure that the situation is corrected and the country goes for reforms in various sectors in order to move forward,” he added.

He also said Machar remains the legitimate First Vice President of South Sudan, despite his recent “illegal” replacement by President Kiir.

The opposition leader has reportedly relocated to another neighbouring country after a month of fighting with President Kiir's forces who reportedly hunted for him in the bushes around Juba, following clashes in the capital which involved his small number of forces.

Dak claimed that Machar was relocated for his safety and in order to have access to the rest of the world and the media.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - United Nations Secretary-General,Ban Ki-moon, Thursday has urged the Sudanese government and rebel groups to resume talks to reach a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreements in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Ban Ki-moon (Photo UN)

Last week, four groups from the opposition umbrella Sudan Call including the National Umma Party (NUP) and three armed groups; Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N), Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) had signed the Roadmap Agreement for peace and dialogue brokered by the African Union.

The peace plan provides that the Sudanese governments and rebel groups should engage in talks to reach agreement on a cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access before the Sudan Call forces join the government-led national dialogue.

However, on Sunday following six days of talks in Addis Ababa, the armed movements and the government negotiating teams failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access prompting the mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday, UN Secretary-General Spokesperson said Ban Ki-moon was disappointed that the Sudanese parties failed to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Darfur and the Two Areas.

The UN chief has strongly urged the government and the armed groups “to resume negotiations, abide by the Roadmap Agreement, and refrain from any attempt to escalate the conflict in Darfur and the Two Areas”.

“He reiterates that there can be no lasting alternative to a negotiated settlement and stresses that a cessation of hostilities is the first, indispensable step towards achieving this goal,” the statement added.

The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the important role played by the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) which brokers Sudan's peace, the hybrid peacemaking mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and his Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan to bring about a lasting peace in Sudan.

The Sudanese army has been fighting SPLM-N rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese government has welcome a decision by the government of neighbouring Sudan, from which the young nation seceded in 2011, not to be one of troops contributing countries to be deployed as a regional protection force.

A SPLA soldier stands in front of a vehicle in Juba on December 20, 2013. (Photo Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

The Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour Tuesday reiterated his government's decision to not take part in the UN-backed African force that would be deployed in Juba. But he expression Khartoum's willingness to participate in any regional mechanism to mediate or reconcile the warring parties.

South Sudan's Presidential advisor on Security Affairs, Tut Kew Gatluak, told Sudan Tribune that the government has not yet received the names of the countries in the region which have expressed readiness to contribute troops and so would not be able to comment on media reports about countries suspected to contribute troops to be deployed to the country.

“We have not received the names of the countries in the region which will contribute troops. There were only allegations which we cannot confirm and make comments on them because they are not official,” he said.

“But yes, we have now heard that two countries, Uganda and Sudan, will not contribute troops. Such decisions are sovereign decisions and we welcome them,” Gatluak added.

The comments come after several government officials in Juba said the government would not have welcomed the return of the Sudanese army in any capacity in the country, equating it to invasion.

Recently, Sudanese officials disclosed that they declined a Western request to approach directly the South Sudanese parties in order to end the conflict.

Khartoum hosts many South Sudanese politicians who are asked to not to exercise political activities against Juba government.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's National Council for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (NCDDR) revealed that 4718 former rebel combatants have been demobilized in 2015 while 4,003 others were integrated into the civic institutions.

Members of the Sudan Liberation Army disembark from their vehicle in Susuwa, north Darfur, May 15, 2006. (Reuters)

Sudan's Council of Ministers on Thursday has approved the NCDDR's 2015 report presented by the Minister of the Presidency Fadl Abdalla.

In press statements on Thursday, the Council of Ministers spokesperson, Omer Mohamed Salih said the disarmament and demobilizations are basic requirements for achieving peace, saying the process was funded by the Ministry of Finance, Zakat (ulms) Chamber besides foreign funding from Japan and Spain.

He pointed the ex-fighters have been accommodated in agricultural, mineral and water harvest projects, saying the Council of Minister hailed the NCDDR efforts to integrate the combatants into the civil life.

In 2013, Sudan and South Sudan agreed on joint cooperation in the areas of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, community security projects and control of small arms as well as promoting peace building between border communities.

