SPLM alleges NCP plot to arm southerner militias - UN urged to check 'security violations' in south Sudan

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) has demanded an investigation into an alleged plot by the National Congress Party (NCP) to arm militias in the south aimed at disrupting the work of the North-South Border Demarcation Committee and obstructing South Sudan's self determination process.

Addressing the press in Khartoum on Sunday (9 May), SPLM Deputy Secretary General-northern sector, Yasir Arman said the NCP is hindering the south secession process "through technical ways".

The SPLM has requested that the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) launch the inquiry, calling on UNMIS to exercise its rights within its mandate.

Meanwhile, Head of the Technical Committee for North-South Border Demarcation, Abdulla Al Sadiq, has said that the committee will complete its work by November 2010. Sadiq stated that by then, borders will be demarcated from Central Africa to Ethiopia.

Al Sadiq told Radio Miraya that the final report of the Technical Committee will be raised to the presidency for approval ahead of the Southern Sudan referendum process in November.

Source: Radio Miraya, Sunday, 09 May 2010 - see copy below.

U.N. must verify north-south Sudan clashes: SPLM
From Reuters (Khartoum) by Opheera McDoom
Saturday, 08 May 2010 4:01pm EDT:

U.N. peacekeepers should be more active in monitoring violence in Sudan's south ahead of a key referendum in independence in eight months time, the oil- producing region's main party said on Saturday.

Senior Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) official Yasir Arman also said they had evidence President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's ruling northern National Congress Party was trying to destabilize the south by arming proxy militias in the semi- autonomous region.

"The United Nations should verify and should be present in all the places where there are violations of the security arrangements," Arman told reporters. "This is the mandate of the United Nations force here -- they should take this mandate... seriously."

The peacekeeping mission was deployed to monitor a 2005 north-south peace deal ending Africa's longest running civil war which claimed 2 million lives. A shaky ceasefire has mostly held with sporadic fighting kept in check through a high-level joint defense body between the former foes.

But last month clashes between the south's separate army (SPLA) and Darfuri Arab tribes along the disputed north-south border inflicted heavy casualties on both sides. And the SPLA accused a senior renegade commander of attacking an army base killing at least eight soldiers in Jonglei state last week.

The U.N. mission has not commented on the violence and a spokesman was not immediately available to comment on Saturday.

Arman said the NCP was using the Arab tribes to destabilize the south and delay the referendum.

"The government of south Sudan produced information that the NCP...are trying to destabilize the ..security in south Sudan," Arman said in a news conference in Khartoum.

He added SPLA renegade George Athor was receiving logistical support from outside the south, but did not specify from where.

Bashir's National Congress Party was not available to comment. During the civil war, Khartoum supported militias to oppose the SPLA, but the party denies this policy since 2005.

Most analysts believe the south is likely to secede in the January 9, 2011 plebiscite and fear a heavily armed population, ethnic rivalries and unresolved border disputes could destabilize any new nation and its neighbors, most of whom were dragged into Sudan's civil war.

Arman urged the NCP to reinvigorate a joint defense body to calm any north-south clashes and to allow the United Nations access to tense border areas.

"The United Nations, in particular the Security Council, should put an eye on Sudan and make sure that the security arrangements do not collapse," Arman said.

Sudan's north-south war has raged on and off since 1955, fueled by issues of ethnicity, ideology, religion and oil.

(Reporting by Opheera McDoom)

UN urged to check 'security violations' in south Sudan
From AFP (Khartoum) - Saturday, 08 May 2010:

A former rebel group on Saturday urged the United Nations to verify its charge that the government is arming militias and tribesmen ahead of next year's independence referendum for south Sudan.

"The United Nations should verify and should be present all over the place where there are violations of the security arrangement," Yasser Arman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) told reporters in Khartoum.

"This is the mandate of the United Nations forces here: they should take this mandate, we call upon them to take this mandate seriously and to verify all accusations from different sides."

"Verification is very important and is not happening," added Arman, whose name appeared on ballot papers in last month's presidential election, despite the fact he withdrew from the race ahead of polling day.

President Omar al-Beshir was returned to power in the election.

Clashes two weeks ago between Arabs of the Rizeygat tribe and southern military forces on the border between war-torn Darfur in west Sudan and south Sudan resulted in the deaths of 55 people.

Earlier, there was fighting between Misseriya Arab tribesmen and southern forces.

In both instances, southern forces accused the central government in Khartoum of arming tribes in a bid to destabilise the vast semi-autonomous south, where an independence referendum is due next January.

"We think there is a big game to destabilise the south from within and from without. From within through militias and other connections and from without in the name of certain tribes," Arman said on Saturday.

Sudan currently hosts two international peacekeeping forces.

The 10,000-strong United Nation's peacekeeping mission in Sudan (UNMIS) monitors the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the 22-year north-south civil war in 2005.

UNAMID is a joint United Nations and African Union force deployed in Darfur.

Peacekeepers in Sudan need Sudanese army permission to enter certain areas in the north and authorisation from the southern forces for the south, but sometimes such requests are denied.

SPLM alleges NCP plot to arm southerner militias
From MirayaFM - Sunday, 09 May 2010 19:40:

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) has demanded an investigation into an alleged plot by the National Congress Party (NCP) to arm militias in the south aimed at disrupting the work of the North-South Border Demarcation Committee and obstructing South Sudan's self determination process.

Addressing the press in Khartoum on Sunday, SPLM Deputy Secretary General-northern sector, Yasir Arman (photo, left), said the NCP is hindering the south secession process "through technical ways".

The SPLM has requested that the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) launch the inquiry, calling on UNMIS to exercise its rights within its mandate.

Yasir stressed that the vision of both the SPLM in the north and south is that of a new Sudan and called all southerners voluntary unity.

Meanwhile, Head of the Technical Committee for North-South Border Demarcation, Abdulla Al Sadiq, has said that the committee will complete its work by November 2010. Sadiq stated that by then, borders will be demarcated from Central Africa to Ethiopia.

The Technical Head added that the committee's work have not been disrupted by the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) or Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), saying that both armies are only concerned about security issues.

Al Sadiq told Radio Miraya that the final report of the Technical Committee will be raised to the presidency for approval ahead of the Southern Sudan referendum process in November.

Meanwhile, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) has accused the National Congress Party (NCP) of arming militias in the south to impede the work of the North-South Border Demarcation Committee and also to obstruct Southern Sudan's self-determination process.

Addressing the press in Khartoum on Saturday, the SPLM Deputy Secretary General in northern sector, Yasir Arman, called on all parties to accept the outcome of the referendum results.

The Technical Committee on the Demarcation of 1956 Boundaries between Northern and Southern Sudan, had earlier announced the conclusion of the demarcation process in the Eastern Sector, which comprises of White and Blue Nile, Sennar, and Upper Nile States.

Click and listen to SPLM Deputy Secretary General -northern sector, Yasir Arman

Click and listen to Head of North-South Border Demarcation, Abdulla al Sadiq

Further reading

Editor of Sudanese newspaper Ajras AlHuriya charged with publishing false news
Radio Miraya - 09 May 2010
The Editor of Ajras AlHuriya newspaper, Alhaj Warraq was charged on Sunday with publishing false news and undermining the dignity of the state, an offence punishable by up to six months in jail. Faiz al-Silaik, Acting Editor-in-Chief of Ajras AlHuriya, a newspaper alleged to be affiliated to Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), said he considers the charge an attack on press freedom. [...]

SPLM calls for new alliance to support South Sudan referendum
Sudan Tribune - 09 May 2010
May 8, 2010 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) today called for the formation of a new political alliance to establish the New Sudan and to support southern Sudan right of self-determination. [...]

Sudan resumes demarcation of north-South border
Sudan Tribune - 29 April 2010
April 28, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese authorities have started the penultimate stage of North- South boundary demarcation, ahead of the expected referendum on southern Sudan self-determination. [...]

