South Sudan Democratic Forum says voter registration exercise has failed in southern Sudan

Untitled report by Sudan Radio Service, November 23, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The South Sudan Democratic Forum says the voter registration exercise has failed in southern Sudan.

The chairman of the South Sudan Democratic Forum, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, addressed a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday.

[Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro,]: “The voter registration exercise has failed in southern Sudan and I think this is because the NEC and the Elections High Committee in the south did not do their work as we expected. These two committees have failed in their work. Why am I saying this? First of all, voters’ education started very late and it was inadequate and for that reason citizens do not know why they are being registered. Are we being registered for elections or for the referendum? There are some people who say let those who want to contest the elections come first so that we can register. Many people in many areas do not understand what voter registration is all about and I think this is a major failure.”

Dr. Lomuro cited some of the challenges facing the exercise in southern Sudan.

[Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro]: “First of all, there are no vehicles; there is only one vehicle for each county. They are very old vehicles which cannot travel everywhere, especially with the poor roads in southern Sudan. Secondly, there are no motorbikes, and no bicycles. Also, each registration official was given 100 SDG as living expenses for the period from November 1 to November 30. Then they are to be given 1000 SDG. That means that each registrar spends 3 SDG daily for survival and they are operating in areas where they don’t know anybody - and they also use this limited amount of money for food and accommodation.”

Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro was speaking in Khartoum on Sunday.

South Sudan: NCP has accused SPLM of arresting NCP leaders in Central Equatoria, Warrap and Lakes states

Untitled report by Sudan Radio Service, November 23, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The secretary-general of the National Congress Party for Greater Bahr el-Ghazal, Mathew Mayor, has accused the SPLM of arresting NCP leaders in Central Equatoria, Warrap and Lakes states.

[Mathew Mayor]: “The SPLM is arresting our members there. The arrests were carried out in a racial manner. The head of the southern sector, Mrs. Agnes Lokudu, presented a strong protest to the southern Sudan government, urging them to review the situation as soon as possible.”

Mayor urged politicians not to do things that would disrupt the voter registration process because it would affect the implementation of the CPA.

[Mathew Mayor]: “The parties which are not ready [for the elections] think that other parties which are ready want to disrupt the conduct of the elections. We think they are targeting the referendum in southern Sudan because Article 22 of the CPA says that only an elected government can organize the referendum and if elections were not carried out, it means there will be no elected government, hence no referendum will be held as scheduled. This will really affect the south in general.”

Mathew Mayor was speaking to Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Sunday.

AU's Peace and Security Council on fact-finding mission to Sudan

Untitled report by Sudan Radio Service, November 23, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The African Union Peace and Security Council began a fact-finding mission to Sudan on Monday to learn more about the current situation in country.

Sudan Radio Service spoke to the UNAMID spokesman, Noureddine Mezni, on Monday. He explained the purpose of the visit.

[Noureddine Mezni]: “The African Union Peace and Security Council started a field visit to Sudan on Monday, and this is the first time that the council, which comprises 15 member countries, has organized a field visit out of its headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The aim of the visit is to directly witness the issues on the ground in Sudan and the latest developments; because the council gives a high importance to the situation in Sudan. Beside the visit to Khartoum, the delegation will also visit Darfur, specifically El-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, to meet with the leadership of UNAMID, and the local authorities. After El-Fashir, the delegation will visit Juba, before returning to its headquarters in Addis Ababa.”

Noureddine Mezni was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Khartoum on Monday.

AU's Peace and Security Council will not discuss AUPD report during visit to Sudan

Report by Sudan Radio Service, November 23, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The Government of National Unity says that the AU’s Peace and Security Council will not to discuss the AU panel report on Darfur during its visit to Sudan.

Last month, the AUPSC held a meeting in Abuja to launch the AU panel report, which recommends the formation of hybrid courts in Darfur in a bid to achieve justice and reconciliation in the region.

The advisor to the Minister of Information in GONU, Dr. Rabie Abdulaati, told Sudan Radio Service on Monday that the AUPSC has no mandate to discuss the details of the AU panel report.

[Dr. Rabie Abdulaati]: “When Thabo Mbeki’s report was launched by the AUPSC last month, committees that were formed to implement the report, taking into consideration the comments of the Sudanese government. So I don’t think that this council is going to discuss this report now because it already discussed it earlier. And I don’t think it is the mandate of the AUPSC to discuss these details, because they have already referred this issue to the concerned bodies in the council.”

Dr. Rabie Abdulaati was speaking to Sudan Radio Service on Monday from Khartoum.

- - -

AU is calling for implementation of recommendations of AUPD report

Report by Sudan Radio Service, November 24, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The African Union says it is calling for the implementation of the recommendations of the Mbeki report on the Darfur conflict.

Joseph Nsenjemana, Rwandan’s Ambassador to the AU, who is currently chairing the Peace and Security Council, told a press conference on Monday in Khartoum that the main purpose of visiting Sudan was to push for the implementation of the report.

[Joseph Nsenjemana]: “The peace and security council has taken the next step to see for themselves what is happening on the ground. I think we are conscious that it is a process. The recommendation is a good thing and the implementation is another one. It is the reason why we wanted to see the situation on the ground and to push it forward where necessary.”

Ambassador Nsenjemana will be visiting IDP camps in North Darfur on Tuesday and Wednesday.