Last December, the government said it has completed the first stage of a plan aimed at collecting heavy weapons from Darfur.

Speaking to the parliament in February, minister of interior Ismat Abdel Rahman, said the proliferation of armaments in Darfur remains "a security worry". He further pointed that millions of small arms are in the hands of Darfur citizens.

The Sudanese army and its allied militias have been fighting a number of armed movements in Darfur since 2003.

(ST)

August 18, 2016(BOR) – Over 900,000 SSP was saved by Jonglei state government after a screening exercise, involving removal of ghost workers and absentees from payrolls.

Jonglei state governor, Phillip Aguer speaks during the independence occassion July 9, 2016 (ST)

The process, an official told Sudan Tribune, started three months ago.

According to the state secretary general, Mawut Achiek, not less than 250 employees whose names were found on payrolls, but not presence at work places, were screened.

“We are saving 300,000 SSP. This had been going to individuals' pockets in the state. We have also identified not less than 250 ghost names. These are people, who are no longer there, or they had never existed and there is no scientific evidence to proof their employment in the first place”, Achiek told reporters in the state capital, Bor.

The state government, he said, inherited a huge workforce when the province was controversially divided into four states, namely Fangak, Eastern Bieh and Boma.

The other three states went away with workforce of less than 3,000 employees in total, leaving new Jonglei state with over 5,000 employees alone, stressed Achiek.

Meanwhile, the state government said it was not determined to fully reduce the workforce to a reasonable number that would easily be manageable financially.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (TORIT) – James Lomilo, a teacher at Hope for South Sudan primary school in Eastern Equatoria state was on Monday killed and his body dumped in a forest.

The map of Eastern Equatoria state in red

The deceased, an eye witness said, was last seen on Sunday afternoon after church service in Kapoeta town.

The decaying body [of Lomilo] was found some meters away from the school in the forest near to the school premise in Kapoeta town, said Peter Lopeyok.

Police have reportedly launched investigations into the murder.

The school head teacher, Jenifer Losike Lokai described the Lomilo as a punctual and humble teacher in his profession.

The late was one of the full time trained teachers in Hope for South Sudan School in for over three years,” she stressed.

Police officers on duty at the school, however, declined to comment on the matter.

(ST)

August 18, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The foreign ministry Thursday said it requested the interior ministry to send a delegation to address the situation of Sudanese illegal migrants stranded on the Italian-French border.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir (ST Photo)

Several hundreds of Sudanese migrants are now stopped on the French border after their arrival by boats from Libya. Paris says it is up to Italy assess their asylum claims.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ambassador Gharib Allah Khidir said they asked the interior ministry to dispatch urgently a delegation to Rome to identify Sudanese migrants and to provide them with the needed papers before to repatriate them back to Sudan.

The move comes after a demand by the Italian government through the Sudanese embassy in Rome to identify its nationals before to return them to Sudan, al-Khidir added.

Italy complains of the French refusal to receive some of illegal migrants arriving from Africa.

In line with Schengen zone agreement, people can move freely within the European countries, but governments can tighten border control in exceptional circumstances.

Earlier this year, Sudan accepted to cooperate with the EU efforts to fight illegal human trafficking.

Smuggling gangs have taken advantage of Libya's instability to run a lucrative business and put at risk vulnerable people who seek better life.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's security operatives have imposed restriction on media coverage of successful escape into Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of the armed opposition leader and the first vice president, Riek Machar.

Reporters Without Borders has condemned the seizure of copies of 11 newspapers in a week by Sudanese security officials (AFP)

Machar left South Sudan over fears for his safety after government forces mounted a military offensive hunting for him after he fled the capital Juba when fighting broke out between 8-11 July. President Salva Kiir later sacked him as vice-president and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai, one of his senior officials in his movement before falling out with him after failing appointment of oil ministry.

South Sudanese government which had been on the offensive, trying to hunt him down in the bush where he had been hiding said on Friday that it was not aware of Machar's whereabouts.

“[No] one knows where he is, whether he left South Sudan or still inside the country. Those who say he left the country should be the ones you should talk to,” information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, told reporters on Friday in Juba.

