---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2013 09:25:13 -0500 Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Nuba and Blue Nile conflicts To: Group <[email protected]>
1. From a colleague in the Nuba Mountains, 5th February 2013: "I am... in the Nuba M. This morning an Antonov dropped 6 bombs on Kauda when I happened to be there. We brought back one girl (school level: P 3 and about 12 years old) to [the] hospital; she had shrapnel in her thigh. Her name is Intisar Bushra. One bomb fell close to a primary school and wounded 2 pupils (in leg and shoulder), according to what people told me. Otherwise no victims as far as I could ascertain. >From some areas there are now every day some people moving to Yida refugee camp, 200 km away. They go because they have run out of food. I saw that Yida is a very poor place; the only thing going for it is the food of WFP." END1 2. SRRA Blue Nile Humanitarian Coordination Office Summary of the Humanitarian and Human Rights Situation Two Months Update: December 2012 and January 2013 The two months update cover the period between December 2012 and January 2013. Thesummery below is based on assessments, observations and reports that are collected from refugesand Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the region of Blue Nile. Despite the obviousdifficulties involved in obtaining verified information from the conflict area of Blue Nile, thevarious teams of team of human rights and food security monitors are playing major roles tomake visible the scale of atrocities and suffering civilians are facing. These monitors, includingthe consortium of local NGOs, who were trained and deployed throughout the controlled areas by SPLM/N, have contributed to the systematic flow of information, yet a lot of efforts oncapacity building are needed in order to receive regular, efficient and more professional reports.In addition to recommendations, this two months update covers areas of aerial bombardment,Sudan Army Forces (SAF) military campaigns, National Congress Party’s (NCP) militias, IDPsand refugees situations, and the visit by the Baroness Cox to the Blue Nile Aerial Bombardment Indiscriminative aerial bombardment against civilian targets continues systematically andrelentlessly. Below are some of the aerial bombardment incidents that took place during lastDecember and January. • On 17 December 2012 Antonov airplane attacked Soda and Chali in Chali Payamdropping eight bombs. • On 2 January 2013 Antonov airplane attacked Goz Doban in Wadaka, Famash in Mayak and Baldogo, dropping nine bombs, three bombs at each village. In Mayak, one of the bombs landed in a farm and immediately killed an old man aged 85 years old, whileothers bombs injured four people including a woman and two children and burned tenhouses. In Baldogo the attack killed 28 goats and burned 10 houses. • On 23 January Antonov airplane attacked Ora, Girdang, and Khor Albodi dropping three bombs in Orra and two on each of the other villages. No civilian casualties are reported but the farms were caught in fire and the local residents are living in terror fears. • On 21 January Antonov airplane attacked Yabus town dropping three bombs, no civilianscasualties reported Sudan Army Forces ( SAF) Military Campaigns On the first of January President Omer Al- Bashier visited Damazin, the capital of Blue NileState, on the occasion of launching the completion of the Rosairis dam heightening. On hisspeech to the public gathering, Al Bashir promised to clean the state from the rebels.Immediately, SAF and the allied militia have been ordered to capture areas controlled bySPLM/N including Yabus the strong hold of SPLM/N. • On the first week of January 2013 SAF continued shelling Ora, Badogo, Wadaka, Mayak and Surkum. • SAF troops and the allied militias moved into three directions accompanied with heavyartillery machine guns, tanks, gunship and Antonov airplane. • On 12 January a ground fighting took place in Mofu 20 km west of Kurmuk, SAFretreated. • On 23 January SPLA repulsed another attempt of SAF moving to the areas of Ora,Surkum and Ulu. National Congress Party’s (NCP) militias • On Friday 22 December, 22 members of Ismail kora’s militia raped 10 women andkilling nine of them in Baw locality. All the victims are from the Ingassa tribe. Names of women survival for rape crimes are: Mam, Jamaaie, Yabit Jamil, Agar Hamid, HawaHamid, Malies Kaklo, Somial Telian, Amina Telian, Nayiela Sabit, Giena Jakin andHaima Omar. • Ismail Kora militia was established around November 2011 by NISS as integral part of Popular Defense Forces ( PDF). Kora’s militia is active in the areas located East of Ingassan hills and the northern part of Kurmuk and Gessan localities. Kora’s militia andKobigi militias (also active in the same areas) have committed many crimes in theseareas, and some of the crimes were reported to Damazin main police station, but perpetrators were released after interference of NISS. Among the crimes that werecommitted by Kora and Kobigi militias are killing, looting of animals, and raping of women. • On 9 January 2013 Arab militia which was assigned in mid of 2012 by Ahmed Abass,governor of Sinar State, killed Abdulrasul Adam Bali in Roro in TadamonCounty. • The militia headed by Kamal Loma and James Bogo have participated effectively in therecent attacks. The two key militias are assigned by SAF who also provided them withsupport and weapon, were deployed in Tadamon County and trying to access to MabanCounty in South Sudan. Internally Displaced Persons( IDPs) • The humanitarian and human rights monitors operating on reports assured that the IDPstotal population in SPLM\N held areas remained as it was during last months; about80,147. As the result of the current ground fighting and the continual Aerial bombardment the whole Blue IDPs situation turned to an obvious