South Sudan: Wau teaching hospital employees protesting about being forced to open bank accounts in order to be paid

Report by Sudan Radio Service, November 23, 2009:

(Wau) - Wau Teaching Hospital employees are protesting about the decision by the GOSS Ministry of Health ordering them to open bank accounts. Employees are now expected to open an account in order to receive their salaries from the government.

The employees say that the two-week notice given by the government was insufficient for them to set up an account.

The Director of Wau Teaching Hospital, Peter Tartizio, spoke to Sudan Radio Service last week.

[Peter Tartizio]: “A letter was given to the director-general of the hospital when he was in Juba for a workshop. He told management about the letter given to him by the Ministry of Health in Juba saying that we should present this order to the employees. Unfortunately, when we introduced this idea to them [employees], they rejected it because the decision was announced so late. Some said their salaries are not enough to be deposited in the bank. Some asked who would be responsible if they didn’t find their money in their account. I told them that I am not the one who came with the idea, so they should forward their complaints to the Ministry of Health.”

When Sudan Radio Service spoke to some of the employees there were mixed reactions to the ministry’s decision.

Langa Peter is a member of staff at Wau teaching Hospital.

[Langa Peter]: “The solution for this case is for the government to give us three months to prepare ourselves. The government can’t just give us such short notice. According to them, the money is supposed to be in the bank in November and we don’t have the proper paperwork for the bank. How will we receive the money from the bank? We are not going to accept that, unless they give us extra money to be able to open our bank account.”

Asha Adam, a nurse at the hospital, said that it is impossible for someone like her, who is earning less than 300 SDG a month, to open a bank account.

[Asha Adam]: “The idea of opening a bank account is wrong; how will we be able to divide our monthly salaries so that some can be deposited into the account, some used for paying rent, some for paying school fees for our children, some to buy food? How will this help us when some of us are earning 280 SDG? The salary we are earning is only enough to buy food in the market; we won’t be able to divide it further.”

Asha Adam was speaking to Sudan Radio Service in Wau last week.

- - -

Civil servants in the Government of Southern Sudan will begin receiving their salaries through bank accounts

Report by Sudan Radio Service, November 24, 2009:

(Nairobi) - Civil servants in the Government of Southern Sudan will begin receiving their salaries through bank accounts from November, 2009.

The GOSS Minister of Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development, Awut Deng, said her ministry has embarked on an intensive pay-roll “cleansing” operation to reduce government spending.

Awut Deng spoke to Sudan Radio Service in Nairobi on Monday.

[Awut Deng]: “It is true; we will not send out the November salaries in cash since it is now government policy that everybody has to have a bank account. The circular was sent out in October to the effect that November salaries will only be paid via personal bank accounts.”

Awut added that the cost of employees' salaries is greater than the oil revenue which is being used to pay them every month.

She explains that the pay-roll campaign is designed to get rid of unqualified and incompetent workers.

[Awut Deng]: “The pay-roll cleansing is not targeting people who fought during the war. People who are working in southern Sudan did not come from the SPLA only. The pay-roll cleansing is targeting ghost workers. We have people who died a long time ago who are still being paid. You have students who are not in the offices delivering services to the people of southern Sudan but are in the pay-roll and we have children too. It is a policy of the Government of Southern Sudan that we should have a lean, efficient, effective and responsive civil service in southern Sudan now and beyond the interim period. We are talking about 300,000 workers in southern Sudan and we wish to reduce this figure to 100,000.”

Awut concluded that the money recovered from ‘ghost workers’ in Eastern Equatoria state has been used to construct a state-owned hotel. She added that in Western Equatoria state, the governor was able to purchase an FM radio station and road construction equipment as well as sponsoring the education of ten students.

UNAMID confirms attack on two villages – Taman and Shaleb Shaleb – close to Khor Abeche, South Darfur

From UNAMID's website:
Attack on villages in South Darfur

19 November 2009 - The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has received confirmed reports that 11 persons have been killed, four injured and two missing following an attack by unidentified armed men on two villages – Taman and Shaleb Shaleb – close to Khor Abeche, South Darfur, more than 200 kilometres south of El Fasher.

According to these reports, gunmen on board eight vehicles and about 300 armed men on camels launched the attack, which resulted in fighting with armed elements of the Birgid tribe in the area between Jubel Tein and west Nigea for about six hours on Tuesday 17 November. The cause of the clashes is unconfirmed, although access to water seemed to be the trigger.

LRA leader Kony has instructed his troops to move into Darfur, Sudan?

From The New Vision, Uganda
LRA’s Joseph Kony to seek protection from Sudan army
Sunday, November 22, 2009
By Els De Temmerman



Photo: Arop showing where two bullets are still stuck in his stomach

LRA leader Joseph Kony has instructed his troops to move into Darfur and report to the first detachment of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) seeking protection and logistical support.

This was revealed by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) director of operations, ‘Lt. Col.’ Charles Arop, who surrendered earlier this month and was flown to Kampala last week.

“The last time we communicated, in August, Kony said all LRA units should move northwards, enter the first Arab defence and ask them to communicate that we are there,” Arop, 32, told The New Vision.

According to Arop, Kony was planning to move along the Central African border to Chad and then enter into Darfur to meet SAF officers.

“He told me he was going to meet Fadil, the SAF officer who coordinates LRA activities. He wants the Arabs to give him logistical support and a safe haven.”

Asked what pushed the LRA to flee to their long-time backers, Arop said: “Kony is desperate. Things are really hard. We were constantly on the move. Sometimes we would not rest for a week. The UPDF was pursuing us everywhere.”