Abyei one year after the Roadmap
Radio Miraya - 09 June 2009

Sudan activists - UNAMID receives US Envoy Gration in Darfur - Sudan's delegation at AU HQ meeting on Sudan

NOTE to self, for future reference. Yesterday evening (Friday, 07 May c. 21:00 hrs UK) I sadly noted here at Sudan Watch that in western Sudan on 07 May 2010 at about 11.30hrs, a military convoy from UNAMID’s Egyptian contingent, with three vehicles and 20 personnel, was ambushed near Katila village, 85km south of Edd al Fursan, South Darfur (click here for map) by a group of unidentified armed men who indiscriminately opened fire, without warning, on the peacekeepers.

This morning (Saturday, 08 May) while searching Google News for reports of the shocking attack, I was surprised to find that among a list of reports, Google had somehow managed to connect and include three seemingly unrelated reports from Sudan Vision Daily, AllAfrica and Sudan Tribune. See copy of the three reports here below, plus several other related reports and a report from Sudan Watch archives regarding an Egyptian peacekeeper killed in El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur in May 2007.

Gunmen kill 2 peacekeepers in Sudan's south Darfur

‎
The Associated Press - 13 hours ago

Fighting between rebels and Sudanese government forces began there in 2003, killing up to 300000 people and driving 2.7 million from their homes. ...

Two Egyptian peacekeepers killed in Darfur‎ - BBC News
AU and UN call for holistic approach to Sudan crises‎ - Sudan Tribune
Two Egyptian peacekeepers killed in Darfur ambush‎ - AFP
Press TV - Sudan Vision
all 194 news articles »

Government Delegation to Addis for Joining AUHQ Meeting on Sudan
From Sudan Vision Daily - Saturday, 08 May 2010 @ 00:10:00 BST by Staff Writer:

Government delegation chaired by the State Minister of Culture and Youth, Dr. Amin Hassan Omer headed yesterday to Addis Ababa for participating in the international two-day consultative meeting on Sudan's present and future political developments.

The meeting was scheduled to convene yesterday at the African Union Headquarters in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa.

In a press statement on Thursday, Deputy Chief of Sudan Mission to Addis Ababa, Akoi Bona Malwal, reported that the Head of the AU Panel on Darfur, Thabo Mbeki would present there a comprehensive report on Darfur peace process, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement implementation progress, as well the arrangements for the self-determination referendum.

According to Malwal, participants in the meeting would include: AU, UN, EU, UNAMID Chief, Gambari, AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassolé, Organization of Islamic Countries, and the Qatari mediator, Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are expected to join the meeting today.

Diplomatic sources informed that the Sudan official delegation to the meeting included the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mutrif Siddig and ruling party leading figure, Sayed Alkhatieb.

Analysts suggest that the high level of participation in the said meeting reflects the international community’s concern over the risks South Sudan’s secession might pose to the regional and global security.

Sudan: Unamid Receives U.S. Envoy Gration
United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (El Fasher)
From UNAMID - (hat tip AllAfrica) - Thursday, 06 May 2010:

A delegation led by US Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration today visited UNAMID's headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur.

Mr. Gration met with Deputy Joint Special Representatives Henry Anyidoho and Mohamed Yonis, Force Commander Patrick Nyamvumba, senior UNAMID officials, and UN Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sudan Toby Lanzer.

The US envoy shared his views on how to better integrate the efforts of the Government of the Sudan, UNAMID, aid agencies, and other stakeholders to secure peace and stability in the region. Among the issues discussed were programmes that promote reconciliation, recovery and development, as well as the challenges of their implementation.

Mr. Gration later met with representatives of various humanitarian organizations operating in Darfur, before departing for Solinga, a model village in North Darfur to which some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have voluntarily settled.

The US envoy plans to travel to Addis Ababa on 9 May and participate in African Union meetings on Sudan to discuss the Darfur peace process and the implementation of the CPA.

AU and UN call for holistic approach to Sudan crises
From Sudan Tribune - Saturday, 08 May 2010:

May 7, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) - In a joint meeting held with United Nations in Addis Ababa, the African Union on Friday called for a holistic approach to be taken in dealing with the different crises in the Sudan

The African Union and the United Nations stressed "the necessity of reaching a political agreement before the referendum on independence (in southern Sudan) in January 2011", and for an "inclusive" political process in Darfur.

The meeting between the two organizations aimed to evaluate the strategies they should follow, "with a particular emphasis on the post-electoral context, the peace process in Darfur and the preparations for the referendum".

The former South African President, who is charged by the AU to identify the best way to bring justice in Darfur and to settle the political problems in the country, briefed the UN Security Council last December on the conclusions of a report he complied about the Sudan.

Thabo Mbeki, who sought the support of the UN, reiterated the root cause of the conflict in Darfur and Sudan being the "concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a Khartoum-centered elite and the consequent marginalization of the so-called periphery, including Darfur".

However, the UN Security Council pointed out the need to coordinate the efforts of the two organizations in a way to not obstruct the ongoing attempts or to interfere with the International Criminal Court jurisdiction. The AU wants to suspends the ICC referral and the UN Security Council supports it.

The statement also stressed "the need for greater support from the international community and close coordination among international actors". (ST)

Further reading

Sudan's delegation participates in Addis Ababa's international consultative meetings
From MirayaFM - Saturday, 08 May 2010 14:48 - Updated Saturday, 08 May 2010 15:11:

The head of Sudan's delegation to the international consultative meetings on Sudan held in Ethiopia's Addis Ababa, Dr Amin Hassen Omer, conducted on Saturday a number of meetings with key officials including US envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, and Head of the African Union - United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNMAID), Djibril Bassole.

On Saturday, the African Union will hold deliberations on implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and current efforts at resolving the Darfur conflict, among other issues.

Participants include international envoys for Sudan as well as representatives from the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Arab League, Egypt and Qatar. The delegates aim to formulate strategies to coordinate regional efforts on issues pertaining to Sudan for the near future.

Gration: 'crucial time for Sudan'
From Politico.com - Saturday, 08 May 2010 by Emily Canal 11:57 AM EDT:

Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration said it is a crucial time for the nation in a briefing Wednesday on his just-finished two-week trip to Chad, Sudan, Qatar and Rwanda.

With the south moving toward a 2011 referendum on secession following this month's elections held amidst widespread reports of irregularities, Gration has been pushing for a peace deal between senior officials in the national capitol of Khartoum, which represents the nation's mostly Muslim north, and those in Juba, the de facto capitol of the largely Christian and animist south.

"We must not let this opportunity to promote Sudan-wide political transformation, to improve the overall security, to facilitate a lasting peace pass us by," Gration said. "We will not rest until we've done everything we can to secure a brighter future for the next generation of Sudanese. Failure in this case is not an option, and we'll strive for success."

Gration said he spent much of the trip discussing Comprehensive Peace Agreement issues with the National Congressional Party.

State Department Spokesman Phillip Crowley said Thursday in a briefing that Gration is on his way to Khartoum to continue discussions with representatives of the government of Sudan.

"Tomorrow, he will travel to Addis Ababa to participate in African Union meetings on Sudan and discuss regional strategies and international coordination in support of CPA implementation and the Darfur peace process," Crowley said.

The Enough Project released a benchmark report card for Sudan this week that found national reform and humanitarian access had worsened across the board.

The group warned that "[n]o progress has been made on substantive national reforms critical to addressing some of the root causes of conflict in Sudan."

JSR Gambari meets AUHIP
From UNAMID website - Thursday, 06 May 2010:

06 May 2010 - The African Union High Level Panel on Darfur, chaired by former President Thabo Mbeki, and a UNAMID team led by Joint Special Representative (JSR) Ibrahim Gambari met in Addis Ababa today to explore areas of mutual interest ahead of a United Nations/African Union meeting scheduled to take place soon.

Among the topics covered was the Sudan’s current political landscape following the recent elections and the possible implications for the implementation of the Mission’s mandate.

Consultative meetings on Sudan kick off in Addis Ababa without Sudanese delegation
From MirayaFM - Friday, 07 May 2010 20:13 - Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 May 2010 00:22 ):

International envoys and representatives from the African Union, and United Nations convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, on Friday to begin consultative meetings on Sudan, without the participation of the Sudanese government.

Sudan's Deputy Ambassador to Addis Ababa, Akoi Bona Malwal, said that the government has not received an official invitation to attend the high level meeting, but added that a delegation led by State Minister of Youth and Sports, Amin Hassan Omar, will be taking part in minor side meetings.

