SLM-Nur snubs US's Gration meeting, JEM dismisses Sudan President Salva Kiir's call on Darfur rebels to unite

Photo: Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Dr Tahar Adam al Fiki, seen, during the Darfur Peace Talks, in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009. (AP Photos/Maneesh Bakshi/Sudan Watch archives 04 March 2009: Darfur rebels vow full ICC cooperation ahead of ruling on Bashir case)
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From Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, 13 August 2009:
Kiir Calls On Darfur Groups to Unite

(London) – The first Vice president and the President of southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, is calling on the Darfur anti-government groups to organize themselves under one leadership.

Salva Kiir made the statement during his visit to Blue Nile state on Wednesday.

[Salva Kiir]: “Their problem needs a solution, but they did not get leadership, they did not get a person to organize and lead them in order to demand their rights. Their anger makes them create all these movements. But if they get a leadership, they can discuss their issues. The government can’t negotiate with 28 delegations from the Darfur movements. They should unite in order to have one delegation when they go for peace negotiations with GONU.”

The Darfur anti-government group, the Justice and Equality Movement disagrees with this analysis.

JEM senior official Dr. El-Tahir el-Fakie spoke to Sudan Radio Service from London on Thursday.

[El-Tahir el-Fakie]:  "It is not the problem of an absence of leadership, the leadership is there, and the leadership is JEM. But there are some birds who are trying to move away from the flock, this is the problem.  JEM will never agree to sit at a table with warring groups who have different thoughts and on the other side there is a united enemy (the NCP) who are experienced in politics and in conspiracy."

Dr. El-Tahir el-Fakie was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from London.

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Photo: SPLM Supporters at the stadium during the rally in Damazin on Wednesday, 12 August 2009 (SPLM Today)

From Sudan Tribune, Saturday 15 August 2009:
Darfur rebels should reunite to get peace – Salva Kiir

August 14, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese First Vice-President urged Darfur rebel movements to unite in order to reach a negotiated settlement of the six year conflict in western Sudan.

Doha peace process seems stalled by the differences among Darfur groups who have different political programmes and demands. The signing of Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006 also resulted in the emergence of many small groups.

In remarks he made in Damazin on Wednesday during his visit to the Blue Nile state, the head of southern Sudan government said the number of rebel factions in Darfur reached 28 groups.

"The government can’t negotiate with 28 delegations from the Darfur movements. They should unite in order to have one delegation when they go for peace negotiations with GONU," he said.

"Their anger makes them create all these movements. But if they get a leadership, they can discuss their issues," he further stressed.

Kiir harsh speech on the rebel groups in Darfur comes at a time where the Doha peace process is deadlocked due to the refusal of two main groups to engage peace talks with the government for different reasons.

The Sudan Liberation Movement of Abdel Wahid Al-Nur rejects any talks before to resolve the security concerns of some 2.7 million internally displaced persons. The group demands the disarmament of government militias and the return of the IDPs to their villages.

The Justice and Equality Movement of Khalil Ibrahim accepted the principal of talks but requires the implementation of a goodwill agreement signed with Khartoum and particularly the improvement of humanitarian situation and the release of its fighters detained by the Sudanese government.

Further the meddling of neighboring countries once again complicates the peace process. Libya and Egypt who were supposed to help the efforts of the mediation are now taking contradictory initiatives disturbing the efforts of the mediation.

Also, the SPLM was supposed to play a role in the resolution of the conflict but the continuous troubles with the National Congress Party led its peace partner to suspect any move undertaken in this issue and frozen its efforts. (ST)

On most days, the only laugh I get from news on Sudan is in the comments at Sudan Tribune. I love the Sudanese people's passionate way with words. The following comment at the article above (by mayiik Albino after a dozen or so comments plus three in Arabic) made me laugh:

what a hell is written here, that looked like sh*t Arabic man next time dont be selfish

On revisiting the article, I see the comment has been deleted, along with the three written in Arabic. This confirms to me that comments at Sudan Tribune are moderated.
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From Sudan Tribune, Saturday 15 August 2009:
Darfur rebel group snobs Addis Ababa unity meeting

August 14, 2009 (PARIS) — Darfur rebel group reiterated today its rejection to a meeting expected to be held next week in Addis Ababa organized by US envoy to Sudan in order to reunite different factions of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM).

