UN vows to support African efforts to end S. Sudan war
UN vows to support African efforts to end S. Sudan war
June 15, 2015 (JOHANNESBURG/JUBA)–
The United Nations will actively contribute to efforts aimed at finding
peaceful solutions to the conflict in South Sudan, Jan Eliasson, the deputy
secretary general of the world body told the African Union summit on Sunday.
People gather at a makeshift camp
for displaced people at a UN compound in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, on 22
December 2013 amid fears for further violence (Photo: AFP/Tony Karumba)
"This war, this nightmare, must
come to an end," said Eliasson.
Tens of thousands of people have
been killed and nearly two million displaced by the conflict, which broke out
in the world’s youngest nation in mid-December 2013.
The deputy secretary general
requested the continental body to take a position necessary for resolving the
conflict, which undermines regional and international efforts.
Elisson also stressed the need for
peace and national reconciliation ahead of the proposed power-sharing between
the South Sudanese government and opposition groups.
African heads of state must find
effective interventions to eradicate the scourge of war on the continent,
Zimbabwean President and African Union Chairman Robert Mugabe said.
“Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
the prevailing political instability and insecurity in some parts of our continent
clearly demonstrates the urgent need to fully operationalise the African
Standby Force (ASF),” Mugabe told a gathering of African heads of state at the
25th African Union summit in Johannesburg on Sunday.
“We need to live up to our
commitment to operationalise the African Standby Force by December 2015. This
will be an important step towards the goal of silencing the guns by 2020, which
is our pledge," he added.
Mugabe said peace and security were
prerequisites for the achievement of the continental body’s developmental
targets, including Agenda 2063.
“I am encouraged by the fact that we
are making steady progress in this regard. We have to redouble our efforts in
dealing with the issue of the unnecessary loss of lives of our young people in
the Mediterranean Sea in their desperate need to reach Europe and other
places,” said the African Union chairperson.
“This matter requires our collective
and urgent retention. Concrete steps have to be taken to deal with this
unfolding tragedy, particularly in terms of addressing its root causes such as
poverty, war and insecurity, lack of opportunities, perceptions of good and
life abroad as well as stamping out human traffickers and smugglers," he
stressed.
NO XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS
The AU chairman said African countries
must work together to eradicate xenophobic attacks similar to the spate of
violence experienced in South Africa in recent months.
“While condemning the recent spate
of barbaric violence targeted at foreign nationals…let us be cognisant of the
fact that this is a problem that falls upon all of us and we should work
together to find a solution. United we will not fail.”
“President [Jacob] Zuma has given us
details of the programmes they have embarked upon. The government of South
Africa will leave no stone unturned in trying to stem the violence.”
The high-level AU summit is being
hosted by South Africa under the theme “2015: Year of Women’s Empowerment and
Development Towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.
Meanwhile, the African Union
Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told the summit that the recent
Ebola outbreak had exposed the weakness of the continent’s health systems. She
said the people dying on the Mediterranean sea and the victims of xenophobic
violence in South Africa were driven by factors beyond their control.
“The lessons from the Ebola virus
disease are that with African solidarity and resolve, we can find solutions to
our challenges. The disease exposed the weakness of our health systems,
especially public health. We must look at training more health workers and
build our health systems and infrastructure,” she said.
“Excellencies, again we have been
faced with the tragedy of many people dying in the Mediterranean sea and also
the incidents of xenophobia. These are the people who leave their countries not
out of choice, but out of desperation – to try and make a living elsewhere.”
The AU summit was attended by most
African heads of state including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, wanted by
the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
(ST).
South Sudan: A critical battleground between China and
USA (Part II)
By Steve Paterno
The rivalry of gaining influence in South Sudan between China and USA has
predictably entered a dangerous phase. In early 2012, this author penned, a
prelude to this piece, entitled, "South Sudan: A critical battleground
between China and USA." At the time, South Sudan was barely few months
into its independent status, after six years of undergoing a perilous self
rule. Both, USA and China were poised to reap the benefits the virgin country
could offer.
As a result, the US, which for all intends and purposes, midwifed the birth
of the virgin nation, has endowed some sense of entitlement to mould the nation
in accordance with its self interest. However, China was already muddling in
the affairs of the country from the ground, with much concessions at stakes,
since it is already exploiting much of South Sudan’s resources and market. As
such, South Sudan, a courted virgin is left to make a hard choice for its
future survival.
So, it happened that South Sudan is forced to gamble in between the two
choices, with much proclivity accorded toward China. Several compounded factors
could explain the inclination of South Sudan to lean toward China. For obvious
reasons, China was already on the ground, taking advantages of the available
opportunities. China also opened up its comparatively cheap commodities for
South Sudan’s import. These, coupled with China’s policy of non disruptions of
status quo in other countries, managed to secure a place for Beijing in Juba.
