South Sudan: Juba Central Prison capacity 370 inmates holding 20,000+ inmates due to missing files

THIS is terrible. Imagine being one of these prisoners held on remand indefinitely. So much work needs doing in South Sudan while the lives of 20,000 fit young prisoners are wasted mainly due to missing files. Where are the humanitarians, churches and human rights workers for situations like this? Hundreds of thousands of people are paid to help others in dire straits. It's often the case that practical help is rarely available when really needed.

From Radio Tamazuj, Juba City

Dated Friday, 19 January 2024 - here is a copy in full:

Advocate: Juba Central Prison overcrowded by remand inmates due to missing files

Inmates at the Juba Central Prison. (File photo)

The Juba Central Prison, a facility run by the South Sudan National Prisons Service, has run out of room to house inmates.

According to an advocate who talked to Radio Tamazuj, the prison has a capacity of 370 rooms to accommodate 370 inmates but is currently bursting at the seams due to overcrowding and is now holding over 20,000 prisoners. This, according to the lawyer, has resulted in very poor sanitation and hygiene at the facility.

Advocate Godfrey Victor Bulla, the Executive Director of Justice and Human Rights Observatory (JAHRO), a legal advocacy organization, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that the prison has been overwhelmed by the surging numbers of prisoners.

“To be honest, the capacity of Juba Central Prison is overwhelmed,” he revealed. “The current number of inmates inside the prison has surpassed the capacity of the facilities that were constructed to accommodate a certain small number.”

Bulla said inmates on remand are more than those who have been convicted and called for the immediate decongestion of the prison.

“What I know is that the number of remanded prisoners is more than those convicted. Many people are being arrested and brought to the prison and some are not taken to court while others do not even have files at the prosecutor’s office,” he underscored. “This is very unbearable. Some of the prisoners are already developing sicknesses. Some sicknesses broke out in November last year and we almost lost two people with cases of chest infection, breathing issues, and paralysis.”

The advocate added: “There are even outbreaks of chicken pox that affect the skins of the prisoners.”

He further revealed that Juba Central Prison takes care of and houses inmates who are not supposed to be in the prison.

“Some people are brought by the public prosecutor’s office yet their files are not in court and they are detained on remand,” he said. “So, you find Juba Central Prison taking responsibility for those who are both convicted and those who are on remand.”

Asked about services in the prison, Bulla acknowledged the availability of services in the prison but said they are not enough for the ever-increasing number of inmates.

“Yes, they are providing facilities, I can say there is food and water but those facilities and services are not enough compared to the number of people in prison,” he insisted.

The advocate recommends a comprehensive approach and response to mitigate overcrowding at the prison and says the issues of violations of inmates' rights must not be taken lightly because violation of a single constitutional right is a violation of the aspiration of the people of the country.

“All the institutions within the criminal justice system must perform their constitutional responsibility without any compromise; the police must be responsible and be trained very well to carry a proper investigations; the judiciary must provide transport, must provide access to justice without any delay; the public prosecution must take the accused person to court within 24 hours,” he recommended. “Institutions that are providing legal aid must be supported to provide it. So, I am calling for a comprehensive approach and response that we must work on providing this and put an end to this holding of people on remand indefinitely and create a proper system.”

View original with thanks to Radio Tamazuj: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/advocate-juba-central-prison-overcrowded-by-remand-inmates-due-to-missing-files

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Sudan: An oud of prominent musician Mohammed Wardi has been stolen from his home in Khartoum

REMEMBER this distinctive instrument and spread the word it is stolen.

From LinkedIn post
By Hassan Ahmed Berkia

News Editor, Internews 
Dated Wednesday, 17 January 2024 - here is a full copy:

A member of the Rapid Support Forces has stolen the oud of Mohammad Wardi, one of Sudan & East Africa’s most prominent musician. The invaluable instrument was stolen from the late musician’s home in Khartoum, according to his son Abdel Wahhab.

