By Steve Paterno In a last ditch effort to exert some semblance of influence over South Sudan, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is finally bracing to table a US proposed sanctions regime against South Sudan for up or down vote. The efforts to impose sanctions against South Sudan have been tried several times at the Council, and all failed. These proposals have never been attracting enough support necessary to sail through for adaptation. Hence, they have been hampered on very many occasions.
Despite the uphill battle, the US administration, which is responsible for these sanctions regime against South Sudan at UNSC, has ever been relentless and adamant that it finally decided to risk it for a vote, coming December 23, 2016. Thus far, it is reported that the bidding garner only seven votes in favor, short by far of a minimum threshold required for passage. Nevertheless, this may yet presents the ultimate opportunity for a lame-duck American administration to exercise some political leverage over South Sudan, if there is any.
Ever since the war broke out in South Sudan three years ago, the US administration has been growing frustratingly against the leaders of South Sudan—the very leaders who are being blamed for the conflict. United States along with its allies argue that targeted sanctions that include armed embargo, asset freeze, and travel restrictions on responsible individuals, among other punitive measures would go a long way in resolving the deteriorating security, economic, and humanitarian situation currently afflicting the country.
In spite of this view, other members of the UNSC stand in stark contrast, offering completely different perspectives. For example, Japan is arguing that it prefers to contribute toward South Sudan in a more ‘pragmatical and constructive’ ways. For its part, Japan already has boots on the ground as parcel of a peacekeeping contingent and is also very much involved in developmental projects in the country. A Japanese foreign ministry official is quoted by news outlets as saying, "we can’t accept America’s proposal.” The said official further underscores that it is “extremely rare” for his country to disagree with its closest ally, the US on pertinent issues such as this. China, a very important voting member also publicly expresses its reservations by opposing sanctions against South Sudan.
The African countries and some of the other voting bloc in the Council stand firmly in solidarity with South Sudan by rejecting the notion of sanctions as unwarranted at this point. And as for Russia, another important permanent Security Council member, it is asserted that it does not even maintain diplomatic channel of communications with America, because of a long running feuds. So, these two countries ain’t even talking to one another as the US is making rounds in trying to pursuit other members of the Council to approve the motion. As such, this proposed motion is doomed to failure.
Even then, the most significant point to highlight is to ask the fundamental questions: are sanctions against South Sudan necessary and if so, would it achieve its intended objectives? The short answer is that the long history of sanctions often produces adverse effects. This will be the exact scenario awaiting in the case of South Sudan.
Sudan denies accepting humanitarian access from abroad
December 28, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - A senior Sudanese official on Wednesday has denied Khartoum’s acceptance to deliver some of the humanitarian aid to the rebel-held areas in Blue Nile State through Ethiopia.
After a series of talks in Addis Ababa between 9 to 14 August, the Sudanese government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) failed to sign a humanitarian access agreement.
SPLM-N demands to bring 20 percent of the humanitarian assistance to the affected areas directly from Ethiopia. The Sudanese delegation rejected the demand insisting all the aid should come via the government controlled areas.
On Tuesday, the dissident leading figure of the National Umma Party (NUP) Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi disclosed that the Sudanese government accepted that 20 percent of the humanitarian aid passes through Ethiopia.
“U.S. Special Envoy, Donald Booth has successfully got the government acceptance of the SPLM-N demand to transport 20% of the humanitarian assistance through Asosa by the USAID,” said al-Fadil before to stress that this step represents “a significant concession” from the government, and paves the way for the signing of the humanitarian cessation of hostilities.
Booth was in Khartoum last month where he held talks with the Sudanese officials, but none of the parties announced the government’s acceptance of this step or the resumption of the talks.
However, Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed Adam on Wednesday told Sudan Tribune that the government “didn’t change its stance against the direct delivery of assistance from abroad to the Two Areas”.
“We stick to our refusal for the cross-border assistance … this principled position hasn’t changed … and we wouldn’t allow humanitarian relief access without passing through an internal inspection,” he added.
Adam pointed that Sudan doesn’t reject humanitarian aid delivery from abroad, saying they continue to receive relief from various countries and foreign aid groups.
“The crux of the controversy lies in the direct delivery of external aid to locations outside the Sudanese government control because this is inconsistent with the sovereignty, national laws, and the United Nations’ principles of aid distribution,” he said.
It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N on Wednesday has denied Khartoum’s acceptance to deliver some of the humanitarian aid through Ethiopia and described al-Fadil statements as “inaccurate”.
South Kordofan and neighbouring Blue Nile states, also known as the “Two Areas” have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and Sudanese army since 2011. (ST)
January 2, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit would visit Khartoum during the coming days to meet President Omer al-Bashir to discuss outstanding issues between the two countries, said Foreign Minister Deng Alor.
South Sudan former cabinet affairs minister Deng Alor Koul(Photo: Moses Lomoyat)
Last November, al-Bashir and Salva Kiir met on the sidelines of the 4th Africa-Arab Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
The two presidents agreed to communicate directly to solve problems the joint committees encounter in their discussions to implement the signed agreements between the two neighbouring countries.
Alor, who conveyed a verbal message from Salva Kiir to al-Bashir on Monday, said he had good discussions with al-Bashir, announcing that Salva Kiir would visit Sudan to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties.
Responding to a question about Khartoum’s recent demand from Juba to expel Sudanese rebel who are still in its territory, Alor said he discussed the issue with al-Bashir and the Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour.
He pointed they agreed that al-Bashir would invite Salva Kiir to visit Khartoum to end this problem, saying the mutual accusations on harbor and support of rebels have adversely impacted on the provision of services in both nations especially South Sudan.
On Sunday, Khartoum urged South Sudan to implement its pledges and to expel Sudanese rebel who are still in the troubled country.
South Sudan’s top diplomat added that he came to Khartoum to participate at the commemoration of 61st anniversary of Sudan’s Independence Day, saying he also met with Ghandour.
For his part, Ghandour said Salva Kiir’s message pertains to bilateral ties and ways to implement the cooperation agreement in accordance with the outcome of the two presidents meeting in Malabo.
He pointed that Salva Kiir’s visit to Khartoum aims to complete discussions on the outstanding issues, saying the Joint Political and Security Committee (JPSC) is following up on the implementation of these issues.