Malwal further said that he is aware that foreign ministers from neighbouring countries will be attending the meeting but could not disclose any other information, saying he does not know "what else is happening" even though the discussions are about Sudan.

The meeting is scheduled to discuss the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and ongoing efforts to resolve the Darfur conflict among other issues.

Special Envoys for Sudan from China, France, Russia, UK, and the US as well as representatives from the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will attempt to coordinate regional efforts on issues pertaining to Sudan for the near future.

Meanwhile, Brussels-based International Crisis Group has said that if Southern Sudan secedes after the referendum in 2011, diplomatic support must be achieved will neighboring countries to ensure that the decision is respected in order to prevent a new civil war from ensuing.

The latest NGO report "Regional Perspectives on the Prospect of Southern Sudan Independence", calls on the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to harmonize efforts in support of the referendum, recognize its results and assist in the peaceful implementation of its outcome

Click and listen to Sudan's Deputy Ambassador to Addis Ababa, Akoi Bona Malwal.

05 May 2010 - UNAMID urges all parties in Darfur to remain committed to the peace process
From UNAMID website - Wednesday, 05 May 2010 - PR/ 18-2010 PRESS RELEASE:

UNAMID urges all parties in Darfur to remain committed to the peace process
El Fasher, 5 May 2010 - The Government of North Darfur has declared curfew in El Fasher town and its environs starting 23:00 hours (11:00pm) of Tuesday 4 May 2010, to 15:00 hours (3:00pm) of Wednesday 5 may 2010.

The curfew has been lifted on the scheduled time.

UNAMID reminds all parties that the Darfur crisis cannot be resolved through military means but can only come through negotiations.

The AU-UN Joint Special Representative, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, urges all parties to remain committed to their engagement in the political process and implement the provisions of the Framework Agreements signed between JEM and the Government of Sudan.
*****
Communication and Public Information Division Media Contacts
Kemal Saïki, Director; saiki@un.org, tel.: +249 (0)92 244 3529 / mobile: +249 (0)92 241 0020
Noureddine Mezni, Spokesperson; mezni@un.org, mobile: +249 (0)91 253 8420/ +249 (0)91 217 4276
Chris Cycmanick, OiC, Media Relations; cycmanick@un.org, mobile: +249 (0)91 253 843
*****

Sudan: Activists From Across the Country Support Congressman Wolf's Call for a Change of Course on Sudan
Press Release from Pax Communication (Washington, DC) - Wednesday, 05 May 2010 - [hat tip AllAfrica]:

Today Sudan activists and Sudanese expatriates from around the country commended Congressman Frank Wolf for his bold call to President Obama for a change of course in dealing with Sudan. Twenty-five regional groups representing 18 states have joined together in a show of bipartisan support for the policy recommendations outlined in Wolf's statement and his letter to President Obama.

In a press conference this morning on Capitol Hill, Wolf said it is time for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to re-take control of U.S. policy involving Sudan. Wolf also made a series of other recommendations, including calling on the administration to not recognize the outcome of the recent presidential elections in Sudan and to move forward with its stated aim of strengthening the capacity of the security sector in the South. In addition, he said priority must be given to ending the attacks in Darfur and completing restoration of humanitarian aid in region. (Full text of Wolf's statements and letter here.) [ http://wolf.house.gov ]

"On behalf of the many Americans who are concerned about the Obama Administration's weak implementation of its stated Sudan policy, I commend Congressman Wolf for his leadership on Sudan and his bold call today for a change of course," stated Eric Cohen, Chairperson of the Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur. "It is far past time for the Administration to implement the policy that was announced five months ago which stated that benchmarks would be applied to Sudan based on verifiable changes in conditions on the ground with disincentives applied for backsliding or lack of progress. We strongly agree that Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice should directly oversee the implementation of that policy."

The anti-genocide organizations and Sudanese diaspora organizations supporting Congressman Wolf's request of the President include: Americans Against the Darfur Genocide, Washington, DC; Connecticut Coalition to Save Darfur, Bloomfield, CT; The Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur, Boston, MA; The San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition, San Francisco, CA; Idaho Darfur Coalition, Boise, ID; New York City Coalition for Darfur, New York, NY; The Essex County Coalition for Darfur, Montclair, NJ; Save Darfur Washington State, Seattle, Washington; Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide, Atlanta, GA; Jewish World Watch, Los Angeles, CA; i-ACT, Los Angeles, CA; Investors Against Genocide, Boston, MA; STAND, University of Maryland's chapter, College Park, MD; Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, Washington DC; Stop Genocide Now, Los Angeles, CA; Operation Broken Silence from Memphis, TN; "Change the world. It just takes cents," Denver, CO; Genocide No More--Save Darfur of Redding, CA; Use Your Voice to Stop Genocide RI, Portsmouth, RI; Darfur and Beyond, Phoenix, AZ; Miami Help Darfur Now, Miami, FL; Kentuckiana Interfaith Taskforce On Darfur, Louisville, KY; Never Again Coalition, Portland, OR; Champion Darfur, Las Vegas, NV; and the Equatoria Sudanese Community Association in the USA.

Copyright © 2010 Pax Communication. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

Note the following copy of an insightful comment by khalid.mustafa published at AllAfrica on Thursday, 06 May 12:18:25 2010 in reply to the above press release from Pax Communication:

"Save Darfur Coalition has not helped Darfur's people; but has spent money on activities to disrupt Sudanese -American relations. These ideological activists have already forced Dr Andrew Natsios to end his role as envoy for president Bush. They try to repeat the campaign with Gn Gration. Natsios now calls for engagement with Sudan . The call to divest from Sudan was started by Netanyahu at the AIPAC conference in 07. It has nothing to do with US interests . The attemot to forge a neo-con policy again (as if G. Bush has not lost the elections!) would poison relations with the whole Muslim world. This runs counter to president Obama's Cairo speech."

POSTSCRIPT
Recently, here at Sudan Watch, I decided to stop publishing news of bandits, pirates, kidnappers and terrorists and other evil doers who aim to destabilise Sudan. In my view, many of the civilian gunmen in and around Sudan are terrorists who belong in jail. I doubt that JEM et al will give up using propaganda and violence in their attempts to gain power and remove the Sudanese government. Terrorists thrive on spreading fear. They use the world's media and gullible activists to spread propaganda and garner support. Sudan Watch archives show that terrorists such as JEM have orchestrated attacks in and around Sudan in order to generate publicity and avoid communicating through official peace mediators, which is why I have stopped publicising their wicked words and evil deeds. This could be the last blog post at Sudan Watch featuring attacks on peacekeepers. Because of its timing and style, I fear that yesterday's attack on Egyptian peacekeepers in Darfur was premeditated in order to maximise publicity and send out messages aimed at destablising Sudan. I suspect the recent kidnapping of South African peacekeepers in Darfur was also terrorist related. From now on, no more publicity for terrorists unless there is verifiable news of them being arrested or attending peace talks.

Note, Sudan Watch report dated 27 May 2007 re Egyptian peacekeeper killed in El Fasher, North Darfur: UN NGO's Leave El Fasher - Egyptian UN soldier killed in Sudan's North Darfur - excerpt:

The circumstances surrounding the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Ehab Nazih, a Military Staff Officer from Egypt, are still under investigation, according to UNMIS, which confirmed that late Friday, three armed men, wearing civilian clothes, broke into the private house he shared with seven other UNMIS staff.

After taking money and valuables from the other occupants of the house, the armed men moved to the victim's room and demanded money from Lt. Colonel Nazih, who gave them all the money he had and was then shot.

He was rushed to the a Hospital run by the African Union Mission in Darfur (AMIS), where he was pronounced dead, UNMIS said, offering thanks to "the AMIS staff and medical personnel who did all they could to save the life of their UNMIS colleague." + + +

Note, Sudan Watch report dated 24 March 2009 re report from Sudan Watch archives March 2006: Al Qaeda terrorists are already entrenched in Sudan, U.N. Envoy Jan Pronk warns



More than 20 peacekeepers have been killed since the joint UN-African Union mission was deployed in Darfur in 2008. (Photo and caption from Press TV news report 08 May 2010)

Before checking and without re-reading Sudan Watch, I reckon the number of African Union or UN personnel attacked/killed in Darfur could be around one hundred.