He was reacting to media reports quoting United Nations sources in the Democratic Republic of Congo and at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York about the departure of Machar from South Sudan and his subsequent arrival to Congo on Wednesday.

Minister Lueth also said the changes, in which the president appointed Taban Deng Gai in place of Machar was an internal matter of armed opposition leadership and it was up to them to decide whether or not to welcome Machar and resume his position at the presidency as the first vice president when he returns.

“The government has nothing do with the changes in leadership of the SPLM-IO, whether Riek Machar comes back or not, that is an internal issue of the IO,” said Lueth.

Media covering Machar's departure from the country where troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and his army chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, tried to kill Machar in attacks since last month in and around Juba, have been questioned by the security personnel to say the source of information

Observers and security analysts are keen to underline that the motive of restricting media coverage about the departure of Machar from the country is to deny the public knowledge of his departure from the country.

Machar's departure is viewed a failure by government forces instructed to hunt him, many of whom claimed he was barricaded and it was a matter of time before he could surrender or get killed.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (JUBA) - United Nations headquarters in New York has revealed that its peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo airlifted the former First Vice President, Riek Machar, from the South Sudan-DRC border and transported him into the interior part of Congo on Wednesday.

Machar speaks on a mobile phone after an interview with Reuters in Kenya's capital Nairobi July 8, 2015

The UN said the Congolese government has been taking care of the opposition leader who is “exhausted” after five weeks in the bushes around the capital, Juba, and walking towards the DRC border.

The UN spokesperson, Farah Haq, said in a daily briefing to journalists in New York on Thursday that Machar was located in the border of South Sudan and DR Congo by the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).

“We have undergone an extraction operation and so he is currently in the care of the authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” said Haq in New York on Wednesday.

He said Machar was "treated" by the MONUSCO for illness he did not disclose. He said Machar's wife and ten other military generals have been given to the care of DR Congo government.

Machar's officials said their leader is doing fine but had “exhausted” from being in the wilderness for 40 days, walking on foot.

They said he will speak to the media in the next few days as he establishes contacts with leaderships of IGAD, AU and UN. The opposition leader whom they also consider as the legitimate first vice president in South Sudan is also expected to tour the IGAD member countries to share views on the way forward.

He fled Juba last month following street battle which started at the palace on 8 July and in his residence on 10 July between his small number of troops and huge number of forces loyal to President Salva Kiir.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir said he would step down from the presidency and remains away from politics at the end of his term in 2020.

President Omer Hassan al-Bashir (AFP photo)

Al-Bashir who came to power through a coup d'état in June 1989 will have ruled Sudan for 31 years by the year 2020.

In an interview with the Egyptian weekly, Al-Ahram, published on Friday, he said he would not run for a third mandate. "This a final position, God willing .. I ruled for two mandates that will end in 2020 and will not extend it, and the constitution will not be changed."

"I have spent more than twenty years and this is more than enough in Sudan. People want new blood and new impetus to continue construction and development processes," added, the 72-year president.

"We have a party and constitutional institutions and whoever is appointed as chairman of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) certainly would be a candidate for the (Sudan's) presidency," and added, "And then I'll leave the presidential residence and stay away from the world of politics."

The NCP Shura Council, in October 2014, choose al-Bashir again to be the party's candidate for the presidential elections of April 2015, in spite of his pledge earlier to not run for the office of President again.

Bashir is the first sitting head of state ever to be indicted in 2009 by the war crimes court, International Criminal Court (ICC).

His case contributed to the international isolation of the country which is hit by economic sanctions.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (WAU) – Mayor of Wau town municipal council in South Sudan's newly created Wau state, Akol Akol Ajith, said the security situation in Wau town has returned to normal following, owing it to the newly appointed governor, Andrea Mayar Acho.

SPLA forces patrol the street of Wau town on May 16, 2016 (ST)

He said the security organs operating in the town have been doing their level best throughout the night during their patrols.

“Since the incident of June 25, 2016, the town of Wau did not again witness any insecurity; the situation is normal but only what remains now is hunger, the remaining insecurity is now caused by thieves, those who are stealing at night,” said Ajith.