US President special envoy to Sudan Mr. Scott Gration invited the SLM factions to attend a three day meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on August 18. The meeting is designated to discuss the unity of the rebel factions.

Gration stated recently he was working hard "to unify the (Darfur) rebels so that there is a spokesman for that group."

However, a spokesperson of the SLM group led by the founder of the movement Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur said they are willing to discuss the reunification of their SLM but without the interference of the US envoy or other mediator.

"We are open to discuss the crucial issue of unity with our comrades because we are basically in favor of this idea. But we do not need the interference of the US envoy" said Abdel-Rahman Adam Nimer the military spokesperson of the group speaking to Sudan Tribune from Ndjamena.

"Such talks should be in the field among and we need to take all the needed time not a quick meeting in Addis Ababa," he further said.

Nimer pointed out that the reunification of the rebel movement should not be done for the purpose of peace talks with the Sudanese government only saying "such unity is not viable."

Last week, local press in Khartoum published statements attributed to Gration where he had invited Al-Nur partisans to choose another leader. The call disturbed his supporters who are already angered by what they consider a “supportive stance to Khartoum."

"We are disturbed by Gration’s statements on the genocide in Darfur, and the improvement of humanitarian conditions in Darfur camps," said Nimer who was keen to distinguish between Gration and the US people and Obama administration.

He also called upon the US administration and the other donors to provide the necessary logistical support for the organization of a unity conference inside Darfur if they are serious in their efforts to reunite the SLM factions.

This week, some eight rebel factions from SLM and other groups including two breakaway JEM factions renewed in Libya their commitment to negotiate with the Sudanese government with one delegation and a common ground paper.

The rebel factions had already agreed in March of this year to join Doha peace process but difference emerged between them emerged during a meeting held in Cairo last July when the Egyptian authorities proposed to form a new rebel groups before the talks.

Observers say Gration attempts to find a way for the representation of Darfur biggest ethnic group of the Fur tribe. SLM-Al Nur asks Khartoum before to accept the peace process to disarm the militias and to provide security for the return of displaced population to their homeland. (ST)

Meanwhile:
More than 2,000 people killed in South Sudan since Jan 2009 -UN
Sudan Watch, August 14, 2009.

In southern Sudan a humanitarian disaster more serious than that in Darfur is unfolding
Sudan Watch, August 10, 2009

• Sudan, Red Cross and UNICEF agree to cooperate to reintegrate Darfur child soldiers
• 200 Tanzanian peacekeepers arrive in Darfur

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Quote for the Day



From Obale Palato at Obale Palato blog spot:

....in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, there's enough for everybody's need but not enough for everyone's greed.

In a simple thought one would think that Mr Gandhi had African leaders and their followers in mind. In fact most of the African problems are directly linked to greed as opposed to needs. This because, had it been for the mere needs, which among others include those basic ones like food, medical, housing, etc African problems would have been history at the moment. Contrary, we can not moved out of numerous problems simply because our leaders could not differentiate between needs and greeds.

Prendergast's ENOUGH Project: Poker players Ante Up for Africa charity - Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Chad, and Somalia

Posted to YouTube by ENOUGH - Ante Up for Africa, June 25, 2008:

ENOUGH is the project to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Focusing on the crises in Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Chad, and Somalia, ENOUGH uses a 3Ps crisis response strategy: promoting peace, protecting civilians, and punishing the perpetrators.

This year ENOUGH again joined the benefit poker tournament Ante Up for Africa, hosted by Don Cheadle and Annie Duke.

To learn what you can do to join the fight against genocide, go to ENOUGH.