Ghandour further said he discussed with Alor issues of mutual interest and in particular ways to coordinate positions on regional and international issues especially with regard to East African nations.
South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.
Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan’s independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues including mutual allegations pertaining to harbor and support of rebels.
In September 2012, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others.
In March 2013, the two countries signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements. However, the execution of the agreements didn’t go according to the plan. (ST)
South Sudan inflation rates, more than 17 percent in October, are now over800 percent, severely affecting prices and supply availability in certain markets within the rebel-controlled areas of the Nuba Mountains. Since December 2015 when South Sudan’s central bank abandoned fixed exchange rates, the value of the South Sudan Pound (SSP) has tumbled with the value decreasing on a near daily basis.
Not all markets in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) areas of the Nuba Mountains are severely affected. But those that use the South Sudanese currency are facing unprecedented price hikes and shortages of basic goods. The price of one marwa (3.7 kilograms) of sorghum, a staple crop, is now more than ten times the price in December of last year, according to the SPLM-N Secretary of Finance, Carlo John.
The extreme price hikes are also linked to poor October-November harvestsdue to scant rains in August and September. Poor rainfall has stunted crop growth, severely compromising the short maturing sorghum harvest in this region. Many in the central Nuba Mountains are seeking food relief for staple crops despite this being harvest season.
In October, the SPLM-N attempted to control prices in key markets to help consumers with the high inflation by reducing prices roughly to a third of the inflationary market value. But with an ever-increasing SSP and no government funds to subsidize traders, the price controls proved untenable as traders worked at a loss. The exercise was scrapped by the end of November after markets emptied and supply-demand ratios were exacerbated.
What it means…
The unstable South Sudanese currency is a by-product of the three-year insecuritythat has plagued South Sudan, especially the surge in violence that took place in July this year within the capital, Juba. Goods formerly available from Yida market in Ruweng State via Juba are now severely reduced, affecting market prices in the Nuba Mountains further.
The finance ministry within the rebel-controlled areas have also attempted to reduce the amount of South Sudanese currency available within the Nuba Mountains. But the circulation of SSP is high while access to more stable currencies remains low. Authorities are now attempting to enforce limits of SSP currency allowed to enter the region.
The hyperinflation of the SSP is already exacerbating food insecurity among populations within the Nuba Mountains, especially those displaced by the conflict. According to the Food Security Monitoring Unit (FSMU), food insecurity rates worsened between April and June 2016, with 38 percent of internally displaced facing severe hunger.
Markets in the Wadaka Payam of Blue Nile State are also detrimentally affected by the hyperinflation of the South Sudanese currency. Traders have reportedly stopped selling goods in markets due to the falling SSP value and insecurity. Markets in Yabus, Bala and Moguf in Blue Nile are also severely affected by the closure of the border between Ethiopia and Sudan by authorities in August and September.
Reverend Kuwa Shamal, one of four men on trial in Sudan for national security-related crimes, was released from prison on 2 January 2017, after the trial judge concluded there was no evidence against him and dismissed the charges.
However the judge confirmed the charges against Reverend Hassan Abduraheem, Mr Petr Jašek and Mr Adbulmonem Abdumawla, whose trial is set to continue. A hearing has been scheduled for Monday 9 January 2017, when the defence teams will present their cases.
The case against the men centres on the provision of funds for the medical treatment of Mr Ali Omer, a young man from Darfur who was injured in a demonstration in 2013. After learning of Mr Omer’s plight, Mr Jašek travelled to Khartoum in December 2015 to meet him and donate $5000 toward his treatment. The meeting was facilitated by Reverend Abduraheem, who Mr Jašek met at an international conference in November 2015, and Mr Abdumawla, who is a friend of Mr Omer’s and had been collecting funds for his treatment.
As he was leaving Sudan, Mr Jašek was searched at Khartoum Airport by National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) agents, who found a receipt for the $5,000 donation, signed by Reverend Abduraheem and Mr Abdumawla. They arrested Mr Jašek and confiscated his personal belongings, including his mobile phone, laptop and camera.
The prosecution alleges that the $5,000 Mr Jašek donated to Mr Omer’s treatment was in reality support for rebel movements in the South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur regions. By framing the case in this manner, NISS has attempted to exploit the fact that Reverends Abduraheem and Shamal are originally from the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan and Mr Abdumawla is from Darfur.
The trial, which started in August 2016 had been subject to several postponements and delays. On 26 December 2016, the prosecution called their final witness and concluded their case. On 28 December 2016, the trial judge questioned the four defendants and adjourned the proceedings in order to decide whether the trial should continue.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide's (CSW’s) Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said, "CSW welcomes the judge's decision to release Reverend Shamal after finding no evidence against him. However we are disappointed that the trial of Reverend Abduraheem, Mr Jašek and Mr Abdumawla continues despite being based on the same evidence that was deemed to be insufficient in Reverend Shamal's case. In reality, none of them have committed the serious crimes with which they have been charged. We urge the Sudanese government to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of these men, who have been detained since December 2015, simply for an act of kindness."
Sudan frees one pastor, a second is kept behind bars
One of two pastors in Sudan accused of crimes against the state has been freed while a judge has upheld the charges against a second.
Rev Kuwa Shamal Abazmam Kurri (pictured above, left) faced the death penalty or life imprisonment if he had been found guilty, however, a court has concluded there is no evidence to proceed in his trial.
Fellow church leader, Rev Hassan Abduraheem Kodi Taour (pictured above, right) - along with two other men - has, however, had his charges confirmed and still faces the death penalty if found guilty.
The pair, along with Abdulmonem Abdumawla Issa Abdumawla and Czech national Petr Jasek, were arrested in December 2015.
Abdumawla and Jazek have also had their charges of committing crimes against the state confirmed by a judge on Monday, to the disappointment of Christian campaign group Middle East Concern.
Clockwise from top-left: Rev Hassan Abduraheem, Petr Jasek, Rev Kuwa Shamal, Abdumonem Abdumawla
The Christian organisation had previously branded the accusations levelled against the four men as "spurious" and had demanded that they all be released.
Speaking with Premier ahead of Monday's court hearing, Miles Windsor from Middle East Concern gave an update on the condition of the four men.