vulnerability. • As the aerial bombardment and ground fighting continued all IDPs who were close to thefront line zones and active confrontation areas North and West kurmuk moved into areasaround Khor Bashoom West South Wadaka Payam, living under a pressing needs anddifficult living conditions in which their situations is characterized by lack of food,shelters, medicine, and water. • More than 45 civilians died in Jirdan, south east Wadaka, Tanfona and Baldogu, becauseof starving and the lack of food and healthy water. • The Monday and Tuesday weekly market in Yabus and Moguff assisted much inmaintaining IDPs primary needs such as salt, sugar, cooking oil and Dura that comesacross the border from Ethiopia and the local markets around Yabus and Chali districts.But the continued aerial bombardment remained the grave threat to the continuation of these markets and it might stop at any time. Refugees While humanitarian efforts led to positive improvement in situation of refugees’ camp; the recentoutbreak of hepatitis E put many lives of refugees at risk. The infection appeared last year inJamam and confirmed during registration in early December and continues to increase especiallyin the new camp of Yosif Batil. In Yosif Batil camp alone, the infection caused 1,908 cases, 39refugees had died. Emergency measures are taken to curb the increase of infection, includingconstruction of latrines, digging additional boreholes and more regular soap distributions for washing hands.4-5 thousands new arrivals is expected to reach refugees camp as results of continued groundfighting, aerial bombing and hunger in the IDPs areas and around fighting zones. The new Recommendations • International intervention to stop aerial bombardment that is targeting civilians as part of civilian protection measures. • Putting pressure on the government of Sudan to allow unrestricted delivery of humanitarian assistants, including freedom of movement of humanitarian workers. • Making sure those who committed mass atrocities and crimes in the Blue Nile will holdaccountable through an independent international investigation http://www.scribd.com/doc/123887117/SRRA-Two-Months-Update-December-2012-and-January-2013 END2 3. Khartoum speaks about possible talks with SPLM-N February 5, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese government may engage direct negotiations with the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) if Juba hands documents proving its disengagement with the latter. The African Union Peace and Security Council in a meeting held on 25 January urged the chief mediator Thabo Mbeki to convene talks between the Sudanese government and SPLM-N over the humanitarian and political issues. Officials sources in Khartoum said the Sudanese government will start discussions with the SPLM-N if the South Sudanese side in the Joint Political and Military Committee hands documents on the disengagement it had pledged to provide in a meeting scheduled for 13 February. The sources also said the African mediation is expected to extend an official invitation to the Sudanese government on Tuesday to commence talks with the rebels on the humanitarian and political files on 15 February. Daniel Kodi, a leader of splinter faction of the SPLM-N, and former governor of South Kordofan state met on Monday with the speaker of the Sudanese parliament Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Taher to discuss the situation in the Two Areas and ongoing preparation for talks with the SPLM-N. Kodi, who is also a member of the government’s negotiating team told reporters following the meeting that he discussed proposals his party, SPLM- Peace Stream, presented during the previous rounds of talks between the two parties. He said their proposals which were accepted by the two parties may be "endorsed in the next round as basis for negotiations". The Sudanese government and the SPLM-N held last year a number of indirect talks in Addis Ababa but the parties failed to hold direct discussions on the agendas the proposed by the mediation. However in August 2012 they signed a three-month humanitarian agreement which was not implemented as they failed to agree on the modalities of its implementation. On the political level, Sudan demanded the disengagement with South Sudan and the SPLM-N demanded a comprehensive process before to start direct negotiations. Asked by Sudan Tribune to comment on this development, SPLM-N secretary general, Yasir Arman said they are not aware of the talks because the mediation did not yet invite them to meet the Sudanese government. "We will react when we receive a letter from AUHP chief Thabo Mbeki", he said. Adding that in their last meeting with him they discussed the humanitarian and political situation and "we reiterated that we are always ready to discuss with the mediation". Arman underscored that the humanitarian situation in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan is alarming and Sudanese government has to prove its seriousness by allowing the access of aid groups to the SPLM-N held areas. "The humanitarian crisis in the Two Areas is the biggest crisis in Africa today. If Khartoum is not ready to give food to the affected civilians how they can be ready for any political settlement", he said. Malik Agar, SPLM-N chairman, said on 29 January that the humanitarian access to two states will create suitable atmosphere to a comprehensive political process including Darfur rebels and opposition parties. Asked about the statements Kodi made, Arman said "Kodi is part of the National Congress Party and we had never discussed with him any proposal, let alone to agree with him". (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45411 END3 ______________________ 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. 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