As such, the overzealous USA found itself left out of a virgin country it
helped giving birth to. Nevertheless, the World’s supper power must somehow get
in at all means possible. In order to gain access, America adopted an approach
of using a stick as a leverage. Several instances can clearly demonstrate how
suddenly the USA turned belligerent against what it perceives as its
brainchild: the Republic of South Sudan and its people. For example, in 2010,
upon discovering that South Sudan purchased light weapons and ammunitions from
somewhere else other than USA, the American administration grew furious and
threatened sanctions, not just against South Sudan, but also against Kenya, a
country America accused of facilitating the sweet deal of securing the arms
purchase on behalf of South Sudan. The irony of the threats of sanctions
against both Kenya and South Sudan came despite the fact that America agreed
together to support the modernization of South Sudan military and upgrading its
capabilities.
The example above and many others clearly show America desperation of having
lost leverage over South Sudan affairs and that it can go into length to
reassert its influence. For America, fortunately, the current crisis unfolding
the country is an opportunity to get in. America is seeking nothing other than
a regime change in South Sudan for that purpose. The phrases such as
"transitional government," "government of national unity,"
and "no business as usual" are all euphemisms for regime change in
South Sudan.
The recently proposed IGAD framework for the next round of negotiations, which
has America hand all over it, actually is calling for partition of a junk of
South Sudan territory. The proposed agreement gives out the entire greater
Upper Nile region (Jongolei State, Unity State, and Upper Nile State).
Accordingly, the region must bear special autonomous status to be under the
control of armed militias, depriving Juba of oil resources as well as
threatening the territorial integrity of South Sudan. As absurd as this
partition proposal sounds, it is also a grand plan of Khartoum regime, which
all along is eyeing the resources of South Sudan and has been in sync with
armed militias of Riek Machar to carve an independent Upper Nile out of the
sovereignty of South Sudan to be under the Khartoum sphere. America and its
purports in IGAD are inadvertently doing the work of Khartoum, either
ignorantly or as part of the elaborate plan.
This then begs the question as to where is the other giant already on the
ground, China, in all these scheme of things. China, unlike its intrusive
rival, the USA, has rather been playing a totally opposite role. With much at
stakes, China wants to see a strong South Sudan government that is capable of
defending itself from both internal and external enemies. Therefore, despite
calls by USA for an armed embargo against South Sudan, China thinks otherwise.
The security and continuous flow of oil, which can only be achieved through
strong government defensive capabilities, is China’s primary object in light of
the crisis. China is also continuing with "business as usual" (an
antithesis of America’s regime change), by executing developmental projects in
the country.
With the way things stand on the ground, the government of South Sudan
propensity toward China will most likely increase. The government could likely
adopt the China’s approach of keeping the armed militias at bay to ensure oil
flow and even opt out of any USA sponsored negotiations that will result into
partitioning of region of the country and further jeopardizes the integrity of
the nation.
As the battle among these two giants unfolds, it is of course the people of
South Sudan who has the ultimate say for the finale. However, under the current
duel, China holds sway against the USA. The USA only leverage now over South
Sudan is that it keeps insisting saying that America is feeding South Sudanese,
therefore, the people of South Sudan must dance according to the America’s
tune. Teasing somebody after providing them with food, whether they are in need
or not, is typically Unafrican and is certainly not a right foreign policy
prescription. Perhaps, USA needs to re-evaluate its policies, especially its
role in aids assistance. Otherwise, by bragging about food, the Africans will
depict America as a bully kid in a neighbourhood who goes around, coercing to
play with other kids’ toys on basis that they will not eat his mom’s cookies if
they don’t allow him to play with their toys.
Related article
South
Sudan: A critical battleground between China and USA (I)
Steve Paterno is the author of The
Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be
reached at stevepaterno@yahoo.com
============================
UN panel of experts in Western Bahr el Ghazal state
June 15, 2015 (WAU) – A panel of
arms experts from United Nations are in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal
state to probe crimes committed during the conflict.
A woman carries water through a UN
camp for internally displaced people in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state (Photo:
IOM)
The UN team of experts are headed by
Vladimir Zhagora from Belarus.
Zhagora told reporters that his
delegation has been touring the country to get information on the conflict,
which started in 2013.
“We are trying to establish an open
professional relationship with everybody in south Sudan whom we meet in
states,” he said.
“We had been meeting government
officials throughout the states and in Juba on issues of diplomacy,” added the
senior UN official.
The UN secretary general appointed
the five-member panel in April in response to a request from the Security
Council’s resolution 2206 (2015), adopted on 3 March, 2015.
“The panel is inquiring information
on who is obstructing the ongoing peace process on South Sudan in Ethiopian
capital, Addis Ababa,” said Zhagora.
“We are also inquiring information
on who launches attacks on the civilian’s population in South Sudan’s areas of
conflict during this conflict,” he added.
The UN team will also seek
information on those said to be blocking movement of humanitarian workers in
areas most-affected by the war.
“The security council did not impose
any sanction by this resolution,” said Zhagora, adding that council would
decide what kind of sanction could be applied to some individuals in South
Sudan.
The UNSC is considering a way to
impose sanctions against both sides of the South Sudan conflict, which has
continued despite several commitments by it warring parties to honour ceasefire
deals.