He estimates that there are only about 250 rebels left, half the number they had before Operation Lightning Thunder, the joint offensive of the armies of Uganda, Congo and Southern Sudan.

“Before the December 14 attack, we had about 500 fighters and 300 unarmed civilians. Most have died or defected since. We now have between 250 and 300 fighters left and not more than 100 civilians.”

Arop, who was himself abducted from Gulu at the age of 16, believes that the LRA would have been finished by now had the UPDF not delayed deploying in the Central African Republic.

“When the LRA relocated to the Central African Republic, it took time for UPDF to catch up and take up positions. They gave Kony ample time to prepare and abduct more.”

Kony’s communication system has been seriously disrupted since Operation Lightning Thunder, said Arop.

“Since December 14, he no longer communicates on phone. He now sends one of his security men on foot to convey messages. They would move 10 to 20km away from him and then communicate on phone.”

In the past week Arop has assisted the Ugandan army to get out the rest of his unit from eastern Congo.

A total of 34 rebels reported to the UPDF intelligence squad in Faradje on Thursday. As a result, Faradje area, the closest LRA location to Uganda, has been completely cleared.

Christmas massacres

The atrocities committed by Arop’s group have been widely documented by human rights groups and are among the worst the Congolese suffered at the hands of the LRA.

On Christmas day, his fighters killed at least 143 people in Faradje and abducted 160 children. According to survivors, the LRA crushed their victims’ skulls with axes and bats. They also set fire to 940 houses, three schools and nine churches.

They killed another 86 people in the first week of January in the towns of Sambia, Akua and Tomate, to the south of Faradje.

The massacres were in retaliation for the participation of the Congolese army in Operation Lightning Thunder, said Arop.

“Kony said the December 14 attack was carried out by the combined forces, including the Congolese. If that is the case, he said, you should go to Faradje and attack them.”

Earlier, the Congolese had annoyed Kony by handing over LRA defectors to the Ugandan army, he added, particularly around Duru.

Arop recalled that a few days after the joint offensive started, Kony selected him and 71 soldiers and gave them orders: to attack Faradje town on December 25.

“He told us that if there was one gunshot from the Congolese, anybody found in Faradje had to be killed; those able to be turned into soldiers had to be abducted.”

Faradje, he said, was chosen because it was the nearest place where such massacres would have an impact and where they would get international publicity.

Asked why he did not defect with his fighters at that time, Arop said he was himself closely watched by a group Kony had attached to his unit.

“Kony gave 30 of his bodyguards to join my group. There was no way I could not execute the mission. They had a phone and were constantly reporting to him. If I refused, I would have been killed.”

Asked how he felt about the killings, an uneasy Arop said: “It was painful but you have to do it. I want to ask the relatives of those we killed to forgive me. Whatever we did, we did it under orders.”

Arop eventually escaped when he found himself with only one fighter left as they were trying to meet messengers Kony had sent. Earlier, after Kony had called back his 30 bodyguards, he had split up his unit in three.

Of the 14 in his group, three were killed; the rest got scattered after they were attacked, and reported to UPDF one by one.

Supplies

Asked where they got their weapons, ammunition and new uniforms from, Arop said they received enough supplies from SAF, many of which were still buried in river banks and hills in Southern Sudan.

“For example in Apatalanga Hill, the mountain range overlooking Agoro Hills, we hid 200 submachine guns, 10 SPG9 missiles, seven 12mm machine guns and four multi-purpose grenade launchers. There are still a lot of arms caches the UPDF has not yet unearthed.”

In Congo, Arop said, they seized weapons from the UN soldiers they ambushed and killed; and on January 2 this year, his unit overran a detachment of game rangers in Garamba National Park and opened their arms depot.

“We could not carry all the weapons. We picked 36 submachine guns, one G3-gun, two micro galil guns, two NATO guns, one PK machinegun and one rocket propelled grenade.”

In addition, he said, they took solar panels, laptops, walkie-talkies, radios, compasses, raincoats and 170 pairs of uniforms.

“We also burned two planes we found at the airstrip. We saw some white people running away but we did not shoot at them.”

As for food, before Operation Lightning Thunder they relied on the supplies given by Caritas during the peace talks.

“We would collect the food from Ri-Kwangba (the place where LRA fighters were supposed to assemble and be disarmed) and carry it to Garamba,” he explained.

“Every month we received 200 bags of beans, 200 bags of rice, 200 bags of posho, 100 jerry-cans of cooking oil, 100 boxes of wheat flour, 100 sachets of salt and 100 boxes of soap.”

Asked about his worst experience in captivity, Arop said the death and horrific injuries of his colleagues. He showed the nine bullets that hit him in the stomach, arm, shoulder and leg, three of which are still inside his body.

Like other commanders who defected before him, Arop said Kony keeps surviving because he never takes part in battles.

“Whenever attacked, he runs away and leaves his fighters to fight back. I have never seen him fight.”

And like his colleagues, he does not believe Kony will voluntarily give up the struggle, even not when the ICC indictment is lifted.

“Kony wants to fight until he overthrows the Government of Uganda. He will never sign a peace agreement. He cannot believe that once he allows himself to be disarmed, he will be forgiven. Signing means you have lost the war and abandoned rebellion. But he does not want to abandon rebellion.”

