---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "John Ashworth" <[email protected]> Date: 18 Jan 2017 17:48 Subject: [sudans-john-ashworth] Sudan, sanctions and "cease-fire" To: "Group" <[email protected]> Cc:
I have struggled with how to respond to this. Personally I agree with those who believe that sanctions have little impact other than symbolic, and that easing them will also have little impact other than symbolic. However the announcement that Khartoum is to extend "the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months" is stunning in its duplicity. Following the recent US election and the UK Brexit campaign we have become accustomed to outright lies from our highest leaders, but to announce the extension of a non-existent cease-fire for another six months when there is incontrovertible evidence of a huge military build-up of government forces and militia who are about to launch a massive dry-season offensive against the people of the Nuba Mountains seems to reach a new level of cynicism which should not be allowed to pass unnoticed. John BEGIN 1. Obama administration eases Sudan sanctions January 13 - 2017 WASHINGTON - Radio Dabanga (UPDATE 19:30) The United States ordered the easing of financial sanctions against Sudan in recognition of what the Obama administration says are positive actions in countering terrorism, days before President Obama leaves office. The outgoing Obama administration is taking the steps as a show of goodwill toward the government of President Omar Al Bashir. The executive order issued on Friday revokes parts of a U.S. trade embargo, in place since the Bill Clinton administration in 1997. President Obama also lifted a freeze on certain assets of Al Bashir's government, in light of Sudan's “positive actions over the past six months. “These actions include a marked reduction in offensive military activity, culminating in a pledge to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, and steps toward the improvement of humanitarian access throughout Sudan, as well as cooperation with the United States on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism,” Obama said. The U.S. branding of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism remains, which has been on this list since 1993, along with Iran and Syria. 2006 saw the imposition of additional American sanctions against Al Bashir's government, for complicity for the violence in Darfur. 'All prohibited transactions, including those involving property in which Sudan has an interest, are to be authorised' President Obama built in a six-month waiting period before the benefits for Sudan come into effect. By July 12, several U.S. agencies would have to affirm to the White House - which will be controlled by President-elect Donald Trump - that Sudan is continuing taking positive steps before the sanctions would be eased. President-elect Donald Trump has not taken any public positions on Sudan, though he has vowed to put cracking down on terrorism at the centre of his foreign policy. Regulations to be revealed Radio Dabanga obtained a document of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that is said to be published in the Federal Register on 17 January. It states that 'all prohibited transactions, including transactions involving property in which the Government of Sudan has an interest' are to be authorised. 'Newly authorized transactions include the processing of transactions involving persons in Sudan; the importation of goods and services from Sudan; the exportation of goods, technology, and services to Sudan; and transactions involving property in which the Government of Sudan has an interest.' The document mentions that the sanctions continue 'to require in pertinent part that the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan shall be made pursuant to one-year licenses issued by the U.S. government'. Procedures are in place to deny authorisation for exports to Sudan that 'are determined to promoting international terrorism', while the new general license does not allow the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or drugs trafficking. Obama's decision falls less than three months after the U.S. State Department extended the sanctions against Sudan for another year, based on his administration's findings that Sudan has reduced military aerial bombardment in the Darfur region and other conflict areas and is allowing greater access to humanitarian relief in these areas. Aerial bombings A UN Security Council report from September 2016, however, stated that on 7 August, the Sudanese army conducted aerial bombardments targeting rebel positions in the areas east of Nierteti. Its aircraft reportedly carried out further aerial bombardments in Boldon on 27 August. 'The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) was unable to verify those reports, including the number of casualties reported in the media, owing to the repeated refusal of the Government to grant access to the area, citing security reasons,' the UN Secretary-General's report read. Large-scale military operations and air raids against the armed movements' positions in the Jebel Marra Massif between January and May 2016 displaced an estimated 138,000 people as of 31 March, humanitarian organisations verified. An additional thousands of people fled to caves higher in the mountains, witnesses reported to Radio Dabanga. Attacks by the Sudanese Air Force struck the area almost daily, in the government's attempt to crush the holdout forces of rebel leader Abdel Wahid El Nur. Reactions Herve Ladsous, head of UN peacekeeping, told the UN Security Council on Thursday that there had been a significant decrease in the intensity of the conflict in Darfur, though he said “civilians remain exposed to significant sources of insecurity . . . and the activities of armed militias”. Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch, has described Obama’s decision to ease sanctions as “inexplicable”. The US “was sending the worst possible message to Sudan and other repressive governments: if you co-operate on counterterrorism, then all abuses — including by your president — will be ignored”. John Prendergast, founding director of the Enough Project, an atrocity prevention policy group, said the move meant the US giving up a significant form of leverage. “Unfortunately, the Sudan regime historically launches its offensives in February and March, when the Obama administration will no longer be in office to calibrate its response,” he said. “I really worry the sanctions easing is premature.” (Source: RD, The Washington Post, Financial Times) https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/obama- administration-to-lift-sudan-sanctions END1 2. Sudanese government extends ceasefire for six months January 15, 2017 (KHARTOUM) - Sudanese Council of Ministers on Sunday has decided to extend the unilateral cessation of hostilities in war zones for six months. The Sudanese army has been fighting the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) rebels in Blue Nile and South Kordofan, also known as “Two Areas” since 2011 and a group of armed movements in Darfur since 2003. In June 2016, President Omer al-Bashir declared a unilateral four-month cessation of hostilities. In December, he extended the ceasefire for one month following a two-month extension declared in October. According to the official news agency SUNA, the Sudanese cabinet held an extraordinary session on Sunday headed by al-Bashir and decided to extend the ceasefire for six months. The government decision appears to be part of a roadmap agreement between Khartoum and Washington that prompted the latter to ease the economic sanctions imposed on Sudan since 1997. On Friday, the outgoing US President Barack Obama signed an executive order to ease sanctions against Sudan enabling trade and investment transactions to resume with the east African nation. He said the move intends to acknowledge Sudan’s efforts to reduce internal conflicts, improve humanitarian access to people in need and curtail terrorism. It is noteworthy that the SPLM-N, the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in October extended for six months the unilateral cessation of hostilities in Darfur, Blue Nile and south Kordofan they declared in October 2015 and April of this year. Following six days of talks in Addis Ababa last August, the armed movements and the government failed to conclude a deal on the security arrangements and humanitarian access in Darfur and the Two Areas prompting the African Union mediation to suspend the talks indefinitely. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article61401 END2 3. Obama says Sudan positive actions prompt partial revocation of sanctions By Paul Brandus January 13, 2017 (WASHINGTON) - Pleased with the Sudanese government’s efforts in fighting terrorism, President Barack Obama - with just days left in his administration- is moving to loosen economic sanctions against it. The president signed an executive order Friday easing - but not eliminating -sanctions, which would permit greater trade and investment between the two nations. But the timing of Mr. Obama’s move pushes any final approval onto the incoming administration of Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20. In announcing the move here Friday, the president, in a letter to Republican leaders in Congress, said "I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the actions taken in those orders related to the policies and actions of the government of Sudan has been altered by Sudan’s positive actions over the past six months.” The lifting of sanctions would be delayed by 180 days, however. The delay is seen as a way of further encouraging the Sudanese government to continue its anti-terror fight—and to improve its record on human rights. The six month delay means that by July 12, U.S. government groups will confirm to the White House—which by then will be controlled by Trump—that Sudan has continued to be cooperative on both fronts. The United States first imposed sanctions on Sudan in 1997, during the presidency of Bill Clinton. Those sanctions included a trade embargo and freezing of government’s assets, for what the U.S. called human rights violations and terrorism concerns. Additional sanctions were imposed in 2006, during the presidency of George W Bush, what the U.S. called complicity in violence that was occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan. The move is not seen as unexpected, and follows a warming of relations between the two nations. But the U.S. will continue to label Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House emphasized. Attention now shifts to the Trump administration. Neither the president-elect or any members of his staff have commented on their Sudanese views. One Trump official who asked not to be identified said that the issue of sanctions “is something that we are looking at,” adding that it is “too early to make any sort of determination about our future relationship.” One U.S. official said the Obama administration has been pleased with Sudanese efforts to curb travel by members of the so called Islamic Sate (ISIS) through Sudan, and Khartoum’s crackdown on alleged shipments of Iranian weapons to anti-Israeli groups. Friday’s White House announcement emphasized that sanctions being eased could easily be re-applied as needed in the future, if the Khartoum government’s actions deem such a reversal necessary. One U.S. official compared Friday’s move to other American efforts to reach out to nations with him it has had bad—or nonexistent relations with, such as Iran, Cuba, and Myanmar. (ST) http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article61380 END3 ______________________ John Ashworth [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +44 787 976 8030 (UK mobile) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) Skype: jashworth1 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. 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