© Center for American Progress
Category: Nonprofits & Activism
Tags: Cheadle Prendergast genocide Sudan Khartoum Uganda Somalia ICC advocacy Gayle Smith Africa war ENOUGH Ante Up Poker charity benefit Hollywood

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From usaplayers.com Thursday, 13 August 2009 by Bruce:
Full Tilt Poker's "Ante up for Africa" Charity Tournament

As part of Full Tilt Poker's FTOPS XIII online poker series, they are holding a special charity poker tournament known as "Ante up for Africa". The tournament will be held at 3 p.m. on August 15th [2009], and it will raise money for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The tournament will be hosted by actor and avid poker player Don Cheadle. The buy in for the tournament will be $100+20. The twenty dollar tournament fee will be donated to the charity. This charity tournament will be part of the FTOPS VIII online poker championships, which will feature more than $16 million in prize money over various tournaments. The last of the tournaments is known as the main event, and it will be held on August 16th with a massive guaranteed prize pool of $2.5 million.

Back in 2007, Cheadle co founded an Ante up for Africa Poker Tournament with Norman Epstein and Annie Duke. At the recent 2009 World Series of Poker, the third annual Ante up for Africa charity tournament was held. The tournament attracted some of the top celebrities from both poker and entertainment. Some of the stars in attendance were actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and they were joined by poker pros Erick Seidel and Jennifer Harmon. The tournament had a $5,000 entry fee, and the players were asked to donate 50% of their winnings to the charity. When the tournament was complete, over $600,000 was raised. Since the Ante up for Africa charity was formed a few years back, over $2 million dollars has been raised. The funds have been distributed to organizations such as "Not on Our Watch", "Enough Project", and "International Rescue Committee". The upcoming online charity tournament will help raise even more money for such a good cause.

The FTOPS XIII charity tournament will take place on a Saturday afternoon giving most players the opportunity to play and help raise money for a good cause. Even though the tournament is designed to raise money for the Ante up for Africa charity, there is plenty of money to be won as well. The tournament will have a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool, with the winner guaranteed to walk away with at least $22,500. Players can take that their shot at winning some serious cash, while raising money for a great organization. Along with the chance to play with many well known poker professionals, players who play in the tournament will also get to play alongside celebrities such as Matt Damon. This will be another opportunity for poker players to help raise money for the ongoing crisis in Darfur.

To discuss this and other Poker articles like it drop by our brand new forum at: www.usaplayers.com

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From PokerNews.com Wednesday, 12 August 2009 by Elaine Chaivarlis:
2009 WSOP Ante Up for Africa Recap

ESPN’s third week of 2009 WSOP coverage aired last night with the Ante Up for Africa event. Dozens of celebrities and poker pros showed up for this event. This was the first time that Ante Up for Africa was aired on television.

The event had a $5,000 buy-in and attracted 137 players. The total prize pool generated for the event was $665,820. It was suggested that players donate 50% of their winnings to the charity.

Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, Montel Williams, Nelly, Cedric the Entertainer, Herschel Walker, and Charles Barkley were among the notable celebrities at the event. Several poker pros played the event as well, including Annie Duke, Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow, Peter Eastgate, and Dennis Phillips.

Let’s face it, there weren’t a lot of stellar players, or plays in this event, as the event was created more as a fun way to raise money and awareness for the Darfur region.

Charles Barkley and Herschel Walker were two celebrities that might be able to benefit a little from the PokerNews strategy section. They both made this event entertaining to watch with their interesting plays. In one hand, where he rivered trip queens, Walker doesn't even know what the minimum bet is, but was happy with the face time he got from his hollywooding. Charles Barkley got it all in post flop when he flopped a flush draw with his . He never got there and was eliminated.

Mike McDermott (or Matt Damon, whatever you like to call him) ended up at the feature table sitting next to Erik Seidel. This is significant, only in that because of the movie Rounders, Erik Seidel's second place finish to Johnny Chan in the 1988 WSOP has been seen millions of times. So maybe Seidel had it out for Damon a little. Damon, like every other celebrity in this event, didn't make it to the final table. Wonder what happened to all those tells he used to pick up on.