+ + + God help and bless the peace workers and children of Sudan + + +

S. Sudan: SPLA denies killing NCP members in Raja County - 'Sloppy reporting has fueled misperceptions of election-related killings'

Noteworthy Quote - re media standards

"I urge all the news media, election observers and agents, and political parties to be responsible in their reporting of incidents. They should confirm the facts of such incidents before making allegations that cannot be substantiated or supported with credible evidence, and those failing to do so should be held accountable."
- Cde. Dr. Anne Itto, SPLM Southern Sector deputy secretary general, Thursday 15 April 2010

Source: See report here below.
- - -

Sudan Watch Editor's Note: On Thursday 15 April 2010, while scrolling through a website called i On SUDAN, I noticed a report (marked as 'unverified') relating to some news reports (listed here below) which I held back from chronicling here at Sudan Watch until the picture became more clear. Here is a copy of the report (red highlighting is mine) followed by my collection of related reports, for future reference and studying at a later date.

Copy of report published at website i On SUDAN:
Sloppy reporting has fueled misperceptions of election-related killings
Location: Juba, Sudan
Date: 15 April 2010 01:45
Report description:

SPLM Headquarters: Southern Sector Deputy Secretary General responds to inaccurate media reports of SPLM-linked election violence

JUBA (15 Apr) – On Thursday, Cde. Dr. Anne Itto, SPLM Southern Sector deputy secretary general, released the following statement after several media reports have incorrectly reported claims from opposition party leaders that their members were killed at the hands of security and/or military personnel at the direction of or in allegiance to SPLM.

"On April 15th, several news sources, including a reputable international wire service - Reuters - reported that nine (9) people were killed in W. Bahr el Ghazal state. After consulting with security officials and other prominent members of the state government, I was able to confirm that five (5) people were in fact killed in Timsah payam of Raja county. An SPLA soldier returned to his home to find his wife with another man. The soldier killed the man and relatives of the slain man, upon hearing of the incident, rushed to the scene and killed four other people including the husband of the women. This was purely a crime of passion that resulted in revenge killing. It was not politically motivated. I wish to offer my condolences to the families who lost loved ones as a result of the terrible act of violence.

“Without checking their facts, Reuters inaccurately reported a claim by NCP that among the nine dead in Raja, included the local president of NCP. I spoke to him from Wau about two hours ago and I can assure you that he is alive and well.

“A criminal investigation has been opened regarding these killings, which are not election-related. Such information has been independently verified by numerous sources to include election observers, and local police and government officials. Attempts by NCP to link SPLM to this crime of passion is irresponsible. It is also irresponsible for journalists to include such accusations in their reporting without exercising discretion over their validity.

"In another example, on April 13th Lam Akol went to the media to claim that two of his supporters in Unity State had been killed by SPLM soldiers, and implied that this was done in coordination with SPLM. This claim has since been independently investigated and it turns out that it was scuffle between some groups and we have unconfirmed reports of injuries but no deaths.

"Why did the Sudan Tribune run so fast with such an allegation without confirming whether or not what Lam Akol is saying is true or false? In fact, the unnamed journalist conveniently writes that "The report could not immediately be confirmed by independent sources." Why was this published if it could not be independently verified? This is more like tabloid journalism than news, but unfortunately it is being taken as fact by their readers.

"The media needs to do more than simply publish claims by our opponents about deaths and violence, and that such acts are linked to SPLM. They need to independently confirm these reports. Anything less is equivalent to supporting the spread of rumors and innuendos.

"This type storytelling journalism will only lead to misperception about the real situation on the ground and foment tensions and threaten stability of the South. I urge all the news media, election observers and agents, and political parties to be responsible in their reporting of incidents. They should confirm the facts of such incidents before making allegations that cannot be substantiated or supported with credible evidence, and those failing to do so should be held accountable."

"The SPLA, police service, intelligence units and other security organs of the state are controlled and directed by the state – not SPLM, the political party. Our party is a non-violent democratic movement who has fought for decades for the individual freedoms that so many Southern Sudanese are enjoying today. Furthermore, the actions of rogue security agents and/or military personnel should not reflect official government policy, let alone SPLM policy.

"To imply that the political leadership of SPLM is actively colluding with security and military officials on the ground is a claim that has not been substantiated with any proof. We do not have SPLM political agents stationed with security orchestrating a mass suppression of the opposition as has been implied by our opponents and the news media.

"We support the free and fair conduct of elections in all of Sudan and continue to fight for the marginalized people and all Sudanese through our implementation of the CPA and the leadership of a legislature and government that is comprised of not one political party, but many.

- - -

Related reports

Ref: On Thursday 15 April 2010 several news sources reported that nine (9) people were killed in W. Bahr el Ghazal state. According to Dr Itto's report above, five (5) people were in fact killed in Timsah payam of Raja county in Western Bahr-El-Ghazal state, southern Sudan

SPLA denies killing NCP members in Raja County
From Sudan Tribune by Manyang Mayom

Friday 16 April 2010:

April 15, 2010 (RUMBEK) — The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) official spokesman Maj-Gen. Kuol Diem Kuol has strongly denied SPLA involvement in the death of five members belonging to the National Congress Party (NCP) who were killed in Western Bahr-El-Ghazal state at Al-Timsha Payam of Raja county yesterday by an SPLA armed man who appeared in military uniform.

UN-sponsored Radio Miraya FM-101 broadcast this news item on Thursday, quoting NCP official Agnes Lukudu, chief of the party in South Sudan, who claimed that five members of her party were killed by SPLA soldiers at the polling canter in Al-Timsha payam of Raja county of Wau.

Maj –Gen. Kuol Deim Kuol denied her version of the the story saying that "this story was reported by NCP – what happened was an adultery case, it has nothing to do with election and it has nothing to do with politics. Somebody called Abdul found someone having committed adultery with is wife in his house during the midday – this is criminal issue and people should not mix crimes with politics."

"I don’t know what is happening to the people? Why everybody who has made sure to have failed in this election holds SPLA as a scapegoat? Those of who you take SPLA harassment as a solution are making a great mistake –it is a shame to take SPLA harassment for defeat in election and I want to tell them that they must be courageous toward their election – SPLA is not harassing any candidates," he noted.

The SPLA spokesman was speaking to our correspondent by phone from Juba. Along with his message the SPLM Deputy Secretary General Dr. Anne Itto on Thursday issued a strongly worded rebuke of media that had publicized this incident. She said that five rather than nine people were killed and added, “Without checking their facts, Reuters inaccurately reported a claim by NCP that among the nine dead in Raja, included the local president of NCP. I spoke to him from Wau about two hours ago and I can assure you that he is alive and well.”

“A criminal investigation has been opened regarding these killings, which are not election-related. Such information has been independently verified by numerous sources to include election observers, and local police and government officials. Attempts by NCP to link SPLM to this crime of passion is irresponsible. It is also irresponsible for journalists to include such accusations in their reporting without exercising discretion over their validity,” stated Itto.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Raja County Luwis Ramadan has confirmed that the killings were driven by personal motivation and not political. The Raja county official confirmed that the killings happened five days ago and he questioned the NCP leader’s motive for withholding the announcement until now well after the incident is over in people’s minds.

SPLM state secretary spokesman Cde James Deng Dimo affirmed that it has been confirmed that at least five men were killed in Raga County of Western Bahr-El-Ghazal State in Timsha Payam in Raja County. Deng explained that the fighting that resulted in the killings had no connection with the elections process nor even occurred near to any polling station there in Al-Timsha.

The official explained that fighting started when a solider who had spent six months away from his family returned back from where he was deployed and caught his wife with another man. And then the man who was away began stabbing with a knife the man who had taken his wife. When the news reached the relatives of the man who was killed, they began by cocking their guns and running to the place where their relative was killed.

He added that they began by firing guns at those who were there until they killed five people. "I have to repeat that the fight has no connection with the elections or something to do with political; it is between the military men over a woman."

Dimo concluded that this incident has not affected the voting in Al-Timsha.