“Our civilians are now enjoying their night hours, if there is any gunshot at night, these are our night patrol dealing with the night robbers, therefore, our people should not panic,” he said.

The official further added that civilians who fled and were seeking shelter and protection at the United Nations compounds, in churches and schools have now started returning to their homes, indicating the security situation is stable.

“I want to tell our residents in Wau town that those who are at the UN and in the church are just going there during the day of receiving their food ration, nobody now [is] sleeping in these places; they are just going there to receive their food,” he said.

He further said that many of those who fled to UNMISS are people have lost their belongings and depend on the UN to provide them with basic necessities.

He also said the state government has done enough in protecting the civilians' lives by offering strong security against robbers at the residential areas.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), on Friday, said that one of its combatant died from tuberculosis (TB) in his cell at a prison in Khartoum, and accused the Sudanese authorities of refusing to provide the needed treatment to the prisoners of war.

Two JEM members attend their trial session in the city of Omdurman, Sudan Aug. 20, 2008 (File photo/AFP)

A statement by JEM Office of Prisoners and Detainees said the prisoner Mustafa Ismail Adam, died of TB on Thursday in his cell at al-Huda prison, north of Omdurman, where he was detained in a section of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

The rebel group said the deceased and others were captured after al-Nikhara battle in South Darfur on 26 April 2015.

"Since that date, the government authorities did not allow the prisoners to communicate with their families, provide them any therapeutic services or bring them to trial," said the group adding that about five prisoners have died from torture and ill-treatment, as well as 29 prisoners infected with TB

"They are on deathbed," stressed the statement.

In April 2015, the Rapid Support Forces militia defeated JEM fighters in South Darfur. At the time, President Omer al-Bashir travelled to al-Nikhara to celebrate their victory. Also, JEM leader Gibril Ibrahim admitted the defeat and the capture of his combatants.

An unofficial statistics released by the National Dialogue mechanism estimate that 93 prisoners from the rebel groups have been convicted, in addition to other rebels detained after several battles.

JEM called on "the United Nations, the African Union, the Red Cross and other international groups working against torture to intervene and put pressure on the Sudanese government "to save the lives of the rest of the prisoners in the prisons, transfer those who are ill to hospitals, allow them to communicate with their families and bring them to trial and lawyers to defend them."

(ST)

August 20, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese former First Vice President, Riek Machar, has thanked the United Nations system and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for relocating him from the border and taking care of him, his wife, Angelina Teny, and other senior officials with him.

Speaking through his official spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, who shared the message on his Facebook page on Friday, Machar also thank President Joseph Kabila of the DR Congo for his government's hospitality.

“The First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM/SPLA (IO), thanked the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or MONUSCO, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under the leadership of His Excellency President Joseph Kabila, for their hospitality by airlifting him and his officials from the South Sudan-DRC border and for taking goo care of him and his officials in the DRC.d care of him and his officials in the DRC,” Dak posted Machar's message on Facebook page.

Machar, he added, also congratulated the “gallant” opposition forces for courageous fight in self-defence in and around Juba, which successfully evacuated the senior political and military leadership of the armed faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO).

Dak also said his boss is fine, but “exhausted” due to 40 days of walking in the wilderness around Juba and towards the Congolese border.

He added that Machar, whom the SPLM-IO consider as the legitimate First Vice President, is establishing contacts with the leaderships of IGAD, AU and the UN, and will soon tour the IGAD member states.

Machar fled the capital when he was reportedly lured to the presidential palace to get killed, but escaped.

His residence was later on bombed by forces loyal to President Kiir and followed into the bushes around Juba with the aim to capture or kill him.

(ST)

August 19, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan has announced it was working to restart oil production in Unity state after more than a year of no operation due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

A Southern Sudanese soldier walks past a crude oil reservoir tank at a field processing facility in Unity State on November 10, 2010. (AFP)

A newly appointed Petroleum Minister, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, said in a statement broadcast by the state owned South Sudan TV on Thursday - after meeting Chinese ambassador to South Sudan - that President Salva Kiir has instructed the resumption of production of oil from unity and other areas in Upper Nile affected by the conflict.

