---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Sat, Jan 19, 2013 at 4:18 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Nuba described as “black plastic bags” that must be cleared To: Group <[email protected]>
"the population is described on Sudanese radio as “black plastic bags” that must be cleared out of the area" 1. Ethnic cleansing ‘going on’ in south of Sudan ‘People suffering from hunger, bombing in two war-torn states’ AFP Published: 12:34 January 19, 2013 JUBA, South Sudan: A former top UN official in Sudan on Friday warned that “ethnic cleansing” is going on in the southern part of Sudan, where the people are suffering from hunger, disease and bombing in two war-torn states. Just back from a trip to Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, where conflict between rebels and Sudanese government forces has raged for over a year, Mukesh Kapila called on the international community to come to the aid of the some 1.5 million people living in these states that border South Sudan. “The ethnic cleansing is largely complete.... Rebel areas are depopulated and largely empty,” said Kapila, the former UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan in 2003-2004. His comments came prior to the publication Friday of a statement by anti-genocide charity the Aegis Trust, for which he serves as a special representative. Article continues below In Blue Nile, where Kapila estimates 450,000 people are affected by the conflict, fields and villages have been razed, he said, and the population is described on Sudanese radio as “black plastic bags” that must be cleared out of the area. In South Kordofan, where as many as one million people are affected, Kapila said he saw people “living in caves and cracks and eating once every three days.” The people of the two states fought alongside South Sudan during the country’s bloody second civil war (1983-2005). After the South seceded in 2011 fresh conflict broke out between rebels and the Sudanese government, blocking crucial aid from reaching the resource starved region. “We saw people sitting at the side of the road, with too little energy to even become refugees, (people) who have given up,” Kapila said. It is estimated that up to 170,000 people have fled the conflict and made their way to camps in South Sudan. Kapila left his UN post in 2004 - before the partition of Sudan - after speaking out on “genocide” in Sudan’s western state of Darfur, where the UN says an estimated 300,000 people were killed by Sudanese forces and allied militia. http://gulfnews.com/news/region/sudan/ethnic-cleansing-going-on-in-south-of-sudan-1.1134347 END1 2. Bishop urges African leaders to act on Sudan’s ‘war of horror’ Crisis Action - For immediate release: 18 January 2013 Civilians attest to widespread suffering in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile while former UN expert warns of ‘another Darfur’ Nairobi: A panel of African civil society leaders, including Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail, were joined today by the former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Dr. Mukesh Kapila, in urging African political leaders to use the upcoming African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa to end the humanitarian suffering in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. The panel identified the January 25 Heads of State meeting on Sudan as a key test of the AU’s “credibility” and urged African leaders to recognise the importance of addressing the conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile for wider regional security. Having just returned from a visit to the region, Dr Kapila called for an independent commission of enquiry into the conflict amongst warnings of “ethnic cleansing”. Bishop Andudu of Kadugli in the Nuba Mountains said: “I am here on behalf of my people. This is a war of horror where children are dying every day. There are no vaccinations, medicine, there is nothing. In December there were over 230 bombings. We are calling for AU leadership at its summit next week. This is a rare opportunity that we mustn’t miss.” Dr. Mukesh Kapila, Special Representative for the Aegis Trust and former UN representative in Darfur said: “Ten years ago when I was UN chief in Darfur I tried to alert the world to what was happening, but it was too late. Today in Southern Kordofon and Blue Nile I’ve seen ‘Darfur plus plus’ with modern weaponry at play. I appeal to the AU to look at the humanitarian situation as a priority and establish a full commission of enquiry, with African leadership, into the situation on the ground.” Nagwa Konda, Director of the Nuba Relief Rehabilitation and Development Organization, said: “We have been waiting for the AU to take action; we have been hearing a lot, seeing agreements being signed and communiqués issued but nothing has changed on the ground. I implore the AU to translate all this paperwork into action. We need more than communiqués: you can’t eat a communiqué, a communiqué can’t protect you from air strikes.” Shara Joshep Lago, a Muslim human rights activist and a former observer during the Blue Nile State elections, said: “I am from Blue Nile and have been a victim of events. I have been chased by aircraft and ground forces. I saw a pregnant woman forced to give birth under a tree and then take her child and keep running. I call upon the African Union and the League of Arab States to take action to protect civilians. The humanitarian aspects of the conflict should be a priority. Otherwise nobody will be alive to enjoy a future peace”. END2 3. INTENSIVE FIGHTING IN EL-AHMIER WEST OF KADUGLI Thursday, 17 January 2013 09:43 | Catholic Radio Network Heavy fighting between the SPLM-N and Government forces for the control of a strategic area in the west of Kadugli capital is taking place. Anur Mohamed Atem said that fighting began since Friday with both sides suffering equal loses. He said four tanks were destroyed in the fighting, two from the SPLA-N and the other two from