In a separate report, SPLA spokesman Kuol Deim Kuol denied a report that he suggested was spread by a woman who is on the election staff in Northern Bhar-El-Ghazal state (NBGS). Her statement broadcast on Miraya FM had suggested that SPLA has arrested the representative of a political party in NBGS. "First of all I want to underline, SPLA did not and will not arrest any official staff and we did not arrest any party official in NBGS."

Kuol explained that "whom we have arrested are SPLA officers and NCOs plus other enlisted personnel who are being misused by the independent candidate in NBGS."

"There are officers and NCOs and men being used by an independent candidate Deng Aturjong, and Athuar Akueng plus other independent candidates in NBGS — those guy are using SPLA soldiers to campaign for them."

Maj-Gen. Kuol asserted that participation in politics is not allowed in the SPLA and so under the present circumstances the SPLA division commander in Wunyiek asked approval to arrest those soldiers involved. The SPLA general headquarters in Juba granted him approval to arrest those soldiers. (ST)

Sudan election violence kills at least 5 in south
From The Associated Press (Khartoum, Sudan)
Thursday, 15 April 2010 - excerpt:

A statement from the ruling National Congress party said southern soldiers killed five of its supporters Wednesday in the southern province of Western Bahr el-Ghazal. A party spokesman said nine were killed. The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.

Nine killed in south Sudan
From Agence Presse France (Khartoum, Sudan)
Thursday, 15 April 2010 - via Capital FM Kenya:

KHARTOUM, Apr 15 - Sudan's southern army said nine people were killed, including a member of President Omar al-Beshir's National Congress Party, in violence on Thursday that was unrelated to nationwide elections.

Lam Akol, a candidate for the leadership of south Sudan, had said on Tuesday that two voters had been killed after the southern army opened fire at a polling station at Riak in the southern Unity State.

But the southern army said the killings actually happened in the remote village of Temsah, according to Kuol Deim Kuol, spokesman for the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

The dead, who also included seven civilians and a soldier, were slain as a result of a dispute about "adultery" that had "nothing to do with politics or elections," he added.

"A member of the NCP has committed adultery with the wife of a soldier of SPLM in the home of the soldier" who killed both of them, Kuol said.

Coming on the last day of landmark presidential, legislative and local elections, the incident led to clashes in which six NCP members were killed, before the soldier who had been cheated on committed suicide, he added.

Killings, harassment mar last day of Sudan vote
From Reuters by Skye Wheeler and Opheera McDoom
Thursday, 15 April 2010 8:59am EDT:

JUBA/KHARTOUM, Sudan (Reuters) - Sudan's ruling party said on Thursday that the southern army had killed nine people, including at least five of its officials, stoking tensions during voting in the first open elections in 24 years.

Oil-producing Sudan entered the last of a five days of presidential and legislative polls that mark a key test of stability for Africa's largest country, emerging from decades of civil war and preparing for a 2011 southern referendum on independence.

Voting has been largely peaceful, despite logistical problems and reported harassment of independent and opposition candidates.

Agnes Lokudu, head of the northern-dominated National Congress Party (NCP) in semi-autonomous south Sudan said the region's separate army had targeted and murdered at least five of its party officials and four other people earlier this week.
South Sudan's army said it was an individual crime of passion by one of their soldiers who had found the local NCP chief in bed with his wife.

"At night some (southern army) soldiers came to the home of the president of the National Congress Party in Raja, and killed him and eight other people, Lokudu said.

Raja county is in Western Bahr al-Ghazal state in a remote part of south Sudan. The attack was earlier this week.

On Thursday southern Sudanese observers said security forces had removed 19 monitors from polling stations, assaulting one.

Analysts said the violence was a worrying sign of rising tensions as the polls enter the crucial stage of counting, which begins on Friday. Results are due by April 20.

"The coming days are really when things are going to potentially get heated," said Maggie Fick, an analyst from the U.S.-based Enough project.

"Maybe these are isolated incidents but the last thing we need is out of control security personnel and that could easily happen in the coming stages."

The ex-southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) head Salva Kiir, is likely to retain his title of south Sudan president, vital ahead of a January 2011 southern vote on independence which many expect to result in secession.

A wave of boycotts by political parties in much of the north left little doubt the NCP's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir would win the national presidential elections. Facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes in Darfur, he hopes a victory would legitimize his rule.

Darfur's U.N.-African Union peacekeepers (UNAMID) confirmed that four of its South African police component were abducted in the western region wracked by a seven-year uprising.

On Thursday a group purporting to be the kidnappers of the two men and two women told Reuters they wanted a ransom of around $450,000 but gave no further details.

HARASSMENT OF COMPETITION

But in both north and south Sudan, the two dominant parties have been rattled by competition from independent or opposition candidates in some of the simultaneous elections for state and national parliaments and 24 state governors.

Many opposition and independent candidates have complained of harassment by authorities in both the south and north.

"There has been intimidation against supporters who are being told if they support me they will be arrested, that after the general elections are over they will kill supporters of the independent candidates," said Adil Senderi, an independent candidate for the largely separate southern Sudan parliament.

Senderi was just one of many independent candidates, opposition groups and Sudanese election monitors decrying what they said was an attempt to alter the outcome of the vote by ruling powers in both the north and south.

The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies said "systemic mechanisms to confuse the electorate and hinder engagement, such as the switching of symbols and manipulation of the registration list, are beginning to emerge."

In Khartoum, two members of youth activism group Girifna said they were beaten by NCP officials on Wednesday.

"They were beating us and we were begging the police around the voting station for help -- but they did not intervene," Nagla Sid Ahmed told Reuters.

International observers from the Carter Center and the European Union cannot comment until after the elections, But former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has made largely positive comments about the voting process.

Sudan ruling party says nine members killed in south
From Reuters CANADA - Thursday, 15 April 2010 3:36am EDT
(Reporting by Skye Wheeler; Writing by Opheera McDoom; Editing by Michael Roddy)
JUBA, Sudan - Sudan's ruling party said Thursday that the southern army had killed nine of its officials during the first open elections in 24 years...

Sudan ruling party says nine killed in south
From Reuters AlertNet - Thursday, 15 April 2010 10:54:01 GMT - full report:
(Reporting by Skye Wheeler; Writing by Opheera McDoom; Editing by Robert Woodward) - Source: Reuters (Adds detail, southern army comments, clarifies casualties)

JUBA, Sudan, April 15 (Reuters) - Sudan's ruling party said on Thursday the southern army had killed at least five of its officials and four other people during the first open elections in 24 years.

Agnes Lokudu, head of the northern-dominated National Congress Party in semi-autonomous south Sudan, had earlier said all nine killed were party officials, and that the murders were politically motivated.

The south Sudanese army (SPLA) said the deaths were the result of a crime of passion by one of its soldiers.

"At night some (southern army) soldiers came to the home of the president of the National Congress Party in Raja, and killed him and eight other people," Lokudu said.

Raja county is in Western Bahr al-Ghazal state in a remote part of south Sudan.

Sudan's elections entered the last day of a five-day voting period on Thursday and have been largely free from major violence. Opposition boycotts in much of the north left little competition for incumbent President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

But tension has been high in the south between parties and independents opposing the SPLM who have complained of arrests and harassment.

Lokudu said the killings happened some days ago but that people in the area had been too scared to report them.

Because most people voted for the NCP "the (army) got very angry and they shot him (the local president)," Lokudu said.

The southern army said one SPLA soldier had caught the NCP's top official in the village of Tensah in Raja county committing adultery with his wife, so he shot them both and six other "Arabs" who tried to stop him.

"This is clearly an adultery case and nothing to do with elections and politics. The NCP is just trying to politicise it," said SPLA spokesman Kuol Diem Kuol.

The ex-rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) dominates the southern government and its leader Salva Kiir, who is also south Sudan's president, is likely to win the presidential vote in the semi-autonomous region.

Sudanese are voting in presidential, legislative and gubernatorial elections supposed to transform the oil producer into a democracy, a key part of a 2005 north-south peace deal which ended more than two decades of civil war.

Under the accord, southern Sudanese will also vote in a January 2011 referendum on independence. (Reporting by Skye Wheeler; Writing by Opheera McDoom; Editing by Robert Woodward)

Sudan ruling party says nine members killed in south
From Reuters UK - Thursday, 15 April 2010 8:34am BST
(Reporting by Skye Wheeler; Writing by Opheera McDoom; Editing by Michael Roddy):
JUBA, Sudan - Sudan's ruling party said on Thursday that the southern army had killed nine of its officials during the first open elections in 24 years...

