Governor Expels French Aid Group From South Darfur

Posted on February 14, 2011 by admin

From Voice of America, February 14, 2011:

A state in Sudan’s Darfur region has expelled the French aid Group Medecins du Monde, or Doctors of the World.

South Darfur Governor Abdel Hamid Kasha on Monday accused the humanitarian group of working with rebels loyal to Abdelwahid Nur, who lives in Paris. The rebel group is one of several in Darfur fighting the Sudanese government.

Paris-based Medecins du Monde says it is dedicated to the most vulnerable victims of armed conflicts. Officials with the non-profit group did not immediately respond to the governor’s accusations.

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300 seek shelter with UN in Sudan after 3 killed

Posted on February 14, 2011 by admin

From The Associated Press, February 14, 2011:

Officials in Sudan say 300 civilians are seeking refuge at a U.N. compound in the contested Sudanese town of Abyei following a spate of violence over the weekend that killed three people from north Sudan.

The officials said Monday the 300 have been inside the U.N. compound since Saturday, when violence broke out between security officials and a youth mob later killed three northerners.

Most of those seeking shelter are Misseriya tribesmen from Sudan’s north and Darfuris from Sudan’s west. Other residents of Abyei are from a black African group.

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Foreign diplomats commend the people of South Sudan for peaceful referendum

Posted on February 14, 2011 by admin

From the Government of South Sudan, February 12, 2011:

NAIROBI, 12 February 2011 – The Government of South Sudan Liaison Office to Kenya organized a thanksgiving party for diplomats from Kenya and the region to celebrate the successful completion of last month’s referendum.

The event held at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi brought together diplomats from Sudan, Kenya and South Sudan. Among the dignitaries from the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) were H.E Amb. Michael Majok Ayom, Principal Liaison Officer to Kenya and H.E Telar Deng, Legal Advisor to the president of South Sudan.

Sudanese ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Amb. Bedheredin Abdallah, has congratulated the people of South Sudan for the peaceful and transparent process during the referendum and promised that the North will continue to cooperate with the new State to ensure a peaceful coexistence and build strong diplomatic relationship.

GoSS Principal Liaison Officer to Kenya, Amb. Majok Ayom, thanked the international community, in particular IGAD member states and the Kenya Government for their role in mediating and guaranteeing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. He in particular commended the government of Kenya for the roles played by former president, Daniel arap Moi, and the current one Mwai Kibaki.

He also praised the astute leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Omar el Bashir for maintaining the peace accord and initiated peaceful coexistence among the people of Sudan. He reiterated the commitment by Southern leaders to expedite reconstruction and the provision of services to the people of South Sudan.

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Britain looking into debt relief for Sudan: envoy

Posted on February 14, 2011 by admin

From Sudan Tribute, February 13, 2011:

February 13, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The British government along with the United States have formed a joint committee to look into possible debt relief for Sudan’s debt, the U.K. ambassador said today.

Sudan has been lobbying intensively to have its debt canceled as a reward for letting the referendum held in the South last month to go smoothly and recognizing its outcome.

The British ambassador to Sudan Nicholas Kay who met today with the minister of the International Cooperation, Jalal Al-Digair said that the Treasury in his country is examining ways to alleviate Sudan’s debt burden.

Most of Sudan’s debt dates back to the days of late president Ga’afar Nimeiri. It grew from $9 billion in 1985 to $37.8 billion.

It is believed that Sudan owes Britain close to $1 billion in debt.

The United States promised to assist Sudan internationally with its debt relief effort but cautioned that this is a lengthy and complex process.

The British envoy also revealed that a parliamentary delegation will visit Khartoum later this month to review situation on the ground following the South Sudan’s overwhelming vote in favor of secession.

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Support South Sudan – Museveni

Posted on February 12, 2011 by admin

From New Vision, February 8:

President Yoweri Museveni has called on Ugandans and all religious leaders to support the people of Southern Sudan following a referendum that saw over 98.8 percent of the voters opt for secession, making Southern Sudan the newest country in the world.

During the two decades of war between the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) in the south and the Sudanese government, thousands of Sudanese fled to neighbouring Uganda to seek refuge.

The President was meeting religious leaders from all major faiths in Uganda at State House in Entebbe. He urged them to caution opposition politicians against spreading lies about government and the President as an individual, adding that such lies including claims that he has sold Lake Kyoga, the oil fields and land, can be a source of conflict.