The final table was, not surprisingly, packed with poker pros. Jennifer Harman, Matt Kay, John Hennigan, Phil Gordon, Chris Ferguson, Erik Seidel, Rafe Furst, Adam Richardson, and Alex Bolotin all made the final table of the Ante Up for Africa event. Five of the players at the table, Harman, Hennigan, Ferguson, Seidel, and Furst hold a combined 18 WSOP bracelets.

With the super fast structure, the final table saw its players drop rather quickly with Adam Richardson all but out the door at one point when he was all in and went runner runner clubs to stay alive. Richardson ended up going heads up against the eventual winner, Alex Bolotin, who won $176,449 for his first place finish.

There have been numerous opinions about whether or not there should have been more events from the 2009 WSOP aired on television. We're sure the minds over at ESPN had a reason for the lack of other coverage. We're not sure, however, if this will be the trend next year. What we can say is, in regards to this event, people watch what their favorite celebrities are doing, and if their favorite celebrity is playing poker, then they’re watching them play poker, bringing a more mainstream audience to the game, and that much we like. No matter what the broadcast schedule is next year, we definitely hope this event will be in the mix.

Be sure to tune into ESPN every Tuesday night for continuing coverage of the WSOP, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Good luck to all.  



ENOUGH was conceived in 2006 by a small group of concerned policymakers and activists who wanted to transform their frustration about inaction into pragmatic solutions and hope. Co-founded by Africa experts Gayle Smith and John Prendergast, ENOUGH launched in early 2007 as a project of the Center for American Progress. John Norris is Enough’s Executive Director. Read more about ENOUGH at http://www.enoughproject.org/about.

South Sudan: Local FM radio Sout Al Mahaba (Voice of love) opens in Malakal, Upper Nile State

The Catholic Church has opened a local F.M. Radio in Malakal, Upper Nile State called Sout Al Mahaba (Voice of love). The station will broadcast news and programs in both English and Arabic languages.

According to Sister Elena Balatti, Coordinator of the Catholic Church-Malakal FM radio project, the vision of the project is to assist in the process of forming a peaceful society in Malakal and the surrounding areas.

Source: Miraya FM, Saturday, 15 August 2009.

Sudan's El Merreikh v Zesco United of Zambia today at Khartoum Stadium

Despite a loss away to Al Hilal, the coach says Pillars will still top Group A and qualify for the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League.

Goal.com report by Samm Audu, Saturday 15 Aug 2009:
Kano Pillars Coach Ivo Sajh Confident Of African Champions League Qualification

Nigeria's Kano Pillars lost their leadership of Group A on Friday night, when they were defeat 2-0 by hosts Al Hilal in Omdurman, but their coach, Ivo Sajh, has expressed confidence that his team will bounce back to finish top of the standings.

"Pillars will top the group," a confident Sajh told Goal.com

"Second place in the group will be between El Merreikh and Al Hilal. But after playing against both teams, El Merreikh are the better team.

"We will have our chance to avenge our defeat by Hilal in two weeks. I did not expect to lose to Al Hilal. But it's very difficult to win or a draw away from home."

Al Hilal took the lead in the 53rd minute, when Zimbabwean referee Merange Kenias awarded the home team a disputed penalty kick.

"I'm not a referee," insisted Sajh, when asked about the officiating.

"Everybody saw what happened and it was not good for football. We are a team of 11 players but we played against 14 players. These were the same referees who ensured that Al Hilal qualified for the group stage at the expense of Primeiro Agosto of Angola. All the best to referees in the future."

However, the Slovenian coach admitted his team only have themselves to blame for the second Al Hilal goal.

"The second goal was our own mistake. We did not cover the near post by the time the corner was taken. The scorer got a free header," said Sajh.

Pillars are now second in the table with four points from three matches, three adrift of new leaders Al Hilal.

The Nigerian club could slip further down the table if Sudan's El Merreikh win their home game against Zesco United of Zambia on Saturday at the Khartoum Stadium.