Sudan 'poll shooting' kills nine
From Al Jazeera (Al Jazeera and Agencies)
Thursday, 15 April 2010 - excerpt:

Speaking as the five-day presidential, parliamentary and local polls came to an end on Thursday, Agnes Lokudu, the head of the National Congress Party in south Sudan, blamed the killing on the region's local military.

"Three days ago at night some southern army soldiers came to the home of the president of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Raja, and killed him and eight other members of the NCP," Lokuda said.

Lokudu said the killings in Western Bahr al-Ghazal state were motivated by anger that many people in the area had voted for the NCP.

"This was a passionate crime to do with a wife - a feud that led to a shooting between the husband and lover," Suzanne Jambo, the head of the SPLM's external relations office, said. "This is not political."



The NCP claims that nine of its members were killed by southern army soldiers in election violence [Reuters]

Report: Sudanese elections turn deadly
From United Press International (Khartoum, Sudan)
Thursday, 15 April 2010 - excerpt:

Sudanese newspapers indicate nine members of the National Congress Party were killed in south Sudan, a report disputed by the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

Newspapers in Khartoum Thursday quoted NCP officials as saying, "(The) killing was committed by a member of the SPLA in the wake of altercations on the polling process," China's government-run news agency, Xinhua, reported.

"Nine NCP leading members were killed on Tuesday at Tumsah administrative unit in Raja ... in south Sudan after altercations with a member of the SPLA, the military arm of Sudan People's Liberation Movement," al-Ray al-A'm newspaper reported Thursday.

Xinhua said an SPLA military official disputed the incident.

"Such incident has never taken place. It is a fabricated and baseless story," the source told Xinhua. "The fabricated killing story comes as part of political harassment and it is an extension of a series of accusations by the ruling party to distort the SPLA and SPLM."

No incidents of violence were reported Thursday, the last day of polling in Sudan's general elections.

[Note from Sudan Watch Ed: It seems UPI has deleted its report and replaced it with another entitled "Ban applauds Sudan elections"]

Electoral Violence As Sudan Polls Close
From Enough Project at www.enoughproject.org
By Amanda Hsiao, Thursday 15 April 2010 - excerpt:

As five days of intense balloting for hundreds of government seats across 16,000 polling centers came to a close today in Sudan, simmering tensions, a reminder of the tremendous potential for violence that still remains, began to emerge in the largely peaceful exercise.

Violence broke out in the westernmost corner of South Sudan, where soldiers in the South Sudanese army, or SPLA, shot and killed nine individuals, five of whom were officials of the ruling party, the NCP. The motivations for the killings are unclear—the SPLA claims it was an act of personal vengeance—but the timing of the act, as voters were going to the polling stations to vote between the two political rivals, should not be overlooked. [...]

Fighting also broke out at a polling center in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, in South Sudan. According to an undisclosed source, SPLA soldiers clashed with locals at a voting station and nine independent candidates were arrested. On the same day, an SPLM candidate reportedly interfered with the ballot boxes. [...]

- - -

Ref: On Tuesday 13 April 2010, Lam Akol went to the media to claim that two of his supporters in Unity State, southern Sudan had been killed by SPLM soldiers, and implied that this was done in coordination with SPLM

Two voters killed, one candidate wounded in South Sudan: opposition leader
From English.news.cn - Wednesday, 14 April 2010:

KHARTOUM, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Two voters were killed and a candidate was wounded in the Unity State in South Sudan on Tuesday, the third polling day in Sudan's general elections, an opposition leader said.

"Two voters were killed and a candidate was wounded when the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers opened fire on the voters at a polling station in the Unity State," Lam Akol, the chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Democratic Change (SPLM-DC), told Xinhua here on Tuesday.

The SPLA is the military arm of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the dominant party in South Sudan.

Akol, the only candidate contesting against SPLM Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit for the post of South Sudan government president, went on saying that "the SPLA opened fire randomly, which resulted in the deaths of two voters and injury of one candidate."

Akol slammed at the SPLM, saying "the ministers and commissioners belonging to the SPLM and SPLA are intervening in the polling operations and threatening the citizens."

He added that commissioners of western and eastern Bahral- Ghazal states took the ballot boxes to their homes.

He called on Sudan's National Elections Commission (NEC) to take necessary measures to protect the voters and prevent the harassment made by the SPLM supporters.

No comment so far has been made by the South Sudan government or the SPLM on the incident.

The former rebel SPLM in South Sudan signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with Khartoum in 2005 to end a two-decade civil war between the north and the south, and has become a partner of the ruling National Congress Party in the current Sudanese government.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Lam Akol says two SLPM-DC members killed in Unity State
From Sudan Tribune - Wednesday, 14 April 2010 - excerpt:

April 13, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Lam Akol, a candidate for the presidency of south Sudan government and leader of SPLM Democratic Change (SPLM-DC) said on Tuesday that two voters had been killed after the southern army opened fire at a polling station in Unity State.

"I was informed by telephone that at 11 am (0800 GMT), the southern army went to a polling station in Riak in (the southern) Unity State and opened fire, killing two voters and wounding one candidate," said Lam Akol, who is challenging southern leader Salva Kiir in elections for the head of the semi-autonomous government of south Sudan.

The report could not immediately be confirmed by independent sources.

- - -

Postscript

THANKS to Ndesanjo Macha for bringing to our attention 'Sudan Sham Elections 2010 Campaign' sudansham2010.org - and its new phase in activism at http://ionsudan.net/ in his commentary at Global Voices Friday, 16 April 2010 entitled Sudan: Using the web to promote fair elections, justice and democracy.

Note, according to the About page at website 'Sudan Sham Elections 2010 Campaign':

"We are regular citizens around the 50 United States and DC, standing with the people of Sudan—the marginalized, the disenfranchised, and the brutally oppressed—in demanding truth and strength. An indicted war criminal, responsible for millions of deaths, will never be a legitimate leader. Peace, protection, and justice will come from strength in effort and conviction from our leaders.

The Sudan Sham Elections 2010 network is committing to sustained action for peace in Sudan. Our new phase in activism is i On Sudan. Please participate!

iOnSudan.net

i On Sudan connects on-the-ground reports of violence, abuses, and other events to advocacy in the United States and around the world to immediately mobilize leaders towards immediate response on behalf of innocent civilians and to promote peace, protection, and justice in all of Sudan."

Inaccurate BBC report on Sudan elections (Alex de Waal)

Quote of the Day

"A general rule for the current situation is that those who know most, speak least, and those who are appearing most frequently in the media, usually know less.

Finding the truth is always hard in the Sudanese political scene. At the moment it is simply impossible." - Alex de Waal, 02 April 2010

Source: ssrc.org blog Making Sense of Sudan
On Confusion
By Alex de Waal
Friday, 02 April 2009:

A senior member of a Sudanese opposition party, was present at the meeting of the leaders of the Juba Alliance in which the issue of boycotting the elections was discussed at length. From the meeting he knew precisely where each of the parties stood: which were for contesting the elections, which were for comprehensive boycott, and which were for partial boycott or were undecided. In the circumstances, his information was as precise, accurate, and up to date as any.

On leaving the meeting he saw the BBC news which was reporting a comprehensive boycott. This threw him into confusion. Assuming that the BBC had better information than he did, he also reported the BBC’s report as fact. The BBC report was actually inaccurate.

The last 72 hours have been characterized by confusion, conflicting information and shifting positions. It has not been helped by the fact that some political leaders express different opinions to different audiences, changing their language and emphasis, sometimes by the hour. Few of the political parties have sufficient internal discipline for all their spokesmen to give the same message, so that depending on who is speaking, a different story emerges. There is a vast amount of rumour and inference.

A general rule for the current situation is that those who know most, speak least, and those who are appearing most frequently in the media, usually know less.

In these circumstances, news reports and the publications by international groups often carry unwarranted weight. The position of the U.S. has been very clear: it wants the election to proceed. But some political leaders, particularly at the second level, take reports of non-governmental organizations which are taking a principled stand against the elections, as indicative of what the international community will do.