He said: "Obviously, it's frustrating and painful to have to spend another Christian in prison in Sudan but my understanding is that they're doing OK."
Sudan (MNN) — 2017 is starting out on a note of praise for Rev. Kuwa Shamal Abazmam Kurri (pictured left), the head of the mission office of the Sudan Church of Christ.
Rev. Shamal freed in Sudan. (Photo courtesy of Middle East Concern)
Rev. Shamal, along with Rev. Abduraheem (pictured right) and Mr. Abdumawla — Sudanese nationals — and Mr. Jašek, a Czech citizen, have been behind bars in Sudan for over a year facing serious state charges. However, on January 2nd, Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs USA says, “The judge ruled there was not enough evidence to continue the charges and the trial against him, and he was set to be released to his family.”
It’s great news that’s tempered by this, “The charges against the other three continue. We believe there will be another hearing next Monday continuing the trial against them.”
(Photo courtesy of VOM)
Citing both the Middle East Concern and Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports, Nettleton says the three raised money to treat a badly burned young man who had taken part in a student protest in 2013. When the group was arrested, the money was confiscated, and charges were leveled that included (for Jasek) waging war against the state, violating restrictions in military areas, spreading rumors to defame the state, espionage, and inciting strife between communities. Abduraheem and Abdumawla will only be tried for the last two of these charges.
“The trial will continue on Monday”, Nettleton says, adding that they’ll finally get a look at the legal team’s strategy. “Our understanding is the prosecution is now finished. Starting on Monday, the defense lawyers will be able to present their case.”
If convicted, the punishment for some of the charges could include the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The good news: “It seems like the fact that the judge has already looked at the evidence in the case of one of the pastors and said, ‘There’s simply not enough evidence to hold this man; you’re free to go,’ hopefully, that will happen with the others as well, because the evidence against all of them is basically the same.”
VOM’s association with the case? “We do have a connection with Mr. Jasek, the Czech brother. He has helped us to deliver aid in Sudan as well as in Northern Nigeria. That kind of makes it a personal connection, the fact that he’s helped us deliver aid in those countries.” VOM’s PrisonerAlert explains it this way:
While his work has always been humanitarian in nature, the Sudanese government has sought to characterize him as a “filmmaker” who was conspiring against the Sudanese state. They claim that his donation toward medical care for the injured young man was actually support for South Sudanese rebels.
(Screen capture courtesy of Prayercast)
VOM is encouraging people to write a letter of encouragement to Mr. Jasek. You may mail your letter in care of the Sudan Embassy in Washington, D.C., to let Sudan’s government know that Christians around the world are aware of his case and are concerned for these falsely accused men. Then, pray: “Pray for them physically and emotionally that they’ll be encouraged, protected, and strong. Pray for their families, that they’ll be encouraged as well. We hope this is coming to a close. We hope soon there will be a pronouncement that all of these men are innocent, just as we celebrate the release of Pastor Kuwa [Shamal].”
KHARTOUM, Sudan (BP) — A court in Khartoum, Sudan, released a pastor from prison Jan. 2 after acquitting him of charges punishable by the death penalty, sources said.
Kwa (also spelled Kuwa) Shamaal was acquitted of charges ranging from spying to inciting hatred against the government, his attorney Muhanad Nur said.
“Yes, he was released today after the court found that he was not guilty of the charges brought against him,” said Nur, part of the team of lawyers defending Shamaal and three other Christians.
Head of missions of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC), Shamaal had been arrested without charges from his home more than a year ago on Dec. 18, 2015. Three other Christians are also facing charges, and Nur expressed hope for their release. The next court hearing is scheduled for Jan 9.
SCOC church leaders expressed joy upon Shamaal’s release. “Thank God for his release,” one leader said. “We were sure he was innocent.”
The court charged Shamaal’s colleague Hassan Abdelrahim Tawor, Czech aid worker Petr Jasek and Abdulmonem Abdumawla of Darfu with crimes against the state punishable by death. The charges include espionage, waging war against the state and gathering false news information, as well as inciting hatred between classes. Tawor, also a pastor, had been arrested on the same day as Shamaal.
Shamaal was released three days after his 2015 arrest and had been required to report daily to the offices of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) until Jan. 16, 2016. But he was re-arrested on May 25.
Both Shamaal and Tawor were charged with trying to tarnish the image of Sudan’s government by collecting information on Christian persecution and genocide in the Nuba Mountains. The charges included collecting information for “other parties hostile to Sudan.” The pastors were accused of conducting intelligence activities and providing material support for Nuba rebels in South Kordofan under two charges that carry the death penalty — waging war against the state (Article 51 of the Sudanese Criminal Code) and spying (Article 53).
Arrested in December 2015 on similar charges were Jasek and Abdumawla, who initially said he was Muslim but later admitted he was Christian. Abdumawla was arrested after he began collecting money to help a friend, Ali Omer, who needed treatment for burns suffered in a student demonstration. Abdumawla contacted Tawor, who donated money for Omer’s treatment and thereby raised the ire of Sudanese authorities, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said.
Prosecutors charged Jasek with “tarnishing Sudan’s image” by documenting persecution. He is also charged with waging war against the state, reportedly based on an accusation that he gave money to “some individuals” in South Kordofan in 2012, allegedly including rebel fighters.
At one hearing, NISS official Abbas el Tahir accused the defendants of conducting “hostile activities against the state that threaten the national and social security” in Sudan, according to Netherlands-based Radio Dabanga.
“Since 2012, we banned organizations or individuals working against Sudan,” El Tahir reportedly said. “However, these NGOs still work and plan to threaten the national security and harm the society’s interest.” He accused aid organizations of publishing false reports against Sudan.
Foreign diplomats and international rights activists have taken notice of the case since Morning Star News broke the story of the arrest of the two pastors in December 2015. Their arrest is seen as part of a recent upsurge in harassment of Christians.
Most SCOC members have roots among the ethnic Nuba in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan’s South Kordofan state, where the government is fighting an insurgency. The Nuba along with other Christians in Sudan face discrimination, as President Omar Al-Bashir has vowed to introduce a stricter version of Sharia (Islamic law) and recognize only Islamic culture and Arabic language.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir in connection with war crimes in Darfur. Due to its treatment of Christians and other human rights violations, Sudan has been designated a Country of Particular Concern by the U.S. State Department since 1999, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended the country remain on the list in its 2016 report.