Further reading

Note that I have put a question mark against each of the news reports. The reports could be propaganda, aimed at diverting attention and gaining publicity. The information contained within each of the reports, until verified elsewhere, ought to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Uganda Watch, Monday, November 23, 2009:
Ugandan security forces kill senior LRA commander Okello Ukuti in CAR?

Sudan Watch, November 06, 2009:
Leading LRA rebel commander Charles Arop surrenders to Ugandan army?

Members of AU security councils visit Sudan

Last week, South Africa and Norway announced a R55 million agreement to support a police-training project in Sudan.

The funds earmarked for the project will be divided in three parts: 70 percent will be spent in the Southern Sudan, 20 percent in Darfur and 10 percent in Khartoum.

Source: BuaNews, a South African government news service published by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
Date: 23 Nov 2009
Title: Members of AU security councils visit Sudan

Khartoum - Members of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council are due to arrive in Khartoum on Monday for a briefing on the situation in Sudan.

According to the Director of the African Union Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sudan, Dr Ibrahim Ahmed Abdul-Karim, the AU Peace and Security Council members would be briefed on the ongoing efforts to reach a solution to the Darfur issue as well as the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and preparations for elections.

Dr Abdul-Karim indicated that the visit of the AU Peace and Security Council represented a boost for the firm stance of Sudan in dealing with the AU and its role concerning Sudanese issues.

He said the delegation of the AU Peace and Security Council would meet will a number of senior officials and would visit Al-Fasher in Dafur and Juba, capital of Southern Sudan.

Last week, South Africa and Norway announced a R55 million agreement to support a police-training project in Sudan.

The funds earmarked for the project will be divided in three parts: 70 percent will be spent in the Southern Sudan, 20 percent in Darfur and 10 percent in Khartoum.

According to the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the project will greatly assist in creating a more secure and safe environment in Sudan especially Southern Sudan and Darfur.

It will also towards the implementation of the CPA by strengthening the police forces in Southern Sudan.

The agreement follows a memorandum of understanding between South Africa and Sudan signed two years ago, aimed at providing assistance in the field of safety and security in support of the CPA between the north and south of the Sudan, the Darfur Peace Agreement and overall security capacity building.

As a result, the Norwegian Embassy was consulted for financial assistance on the implementation of the memorandum. - BuaNews-NNN

Security situation in Darfur, Sudan - Nov 22, 2009 - UNAMID provides electoral assistance as registration enters final week concluding on Nov 26

As part of an agreement with the Sudanese Government, UNAMID has been tasked with providing technical assistance in Sudan’s upcoming elections, currently slated for April 2010. UNAMID staff members are among 69 election teams working in Northern Darfur registering eligible voters.

The registration period, initially scheduled to run 30 days beginning 1 November, will now conclude on 26 November 2009. The shortened period is due to the upcoming religious holiday of Eid al-Adha. Results of the electoral registration are scheduled to be made public on 1 December, with a challenge period, designed to file complaints, appeals or amendments, from 2 December 2009 to 5 January 2010.

To date, 245,000 of 850,000 eligible voters in Northern Darfur have registered. There are 577 voter registration centres throughout Darfur.

Source: UNAMID Daily Media Brief from EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, November 23, 2009/APO.  Here is a copy, in full:

Security situation in Darfur

The security situation in Darfur remains relatively calm, but unpredictable.

UNAMID military forces conducted 65 patrols including routine, short range, long range, night, and Humanitarian escort patrols, covering 60 villages and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps during the reporting period.

UNAMID police advisors also conducted 108 patrols in villages and IDP camps.

UNAMID provides electoral assistance as registration enters final week
As part of an agreement with the Sudanese Government, UNAMID has been tasked with providing technical assistance in Sudan’s upcoming elections, currently slated for April 2010. UNAMID staff members are among 69 election teams working in Northern Darfur registering eligible voters.

The registration period, initially scheduled to run 30 days beginning 1 November, will now conclude on 26 November 2009. The shortened period is due to the upcoming religious holiday of Eid al-Adha. Results of the electoral registration are scheduled to be made public on 1 December, with a challenge period, designed to file complaints, appeals or amendments, from 2 December 2009 to 5 January 2010.

To date, 245,000 of 850,000 eligible voters in Northern Darfur have registered. There are 577 voter registration centres throughout Darfur.

Demobilization and reintegration programme begins in North Darfur
More than 150 ex-combatants took part today in the first of a three-day demobilization and reintegration programme sponsored by the Government of Sudan and supported by UNAMID.

The wheels for the initiative were set in motion in the summer of 2008, when signatories, comprising leaders from rebel movements, agreed to hand over their weapons.

The programme is composed of several components including briefings on reintegration, verification of administrative documents, medical and disability screening, fingerprinting, and the issuance of identification cards. Participants are given a cash payment of 400 Sudanese Pounds ($150 USD). After two months, the participants will be issued food vouchers and other basic amenities.

In all, more than 400 ex-combatants from North Darfur are to be eventually demobilized in El Fasher. Two additional demobilization and reintegration events are scheduled for West and South Darfur shortly.

The disarmament demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme is part of the Final Security Arrangement of the Darfur Peace Agreement.

Al-Qaeda Moving to Africa: Sources (IslamOnline.net)

Here is a copy of an article published at IslamOnline.net (IOL):
Al-Qaeda Moving to Africa: Sources
Aamir Latif, IOL Correspondent, Sun. Nov. 22, 2009

"Somalia is the next possible front, where current conditions suit Al-Qaeda network," Professor Rizvi told IOL.