Finding the truth is always hard in the Sudanese political scene. At the moment it is simply impossible. [End of copy]

Further reading

The BBC report mentioned above has been updated today, Friday, 02 April 2010. Here is a partial copy of the original report published on Thursday, 01 April 2010 (hat tip: http://anthonythomas.posterous.com)

BBC News: Sudan opposition parties join SPLM election boycott

Thursday, 01 April 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8599567.stm
Sudan opposition parties join SPLM election boycott
Nearly all opposition parties in Sudan have joined the southern SPLM in boycotting this month's presidential poll over fraud and security fears.

It is a major blow to the credibility of the 11-13 April election - the first national multi-party poll for 24 years, the BBC's James Copnall says.

The announcement comes after crisis talks hosted by US envoy Scott Gration.

President Omar al-Bashir, wanted for alleged war crimes in Darfur, now faces only one major challenger.

Veteran Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi confirmed that candidates from his Popular Congress Party would contest the poll.

But the Umma party of former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, the Democratic Unionist Party and the Communist party have all said they will no longer participate.

The opposition parties and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) - which serves in a coalition at national level with President Omar al-Bashir - all believe the electoral process has been rigged in favour of his National Congress Party.

They say the registration process has been flawed, and their access to state media and rights to hold rallies restricted.

Click here to continue reading. [End of copy]

Sudan opposition parties join SPLM election boycott‎
APA - Apr 01, 2010
Nearly all Sudanese opposition parties have joined the southern SPLM in ... The BBC’s James Copnall in Khartoum says the boycott is a major blow to the credibility of the election - the first national multi-party poll for 24 years. The announcement comes after crisis talks hosted by US envoy Scott Gration ...

Sudan: Chief Electoral Affairs Officer of UNMIS urges journalists to report objectively and responsibly during the general elections
Sudan Watch - Feb 16, 2010
“It is incredibly important for journalists to verify information. They must not spread rumors and they should try to reflect the opinion of experts as well as the diversity of opinion within Sudanese society and I think in that way we can help these elections to be peaceful." - James Ray Kennedy, Chief Electoral Affairs Officer of UNMIS, 11 Feb 2010

AFP misquoted UN chief Ban Ki Moon - How a translation error led to an international incident
Sudan Watch - Feb 06, 2010

Reuters Handbook of Journalism - The 10 Absolutes of Reuters Journalism
Sudan Watch - Jul 10, 2009:

The 10 Absolutes of Reuters Journalism
Always hold accuracy sacrosanct
Always correct an error openly
Always strive for balance and freedom from bias
Always reveal a conflict of interest to a manager
Always respect privileged information
Always protect their sources from the authorities
Always guard against putting their opinion in a news story
Never fabricate or plagiarise
Never alter a still or moving image beyond the requirements of normal image enhancement
Never pay for a story and never accept a bribe

AFP misquoted UN chief Ban Ki Moon - How a translation error led to an international incident - UN chief clarifies erroneous reports re Sudan unity

How a translation error led to an international incident
From Foreign Policy.com by Colum Lynch, Tuesday, 02 Feb 2010 - 4:16 PM:

On Saturday morning [30 January 2010], Ban Ki-moon appeared to be breaking with five years of standing U.N. policy toward Sudan, telling two French news agencies in an interview that he would try to prevent Africa's largest country from splitting into two nations in a 2011 referendum on independence for southern Sudan. "We'll work hard to avoid a possible secession," the wire service Agence France Presse reported him saying.

Ban's remarks were little noted in Washington, but they have set off a major international incident in Sudan, prompting Sudan's southern leaders to accuse the secretary-general of interfering in the South's decision to determine its own political future. Southern Sudan's president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, wrote a letter this morning [Tuesday, 02 February 2010] to Ban, saying his published remarks constituted "an erroneous description of the U.N.'s role as a guarantor" of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended one of Africa's bloodiest and longest civil wars, and offered southerners the right to vote on independence in January 2011. "I'm sure it was not your intention to depict the U.N.'s role in this manner," the letter reads.

Ban told the French reporters that he favors a unified Sudan, saying, "We will try to work hard to make this unity attractive." But he never said he would actively work actively to oppose it. AFP apparently mistranslated the English language interview in its first French version of the story, and then repeated the mistake in English. The actual quote was "Then we will work very closely -- we will have to work very closely -- not to have any negative consequences coming from this potential or possible secession."

The problem is that the story, which first appeared on the wires in French Saturday morning [30 January 2010] and in English in the early afternoon, has played out over the past three days in the international press, getting picked up by news agencies like the BBC and the Financial Times. The new head of the U.N.'s mission in Sudan, Haile Menkerios, has been on the phone with Salva Kiir during the past 24 hours trying to assure him Ban was misquoted. The U.N., meanwhile, only issued its first public denial this afternoon [Tuesday, 02 February 2010]:

"In order to clarify erroneous reports about remarks attributed to the Secretary-General concerning Sudan, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General would like to reaffirm the Secretary-General's position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan.

The Secretary-General made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to "make unity attractive" as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum. In this connection, he made clear that that the United Nations would work to avoid any potential negative consequences following next year's referendum.

Note this copy of a comment posted at the article:

PERMMEMBER 10:56 PM ET February 3, 2010

How attractive?
Was this really a translation error? Or did BKM have it right?
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) commits the parties in para 1.5.5 to:
"Design and implement the Peace Agreement so as to make the unity of the Sudan an attractive option especially to the people of South Sudan."
It's an odd concept for a peace agreement that leads to a referendum on secession...

Any suggestion that the United Nations may have taken a position that may prejudge the outcome of such a referendum is incorrect."

- - -

UN Issues Statement Clarifying World Body's Position on Sudan
From Xinhua, Wednesday, 03 February 2010 2010, 05:59:28, Web Editor: Wang Wenwen:

The United Nations issued a statement on Tuesday [02 February 2010] clarifying the world body's position concerning Sudan's unity over an anti-"secessionist" remark by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that a news outlet reported, which compelled protesters and stirred up emotions and criticism.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky issued a statement Tuesday here at the UN Headquarters in New York to "clarify erroneous reports," in which he reiterated in the statement that the UN chief "made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to 'make unity attractive' as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum."

"The spokesperson for the secretary-general would like to reaffirm the secretary-general's position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan," the statement said.

It was reported in a joint interview with French news media that Ban had said that "we'll work hard to avoid a possible secession."

A later version of the AFP story on Tuesday left the word secessionist out.

"The basic point as I said, in the statement, any suggestion that the UN should take a position that should prejudge an outcome is incorrect," UN associate spokesman Farhan Haq said here at UN Headquarters at a daily press conference.

"(They) did not use the quotes that were attributable to him," Haq said.

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed by the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) separatists in the south and the national government in the north, brought the end to a decades long civil war, in which at least 2 million people were killed, 4 million others uprooted and 600,000 more forced to flee across the country's borders.

"The Agreement must be implemented in spirit as well as the letter if the immense work undertaken is to be sustainable," the secretary-general said in his report last October, calling on both sides to boost their level of cooperation.

UN chief rebuffs "erroneous" reports about Sudan remarks - People's Daily Online - ‎Feb 2, 2010‎ - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday rebuffed "erroneous" media reports about his recent remarks concerning the unity of Sudanese parties and a

UN Issues Statement Clarifying World Body's Position on Sud-CRIENGLISH.com

UN Chief's Comment on South Sudan's Independence Stirs Anger CNSNews.com

UN seeks to calm Sudan row Financial Times - William Wallis, Barney Jopson - ‎22 hours ago‎ Ban Ki-Moon said in an interview with the French News Agency (AFP) on the sidelines of this week's African Union summit that the UN would “work hard to make ...

UN insists not taking sides in Sudan referendum AFP - 3 days ago

UN wants Sudanese unity - News24 - 4 days ago

UN chief remarks on African cooperation with ICC draws rebuke from Sudan Sudan Tribune - 4 days ago

UN chief warns on Sudan secession push Financial Times - Barney Jopson, William Wallis - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ Ban Ki-Moon, UN secretary-general, has pledged to “work hard” to avoid the secession of south Sudan in a referendum next year, a position that risks setting ...