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Sudan fighting spreads to World Heritage Site

TERRORISTS are running amok in Sudan. Many of them are not Sudanese. They're flaunting their heinous crimes because no one is stopping them.

From Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Dated Wednesday, 17 January 2024, 1:42 AM GMT - here is a copy in full:

Sudan fighting spreads to World Heritage Site

Fighting in Sudan has spread to the ancient sites of the Kingdom of Kush (ASHRAF SHAZLY)

Sudan's devastating nine-month war between two rival generals is spreading to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an NGO reported late Tuesday, sounding the alarm for the remains of the ancient Kingdom of Kush.

The Regional Network for Cultural Rights said it "strongly condemns the incursion by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)", the paramilitary forces of general Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, "on the sites of Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra".

RSF forces have been fighting against troops loyal to Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan since April last year.

The NGO said the incident, which took place on Sunday, marked the second time since December that fighting had broken out at the religious sites, located in the northern River Nile state.

State authorities also reported "an incursion by the RSF, repulsed by the air force", claiming that "calm has returned" without mentioning whether the sites suffered any damage.

The cultural rights group said it had consulted "reliable sources, images and videos posted on social networks showing fighting between the army and the RSF, which probably exposed the sites to vandalism, destruction, looting and theft".

According to UNESCO, the archaeological sites of the Island of Meroe, located about 220 kilometres (137 miles) from Khartoum, was "the heartland of the Kingdom of Kush" and is home to pyramids, temples and dwellings dating back thousands of years.

The ancient civilisations of Sudan built more pyramids than those of Egypt, but remain largely unknown.

The Island of Meroe, which lies between the Nile and Atbara rivers, is a World Heritage Site whose ancient civilisation borrowed cultural traits from Pharaonic Egypt, Greece and Rome.

More than 13,000 people have been killed since the war began in April, according to a conservative estimate by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, and the United Nations says more than seven million people have been displaced.   bur/sbh/pz/dhw/tym

View original: https://news.yahoo.com/sudan-fighting-spreads-world-heritage-014252698.html

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Sudan: Human Rights Groups condemn RSF deployment near World Heritage sites in N. Sudan

ONE day facial recognition technology will help convict Hemeti after his trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. 

From Sudan Tribune
Dated Tuesday, 16 January 2024 - here is a copy in full:

Human Rights Groups condemn RSF deployment near archaeological sites in Sudan

RSF fighters pose at the Meroitic temples of Musawwarat and Naqaa on January 16, 2024

January 16, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – Human rights activists in Sudan have expressed grave concern over the deployment of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) personnel near two UNESCO World Heritage sites in northern Sudan, the Meroitic temples of Musawwarat and Naqaa.

The alarm was raised following the release of a video showing Rapid Support Forces personnel present in the Musawwarat area, home to the remarkable Al-Musawarat Al-Safra archaeological complex. The site, located 190 kilometres northeast of Khartoum, is renowned for its temples, shrines, statues, and other artefacts dating back to the Meroitic Kingdom.

Further fueling these concerns, social media pages affiliated with the paramilitary forces posted images of their troops touring the ruins of Naqaa and Musawwarat.

Shortly after these images emerged, the 3rd Infantry Division announced that it had engaged a group of RSF fighters using military aircraft and heavy artillery. This operation reportedly destroyed a significant portion of the RSF contingent and the pursuit of the remaining forces to the state borders.

In response to these developments, the Sudan Emergency Lawyers group released a statement condemning the RSF deployment within the vicinity of these archaeological sites, stating that such actions put them at grave risk. The statement also held the RSF fully responsible for the safety of these historical treasures.

Moreover, the Sudan Emergency Lawyers urged the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to take prompt action to safeguard these World Heritage sites by engaging with both parties to the conflict and ensuring their protection from harm.