Sudan ranked eighth on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2016 World Watch List of countries where Christians face most persecution.
UN envoy calls to achieve full peace between Sudan and South Sudan
January 4, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom on Wednesday has called for the need to achieve total peace between the two neighbouring countries.
Haysom, who met with the Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir in Khartoum Wednesday, said the “international community seeks to restore normal relations between Khartoum and Juba and create opportunities to achieve development and stability in South Sudan”.
He called for the need to achieve full peace between Sudan and South Sudan through continued contacts.
The UN envoy told reporters that he discussed with al-Bashir the conditions in the two nations and the role that could be played by Sudan as a member of the regional bloc IGAD to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan.
“The meeting also reviewed relations between Khartoum and Juba and how they could cooperate to achieve peace and stability in the region,” he said.
It is noteworthy that Haysom, who was appointed last March, visited Khartoum in August and discussed with al-Bashir regional issues particularly the situation in South Sudan as well as the outstanding issues between Juba and Khartoum.
South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9th 2011 following a referendum on whether the semi-autonomous region should remain a part of the country or become independent. 99% of the southern voters chose independence.
Relations between the two nations soured after South Sudan’s independence following a series of disputes over a number of issues including mutual allegations pertaining to harbour and support of rebels.
In September 2012, both Sudan and South Sudan signed a series of cooperation agreements, which covered oil, citizenship rights, security issues, banking, border trade among others.
In March 2013, the two countries signed an implementation matrix for these cooperation agreements. However, the execution of the agreements didn’t go according to the plan.
MEETING FM AND PRESIDENTIAL AIDE
In the same context, Haysom discussed with Sudan’s presidential aide Ibrahim Mahmoud and Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour the situation in the region and the progress of implementation of agreements signed between Khartoum and Juba.
Ghandour briefed the UN envoy on the situation in Sudan especially with regard to efforts to achieve comprehensive peace and implementation of the national dialogue conference.
He also reviewed the current situation of relations with South Sudan, particularly regarding Juba’s implementation of the requirements of the cooperation agreements and especially the security and political aspects. (ST)
South Sudan is planning to increase its oil production in the coming days as oil prices increase following last month’s Opec agreement to cap output, a top diplomat in South Sudan embassy told Gulf News.
"We are planning to increase oil production as oil prices go up to increase our revenue and expand the ways of oil industry,” said Mayom Alier, Deputy Head of mission in South Sudan embassy in Abu Dhabi.
He did not give a specific figure to what extent output is expected to rise but said they are trying to reach the levels of 500,000 barrels per day which the country was producing when the conflict began in 2013.
The current oil production of South Sudan, which is heavily dependent on oil revenue, is about 130,000 barrels per day.
The country’s oil output plummeted due to conflict following the rebellion of former vice president Riek Machar in 2013 and the escalation of fighting in the subsequent months.
According to the diplomat, 98 per cent of the country’s budget is dependent on oil revenue and the drop in oil prices has heavily impacted its economy.
“We suffered the most due to low oil prices. Rise in oil prices is a good news for us.”
South Sudan has the third largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and Angola.
The main oil companies operating in the country include China National Petroleum Corporation, India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Malaysia’s Petronas.
The landlocked country does not have oil infrastructure and uses the pipeline in its northern neighbour Sudan to transport its crude oil to the international market.
South Sudan is also trying to strengthen its trade ties with the UAE, but it is yet to sign protection of investment agreement and double taxation avoidance agreement with the emirates.
“South Sudan offers investment opportunities in tourism, oil industry and in agriculture sectors for the UAE government to invest,” said Alier.
“We have enormous resources that are yet to be tapped. As the UAE mulls investment in various countries, South Sudan could be a good option in future specially in areas of food security.”
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi 2014.
Opec (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and non-Opec members reached an agreement on November 30 to slash production by about 1.8 million barrels per day starting this week to stabilise oil prices.
International benchmark, Brent surged by more than 20 per cent following the agreement and is currently trading at more than $56 per barrel. Source: Gulf News
The Red Sea University administration has decided to postpone the examinations, which began last week, until 10 January, following an extensive boycott by students.
The boycott, which began last week, https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/students-injured-as-police-raid-port-sudan-boycott-action resulted in police storming the campus with sticks and tear gas. Dozens of students were arrested and the university administration banned 21 students from entering the campus.
The action is in protest against the deterioration of the academic environment, and the loss of personal belongings such as computers and mobile phones during a police raid on the boarding house of the Seaports Corporation last month.
The students told Radio Dabanga that they would only sit for the examinations once their demands are met. These include the cancellation of the complaints filed against the students of the Seaports boarding house, compensating the students for the property they lost during the police storming of their boarding house, improving the boarding house environment, the dismissal of the director of student support fund, and the abolition of the decisions issued by the university administration to ban 21 students from the campus, in preparation for bringing them to investigation council.
Admin response
The university administration said the decision to postpone the exams came in response to a number of initiatives, including an initiative by General Union of Sudanese Students.
Professor Ahmed Mohammed Ali, the Dean of Students Affairs of the University of the Red Sea explained in an interview with Radio Dabanga that the exam postponement period is sufficient for the students to prepare for the exams themselves.
He criticised what he described as “sabotaging the examinations and the use of methods of incitement and intimidation of students”.
He justified the administration’s use of the police to stop what he called “destroying of the exam papers and preserving the lives of the students”.
National Students Fund
Prof Ali denied that the university administration was slow in resolving the recent crisis related to the National Students Fund.
He said that the relationship between the university administration and fund is based on coordination, but the university administration sometimes intervenes to complete some aspects of the service deficiencies without being obligated to do so.
He announced the university administration's suspension of the decision of banning 21 students from entering the university so that they can sit for the exams.
He stressed that the university has received the demands of the students and submitted them to the National Students Fund.
Sennar University
On Monday the Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Sennar issued a decision suspending political activity at the university indefinitely after the university has seen violence during last week.
The statement pointed that the purpose of exercise of political activity within the university is to build the student's personality; it has become unwise by causing violence and destabilisation of the university life.