“We have discussed and agreed to resume oil production in unity and other areas in Upper Nile. The president of the republic has given directives. We have also discussed and agreed to review oil contracts with Chinese companies to do exploration and to continue to operate until 2018. The current contracts will be reviewed and extended,” explained minister, a former ally of armed opposition leader and the first vice president, Riek Machar, but who defected because he was not given a national ministry portfolio by Machar.

It was not clear how the oil operations, which was shut down due to conflict, will now resume while the conflict itself has resumed.

The President Salva Kiir removed Machar from his position as first vice president and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai, a move the international community as well as armed opposition leadership, except those loyal to Gai, consider a violation of the peace deal.

Government troops bombarded Machar's residence in Juba and pursued him with his small number of troops as they fled Juba and beyond.

Leading non-armed opposition figures, including Lam Akol, met and held talks in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday with Machar's senior officials, where they described Machar's departure from Juba together with several other ministers as a major setback to the agreement.

They called for immediate deployment of protection force and argued that a delay to address the situation may undermine the main element of the power-sharing agreement between SPLM-Juba and SPLM-IO, the main peace partner in the peace deal.

(ST)

By Beny Gideon Mabor

“Our detractors have already written us off, even before the proclamation of our independence. They say we will slip into civil war as soon as our flag is hoisted. They justify that by arguing that we are incapable of resolving our problems through dialogue. They charge that we are quick to revert to violence. They claim that our concept of democracy and freedom is faulty. It is incumbent upon us to prove them all wrong. President Salva kiir Mayardit on South Sudan Independence Day, 9 July, 2011”.

Following what President Salva Kiir, said on Independence Day of 9 July, 2011 as quoted above, has to some extent answered whether South Sudanese in general and leaders in particular are capable to resolve their problems through dialogue or quick to revert to violence. Did South Sudanese prove their detractors wrong or right when they senselessly fight in mid-December 2013 and again on 8 July 2016 after the peace agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan referred to herein as the peace agreement was signed? Indeed, South Sudanese being currently led by leaders whose personal interests are above public interest seems to have failed the test of wise leadership to resolve problems amicably.

In the book of “Getting Past No: Negotiating Agreement With Difficult People, the author professor William Ury, provided what is called best alternative to a negotiated agreement or BATNA which is always a last resort to be kept in mind in the event the peace agreement fails. In South Sudan peace process, there was no BATNA mechanism, not because such techniques were not known by the negotiators at the time, but the peace agreement was negotiated based on too much assumptions and unrealistic structural functionalities. Instead, the BATNA by default or arrangement has now been a perpetual conflict after another that killed innocent lives and destruction of properties.

Besides this messed up of public affairs in a broad day light, there is no voice to correct the wrongdoings. The fact that majority of citizens are uneducated to know their rights and duties, gave a blank cheque to leaders to hold the whole country ransom for their selfish political gains every time and again. Chief amongst citizenry's rights and duties is a principle of social contract, a covenant that exists between them and their leaders as provided for in the constitution and the laws.

Citizens owe a duty to government to provide taxes and vote them into public offices and in return deserve provisions of security, basic services and development of all forms in an equally distributive manner. These were the core values and national vital interests upon which South Sudanese waged war against successive Sudanese regimes in order to become an independent county.

Two years after independence, South Sudanese leaders who acquired political and economic power at all costs either forget or deliberately compromise the very values and vital national interests that shaped peoples' historical revolution. The happiness for the birth of a new nation and expectations for prosperity were all turned into a nightmare exactly as South Sudanese flag was hoisted. Again, the world newest state did not only appear on all media outlet for corrupt practices worth of billions of US dollars, but acting entirely outside the legal framework. This is evident in the dismissal of elected officials in a manner not warranted by the law. It is a direct threat to principles of constitutionalism if it was there in the first place.

In my honest prediction of a likely failed state in April 2012, I said the achievement of independence alone without launching the process for state and nation building may risk turning the Republic of South Sudan into a failed state at foundational stage. Since July 2011 up to now, South Sudanese leaders and people were not and still not prepared to develop the important components of a functional state including but not limited to: national defence and security, economic development, foreign policy strategy and equitable political settlement. All these elements constitute firm basis for stable government and governance. Yet, they are being forsaken for reasons best know to the political leadership of the belligerent parties. The peace agreement was the only hope to rejuvenate these projects for state and nation building, but to no avail as of now.