ISLAMABAD/ KABUL – Amid ongoing back-door talks between the emboldened Afghan Taliban and the US and full-scale Pakistani military operations against militants in the border tribal areas, many of Al-Qaeda's senior leaders are reportedly seeking a new shelter in Africa, according to intelligence sources.

"They are stuck in Afghanistan because their several hideouts, including various strongholds in South Waziristan, have been captured by the army," a senior Pakistani intelligence official, associated with Afghan affairs, told IslamOnline.net on condition of anonymity.

"They cannot move freely from Afghanistan to Pakistan and vise versa any more," he contended.

"Therefore, the best option for them is to look for an alternative."

At least six soldiers and 14 militants were killed on Saturday, November 21, in clashes between the army and local militants in the restive tribal region.

Nearly 30,000 troops supported by air power and artillery unleashed a massive offensive against South Waziristan, a known Taliban stronghold near Afghan border, in mid-October.

The Army said it had found trenches and recovered huge caches of arms and ammunition in a number of locations.

The US says the inaccessible mountainous region has become a shelter for Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

The senior Pakistani intelligence official says Afghanistan will not remain a safe haven for Al-Qaeda for long, citing talks between Taliban and the US.

"Though there are dim chances of success for the talks, it seems Al-Qaeda has sensed something wrong," he said.

"That is why they are moving from Afghanistan."

Talks between Taliban and US representatives tumbled a few weeks ago after Taliban rejected an offer to control six provinces in return for accepting foreign troops and eight US military bases in different parts of Afghanistan.

However, the two sides reportedly agreed to continue back-door diplomacy brokered by Muslim heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

African Shelter

Background interviews with senior intelligence officials and sources privy to Taliban suggest many of Al-Qaeda's senior leaders are reportedly seeking an alternative shelter in Africa.

"Various Al-Qaeda leaders have already moved to Africa, where their most-likely destination is Somalia," suggest the senior Pakistani intelligence official.

Defense and security analysts believe that war-hacked Somalia could be the most likely next stop.

"Somalia is the next possible front, where current conditions suit Al-Qaeda network," Professor Hassan Askari Rizvi, a Lahore-based senior security analyst, told IOL.

"There is a lose grip of government in Somalia, which could be an alternative for the Al-Qaeda leadership.

Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab militant group has been waging relentless battles against the transitional government and the Africa peacekeepers.

The group controls large areas in war-ravaged Somalia.

"It seems as if these areas would be the target in war on terror in near future," says Rizvi.

The intelligence official says Ayman Al-Zuwahiri, Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, too is considering moving from Afghanistan.

"Right now, he is very much in Afghanistan, as per our information. But we have reports that he too is considering moving to Somalia."

Normal Dynamics

Taliban sources say many Al-Qaeda leaders are moving out, but offer a different reason.

"This is a continuous process," a Taliban leader told IOL, wishing not to be named.

"A number of Al-Qaeda leaders have already moved to different countries, including Europe via Iran during the past eight years."

Noor Zaman Achakzai, a security analyst based in the Pakistani town of Chaman, which borders the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, agrees.

"I personally know that hundreds of Al-Qaeda have already fled to Europe and Africa during the past seven-eight years via Iran," he told IOL.

The southwestern borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan bump in at Chagi district of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.

The area is a famous human smuggling route used annually by thousands of illegal immigrants who move into Europe via Iran and Turkey.

"They never stay at one place; instead they keep on moving because it is their old tactic," says Achakzai.

"They don’t want to be bombed by the Pakistani or US forces simultaneously."

Al-Qaeda leadership stayed for years in Sudan back in the early 1990s before moving to Afghanistan when the Taliban rose to power.

The Taliban leader refutes the intelligence agencies’ contention that Al Qaeda leaders are moving from Afghanistan for fear of being ditched by Taliban.

"This is not the case. They are moving to divert the attention of occupation forces and open new fronts."

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed in 1989, guarantees children the right to life, education, the right to play and to be protected

The following news report by Sudan Radio Service says 'the Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed in 1989, guarantees children the right to life, education, the right to play and to be protected from abuse'.  
Report received by email from Sudan Radio Service:

Friday, November 20, 2009 (Nairobi) - The United Nations has marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The UN says that the Convention on the Rights of the Child has transformed the way children are treated.

The deputy representative for UNICEF Somalia, Hanan Suleiman, says that various attempts are being made in Sudan to safeguard children's rights.

[Hanan Suleiman]: "There are various rights in the convention related to health and education. Issues such as harmful traditional practices. You will see that in most countries, including Sudan which has signed and ratified the convention, that various attempts are being made. We have seen that in the last few years, education has improved for young children and we have seen enrollment increase in various countries including Sudan itself although we still have a long way to go. We have also seen improvements when it comes to access to clean drinking water which is another important issue for children.”

Hanan Suleiman added that UNICEF is staging a series of events around the world to commemorate today’s event.

[Hanan Suleiman]: “In the countries we are working in we continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to children around the world in the areas of health education, water and sanitation and protecting their rights. We are also commemorating the day today by holding awareness sessions in different countries as well as working with governments to raise awareness of the convention. We are also trying to use this as an opportunity to get countries to apply the convention and make sure it is being implemented and that is one of the key messages we are sending out today.”

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed in 1989, guarantees children the right to life, education, the right to play and to be protected from abuse.