The statement also prohibited the exercise of political activity through cultural associations and organisations and warned to suspend them in case they do so inside the campus.
Khartoum, Sudan, Jan 8, 2017 / 06:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Charges have been dropped against one Christian pastor in Sudan, but another pastor could face execution for what his defenders say are trumped-up charges based on animosity toward their religion.
In November 2015, Kuwa Shamal and Hassan Abduraheem attended a Christian conference where Abduraheem was a speaker, according to the American Center for Law and Justice, which is supporting the pastors.
During his speech, Abduraheem showed a picture of a young man who was beaten badly for attending a demonstration. The pastor said he was helping pay for his medical treatment.
In December 2015, the two pastors were arrested by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services, which claimed their financial aid constituted support for rebel forces in the country's South Kordofan region, part of which is contested with South Sudan.
The American Center for Law and Justice alleged that the charges were “trumped-up” and said the two were on trial for their Christian faith.
A judge dropped all charges against Shamal Jan. 2 and released him to his family.
Abduraheem and two other men standing trial continue to face many charges, including espionage and agitating hatred between classes. They could be sentenced to death if convicted. Their fellow defendants are Petr Jasek, a Christian aid worker from the Czech Republic, and Abdulmonem Abdumawla Issa Abdumawla, a graduate student and activist from Darfur.
Shamal and Abduraheem's case was noted on Twitter in August 2016 by David Saperstein, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
The American Center for Law and Justice welcomed the end of charges against Shamal, while continguing to call for prayer and advocacy for Abduraheem.
At least 90 percent of Sudan's population is Muslim, and sharia is the source of the nation's legislation. Apostasy from Islam is punishable by the death penalty.
Since 1999, the U.S. state department has listed Sudan as a country of particular concern due to religious freedom violations.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which advises the U.S. government, has said in a recent report that Sudan’s government “continues to engage in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief.” The report noted that the country’s “restrictive interpretation” of sharia is imposed on both Muslims and non-Muslims.
International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need noted in its 2016 Religious Freedom Report that Sudan's constitution was amended to “widen and increase” the power of the National Intelligence and Security Services, which has impacted “human resources issues and the prosecution of individuals, media outlets and organisations for alleged breaches of the law.”
Open Doors' 2016 World Watch List ranked Sudan eighth in a list of 50 countries where Christians are most persecuted.
Meriam Ibrahim, a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death for alleged apostasy from Islam, was evacuated from her Sudanese homeland in July 2014. She was allowed to leave Sudan only after several months of imprisonment, and intense international pressure was brought to bear on her situation.
Sudan scored a 12 out of 100 in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking ahead of only Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia.
Most journalists in war-torn South Sudan, a country where inflation is said to be close to 900 percent, are earning even less than security guards.
In fact, it is estimated that the majority of people with jobs are now poorer than they were three years ago. Also, the South Sudanese pound in which they get paid in has dropped 90 percent of its value since the country gained independence in 2011.
Oliver Modi, a South Sudanese veteran journalist and chairman of South Sudan Union of Journalists, said the situation of media men and women in the country was dire.
"Some security guards at financially stable companies get better salaries than local journalists, it is tough," Modi said.
Moreover, journalists in South Sudan were being exploited by their employers, he said, adding the prevailing situation was creating not only below par levels of professionalism, but a hatred for the profession itself by media practitioners.
"For instance, The Juba Monitor, South Sudan’s leading newspaper pays its journalists just about 4,000 South Sudanese pounds [around $45] per month," Modi said.
The salary is even worse for government-funded media outlets, which pay their reporters 1,000 pounds (approximately $15) per month, he added.
But then even such a pittance is considered a fortunate deal by some in South Sudan, where tens of thousands of people have died and 2.4 million people forced from their homes since conflict broke out in December 2013.
An additional one million people have been pushed below the poverty line in what was already one of the poorest countries in the world, according to observers.
Even though a fragile peace agreement was signed in August 2015, violence continues and 4.3 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, a figure that is expected to increase in the coming months.
Media outlets shutting down
An economic collapse exacerbated by four years of civil war in South Sudan has resulted in the closure of scores of businesses and the loss of jobs has not spared the country’ s media sector. At least 20 media houses have been shut down so far.
Alfred Taban, chairman of the Association for Media Development in South Sudan, said: “Media houses especially prints have been affected by the crashing economy currently facing the country.”
Alfred said the cost of printing newspapers has more than doubled due to the economic meltdown.
The situation now looks grim, especially for the print media in the country. “Most of print media in the country closed down last year due to high costs of operation,” he said.
The country’s biggest newspaper Juba Monitor is entrenching. In the past three years, circulation has dwindled from 4,000 to 1,500. The paper could fold if a buyer is not found soon, the paper’s Editor, Anna Nimiriano, revealed.
“We were printing 4,000 [copies] in 2013 until we reduced it to 2,500 copies but now we print 1,500 because of this increased printing cost,” Nimiriano said.
At least 15 newspapers, two radio stations and three TV stations in South Sudan have been shut down since March 2014, according to a source close to the media industry. More than 300 jobs have vaporized in that time, the source added.
There used to be seven dailies and four weekly English language newspapers as well as six Arabic newspapers, but now there are just three English dailies and an Arabic paper left in the market.
Early last year, most newspapers were selling a copy at 10 pounds ($1.5) each, but now a copy sells for 25 pounds ($2.5).
Commenting on the closure of media houses, Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit said the current environment in the country was not favorable and many media houses had been shut down due to financial constraints.
Kordit said more opportunities for foreign investors to invest in the sector were needed for the media industry to remain viable.
Media analyst Odongo Odoyo said it was unfortunate the media was failing to cope with economic hardships.
“For the industry to remain viable, the government must support it and offer incentives through tax concessions to media players and by reducing taxes,” Odongo said.
The media should find a common ground, define structural framework and policies of the industry in a sustainable and viable way.
Dhal Malual, a reporter with The Dawn Newspaper, said apart from economic hardships, journalists like him also had to deal with the fragile security situation in the country.
"You know, it is hard to work as a journalist in South Sudan. Security personnel are not oriented about the work of journalists," Malual said.
“When they learn you are a journalist, they term you as ‘Enemy of the state’,” he added.