The conflict broke out following disagreements
within the ruling party (SPLM), killing tens of thousands of people and
displacing nearly two million others since December 2013.
South Sudan strongly opposes calls
for sanctions, saying such a decision would generate adversarial relationship
and further aggravate the country’s ongoing conflict.
(ST)
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SPLM-N rebels repulse fresh government attack in Blue
Nile: spokesperson
June 14, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The rebel
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) said its fighters repulsed a
fourth government attack against the strategic area of Jebel Kolgo in the Blue
Nile state.
A photo supplied by SPLM-N
reportedly showing vehicles seized from the Sudanese army in Blue Nile state’s
Mafo in February 2013
On 22 May, the SPLM said its forces
managed to repulse an attack by the Sudanese army against Jebel Kolgo area, 45
kilometres south west of the Blue Nile state capital of Ed-Damazin following
two failed attacks on 11 May and 23 April.
SPLM-N official spokesperson, Arnu
Ngutulu Lodi, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, said
they repelled a government attack on Jebel Kolgo on Saturday, noting the battle
continued from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm (local time).
Lodi pointed their forces killed 18
government soldiers and destroyed 6 Land Cruiser vehicles besides seizing 10
Kalashnikov rifles and loads of ammunition, saying that two of their fighters
were wounded in the battle.
Meanwhile, he pointed to the details
of the battle which took place at Wad Abouk area in the locality of Al-Tadamon,
west of Ed-Damazin.
On Saturday, the SPLM-N accused the
government army of bombing the town of Wad Abouk leading to several deaths and
injuries among civilians, demanding a swift international investigation on the
incident.
The rebel movement pointed that its
forces took control of the town for a while before it withdrew from it.
Lodi pointed that 57 government
soldiers were killed while their forces suffered 4 casualties, saying they
seized 4 Land Cruiser vehicles, 67 Kalashnikov rifles, one 82mm mortar, 11
RPG-7 rounds, 7 PKM mortar machine and a long-range communication device.
He also said they destroyed two Land
Cruiser vehicles carrying long-range communications devices.
Blue Nile and neighbouring South
Kordofan state have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and
the Sudanese army since 2011.
The Sudanese government and rebel
group failed to reach a cessation of hostilities agreement after a series of
talks brokered by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) in
December 2014.
Since, the fighting between the
warring parties resumed in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
(ST)
South Sudanese rebel leader meets Tanzanian president
over SPLM reunification process
June 15, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South
Sudan’s former vice president, Riek Machar, turned leader of the armed
opposition faction of the ruling Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO),
has met the president of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, over
the ongoing reunification process of three factions of the ruling party in the
young country.
SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar meets
Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, June 15, 2015, Johannesburg, South Africa
(ST photo)
The two leaders met on Monday on the
sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit of heads of state and government in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Rebel leader’s spokesman said the
meeting centered on how best the Arusha intraparty dialogue on reunification
could be complementing the Addis Ababa comprehensive peace process to end the
civil war in South Sudan.
“The two leaders discussed how best
to approach the Arusha SPLM intraparty dialogue as a complementary to the IGAD
comprehensive peace process,” Machar’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan
Tribune when contacted on Monday.
He said the SPLM-IO leadership was
committed to the intraparty dialogue which was addressing the root causes of
the current crisis in the country in the context of the ruling party.
“You know the current national
crisis started as a political crisis within the SPLM party before it developed
national. If the rival party leaders can address those causes and accept SPLM
transformation, reforms and leadership succession, I think they can also accept
similar reforms on governance at the IGAD process,” he said.
Dak stressed that the Arusha
reunification process would address democracy within the disintegrated ruling
party including structural, organizational and leadership issues which caused
the crisis.
He however said the process was not
a substitute to the IGAD peace process and should not be misinterpreted to mean
“mere reinstatement” of SPLM leaders previously dismissed “unconstitutionally”
by president Salva Kiir following the crisis.
The rebel leader’s spokesman
commended the Arusha roadmap agreement signed in January this year, describing
it as a positive guiding document in resolving outstanding issues within the
party.
“Our leadership believes that
addressing the root causes of the conflict through the intraparty dialogue
would positively reflect on the IGAD peace process,” he said.
But, he added, an intraparty
agreement would not be an end in itself, ruling out what he said were
misinterpretations by people who thought the rebel leadership would return to
Juba if an agreement was struck by the SPLM factions.
Full implementation of a
reunification agreement, he further stressed, was dependent on a final peace
agreement in Addis Ababa that will resolve on all outstanding issues such as on
governance and security arrangements and reforms outside the party’s
jurisdiction.
President Kikwete’s ruling party of
the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has since last year been mediating between the
SPLM in government (SPLM-IG) led by president Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO led by former
vice president, Riek Machar and former detainees (FDs) led by former party’s
secretary general, Pagan Amum in trying to reunify their ranks and file.
Observers say the process is
expected to be complementing to the IGAD peace process to end the 18-month long
civil war in the country.
(ST)
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