The total breakdown of central command and order in the security systems which was apparently brought about in unrealistic security arrangements was seen on 8 July, 2016 when the joint presidential guards fought in the presidential palace. Subsequently, a full scaled war was sponsored by the principal parties to the peace agreement and South Sudanese were returned to square one again. Indeed, citizens are still in square one up to now despite desperate measures taken supposedly intended to save the peace agreement.

However much the international community tried their best now to bring back the belligerents to status quo, as provided by the recent communiqué of the IGAD plus Heads of state and government, yet one must be left with no option but to say it will exacerbate more warlords to form their tribal militias for the protection of the status quo and their bellies. The act of violence has taught South Sudanese leaders that it is only through which you can speak a reasonable position in the business of politic and power.

On the issue of accountability, the SPLM-led government is entrenching on ruling clique basis and kleptocracy. The national army and other law enforcement units together with ruling SPLM party are almost faces of the same coin. So far evidence shows that army officials are as well leaders of ruling SPLM party including the current Chief of Staff of the army Gen Paul Malong who doubled as chairman of SPLM party at sub national level in Northern Bhar el Gazal State. There is no check and balance right from domestic laws to the regional and international legal instruments on social, economic, political and legal accountability to which South Sudan is a member state.

Last but not least, I would briefly remind South Sudanese citizens and the world that 18 July, 2016 mark one year after peace agreement was signed last year and the country is now broiling in yet another civil war. In the implementation matrix, every substantial part of the peace agreement is behind schedule by more than five months.

The following thematic areas have to do with little or not being done at all namely: transitional security arrangements comprise of ceasefire and transitional security arrangements monitoring mechanism, strategic defense and security review, join military ceasefire commission, the establishment of new institutions and subsequent reform agenda in all public sectors and transitional justice mechanisms amongst others . All these slow progresses are caused by total lack of political will to implement the peace deal.

The government should understand the concept of state sovereignty cannot be exercised in the vacuum, but people are the supreme organ of government, and if there are reasons to believe that the government has failed to implement the peace agreement and protect citizens and their properties, the concept of responsibility to protect R2P shift in and this must be understands in the spirit of cooperation.

In light of the above findings, read together with the regional and international community intervention approach as a result of UN Security Council Resolution 2304 (2016) and IGAD plus Heads of State and Government, it must be made loud and clear that South Sudanese are not alone in this crisis and there is no usual business anymore. Let the transitional government in accordance with the recommendations of the regional bodies and desire for peace unconditionally resumes the implementation of the peace agreement in latter and sprit.

Beny Gideon is South Sudanese private lawyer and a member of Strategic Defence and Security Review Board. He was part of the IGAD plus peace process for South Sudan representing civil society organizations. He can be reached via benygmabor@gmail.com

August 20, 2016 (JUBA) - The command of South Sudan army (SPLA) announced on Saturday that it will on Monday hold multiple military drills of the rapid reaction forces.

SPLA soldiers stand to attention at a containment site outside Juba on April 14, 2016 (AFP Photo)

The event, according to a statement from the army, will involve the use of different weapons as well as aircraft and helicopters in the drills which will be carried out at Gorom.

Military sources say the recruits largely drawn by the ethnic group of President Salva Kiir and his army chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, have been trained by foreign instructors from Egypt and neigbouring Uganda to perform airborne landing to seize an enemy's airfield and retain it until the arrival of the main forces.

The recruits also received an advance reconnaissance detachment training about the Airborne Force held reconnaissance and tactics related to search operations, camouflage blocked and destroyed the command posts of illegal armed formations after seizing bridge-crossing sites in the area of responsibility of the rapid reaction collective forces.

“The SPLA GHQs has announced that the SPLA Military Academy in Gorom shall be conducting live fire exercise on Monday 22nd August from 0600 hours to 1100 hours. The drill is aimed at honing the assault intensity, precision, stability and speed of troops”, the statement obtained by the Sudan Tribune and widely circulated on social and other media sources for purpose of information reads in part.