The lawyers emphasized the significance of these ancient sites, noting that they contain a wealth of historical artefacts dating back to the Meroitic Kingdom and are protected under the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The statement also highlighted the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which explicitly prohibits the use of cultural property or its surroundings for military purposes, emphasizing the need for both sides to uphold this international agreement. (ST)

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article281363/

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UN relief chief Martin Griffiths releases $10m USD to aid 500,000 people in South Sudan fleeing Sudan war

UN OCHA said the fund would be used to build shelters, offer cash assistance, build water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and support onward transportation for new arrivals at overcrowded transit sites. 

 

Read more from China View Xinhuanet

By Xinhua Editor: Huaxia

Dated Tuesday, 16 January 2024; 03:45 - here is a copy in full:

UN relief chief releases fund to aid Sudanese refugees in South Sudan

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian chief released an emergency 10 million U.S. dollars on Monday to aid about 500,000 people in South Sudan fleeing the Sudan war.

UN Undersecretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths allocated the fund from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"As of today (Monday), about 500,000 people have crossed into South Sudan since mid-April, when Sudan's war started," OCHA said. "In just the past month, more than 60,000 people have arrived in South Sudan, following the outbreak of clashes in and around Wad Medani, Sudan's second-largest city."

The office said thousands more people are expected to arrive in South Sudan over the next six months.

OCHA said the fund would be used to build shelters, offer cash assistance, build water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and support onward transportation for new arrivals at overcrowded transit sites. 

View original: http://www.chinaview.cn/20240116/963c578e32234e2e81bfb21e4db1af2b/c.html

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Agencies consider new aid route into Sudan from S. Sudan as humanitarian crisis worsens, cholera spreads

FIGHTING AND RED TAPE have hampered aid access in Sudan. Hunger and diseases including cholera are spreading. Aid agencies are looking at delivering aid to Sudan on a new route from South Sudan as they struggle to access much of the country. 

The war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left nearly half of Sudan's 49 million people requiring aid. More than 7.5 million people have fled their homes, making Sudan the biggest displacement crisis globally, and hunger is rising. 

Aid supplies have been looted and humanitarian workers attacked, while international agencies and NGOs have long complained about bureaucratic obstacles to get into the army-controlled hub of Port Sudan and obtain travel permits for access to other parts of the country. Read more.

From Reuters

Reporting by Aidan Lewis

Editing by Christina Fincher

Dated Monday, 15 January 2024, 5:51 PM GMT - here is a copy in full:

Agencies consider new aid route into Sudan as humanitarian crisis worsens

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Aid agencies are looking at delivering aid to Sudan on a new route from South Sudan as they struggle to access much of the country, a senior U.N. official said on Monday, nine months into a war that has caused a major humanitarian crisis.

The war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left nearly half of Sudan's 49 million people requiring aid. More than 7.5 million people have fled their homes, making Sudan the biggest displacement crisis globally, and hunger is rising.

Aid supplies have been looted and humanitarian workers attacked, while international agencies and NGOs have long complained about bureaucratic obstacles to get into the army-controlled hub of Port Sudan and obtain travel permits for access to other parts of the country.

"There's a very, very difficult operating environment, very hard," Rick Brennan, regional emergencies director for the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a press briefing in Cairo on Monday.

Aid agencies lost access to Wad Madani, a former aid hub in the important El Gezira agricultural region southeast of Khartoum, after the RSF seized it from the army last month.

The RSF's advance into El Gezira state and fighting that erupted recently involving the army, the RSF and Sudan's third-most powerful military force, the SPLM-North, in South Kordofan, have sparked new displacement.

U.N. and other agencies have been largely restricted to operating out of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, and delivering aid from Chad into the western region of Darfur, where there have been waves of ethnically-driven killings.

"We're also looking at establishing cross-border operations from South Sudan into the southern parts of the Kordofan states of Sudan," said Brennan.

DISEASE OUTBREAKS

Health services, already badly weakened when the war broke out in mid-April, have been further eroded.