UN will work to maintain Sudan's unity, Ban Ki-Moon says Sudan Tribune - ‎Jan 30, 2010‎ January 30, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said today his organization would work to avoid southern Sudan secession

UN chief calls for Sudan unity ahead of African summit AngolaPress - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ Addis Ababa - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Saturday for national unity in Sudan and ruled out deploying UN peacekeepers in Somalia, ...

UN chief appeals for Sudan unity Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - ‎Jan 31, 2010 The UN secretary general has urged African leaders to work for national unity in Sudan to avoid the south of the country seceding from the north. ...

UN chief pledges full support for peace, security in Africa CCTV - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon pledged here on Sunday that the world body fully supports the peace and security in the ...

Ban Ki-moon calls for Sudan unity Press TV - ‎Jan 30, 2010‎ UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for national unity in Sudan in an effort to stop a possible partitioning of the country by the 2011 referendum. ...

UN Secretary-General on Sudan—High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa
From United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General (NEW YORK) Wednesday, 03 February 2010, via African Press Organization (APO) -

Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General on Sudan—High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa:

In order to clarify erroneous reports about remarks attributed to the Secretary-General concerning Sudan, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General would like to reaffirm the Secretary-General’s position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan.

The Secretary-General made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to “make unity attractive” as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum. In this connection, he made clear that that the United Nations would work to avoid any potential negative consequences following next year’s referendum.

Any suggestion that the United Nations may have taken a position that may prejudge the outcome of such a referendum is incorrect.

SOURCE: United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General

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Reaction to Ban Ki-moon Secession Statement
Report from SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Wednesday, 03 February 2010:

(Asmara/Khartoum) - There have been mixed reactions to the statement by the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon that the UN and the AU will work hard to avoid the secession of southern Sudan.

Ban Ki-moon made the statement during the AU summit in Addis Ababa over the weekend.

The director of the Peace Building Centre in the Horn of Africa, Dr. Taysir Mohamed Ahmed, has described Ki-moon’s statement as “illogical and meaningless”.

Ahmed spoke to SRS from Asmara, Eritrea on Wednesday.

[Dr. Taysir Mohamed Ahmed]: “This statement was unusual, because the right of self-determination is internationally recognized and it is one of the fundamental rights expressed in the CPA. Secondly, Ban Ki-moon himself comes from a country which seceded from another country, am I right? Then why were they allowed to secede yet it is forbidden for others? Ban Ki-moon would have been better off speaking about the efforts to solve the root causes of the civil war in Sudan since independence, instead of saying they will work to make sure Sudan remains united. So, it was an illogical and meaningless statement.”

Another political analyst reacted with rather less hostility to Ki-moon’s statement.

Taj Al-Sir Makei spoke to SRS from Khartoum.

[Taj Al-Sir]: “As a general idea it is right to think that the UN will work towards avoiding the secession of the south. But the reaction to Ban Ki-moon’s statement was a misinterpretation if people think that he supports the unity of the country. But the issue will be decided upon by the referendum, and the only people who will determine unity or secession are the people of southern Sudan. Personally, I think it was just a point of view indicating that if the south secedes, some other voices will demand the same thing for other parts of Sudan - and this is possible.”

According to the CPA, the people of southern Sudan shall have the right to self-determination through a referendum, at the end of the interim period in 2011, choosing between unity of the Sudan and secession.

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UN seeks to calm Sudan row
From the Financial Times by William Wallis in Addis Ababa and Barney Jopson in Juba
Published: February 5 2010 16:23 | Last updated: February 5 2010 16:23

The United Nations has no intention of pushing south Sudan to vote one way or the other at next year’s referendum on self-determination, a senior UN official has said, after comments attributed to the UN secretary general sparked a diplomatic storm.

Ban Ki-Moon said in an interview with the French News Agency (AFP) on the sidelines of this week’s African Union summit that the UN would “work hard to make unity [with Khartoum] attractive”, a position potentially pitting it against the wishes of the majority of south Sudanese.

AFP later said it had misquoted the UN chief making a stronger commitment to “prevent secession”. But this was only after the episode had prompted alarm in the government of the semi-autonomous south at the prospect of the UN taking a more proactive approach to such a sensitive issue.

The referendum on self-determination was a key provision of a peace agreement that in 2005 brought a formal end to a 20-year civil war between the north and non-Muslim rebels from south Sudan.

“You cannot change the course of a ship midstream,” said Haile Menkerios, the new UN special representative for Sudan, clarifying the UN position and adding that it was up to the Sudanese to influence the outcome of the referendum. The responsibility of the UN was to ensure the agreement was implemented, he said.

“Helping southern Sudan to build institutions, to build capacity up is an effort the international community must increase. It does not in any way prejudge the outcome of the referendum. Whichever way the decision is going, such an effort would have a positive contribution,” he said.

Relations between the northern Islamist regime of Omar al-Bashir, president, and south Sudan have become increasingly tense in the countdown to scheduled elections in April and the referendum due next January.

A majority vote for southern independence is looking likely, but negotiations on sharing oil wealth, demarcating borders, sharing external debt and many other divisive issues are far from complete.

Mr Ban’s reported comments prompted Salva Kiir, president of south Sudan, to write to the secretary general requesting his “confirmation” that the UN’s role as a guarantor of the peace deal was to support its implementation and “a smooth transition post-referendum, regardless of the outcome”.

Luka Biong Deng, minister of presidential affairs in the government of south Sudan, told the Financial Times that the episode had had a positive effect. “It was necessary because it triggered the fundamental question about the mandate of the UN,” he said.

Questions about the south’s chances of success as an independent state have been revived by the controversy, with considerable concern focusing on rising ethnic violence in the region and the continued existence of rival militias outside the southern army and within it.

“It’s good that these things happened now, because otherwise as we move nearer to the referendum some voices will start talking about whether this state is viable or not,” Mr Biong said. “I think the issue of whether the situation is viable or not is our collective responsibility, as the government and the international community.”

He said the southern government had made significant progress in improving security and raising standards of governance, but diplomats and business people in Juba, the southern capital, say more needs to be done.

Some African Union and some UN officials fear a vote for independence could reignite the civil war in Sudan and inspire secessionists elsewhere in Africa.

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News from SRS - Sudan Radio Service 29 Jan 2010 - 03 Feb 2010:

03-Feb-2010

• Al-Bashir May Face Genocide Charges
• UN Spokesman Sets Record Straight On Secession
• Reaction to Ban Ki-moon Secession Statement
• Kenya Denies Role in Sudanese Arms Shipment
• Arman Announces Opposition Party Darfur Conference
• NCP Optimistic About Victory In Southern Elections
• Minister Warns of Food Gap in Northern Darfur
• Disarment Exercise Ends Without Incident in Jonglei
• Sudan Sports Latest

02-Feb-2010

• SAF Accuses UNAMID of Supplying JEM in Darfur
• Abu-Garda Dismisses Reports of ICC Summonses in Haskanita Case
• Jonglei Youth Protest Against Ban Ki-moon Appearing To Favor Unity
• More Reality And Less Rhetoric In Darfur Urges Flint
• Kuol Manyang - Where Roads Go Development Follows
• Amum Calls For Economic Review
• Maridi Dam Renovations Will Improve Water Quality

01-Feb-2010

• Taha Visits Juba To Discuss CPA Implementation Talks
• Religious Leaders Express Concern For The Future Of Sudan
• Amum Urges Sudanese To Accept Election Results Peacefully
• Juba's Suk Libya Ravaged By Flames
• Red Cross Holds Protests In Support Of Kidnap Victims
• 15,000 Job Vacancies For Southern Sudanese In North
• Football - Egypt Win African Cup Of Nations - Again

29-Jan-2010

• SPLM Demands IGAD Intervention In CPA Talks
• New UNAMID Boss Sets His Priorities
• SNA Presidential Candidate Pledges To Restore Freedom
• SSDF Candidate Runs For Governor in CES
• Juba Judiciary Staff Strike For Arrears
• Khartoum Medical Staff Threaten Strike Action
• Egypt Reach Cup Of Nations Final After 4-0 Win Over Algeria
• News from Sudan Radio Service for 25-28 January 2010