In a report titled "Getting Away with Murder" by the Committee to Protect Journalists in October 2016, South Sudan was ranked fifth in the index after Somalia, Iraq, Syria and The Philippines.
According to the CPJ report, local journalists covering politics and war get targeted for murder. It highlighted a case from January 2015 when "five journalists were shot, attacked with machetes and set on fire in an ambush in Western Bahr al Ghazal state."
January 9, 2017 (JUBA) - The Archbishop of the Catholic Church Diocese of Juba, Loro Lokudu has urged South Sudan President, Salva Kiir to make forgivenes key in the national dialogue initiative.
The Archbishop of Juba Diocese Lokudu Loro
The cleric made these remark during a prayer service he conducted at his residence of the South Sudanese leader in Juba on Saturday.
According to Bishop Lokudu, for reconciliation to commence and for people to have faith in the national dialogue process declared by the president, people must prioritize forgiveness as a starting point.
“I ask the president to pardon and forgive all political prisoners as well as others arrested for minor offenses, other who may have been arrested because of rumors mongering and propaganda,” he said.
Meanwhile, president Kiir appealed to all South Sudanese in and out of the world’s youngest nation to reconcile among themselves.
“I am determined to make the year 2017 a year of peace and reconciliation. I need all your support,” said the South Sudan leader.
He lauded the security service for playing cardinal roles that enabled South Sudanese celebrate Christmas and New Year peacefully.
“I want to thank my younger brother, General Michael Chiengjiek, the Minister of Interior and all the security sector ministers for the job well done,” president Kiir further told the gathering.
The prayers were for the New Year and for the president to have personal contact with people from different walks of life in the young nation.
A number of presidential advisors, ministers, community leaders, members of parliament and council of states, diplomats and representatives from the various United Nation agencies, attended the gathering.
South Sudan has announced it will no longer accept the deployment of an additional 4,000 United Nations peacekeepers, saying the security situation in the county has improved.
The regional protection force, authorised by the UN Security Council in August after renewed fighting in the capital, Juba, is meant to strengthen the 13,500-strong UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
"The government of South Sudan has the ability to provide security and stability for the country and for its citizens without the deployment of a ... protection force," South Sudan's Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Mawien Makol Ariik said on Wednesday.
The government's move is a reversal of its earlier decision in November to accept the troops' deployment.
Defence Minister Kuol Manyang Juuk also said there was no need for the regional protection forces to be deployed in South Sudan.
"Most of the people abroad still believe that there is fighting in Juba and around the country ... but Juba is now secure," Juuk told DPA news agency. READ MORE: South Sudan accepts 4,000 more UN peacekeepers Juuk's remarks contradict reports of recent fighting in the north and south of the country.
The South Sudanese government had warned in August 2016 that the deployment of more UN forces would marginalise its sovereignty, but later gave its consent amid the threat of an arms embargo.
In December, a UN human rights commission urged a rapid deployment of the additional peacekeepers amid reports of ethnic killings.
A political split between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Riek Machar escalated into a military conflict in December 2013. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million displaced.
A unity government was formed in April, but fighting broke out again in July, sending Machar into exile.
The UN's top human rights official has previously blamed South Sudanese government troops and rebels loyal to the president of ethnically targeted violations, including extrajudicial executions and sexual violence incidences in August 2015.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has previously faced criticism for failing to fully protect civilians facing violence.
In early November, Ban Ki-moon, the former UN secretary-general, dismissed the commander of the UNMISS force following a damning report that accused the peacekeepers of failing to protect civilians during the outbreak of violence in July.
The report from a UN special investigation found that a lack of leadership in the UNMISS ended in a "chaotic and ineffective response" during the heavy fighting in the capital, Juba, from July 8 to 11 that killed dozens of people.
January 15, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan president Salva Kiir has created for additional states, raising the number of the states in the world’s youngest nation to 32.
South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (AFP)
The order creating new states, which was announced over the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Saturday, saw Eastern Nile states divided into Northern Upper Nile state with Renk as its capital.
Others are Central Upper Nile state with Malakal as capital, Maiwut and Tumbura states.
Also split, according to the decree, was Latjor into Maiwut state with Maiwut as its capital.
The state comprises of Koma, Longuchuk, and Maiwut counties. It further divided Gbudwe state into Tumbura state with Tumbura as its capital. It comprises of Tumbura and Nagero counties.
No reasons were cited for president Kiir’s decision to create the new states.
Link to web article here. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has sacked his longer – serving central bank governor Korneilo Koryom Mayik and his deputy John Dor amidst the country economic collapse.
This comes a week after a Swiss firm offered to bail out the country’s empty coffers.
According to a decree broadcast on state television on Saturday, the outgone bank chief has been replaced by an economist Othom Ajak.
President Kiir also sacked deputy minister of finance Mary Jervase Yak and first Undersecretary in ministry of finance salvatore Garang.
Mayik was reportedly dismissed due to concerns about high inflation and the depreciation of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) against the dollar. The SSP fell over 10 percent in the first week of January to 105 from 90 alongside inflation hurtling from 17 percent in October to over 800 percent. The central bank abandoned fixed exchange rates in December 2015.
However, the sacked deputy governor of Central Bank John Dor appointed technical advisor at ministry of finance while former undersecretary of finance Salvatore Garang Mabiordit appointed technical advisor to ministry of trade and Industry.
Malou Puot was also appointed as director general of taxation in the Ministry of Finance. The country’s oil production has plunged and the economy is suffering after an armed conflict between Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar started in December 2013.
Tens of thousands have been killed and 3 million displaced.
However, no reasons was given for the reshuffling in the financial sectors of the country. South Sudan faces economic collapse after financial donors withdrew their support due to the ongoing civil war.
If the deal goes through, it would be a breakthrough for the Juba government and significantly hamper US efforts after it pushed the UN Security Council to isolate South Sudan and consider a draft resolution on targeted sanctions against several leaders in November.
Among those targeted is Sudan People’s Liberation Army Chief of Staff and President Kiir’s right-hand man Gen Paul Malong Awan.
January 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - The Chairman of Sudanese Congress Party (SCoP) Omer al-Digair Sunday said the travel ban against him and other opponents confirms the government determination to maintain its repressive policy, and reflects the continuation of human rights crisis in the country.
