---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 3:20 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Fw: North of the border... To: Group <[email protected]>
1. Khartoum threatens NGOs in South Kordofan and Darfur with expulsion By Toby Collins July 11, 2011 (LONDON) – North Sudan’s secretary for the political sector threatened Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) operating in Kordofan and Darfur with penalties or expulsion on Monday. Gudbi-Al Mahadi, of Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) is reported by the pro-Khartoum Sudanese Media Centre as threatening NGOs with “legal penalties” and “halting of activities” as some were “found providing logistical support to insurgents”. No evidence was provided to support the allegations against the NGOs. But officials from the ruling party said they do not want a repeat in South Kordofan of the large humanitarian presence and the creation of camps for the displaced civilians, as has happened in Darfur. In 2009 the Sudanese government expelled ten humanitarian organisations from Darfur, claiming they had been collaborating with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which had recently issued a warrant for Sudan’s president and two others for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Mahadi’s threats come two days after South Sudan celebrates its statehood and as the conflict in Kordofan continues with limited humanitarian aid access. The recently elected governor of South Kordofan, Ahmed Haroun, is also wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. Four international and Sudanese rights groups urged today the African Commission on Human Rights to press the Khartoum government to halt human rights abuses in Southern Kordofan. Human Rights Watch, Interights, REDRESS, and the Sudan Democracy First Group accused the Sudanese government of carrying out attacks on civilians since the start of clashes, last June, between the regular army and forces aligned to the Sundan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) - now the official army of South Sudan. During the civil war Northern Sudanese from Kordofan joined the SPLA in its conflict with Khartoum. The organisations said that Khartoum blocked access to the affected areas and prevented "the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and other international agencies from providing humanitarian assistance, helping to protect civilians, and monitoring the human rights situation. Government security forces have arbitrarily arrested and detained UN national staff." "We want African political and human rights bodies to heed the international calls for a fact-finding mission to South Kordofan to investigate the scale of violations, identify those responsible, and ensure accountability and justice for abuses,” said Monim El Jack, co-founder of the Sudan Democracy First Group. UN agencies estimate that over 75,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were forced to flee their villages since the start of hostilities in the oil producing region in June. The UNOCHA further says "many of the 1.4 million residents of the affected areas are in need of humanitarian aid". The Sudan Social Development Organization, UK said it received reports from IPDs attesting that the fighting between the SAF and the SPLA of South Kordofan remains unabated. SAF, according to independent group, took a garrison point in Delami on 9 July and 35,000 of its residents were evacuated on 10 July. Er Rahad Emergency Committee which has been working with the IDPs said it does not have sufficient supplies to meet their needs. Heiban County SPLM chairperson, Younan Albarut Ajour, said Khartoum had shut down the Norwegian Church Aid/government mobile network in Nuba Mountains on 2 July “in order not to allow the world to know what is going on in the region.” On 5 June fighting broke out between SAF and SPLA troops in the tumultuous South Kordofan region. Many of the residents of the region are Nuba who fought in the civil war between North and South Sudan, against the North. They now find themselves neighbours to South Sudan. Khartoum has allegedly been carrying out house to house killings based upon ethnicity and political affiliation. On 28 June an accord was singed by North and South Sudan, which has proved ineffective, and has been dismissed by the NCP leadership. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a statement on 8 July stating “humanitarian workers have restricted access to South Kordofan, which makes both assessment and assistance extremely difficult“. (ST) END1 2. In Sudan, UN Confined to Bases in Kordofan, No Answers on Future in Darfur By Matthew Russell Lee Inner City Press UNITED NATIONS, July 11 -- Amid celebrations of South Sudan's independence, questions have arisen about the UN's future in the North, in Darfur and the zones of conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. A resolution adopted Monday by the Security Council says the UN peacekeepers have to be entirely out of North Sudan, except Darfur, by the end of August. But it appears they will be confined to their bases until then, even as top UN humanitarian official Valerie Amos told Inner City Press that questions have yet to be answered about the fate of civilians removed from outside the UN base in Kadugli and returned to their villages. Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky what the peacekeepers will be doing: Inner City Press: on this South Kordofan — I understand the Secretary-General raised it when he was traveling there — I just wanted to know, what’s the current, sort of, freedom of movement of the peacekeepers in South Kordofan? There is some footage existing of them saying that they are not to leave their base until their status is somehow either agreed on or formalized. Are they conducting patrols? Is it their understanding they are supposed to stay in the base until they either leave or authorized to go out? What’s their current mandate and movement? Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, as you know, the mandate expired and has not been renewed or extended, at this point, at least. And that does obviously have implications for the movement of peacekeepers and therefore the freedom of access for humanitarian workers that Ms. Amos just addressed a moment ago. I’d need to check with our colleagues in Peacekeeping Operations precisely what is happening with the peacekeepers at the moment. But clearly, if a mandate has expired, you move into a different phase. Inner City Press: There is a resolution that is going to be adopted, that is slated to be adopted, that is called a wind down, but it’s unclear whether under that even without the consent... If North Sudan doesn’t consent, what presence-- Spokesperson: That’s precisely why I say we’re moving into a different phase. And I think that that remains to be clarified. What remains unchanged is our concern about our ability to provide the protection that’s needed for humanitarian workers to go about their work. So the UN is “concerned,” but can't do anything about it. And so it downplays its inaction -- for example, the UN's write up of Valerie Amos' press conference, at which Inner City Press asked her