It urged residents of Gorom to avoid the area for their own safety. The direction of fire will be West and Northwest. It also urged the public not to panic.

The recruits shall be conducting the exercise using AK-47 assault rifles, PKM light machine guns and RPG launchers, the army's statement further stressed.

(ST)

August 20, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudan's newly appointed first vice president, Taban Deng Gai has conditioned stepping down from his position, asserting that his predecessor should first accept to cut down his security details before resuming office.

New South Sudan FVP Taban Deng Gai and his delegation upon arrival in Nairobi, Tuesday, 16 August 2016 (ST Photo)

Taban Deng Gai, a former chief negotiator during peace talks between government of president Kiir and armed opposition, told reporters in Kenya that he has managed to create a better working relationship at the presidency than did his predecessor.

“We are moving forward. If Riek comes and he conditioned that for the country to have peace, that he must return to the palace we shall discuss that, including that Riek if you go back to your office this time, you don't have huge army to move with you. This time you listen to the voices of the people that people of South Sudan will not need crisis any longer”, said Gai.

He reiterated that he would only step down if doing so would bring peace to the country.

“I am also telling you if my stepping down can bring peace to South Sudan I'm ready when time comes. But what I am doing now I am not delaying the implementation of peace waiting for anybody, I am to the task, I am capable of delivery. I managed to create harmony now in the presidency in the government of national unity”, he added.

He claimed that a faction of the SPLM-IO members who could not escape following the fighting that happened in July asked themselves whether to stick to peace or allow the country to return to war.

“I'm glad to inform you that the leadership of the SPLM in Opposition has decided to stick to the position of implementing peace, because the country has no option better than continuing with the implementation of the peace. The country needs peace," said Gai.

The former rebel chief negotiator further explained that the peace agreement is good for the people of South Sudan and can take them out of crisis and move forward in the road of peace and reconciliation and bring about the development of the country. He claimed that what was lacking after formation of unity government was a cohesive leadership in the country, saying the presidency did not have a good working relationship.

"The council of ministers of the transitional government of national unity was also not cohesive. The former chairman of SPLA IO was leading a parallel government in Juba. There was nothing to be called a team, even you members of the press who were in Juba witnessed that the existence of parallel armies is what brought crisis that led to the killing in Juba and the former FVP moving away from Juba”, explained Gai.

He also said he did not follow Machar since the latter opted to fight another civil war.

“I and the leadership of SPLA IO decided to remain in Juba to implement peace”, added Gai.

(ST)

August 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Saturday has met with the UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, just hours ahead of South Sudan's First Vice-President Taban Deng arrival in Khartoum.

In press statements following the meeting, Haysom said he discussed with al-Bashir regional issues particularly the situation in South Sudan as well as the outstanding issues between Juba and Khartoum.

He added they also discussed progress in the national dialogue besides the role played by the East African regional bloc (IGAD) in the region and the continent in general.

Meanwhile, Sudan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Gharib Allah Khidir told the official news agency (SUNA) that First Vice-President Gai would arrive in Khartoum on Sunday in a three-day visit.

Former Vice-President Riek Machar left South Sudan over fears for his safety after government forces mounted a military offensive hunting for him after he fled the capital Juba when fighting broke out between 8-11 July.

President Salva Kiir later sacked him as first vice-president and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai, one of his senior officials in his movement before falling out with him after failing appointment of oil ministry.

Khidir added that Gai would be accompanied by a senior delegation including defence and oil ministers besides the director of military intelligence, saying they would discuss with al-Bashir and his First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Salih the ongoing developments in South Sudan.

“This is an important visit given that Taban Deng had participated in the recent IGAD summit and he visited some member states [of the regional bloc],” he said.

Khidir stressed that Sudan would continue to make efforts to converge views among the warring parties in South Sudan within the framework of IGAD's vision and resolutions in order to achieve peace and stability in the neighbouring nation.

Last Tuesday, Gai briefed the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on the efforts to implement the peace agreement in South Sudan particularly with regard to the security arrangements.

He is expected to seek Khartoum support an agreement he reached with President Salva Kiir providing to integrate all the SPLA-Io troops from now on wards before the end of the transitional period.

(ST)