SCoP leader Omer al-Digair (ST Photo)
Sudanese authorities on Saturday morning prevented a number of opposition leaders from travelling to Paris, among them al-Digair, Kamal Ismail of the National Alliance Party and Yahia Hussein of the Sudanese Ba’ath Party. In the evening of the same day, faced the same fate a three-member delegation from the National Umma Party (NUP) including deputy chairman Mohamed Abdalla al-Doma, deputy chairman Merriam al-Mahdi and secretary general Sarah Nougdallah.
In statements to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the SCoP leader condemned the travel ban imposed on the opposition leaders, pointing that the lack of freedoms will only exacerbate the political crisis in Sudan.
"The travel ban shows the continuing human rights and political crisis in the country . Also, it expresses the absence of freedom of speech and the regime’s determination to keep alive tyrannic approach which would only exacerbate the comprehensive crisis".
"The current actions of the Sudanese government leaves no other choice than to unite the ranks of the opposition in order to emerge from the quagmire of the crisis, to create a better reality and to put the country on the path of progress and development, all together," he added.
The Sudan Call forces, a coalition of the political and armed groups, are part of a process for peace and democratic transition in Sudan mediated by the African Union. However; the political operation is stalled and the government preferred to move with its reforms saying they can join it when they want, refusing to concede to their demands.
The opposition, on the other hand, applauded calls by activists for civil disobedience in November and December of last year and decided to back them.
Al-Digair, his deputy and the former SCoP chairman had been arrested and were accused of being behind the peaceful protests. The ruling party and the security service used to describe the opposition groups allied with the armed opposition as the "fifth column" inside the country.
The leader of the left party said they were heading to Paris to participate in the meeting of Sudan Call Leadership Council. According to him, The meeting will discuss the recent political developments in the country and will take the needed decisions on it. Also the participants will discuss organisational issues of the alliance.
The travel ban came 24 hours after a decision by U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday to suspend sanctions against Sudan enabling trade and investment transactions to resume with the east African nation. The move comes in recognition of Sudan’s collaboration to curtail terrorism, and its efforts to improve humanitarian access.
Asked whether Washington would intervene and demands Khartoum to allow them to travel, al-Digair said they would not complain to the American administration.
He further called on the international community to support the legitimate demands of the Sudanese people for peace, freedom and justice and not to limit their relations with Khartoum to the security cooperation.
The opposition leader expressed hopes that the partial lift of American sanctions on Sudan would benefit to the Sudanese people and contribute to alleviate it suffering.
"However, based on our knowledge of this regime, this hope remains surrounded by doubts," he said. He explained that the lifting of sanctions is not "a magic wand to end the deepening economic crisis". Adding, "it may provide opportunities for loans, deposits and grants, but will not address the root of the economic crisis due to the lack of productive sectors".
"The policies of the regime lack to the minimum of planning, strategy, and scientific induction as well as comprehensive vision, " he said.
All the policies of the regime are based on how to ensure they remain in power," he concluded. The American decision to ease sanctions on Sudan was welcomed by the different opposition leaders due to its harsh impact on the ordinary people.
The United States will ease some financial sanctions against Sudan in recognition of what the Obama administration says are small areas of improvement in fighting terrorism and other U.S. goals, the White House announced last week.
The move, which lifts elements of a U.S. trade embargo in place since the Clinton administration, is a show of goodwill toward the government of longtime Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir.
In a letter to Congress announcing the executive action, President Barack Obama credited “Sudan’s positive actions over the past 6 months.”
“These actions include a marked reduction in offensive military activity, culminating in a pledge to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, and steps toward the improvement of humanitarian access throughout Sudan, as well as cooperation with the U.S. on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism,” Mr. Obama wrote.
The president, who leaves office this week, delayed the effective date of the order for 180 days and ordered a progress report in six months.
The shift in policy was first reported by the Associated Press.
The action would leave in place the U.S. branding of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism as well as a raft of economic and political sanctions, some of which were applied in protest of the killing and displacement of ethnic minorities in the Darfur region. It also does not affect U.S. claims that Mr. Bashir has committed war crimes, the official said.
The Obama administration based the decision on findings that Sudan has ended military aerial bombardment in the Darfur region and other conflict areas and has helped counter the Islamic State group, including limiting movements by fighters. It is also based on the U.S. assertion that Sudan is allowing greater access to humanitarian relief in conflict areas including Darfur, denying haven to rebel fighters from South Sudan and stemming the flow of weapons as ethnic conflict rages there. The limited sanctions relief could be reversed if Mr. Bashir’s cooperation flags, the official said, something that would fall to the incoming Trump administration to carry out. President-elect Donald Trump has not outlined any detailed views on Sudan, which was first labeled a state sponsor of terrorism in 1993.
The unusual designation — Sudan, Iran and Syria are the only three countries so labeled — restricts U.S. foreign aid, bans defense exports and sales, and imposes various financial and other restrictions. In 1998, the U.S. launched airstrikes on Sudan, a North African nation with a majority Arab population, over the harboring of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden.
The U.S. has extremely limited diplomatic contact with Sudan, although in 2005, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited and met with Mr. Bashir in the capital Khartoum. She also visited a refugee camp in Darfur.
The shift, taken with just a week left in the Obama administration, partly reflects a view that ostracizing Mr. Bashir had not helped U.S. policy aims, people familiar with the decision said. It is the culmination of a diplomatic initiative that began nearly two years ago, combining pressure and regular meetings between U.S. and Sudanese officials, said Zach Vertin, a former Obama administration official who worked on the issue and is now a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
“For more than two decades there has been a policy dominated by pressure and sanctions, and for two decades that policy has largely failed,” Mr. Vertin said.
“It’s a cautious opening. It’s about demonstrating that Sudan can come in from the cold.”
For women who routinely run the gauntlet of harassment and sexual violence, Malakal protection of civilians camp has roundly failed to live up to its name.
A UN police officer stands guard at the entrance to the Malakal protection of civilians camp in South Sudan. Photograph: Kate Holt/Unicef
It is late afternoon when the white Jeep pulls up outside a compound attached to one of the largest camps for families fleeing South Sudan’s civil war. Accompanied by two UN police officers, a woman steps out and walks briskly past a rusty shipping container holding the man who allegedly raped her less than 24 hours earlier.