The religious leaders’ delegation was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga, the Archbishop of Uganda Orthodox Church and the Chairman Council of Presidents [COP] and Inter Religious Council of Uganda [IRCU] .

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Official Is Killed In Southern Sudan

Posted on February 12, 2011 by admin

From The New York Times, February 9:

A leading official of the government of the secessionist region of southern Sudan was shot dead by his brother-in-law on Wednesday morning, according to officials who said the motive was personal and unrelated to the region’s recent vote for independence.

The official who was killed, Jimmy Lemi, was southern Sudan’s minister for rural development and cooperatives. The officials said his brother-in-law, Emmanuel Luga, had recently been replaced as Mr. Lemi’s driver. They said Mr. Luga stormed Mr. Lemi’s office and opened fire, killing Mr. Lemi and a security guard before he was arrested.

Benjamin Marial, the minister of information, said Mr. Luga had been fired as a driver because his behavior was “erratic and rude.” For several months before the shooting, he had been campaigning with Mr. Lemi but had yet to be paid, the information minister said, speculating that this might be a motive for the killing.

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Tunisia Respects “Free Choice” of People in S. Sudan

Posted on February 12, 2011 by admin

From Xinhua CRI English, February 13:

Tunisia’s interim government said Saturday that it respects the “free choice of the people in south Sudan to set up an independent state,” the official press agency TAP reported.

The Tunisian government expressed the hope that the “legitimate aspirations of the people in south Sudan for the edification of an independent state and the achievement of stability and development ” will be realized.

It hailed the “positive and constructive attitude of the Republic of Sudan which has clearly voiced its acceptance of the referendum and committed itself to establishing good neighborliness policies with the south,” the statement said.

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Highway Project Will Connect Southern Sudan to Outside World

Posted on February 12, 2011 by admin

From Voice of America, February 12, 2011:

Work crews have started paving Southern Sudan’s first highway, which will connect the new nation to the international community.  This highway brings the south one step closer to full independence.

A military band welcomed Southern Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, the American consul general in the south, Barrie Walkley, and local officials to a remote stretch of road near the Sudan-Uganda border.

This is the southern end of a 192 kilometer, heavily mined, potholed dirt road that a United States-funded project started work on five years ago. On Thursday, the first stretch of pavement was laid down on what will soon be the south’s first paved highway, linking the southern capital, Juba, to the world outside the new nation’s borders.

Kiir was the guest of honor during the ceremony.

“It is development that we need and development starts with these roads,” said Kiir.

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South Sudan votes for independence

Posted on February 9, 2011 by admin

From Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, February 8, 2011:

Press Release

The people of South Sudan have overwhelmingly voted for independence, with 98.83% in favour of a split. “Norway intends to formally recognise South Sudan as a sovereign, independent state in July 2011,” said Norway’s Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

The referendum on the future status of South Sudan was an impressive operation, with a voter turnout of more than 97%. President al-Bashir has declared that the official result will be accepted. South Sudan is set to become Africa’s 54th state when the transitional period ends in July this year.

The leaders of both North and South have shown great political wisdom throughout this process. There are still challenging negotiations to be completed before secession, and close dialogue between the parties will continue to be of crucial importance. The remaining elements of the peace agreement must be implemented, and the parties will have to agree on the basis and details for the establishment of two viable states with good neighbourly relations.

“Norway will support the parties in their efforts to find constructive solutions to the outstanding issues. We will continue our longstanding engagement in both North and South,” stated Mr Støre.

Norway was one of the countries that witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. To mark the historic significance of the referendum, the witnesses to the agreement have issued a joint statement.

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Sudan’s terror-list removal untied from Darfur

Posted on February 9, 2011 by admin

From The Washington Post, February 8, 2011:

The Obama administration intends to remove Sudan from a U.S. terrorist blacklistregardless of progress in the conflict-riddled province of Darfur. The move is likely to anger some members of Congress and human rights activists.

The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (DPAA) requires the government of Sudan to resolve the conflict in Sudan‘s western province before the nation can be removed from the terrorism list.

“The Obama administration, for the purposes of this designation, will delink this listing from Darfur,” a senior U.S. official told The Washington Times on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter.

“We have told the Sudanese that what we intend to do is to waive the application of the DPAA in this regard should they fulfill all requirements of the [Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005],” he added.

The peace pact ended two decades of civil war between the Muslim north and the largely Christian and animist south. About 2 million people were killed in the fighting.

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