the SAF. Mr Mohamed revealed that three SPLM-N soldiers were killed and nine, including him, were injured. He claimed that SPLM-N forces downed a government’s gunship plane. http://catholicradionetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9032:intensive-fighting-in-el-ahmier-west-of-kaduguli&catid=2:south-sudan&Itemid=84 END3 4. SPLM-N rebels say Mbeki can broker comprehensive process for peace in Sudan January 18, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) has proposed to task an African mediation team led by Thabo Mbeki with the two crises of Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan . The chief mediator of the African Union’s High Level Implementation Panel, Thabo Mbeki (Getty) A SPLM-N delegation headed by its chairman Malik Agar and its secretary general Yasir Arman is currently in Washington for talks with U.S. special envoy for Sudan Princeton Lyman about the humanitarian crisis in South Kordofan and Blue Nile and a political solution for the conflict in the two areas. In statements he made from Washington on Friday Yasir Arman said they held a series of meetings with Lyman and his team to tackle the humanitarian situation and ways to end the conflict peacefully. He disclosed that they proposed to gather the issues of two Areas and Darfur and to task the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHLP) led by Thabo Mbeki with the Sudanese file in a bid to reach an all-inclusive settlement. Arman added that this holistic approach would allow to avoid partial solution. The U. S. Administration thought to convince the SPLM-N rebels to engage direct talks with the Sudanese government in Addis Ababa where the African mediation brokers a parallel process between their former South Sudanese allies who rule in Juba and Khartoum government over post-independence issues. The international community believes that the priority should be given to the normalization of relations between the two countries and once the disputed issues are resolved it can support the two neighbours to establish democratic regimes. However the Sudanese rebel groups including the SPLM-N think that toppling the regime of President Omer Al-Bashir will allow them to restore democracy in Sudan and settle peacefully the differences between the two countries over the disputed border areas and Abyei. Arman said the regime has two options either to accept a peaceful change negotiated with all the opposition and armed forces or "we will bring down this regime as Mubarak and Ben Ali regimes fell". "The regime has to choose", he added. The rebel groups recently released a political agreement with the opposition parties, but the latter raised reservations on the New Dawn charter and said more consultations are needed. Alluding to this position, Arman emphasized that the rebel movements will continue to mobilize a broad front to topple the regime and would continue to work with those who agree with them on this platform. Regarding the humanitarian issue, the rebel leader said they reiterated their proposition of humanitarian access to the rebel held areas for cessation of hostilities agreement with Khartoum. However Khartoum has already rejected this proposal stressing they need to control the whole humanitarian process and refuse to engage talks with the SPLM-N before the military disengagement with the South Sudanese government. The SPLM-N rebels on the other hand warned that they control 40% of the border between Sudan and South Sudan and they would not abide by the operationalisation of the buffer zone between the two countries. Arman said they met with some congressmen including Donald Milford Payne, Jr. who is the son of the late Donald Payne who was known for his positions against Khartoum government over Darfur issue and his support for the SPLM in South Sudan. He also said they met with the team of John Kerry, who will start performing his duties as Secretary State on 24 January, after the resignation of Hilary Clinton. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45239 END4 5. The SPLM-N’s Position on the Demilitarized Buffer Zone The SPLM-N leadership welcomes any agreement between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan that will lead to peace, tranquility and serve the interests of the peoples of the two Sudans, and in particular, the agreement on the demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries to establish peace. The establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone emphasizes the urgency and the necessity to include the SPLM-N in order to reach an effective demilitarized buffer zone given the fact that the SPLM-N controls more than 40% of the Sudan international border with the Republic of South Sudan that will entail the need of the consultations between the SPLM-N, the AUHIP, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, the United Nations and the other countries supporting the peace process. The SPLM-N reiterates its readiness and willingness to cooperate in the interest of peace and tranquility of the border between the two countries, especially when it comes to securing the interests of the civilian population. It is worth mentioning that the joint monitoring teams for the borders will include a military personnel from the Sudan government and without an agreement with the SPLM-N, it is only logical that the SPLM-N will welcome all the monitor personnel from the region, the international community and the United Nations in the area of our control minus the Sudan government military personnel who will have no place in our areas of control without ending the war or reaching an acceptable formula for both of us. We welcome any consultations regarding this issue. Yasir Arman Secretary General, SPLM-N January 19, 2013 END5 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan, South Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +27 82 050 1235 (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. 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