---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Ashworth <[email protected]> Date: Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 4:30 PM Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] Sudan attacks civilians in Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains To: Group <[email protected]>
1. Sudan Government Attacks the Displaced Camps in Blue Nile, 8,000 on the Run The Sudanese army and their allied militia have re-started a military dry season campaign beginning February 14th up to this morning, February 17th, in a heavily populated area with internally displaced civilians at Muffa Village and the surrounding area, 21 kilometers southwest of Kurmuk. The fighting has gone on for the last three days with heavy aerial bombardment from Sudan’s airforce on the displaced camps in the village that resulted in putting 8,000 civilian displaced populations on the run towards the Ethiopian and South Sudan borders. It is to be noted seriously that the aerial and ground bombardment of the Sudanese army and their allied militia resulted in the displacement of more than 70% of the inhabitants of the rural Blue Nile, and as of now, nearly 200,000 from the civilian populations are refugees in Ethiopia and South Sudan. The civilian populations, some of them reached the Gouz Village in southwest Blue Nile this morning. This attack came in continuation of the implementation of the scorched earth policy of the Sudan government which resulted in genocide and war crimes in Darfur, Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile. It is coming in a complete disregard to the African Union and the UN Security Council Resolution 2046 and at the time when the AUHIP is calling for peace talks. It came as an immediate response to General Bashir’s statement two days ago that he is not ready to negotiate peace with the SPLM-N and that he will not send his delegation and he will settle militarily the situation in Darfur and the two areas. What is taking place is civilians are being attacked from the air and on the ground and they are denied access to humanitarian assistance for more than 20 months in front of the eyes and ears of the regional and international communities. If we do not call that a war crime, what do we call it in international humanitarian law? We call on the African Union and the UN Security Council to stop the attacks by the Sudan government on civilian populations, to discharge their responsibility to protect civilians, and to open access for humanitarian assistance. We reiterate the readiness of the SPLM-N for an immediate humanitarian cessation of hostilities. Yasir Arman Secretary General, SPLM-N February 17, 2013 END1 2. Fighting breaks out in Sudan's Blue Nile border state CAIRO | Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:14pm EST (Reuters) - Fighting broke out in a Sudanese border state between the military and rebels trying to overthrow President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, both sides said on Monday, and the government said its forces had killed scores of insurgents. The rebels gave a different account, saying the government forces had attacked civilian areas. The conflict in Blue Nile started in September 2011, a few months after neighboring South Sudan seceded under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war. Rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan, another Sudanese border state, fought as part of the southern rebel army during that war, but were left on the Sudanese side of the border after partition. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes because of the fighting since 2011. On Monday, Sudanese state media reported the armed forces had taken the Muffa area in Blue Nile and "expelled the remnants of the rebels," who had been backed by tanks and artillery. The army killed 66 rebels, it said, quoting the armed forces spokesman al-Sawarmi Khalid. The armed forces suffered a "small number" of casualties, it said, without giving details. The rebels, known as the SPLM-North, said the Sudanese armed forces and allied militia had started a "military dry season campaign" on February 14 in a heavily populated area at Muffa. It said the fighting had forced thousands of civilians to flee toward Ethiopia and South Sudan. Events in the two states are difficult to verify independently because of government restrictions on media, and the two sides often give conflicting versions of the fighting. Some 2 million people died in Sudan's north-south civil war, which ended in 2005 with the peace deal that paved the way for South Sudan's independence. Khartoum accuses Juba of continuing to back the rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan. South Sudan denies the accusation. (Reporting by Alexander Dziadosz and Khalid Abdelaziz; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/19/us-sudan-fighting-idUSBRE91I03X20130219 END2 3. Sudanese attacks force 8,000 from homes KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- More than 8,000 people in southern Sudan fled their villages after the Sudanese army resumed air and ground attacks during the weekend, officials said. An attack on the village of Muffa and the surrounding area forced villagers in Blue Nile state across the border into Ethiopia and South Sudan, the Sudan Tribune reported Sunday. The attacks, which began Feb. 14, have displaced 70 percent of the residents of Blue Nile state, said Yasir Arman, secretary general of the rebel Sudan people's Liberation Movement North. About 200,000 people from the region are now refugees in Ethiopia and South Sudan, he said. Arman, who is now in the United States to meet with members of Congress and citizens' groups, said the attacks were in line with Khartoum's "scorched earth policy." He blamed the international community for failing to act aggressively to get the Sudanese government to allow humanitarian access to people displaced by the fighting. "If we do not call that a war crime, what do we call it in international humanitarian law?" Arman asked. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/02/18/Sudanese-attacks-force-8000-from-homes/UPI-36641361210455/?spt=hs&or=tn END3 4. Wounded rebels retreat to South Sudan: Sudan army Agence France-Presse February 18, 2013 13:31 Rebels wounded during fresh fighting in Sudan's Blue Nile state have retreated to South Sudan, the army said on Monday, after Washington warned of a dangerous increase in tensions on the undemarcated border. The army statement followed claims by rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) that a government offensive in Blue Nile had forced thousands to flee. Sudan's army spokesman, quoted by the official SUNA news agency, said the army had "liberated" an area in southwestern Blue Nile, killing and wounding dozens of insurgents. "Those injured have been taken to South Sudan," said the spokesman, Sawarmi Khaled Saad. "The rebels withdrew towards South Sudan." Saad added that "a number" of government troops were killed and wounded, but he gave no figures. The United States on Friday said it was "deeply concerned" by reports of clashes between Sudan and South Sudan in disputed border areas between Blue Nile and South Sudan's Upper Nile state. These included "reports of Sudanese helicopters crossing into South Sudan and the artillery bombardment by Sudanese armed forces of South Sudanese troops," the American embassy in Khartoum said. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130218/wounded-rebels-retreat-south-sudan-sudan-army END4 5. Sudan army says it recaptured area in Blue Nile from SPLM-N rebels February 18, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army announced on Monday that it has reclaimed back an area in the border state of Blue Nile from the rebels of the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N). The army spokesperson Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa’ad was quoted by Sudan official news agency (SUNA) as saying that they liberated Mafo which lies in the southwest part of the state. Col. Sa’ad went on to say that the army flushed out SPLM-N rebels which he estimated its size there as equivalent to a battalion adding that they had tanks, artillery and Land Cruiser vehicles. He said that SPLM-N rebels suffered large losses including 66 fighters, 4 tanks, 4 Land Cruiser vehicles and 2 tractors. Around 70 who were injured from the rebels have moved to South Sudan including 3 senior officers while other groups fled to Wadka and Aura, Col. Sa’ad added. He acknowledged that an unspecified but "small" number of Sudanese soldiers were killed and injured. Last Sunday the SPLM-N Secretary General Yasser Arman said that the Sudanese army launched an aerial and ground attack in Mafo thus forcing around 8,000 to civilians to flee closer to the Ethiopian and South Sudanese border. The conflict in Blue Nile started in September 2011, a few months after neighboring South Sudan seceded under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war. Few months earlier a similar conflict broke out in South Kordofan which also lies on the borders with South Sudan. The SPLM-N fought as part of the southern rebel army during that war, but were left on the Sudanese side of the border after partition. Khartoum accuses Juba of backing the rebels and is making suspending support to them a prerequisite to implementing a number of deals they signed last year including one on oil exports. The Sudanese government refuses to negotiate with SPLM-N rebels fearing that it could be forced to accept wealth and power sharing arrangements similar to the ones included in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed with the south. The UN Security Council’s (UNSC) resolution number 2046 ordered Sudan and the SPLM-N to cooperate in order to end the conflict in the two regions. Under the resolution, two parties are supposed to negotiate on the basis of the 28 June 2011 agreement they signed in Addis Ababa before it was scrapped by Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir. The African Union mediation team has called on the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N to meet in Addis Ababa on in mid-March to hold direct political talks to end the conflict in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article45576 END5 6. AIRSTRIKE KILLS THREE, INJURES FOUR IN NUBA MOUNTAINS Tuesday, 19 February 2013 06:31 | Catholic Radio Network At least three people were killed and another four injured after a Sudanese military Antonov plane bombed Luwere in Nuba Mountains on Sunday evening. An eyewitness said one woman and two children died on the spot when they were hit by one of the eight bombs dropped by the SAF warplane. He said the victims were out in the field collecting locusts for food when the bombs exploded. The eyewitness added that he saw the plane hovering over the area around 5:00 PM before the incident occurred. The eyewitness said that the four wounded people were rushed immediately to the hospital for treatment. One woman is in critical condition. In a separate incident, one SPLA-N soldier died in the hospital on Monday from his wounds after he was brought from Daldako for treatment. A medical officer said the man died while undergoing surgery. Sudanese warplanes have been bombing SPLA-N controlled areas in Nuba Mountains since war broke out between the rebels and the government forces after elections failed in South Kordofan in June 2011. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced. http://catholicradionetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9386:airstrike-kills-three-injures-four-in-nuba-mountains&catid=2:south-sudan&Itemid=84 END6 7. NUBA MOUNTAINS TEACHERS COLLEGE REOPENS Monday, 18 February 2013 15:07 | Catholic Radio Network Kumbur Payam Education Supervisor on Saturday announced that the Teachers’ Training College in Nuba Mountains will reopen on Tuesday. The College closed down nearly twenty months ago following the outbreak of war in the region. Jargi Kumir Papa urged all interested candidates to submit their applications on Monday at the Kumbur Payam headquarters. He said the candidates will then be directed to the regional educational office. Mr Kumir added that the students will still benefit from the free accommodation and feeding, but that he was not sure if their schools fees will be covered. Before the college closed down, the education ministry had provided the students with free accommodation, food and school fees. One of the candidates to be enrolled in the college expressed happiness and that she will join the teachers’ training in order to learn English. The Supervisor said the intensive course will run for six months to tackle the current major challenge of teachers’ shortage in the Nuba Mountains. http://catholicradionetwork.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9376:nuba-mountains-teachers-college-reopens&catid=2:south-sudan&Itemid=84 END7 8. South Sudan Denies Claim Of Training Militia Against Khartoum The South Sudan government has refuted accusations made by the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir that South Sudan is training SPLM-North militia currently fighting the Khartoum government. By Waakhe Simon Wudu JUBA, 19 February 2013 [Gurtong] –Bashir last week during a Community of Sahel-Saharan summit held in Chad accused South Sudan of training the militia group but the South Sudan government Spokesperson Dr. Barnaba Marial told press this morning in Juba that his government does not train any militia against the Khartoum government. He urged Khartoum to dwell on the full implementation of the signed cooperation agreements reached last year. The SPLM-North, made up of fighters who sided with the South during the civil war, controls part of the Sudan side of the border, which complicates setting up the buffer zone. “In the name of the President and in the name of the Republic of South Sudan that we are not training any rebel from Southern Kordofan or Southern Blue Nile,” Dr. Marial said. “What we would want to see is peace in Sudan and we would urge the President Omar Al Bashir to implement the issue of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile through of course the Comprehensive Peace Agreement which has a protocol on the two areas of Southern Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan which is popularly called popular consultation,” added Marial. The two countries had repeatedly accused each other of supporting militia to fight against the other. The nations failed to fully implement the cooperation agreement brokered by the African Union believed to be the catalyst for peace and stability between the two countries. Sudan and South Sudan failed to agree on how to withdraw armies from their disputed border after a round of talks in Ethiopia, delaying again the resumption of crucial oil exports. The two neighbours came close to war in April 2012 in the worst border clashes since South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 under a 2005 deal which ended decades of civil war. After mediation from the African Union, both countries agreed in September to set up a demilitarized buffer zone and resume oil exports from landlocked South Sudan through Sudan. Oil is vital to both economies. But neither side withdrew its army from the 2,000-km (1,200-mile) border due to mistrust left from one of Africa's longest civil wars. http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/9660/categoryId/1/South-Sudan-Denies-Claim-of-Training-Militia-against-Sudan.aspx END8 9. WAR CONTINUES IN SOUTH KORDOFAN & BLUE NILE OCHA Humanitarian Update 4th Quarter 2012 https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/Sudan/Reports/OCHA_Sudan_Humanitarian_Update_4th_Quarter_2012.pdf?utm_source=OCHA+Sudan&utm_campaign=96728ba5b5-SHU_4th_Quarter_2012&utm_medium=email END9 ______________________ 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. 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 "sudan-john-ashworth" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