Note, the website of Sudan Radio Service is having technical difficulties.  

Senior SPLM official from the Nuba Mountains, Ismail Khamis Jallab, says 'the Nuba people in the SPLM will remain in the SPLM forever'

Today, the website of Sudan Radio Service (SRS) is still having technical difficulties. At the moment its news pages and archives are blank, Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 11:22 AM GMT UK.  Here is a news report by SRS, received by email from SRS.  Note that it quotes Ismail Khamis Jallab as saying that the Nuba people in the SPLM will remain in the SPLM forever and that there is no room for talk about Nuba people being marginalised in the SPLM.  Copy of the report, from Khartoum, Sudan, in full:

Friday, November 20, 2009 (Khartoum) - Nuba officials in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement have refuted reports by the pro-government Akhir Lahza newspaper that the Nuba people are being ignored by the SPLM.

On Wednesday November 18, the Akhir Lahza reported that four senior SPLM officials from the Nuba Mountains met in El-Hajj Yousif in Eastern Nile and discussed the possibility of leaving the SPLM.

Speaking during a press conference in Khartoum on Thursday, a senior SPLM official from the Nuba Mountains, the Minister of State for Animal Resources and Fisheries in the Government of National Unity, Major-General Ismail Khamis Jallab, refuted the allegations.

[Major-General Ismail Khamis Jallab]: “I would like to state that what was published in Akhir Lahza is not true and I would like to assert that the Nuba people in the SPLM will remain in the SPLM forever. We think that the report was meant to create animosity between the Nuba people and our SPLM comrades in Northern Sector.”

General Jallab, who became the first SPLM Governor of South Kordofan state after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, demanded that the newspaper must apologize to the SPLM.

[Major-General Ismail Khamis Jallab]: “We are demanding that the Akhir Lahza newspaper apologizes for what they have written officially and publicly.

What I would like to confirm through this press conference is that the Nuba in the SPLM are essential members of the movement and as such, there is no room for talk about Nuba people being marginalized in the SPLM.”

General Jallab also declared that there was a particularly high turnout of SPLM supporters for the voter registration exercise in the Nuba Mountains.

New Charitable Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry will support injured veterans of armed forces, needy young people and villages in Africa

Prince William and Prince Harry have taken one of their most important steps together in public life by setting up their own charitable foundation.

From The Daily Telegraph
Prince William and Prince Harry set up charitable foundation
By Andrew Pierce
Published: 7:30AM GMT 21 Nov 2009

The Daily Telegraph can disclose that the brothers have invested a substantial six figure sum of their own personal fortune into the Charitable Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

The foundation will generate millions of pounds to support injured and psychologically damaged veterans of the Armed Forces.

It will also give money to needy young people and will provide financial support for poverty stricken villages in Africa. The money will be raised from private benefactors and fund-raising.

The Prince of Wales has given his blessing to his sons stepping out on their own together for the first time. The Queen’s enthusiastic support is underlined by the fact that Lord Janvrin, her former private secretary who was her most trusted adviser, is to be chairman of the trustees.

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A controversial conference on Eritrea and the Horn of Africa in Brussels

In its “A Week in the Horn” report, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) raised issues on the Saudi Arabia – East African Partnership Forum, the preparation of Africa's Committee for the Copenhagen Conference, Ethiopia-Djibouti High Level Joint Commission, a controversial conference on Eritrea and the need of action in Somalia.

Source: (Ethiopia) Waltainfo.com - Government statement - A controversial conference on Eritrea and the Horn of Africa in Brussels - Saturday, 21 November 2009.

SPLM-DC Chairman Lam Akol says that he is ready to run for the GOSS presidency if he is nominated

The SPLM-DC has allied itself with seven southern Sudanese political parties in preparation for elections which are scheduled for April 2010.

Report by Sudan Radio Service, November 20, 2009:

(Cairo, Egypt) - The chairman of the SPLM-DC, Doctor Lam Akol, says that he is ready to run for the GOSS presidency if he is nominated.

According to the Sudan Tribune website, the southern Sudan political parties’ alliance announced on Thursday, that they have nominated Akol as a candidate for the southern Sudan presidency.

Sudan Radio Service interviewed Dr. Akol from Cairo on Friday.

[Dr. Lam Akol]: “The talk about nomination is still a prediction because until now the alliance hasn’t sat to discuss who they will nominate. These are just predictions. But if I have been nominated for the southern Sudan presidency, I will absolutely accept it, because it will be a favor to the people of southern Sudan especially since the region has been ruled by a weak leadership for the last five years.”

Lam Akol blamed GOSS for the instability in the region - and for its handling of the developing food crisis.

[Dr. Lam Akol]: “Our program will depend on ensuring peace, security and stability and it is a priority to ensure that security and stability prevails in order to provide basic services and development. Currently in southern Sudan there is no food security, although the region is agriculturally rich. There is enough agricultural land and water. The only missing thing is planning and the leadership.”

Lam Akol also said that the new alliance will address the question of corruption in the civil service of southern Sudan.

[Dr. Lam Akol]: “Regarding the administration of public funds, corruption is spreading in southern Sudan, from top to bottom. The program of the southern Sudan parties will fight corruption and corrupt people with no mercy. Without doing that, you can not develop the existing resources in the south. Many people are suffering from inequality, now the public service sector has been politicized; it is an absolute must to restore the public service to its former professionalism.”