about humanitarian access in Southern Kordofan, has no mention of that exchange, click here to view. The strategy seems to be to answer few or no questions. Inner City Press asked asked basic questions about Darfur, including whether the UN would be appointing a replacement to Darfur mediator Djibril Bassole. Nesirky said he didn't know but would check. Six hours later he had provided no answer: Inner City Press: elsewhere in Sudan, Darfur, the Abdul Wahid Nur faction of SLA [Sudan Liberation Army] has said that it should… you know, it’s called for a uniting of all remaining rebels in Sudan to overthrow an Islamist State, and I just wonder what is the understanding of UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur], given this large peacekeeping mission, of the impact of the breakaway of the South on its mandate in Darfur, and is there going to be a replacement to Mr. [Djibril] Bassolé as a sort of joint UN-AU mediator on the Darfur topic or is that mediation completed? Spokesperson Nesirky: I would need to check on any replacement for Mr. Bassolé. And as for the mission and mandate of UNAMID — the joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur — that remains unchanged. That is mandated by the Security Council. That hasn’t changed. But much has changed. South Sudan is on track to be voted into UN membership by the Security Council on July 13 and the General Assembly on July 14 and have its flag raised. Bashir is ordering peacekeepers to leave Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and is preparing to crack down in Darfur. The UN is spending $1 billion a year for a force in Darfur, but what will they do? Watch this site. http://www.innercitypress.com/un6miss071111.html END2 3. Parliament Emphasizes Stability of Situation in South Kordofan Posted on Tuesday, July 12 @ 00:10:00 UTC by admin Sudan Vision By: Mohamed Ali Fazari Omdurman - The chairman of national defense committee at parliament Mohamed Markaze has emphasized that the situation in South Kordofan is under control, however, Sudanese armed forces (SAF) took over four counties which were occupied by the SPLM-N. In a press statement yesterday Markaze commenting on the SPLM attack on Dilling, saying, it was limited operation in which the SPLM-N wanted to convey a message that it was still there adding that three elements were captured because of involvement in such incidences. Regarding SPLM legitimacy following July 9, he stressed that SPLM should accommodate its situation in order to register as recognized party in the north. Meanwhile the chairman of the committee has denied that SPLM cannot engage in military and political process at the same time. In response to President of South Sudan speech on the occasion of South Sudan independence Markaze described the speech as generally positive adding that the phrases about Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan are just compliments accordingly, this is because SPLM has not yet accommodated the situation in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan. On the deployment of Ethiopian forces in Abyei the chairman of the defense committee stated that Ethiopian forces through experience did a good job in many parts of Africa attributed that Ethiopian forces are well known for neutrality and considered the best among peace keepers in the region. On other developments, thee national defense committee has discussed with civil record third reading stage of nationality bill in order to be approved by the national assembly. http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=77828 END3 4. Al-Bashir says Abyei dispute could lead to war with South Sudan July 11, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – President Omer Al-Bashir of Sudan has reiterated claims to Abyei, warning that any attempt by the new state in South Sudan to impose a unilateral reality in the hotly-contested region could potentially lead to war with the North. Speaking to the BBC’s Hardtalk interview program broadcast on 11 July, Al-Bashir said his government had divided Sudan for the sake of peace, and that they have no intention of going back to war unless compelled to do so. However, he warned that any attempt by South Sudan to impose a unilateral reality in the oil-producing region of Abyei may prompt the North to pick up arms against the new state, citing the example of May’s takeover of Abyei by North Sudan army in retaliation for an attack allegedly carried out by Southern troops. South Sudan, which also claims ownership Abyei, gained full independence from the North on 9 July, having voted almost unanimously to secede in a referendum held at the start of this year. The vote was stipulated under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which established peace between the North and South after half a century of intermittent civil wars. Abyei has been a major point of contention in the implementation of the CPA. The region’s status was supposed to be determined via a plebiscite in January 2011. However, the vote stalled as North and South Sudan failed to agree on the criteria for eligibility to vote. North Sudan insists that members of the Arab, cattle-herding tribe of the Missiriya, who traverse the borders into Abyei for a few months a year to graze their cattle, should be allowed to vote, while the South contends that only members of the Dinka Ngok community should vote. Al-Bashir told his interviewer Zainab Al-Badawi that Abyei remains an “integral part” of North Sudan despite an agreement his government signed with South Sudan last month to fully demilitarise the region and deploy Ethiopian peacekeepers to monitor security in the area. The Sudanese leader confirmed that the country’s army would redeploy out of Abyei as soon as the 4,200 Ethiopian peacekeepers arrive in the region. According to Al-Bashir, peacekeepers of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), which was established to monitor the CPA-mandated ceasefire in Abyei, completely failed to assert security in the region. He said that the government wants UNMIS peacekeepers to leave the country, expressing confidence that their Ethiopian substitutes are more capable and trusted by both North and South Sudan. Under the Addis Ababa agreement on Abyei, which was facilitated by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan (AUHIP), North and South Sudan agreed to establish a joint committee to manage Abyei after Al-Bashir dissolved the region’s administration following the army takeover. South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, pledged during his speech in the independence ceremony to continue talks with North Sudan to resolve outstanding issues. North Sudan, which declared recognition of the south’s independence, pledged to do likewise. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Saturday urged North and South Sudan to return quickly to the negotiation table in order to thrash out post-independence arrangements, including the status of Abyei. (ST) END4 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +249 919 695 362 (Sudan mobile) +27 82 853 3556 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.za/group/sudan-john-ashworth -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