In a country where UN investigators say sexual violence remains ignored despite having reached “epic proportions” – one survey found 70% of women in such camps said they had been raped since conflict erupted in December 2013 – this is a rare example of action being taken.
The alleged incident illustrates not just the bleak reality facing women at the sprawling Malakal protection of civilians (PoC) camp, but also the shortcomings of international peacekeepers and the makeshift nature of justice at what is supposedly a place of safety for 33,000 people.
Such is the prevalence of sexual assaults against women forced to forage beyond the camp’s perimeter that UN peacekeepers now carry out regular armed patrols to secure the ground ahead of them. However, the troops are not always there. Even when they are, women say they have been told to go away after telling peacekeepers they have been fired on by government troops.
Consequently, they must fend for themselves or depend on the protection sometimes afforded by unarmed volunteers who venture out with them.
“It can be dangerous and may not always be enough to deter those behind GBV [gender-based violence], but in this context an international presence can give some protection, at least,” says Ayda Wondemu as she and colleagues from the Nonviolent Peaceforce accompany women in the shrubland.
According to Wondemu, the poverty here is such that – simply to save 25 cents on a kilo of sugar compared with the price in the camp – women visit the market in the partially deserted city of Malakal to trade, risking harassment or worse by troops.
At the end of December, a woman from the camp was reportedly shot dead by gunmen in military uniform as she foraged in the bush for materials to make charcoal. The UN peacekeeping mission, Unmiss, said a patrol sent to the location, 4km east of their base, was blocked at a checkpoint by South Sudanese government troops.
“We’re grateful to the NGOs who have been supporting us with food and other items,” says Sarah (not her real name), a mother who has been living in the camp since 2013.
“We get oil and grain but there are shortages and that puts us in a difficult situation. When we go out to fetch firewood some of us risk being attacked. It has happened to sisters and friends of mine. Malakal is now held by government troops, but they are the people who harass us when we go out.” Rachel Nayik, a former secondary school teacher who has lived in the camp since 2014, and who organises weekly women’s meetings, says sexual violence is also a major issue within the camp’s boundaries. She attributes the problem partly to the traumatic impact the conflict has had on men.
“This situation of having people so enclosed together, with little room for movement outside, has made life even more difficult and may have caused GBV rates to increase, but it was a problem that was there before the conflict too,” she says.
“The other issue is many women have become the breadwinners, or widows, because their husbands have been killed. They have to go to Malakal town to sell or buy things for their families in order to supplement the sorghum, lentils and oil we are given here. However, some of them are stopped and beaten and, yes, raped too.”
There is growing resentment among camp residents towards the peacekeepers and the wider UN mission. Residents are beginning to take matters into their own hands. A camp “jail” has been established – a small wooden shack with a corrugated iron roof. It was here the alleged rapist was held before being passed to the UN police.
Bolis Yanyo, 32, a former soldier in charge of the volunteers, explains how they do their best to detain and hold camp residents involved in fighting, stealing and other misdemeanors, once judges drawn from different ethnic groups have adjudicated. But he says the job is becoming tougher, especially with limited resources available.
With a shrug, he motions towards the compound housing the UN troops, protected on all sides by a perimeter of large, earth-filled “Hesco” barriers.
“The Hescos are to defend them, but not the people inside the camp. They should put it all around the PoC,” he says.
Women gather to speak about their lives in the Malakal camp at the International Medical Corps compound. Photograph: Jane Hahn/Getty Images
The UN mission rejects suggestions that peacekeepers have insulated themselves from those inside the camp, claiming it is surrounded by a robust perimeter security fence.
“We would also note that in the event that internally displaced people have to leave the camp because of any insecurity or threat, Unmiss has already earmarked locations within its base where they can be safely and securely concentrated and protected, and has identified access points to these areas,” he said.
A spokesperson said it was not always possible to verify the women’s claims. “Peacekeepers also provide escort patrols, as agreed with the leadership of the PoC, for those vulnerable persons who may need to leave the camp to fetch non-food items such as firewood. Unmiss has established a weapons-free zone in a wide radius around its Juba PoC sites in an effort to increase the safety and security of the sites, and is now working to implement this across all its protection sites.”
The local authorities have rejected any suggestion that women are being targeted for sexual violence, and have even accused the UN and journalists of fabricating stories.
“There is no rape at all,” insists Elias Biech, deputy mayor of Malakal city. “For me, it is Unmiss who are causing this. For we as Dinka [the ethnic group that largely supports the government], the problem of rape is cursed. When you do it you will not be tolerated in the community. But this language of the media almost creates a lot of problems. They exaggerate.
“There is no need for the UN to come out and protect the women coming here from the PoC. Protect them from what?”
Back at the camp, the fate of the man accused of rape is yet to be decided. Serious offences such as rape and murder can lead to expulsion. At the camp gates, the faces of those who have been cast out stare back from mugshots bearing the scrawled slogan: “Expelled”.
Skye Wheeler, a South Sudan-based women’s rights researcher with Human Rights Watch, says it is very difficult to ensure justice for offenders in the camp. “Who is going to try them, what kind of justice process will they get, how long will they be detained for, what happens when they’re released back into a community squashed into a small UN-protected area? It’s a nightmare.
“On the other hand, there needs to be repercussions for rape and other violence, and civilians need to be protected. It’s appalling the way the authorities have dealt – or rather totally failed to deal – with sexual violence, including by forces under their command. At times in this conflict we’ve seen patterns of sexual violence as part of military attacks and in some places it seems that women from certain ethnic communities are seen as fair game. To this day, there’s no sign of anyone taking rape of South Sudanese women seriously in the government or army.”
Nayik believes progress is being made, albeit gradual, to tackle the root causes of violence, in the camp and beyond.
“Before, some women thought it was normal to be beaten by their husbands, for example, but now through talking together and campaigns by groups here they are understanding that it’s not right,” she says.
“Change is slow but hopefully we will realise eventually that violence cannot solve any of our problems and that people should live together in peace.”
South Sudan is planning to increase its oil production in the coming days as oil prices increase following last month’s Opec agreement to cap output, a top diplomat in South Sudan embassy told Gulf News.