The SPLM-DC has allied itself with seven southern Sudanese political parties in preparation for elections which are scheduled for April 2010.

South Sudan: Speaker of the National Assembly suspended the salaries and allowances of 10 SPLM MPs on Wednesday

The SPLM caucus in the National Assembly walked out of the parliament in October, accusing the NCP of willfully delaying the introduction of key CPA legislation.

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, November 20, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The speaker of the National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim El-Tahir, suspended the salaries and allowances of 10 SPLM MPs on Wednesday.

The move is seen as a bid to put pressure on the SPLM parliamentary caucus to attend parliament sessions. The SPLM have boycotted the sessions in protest against what they see as the NCP's reluctance to pass key legislation.

The SPLM deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Atem Garang, condemned the speaker for his decision.

[Atem Garang]: “Ahmed Ibrahim El-Tahir is a man who ignores political principles in this country, what the SPLM MP’s did cannot be seen as absenteeism. It is a political act which is normal in a parliamentary democracy. So the act of this man is an attempt to personalize the reasons that made the SPLM members walk out of the parliament. He wants to transform the issue; it's as if he is saying that if you don’t come back, I will not give you your money. We are telling him that we will not come back for 50 years if it is for money. Our main presence in the parliament is for the sake of the important issues that concern the Sudanese people, especially the implementation of the CPA.”

The SPLM caucus in the National Assembly walked out of the parliament in October, accusing the NCP of willfully delaying the introduction of key CPA legislation.

The National Congress Party has won the students' union elections at the University of Khartoum

Student elections in the University of Khartoum have been suspended for the past two years.

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, November 20, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The National Congress Party has won the students' union elections at the University of Khartoum.

The chairman of the Students' Union High Elections Committee, Prof. Abubakar Abu Jokh, spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Thursday in Khartoum.

[Prof. Abubakar Abu Jokh]: “The final results for the elections of the Khartoum University Students' Union are: the highest number of votes went to Sami Mohamed Hassan Abdul Daiem, who got 5,428 votes. Abdul Hakim Adam Musa got the least votes, with 5,360 votes. We presented these results to the Chancellor this morning and he endorsed the result. The total number of those who voted was 12,228.”

The Chancellor of Khartoum University, Prof. Mustafa Idris Al-Bashir, called upon the new office-holders in the union to assist the university administration in solving student problems.

[Prof. Mustafa Idris Al-Bashir]: “We want this union to become our partner in the administration of the university, and to advise us. I thank all those who participated in this election campaign and I thank them. We did not receive a single report of accidents or fighting. Everybody expressed themselves and their ideas and slogans freely. We hope this spirit will prevail, particularly now that the country is heading for elections in April.”

Student elections in the University of Khartoum have been suspended for the past two years.

Voter registration center opens at Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 16-27, 2009

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, 20 November 2009:

(Nairobi) - The voter registration center at the Sudan Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, has seen low turnouts of people wanting to register since registration began on Tuesday in the Kenyan capital.

The Sudanese Embassy became a registration center after a petition was sent to the National Election Commission to allow Sudanese in Kenya and Uganda to participate in the election as well.

Mohamed Fadhul Ali is the head of the voter registration committee in Kenya. He spoke to Sudan Radio Service on Friday.

[Mohamed Fadhul]: “We opened this center at the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi here on November 16 and we will continue until the 27th. The number of people who have registered so far is less than a hundred. This is really not a good result. We made the procedures easy for people so that they know what documents to bring when coming for registration. For instance, we are ready to give people passports and if you have a student ID you can register as well.”

Fadhul adds that they are prepared to work on weekends to allow more people to register.

Malook Manas is one of the voters who registered on Friday.

[Malook Manas]:I was able to register because I have a student ID; otherwise they would have not allowed me to register. But you know now it’s not holiday time for students and they have to squeeze in the time with their studies in order to come and register. So our government should have opened many more registration centers because the Sudanese embassy is very far from a lot of people. Many Sudanese live outside Nairobi, because as you know, life in the city is expensive. Many of the older people, who live in Mombasa, will take two days to get here and registration is going to end soon.”

Initially, NEC had only allowed Sudanese living in the Gulf to register and it excluded residents of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.

Ambassador Majok Guandong told Sudan Radio Service last week that there are plans to open registration centers in Nakuru and Eldoret where there are large Sudanese populations. The plan is yet to come into effect.

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Report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, November 20, 2009:

(Mundri) - As voter registration continues throughout Sudan, there are an increasing number of complaints from some voter registration centers.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service on Friday from Mundri, the deputy governor of Western Equatoria state, Joseph Ngere, said that the figures of those registered in Mundri have been falsified.

[Joseph Ngere]: “The actual figure we got is 11,028, but the figures given to the National Electoral High Committee in the state is 4,258. You can see the difference. I understand that our team here is working with the National Election Commission, but what they might report is not what we have here, and this is causing a lot of arguments. I understand that usually what they get from the field they send to Khartoum, and if they are sending these figures and the figures that we have is 11,028 and they are sending is 4,258, then we have a big problem.”

Ngere said that following the seven-day holiday given to government officials by the President of GOSS, most of the MPs in Western Equatoria state are encouraging their people to register for the elections.

Shooting of South Sudan Minister prompts detachment of local administration (Update 1)

Note that news reports at the website of Sudan Radio Service (SRS) have disappeared due to technical problems. Here is an untitled news report, received by email, from SRS

Thursday, November 19, 2009 (Lainya) - Police are investigating the attack on the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Government of Southern Sudan, Dr. Samson Kwaje, in Lainya County, Central Equatoria state.