"We have at least six major disease outbreaks, including cholera," said Brennan.

"We've also got outbreaks of measles and dengue fever, of vaccine-derived polio, of malaria and so on. And hunger levels are soaring as well because of the lack of access of food."

Diplomats and aid workers say that the army and officials aligned with it have hampered humanitarian access as both sides pursue their military campaigns. Activists say neighbourhood volunteers have been targeted.

They say the RSF does little to protect aid supplies and workers, and that its troops have been implicated in cases of looting. Read more.

Both sides have denied impeding aid.

The army and the RSF shared power with civilians after a popular uprising in 2019, staged a coup together in 2021, then came to blows over their status in a planned transition towards elections.

U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said in a statement last week that the reasons aid was not getting through were "frankly outrageous".

Customs clearances for supplies coming into the country could take up to 18 days, with further inspections under military supervision that could take even longer, he said.

Photo: A volunteer stirring food to be distributed to people in Omdurman, Sudan, September 3, 2023. REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig/File Photo

Photo: People hold pots as volunteers distribute food in Omdurman, Sudan, September 3, 2023. REUTERS/El Tayeb Siddig/File Photo

View original: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/agencies-consider-new-aid-route-into-sudan-humanitarian-crisis-worsens-2024-01-15/

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South Sudan President Kiir orders strict border control with Sudan

From Sudan Tribune JUBA, South Sudan
Dated Friday, January 12, 2024 - here is a copy in full:

South Sudan president orders strict border control with Sudan

President Salva Kiir

JUBA, January 12, 2024 – South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has ordered a crackdown on illicit movement and activities along the country’s border with Sudan, citing concerns that these activities could undermine national security.

The directive was issued during a high-level meeting held on Thursday to address the recent escalation of communal tensions in the greater Bahr El Ghazal region. The president expressed particular concern about the possibility of illicit firearms entering the country from Sudan and being used in the ongoing conflicts between communities in Abyei, Warrap, and Western Bahr El Ghazal States.

“You must work together to control your borders, especially with Sudan,” Kiir said. “Some people may take advantage of our gesture of allowing brothers and sisters from Sudan to flee the current conflict and use it as an opportunity to deal in arms. This will undermine the security of our borders. So, coordinate your efforts with relevant institutions at all government levels.”

The president also condemned the violence and directed the Chief Administrator of Abyei and the governors of Warrap and Western Bahr El Ghazal States to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and engage with relevant stakeholders to restore peace between the affected communities.

Presidential Affairs Minister Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro told SSBC TV that all four governors of Bahr El Ghazal, as well as the governor of Unity State and the chief administrators of Abyei and Ruweng, unanimously agreed to an immediate end to hostilities and the deployment of security forces to facilitate the free movement of people, goods, and services in the affected areas.

Bakasoro also revealed that a comprehensive document outlining the full resolutions of the meeting will soon be released to the relevant institutions for implementation. He added that the high-level meeting demonstrated a strong commitment to consolidating peace and security nationwide.

The meeting was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Tong Akeen Ngor; Governor of Warrap, Kuol Muor Muor; governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal, Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial; Governor of Unity State, Joseph Nguen Monytuil; governor of Lakes, State, Riny Tueny Mabior; Abyei Chief Administrator Chol Deng Alaak; and Ruweng Chief Administrator, Stefano Wieu.

In addition, the meeting was attended by several presidential aides and ministers, including the minister of presidential affairs, Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro; Minister of information, Michael Makuei Lueth; deputy minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Ramadan Abdallah Goch; presidential special envoy Benjamin Bol Mel; presidential advisor on national security affairs Tut Gatluak; the chief of defence forces of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces General Santino Deng Wol; Director General of the Internal Bureau of National Security Services, Akol Koor Kuc; and Inspector General of Police, Atem Marol Biar. (ST)

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article281222/

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