Doctor Kwaje’s convoy was ambushed on Tuesday by unknown gunmen as he was on his way to Juba.

Five people were killed and seven others wounded, including the minister, who was shot in the arm.

The Lainya County Commissioner, Suba Samuel Manase, speaking to Sudan Radio Service on Thursday, said some local police officers were arrested because they had not provided adequate security for the minister.

[Suba Samuel Manase]: “The police who were in the stations were all arrested and taken to prison in Juba. Those in the payam are all taken, they are around ten. There are also a few individuals who are accused and they were also arrested. They are in the police station to answer questions. They were not arrested because they conducted the attack but it is for questioning purposes; to find out what information they may have about the attack.”

Commissioner Juba Samuel said that if the four civilians arrested are found with information linking them with the ambush, they will also be taken to Juba.

Samuel said the ambush has provoked fear among civilians, forcing them to evacuate their areas and go to Lainya town.

[Suba Samuel Manase]: “The situation is calm but yesterday we started receiving women and children from the area of the attack. When we asked them they said that since the army pulled out they now fear that the attackers may turn against them. Fear and uncertainty, that is why they left their homes. We sent the army to rescue the minister and when their mission was completed, they pulled out from the area. Some of the people think the army should remain there to provide security.”

The commissioner of Lainya county, Suba Samuel Manase, was speaking to Sudan Radio Service on Thursday.

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Related news report from Sudan Tribune, Friday, November 20, 2009:
Shooting of South Sudan minister prompts detachment of local administration

November 19, 2009 (JUBA) – The state authority of Central Equatoria has resolved to detach from Juba County administration a local Payam administration following the shooting of a Southern Sudan minister in the area.

The minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Samson Kwaje, was shot on his right shoulder on Sunday as his vehicle in the convoy fell under attack in Wanduruba Payam of Juba County on his way to a neighboring Lainya County.

The ambush left four people dead and five others wounded including the minister.

In an emergency Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, Central Equatoria state cabinet resolved to temporarily detach Wanduruba Payam from Juba County administration until the issues that led to the incidence are resolved.

Governor Clement Wani Konga to that effect has issued a decree detaching Wanduruba Payam administration and attaching it directly to the office of the Governor.

The decree explained that the cause of the incidence was a result of power wrangling among politicians in the area, particularly over the dispute of whether or not Wanduruba Payam should remain under Juba County or be annexed to Lainya County.

It revealed that Dr. Samson Kwaje, a Pojulu by tribe, had earlier appealed to the National Elections Commission (NEC) to instead attach Wanduruba Payam to Lainya County in the delimitations of the geographical constituencies.

Some politicians in Juba County especially in the local payam administration are against the move by the minister.

The area is mostly inhabited by Pojulu ethnic group who identify themselves with their community in Lainya County.

The state authorities have pledged to find a peaceful and amicable solution to the dispute in the area. (ST)

- - -

UPDATE on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 17:00 PM GMT UK

A news report has just arrived in by email from Sudan Radio Service. Note that its website is still experiencing technical difficulties, no news reports are accessible online. Here is a copy, untitled:

20 November 2009 - (Khartoum) - The Governor of Central Equatoria state, Clement Wani Kong’a, has issued a decree directing that Wonduruba payam be detached from Juba county and administered from his office.

Decree number 12/2009 states that Wonduruba shall remain under the tutelage of the Governor’s office until a referendum is held.

Dated November 18,it also appointed an administrator, Anthony Loki, from the CES Ministry of Local Government, as the payam administrator for Wonduruba.

The decree was issued days after the GOSS Minister of Agriculture was attacked by unidentified gunmen between Wonduruba and Juba.

There has been a dispute between politicians on whether to incorporate Wonduruba into the Lainya North constituency or whether it should remain under the jurisdiction of Juba West.

South Sudan Governer of Upper Nile State was relieved of his duties last Sunday

Note that news reports at the website of Sudan Radio Service (SRS) are currently unavailable due to technical problems. Here is a copy of an untitled report, received by email, from SRS, Thursday, November 19, 2009:

(Khartoum) - The former governor of Upper Nile state, Dak Duop Bichok, has described retired Brigadier, Galuak Deng Garang’s refusal to relinquish power in Malakal as an act of rebellion.

Galuak Deng was relieved of his duties as Governor of Upper Nile state last Sunday following a decree issued by President al-Bashir.

The President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, announced the decree in Juba on Sunday.

Dr. William Othwonh, who was appointed as the new governor, took the oath of office on Tuesday in Khartoum.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service in Khartoum on Wednesday, Bichok said Galuak’s refusal to relinquish power is a clear indication that he is not loyal to the National Congress Party.

[Dak Duop Bichok]: “This is a rebellious act by retired Brigadier Galuak Deng against the system. He has rebelled against a decree issued by the President and we condemn this act in the strongest possible terms and we are saying Galuak is not a NCP member anymore because NCP members know how institutions work; now he is a rebel. The party has a right to appoint someone to replace him.”

Bichok said that President al-Bashir relieved Galuak of his duties because his term as governor had come to an end. He urged Galuak to follow his example - Bichok handed over power to Galuak after just eight months in office.

Galuak has said he is determined to remain in office despite the presidential decree.

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