Click on label here below for previous reports and updates.

CAF Champions League: Sudan's Al Hilal beat Kano Pillars of Nigeria 2-0

Sudan's Al Hilal were truly at home at a packed Al Hilal Stadium in Omdurman Friday night as they put to sword Kano Pillars of Nigeria 2-0 in continuation of the CAF Champions League. 

Hilal have thus shot to the top of Group A with seven points from three matches, while Pillars slipped to second place with four points.

Read full story by Samm Audu at Goal.com, Friday, 14 August 2009:   CAF Champions League: Al Hilal Shoot To The Top Of Group A
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Sudan midfielder Mohamed Al-Tahir broke the deadlock on 55 minutes by slotting home vfrom the spot before Hamoda Ahmed El-Basheer put the icing on the cake on 68 minutes.

Read full story at CAF online, Friday, 14 August 2009:   Al-Hilal hand Pillars first defeat

Click on label here below for related reports and updates.



YouTube: 2009 Highlights Day 1 & Day 2 - View highlights from the first group matches: AlHilal, ESS, Zesco United, TP Mazembe, Kano Pillars, Monomotapa Utd, El Merreikh, Heartland FC

South Sudan: 12th Aug - 3 killed, 40 missing after LRA attack in Ezo county, Western Equatoria

Note these puzzling details in the following report from Sudan Radio Service:

"The forces that came were heavily armed LRA and probably did not face much resistance because they came in between the Ugandan Armed forces on one side and the Sudan armed forces on the other. So when they went towards the house of the commissioner they could not fire because of the Ugandan Army forces.

The Uganda armed forces were also thinking if they opened fire, they might kill some Sudanese Armed forces. So the result is they managed get out with being attacked, but at least 3 people are reported to have been killed.”

Here is a copy of the report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, 14 August 2009:
USSF Leader Describes LRA Attack on Ezo

(Yambio) – Three people were killed and 40 others are missing after an attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Ezo county in Western Equatoria state on Wednesday 12th.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service producer David Sanango, the leader of United South Sudan Party, Clement Mbugoniwia, described what happened.

[Clement Mbuniwia]: “What we know so far is that the day before yesterday, a group of LRA were able to enter Ezo from the Catholic church side, so they penetrated the town and they were able to launch a series of attacks within the town itself after which almost 40 people are reported missing and at least over 40,000 people are now displaced in Ezo county. Among them are 5000 refuges from Congo who were already there. 

The forces that came were heavily armed LRA and probably did not face much resistance because they came in between the Ugandan Armed forces on one side and the Sudan armed forces on the other.  So when they went towards the house of the commissioner they could not fire because of the Ugandan Army forces. 

The Uganda armed forces were also thinking if they opened fire, they might kill some Sudanese Armed forces. So the result is they managed get out with being attacked, but at least 3 people are reported to have been killed.”

[Sanango]: Can you describe the situation at the moment?

[Clement Mbuniwia]: “It happened from 5 up to 9 o’clock pm. They were roaming around the town. At least last night people slept well, but I was in contact with the commissioner this morning and he said the situation is bad, especially on the humanitarian aid side, as far as food, water and medical supplies are concerned. All the NGOs that were in Ezo were evacuated last evening so the situation is a little bit less tense.”

[Sanango]: Can you estimate the number of people who have been injured in the attacks?

[Clement Mbuniwia]: Around 30 to 40 people were seriously injured; some of them were actually cut with machetes, not necessarily gun shots.

Clement Mbugoniwia was speaking to Sudan Radio Service from Yambio.

Click on 'Jonglei' label in footnote here below for related reports and updates.

LRA rebels will not return to Uganda despite fresh attacks in DR Congo -Uganda
Uganda Watch, Friday, August 14, 2009.

Southern Sudan : Food crisis warning

Global Arab Network - English News - Adam Turner - ‎Aug 12, 2009‎

In Yambio, some of the 73000 displaced people who had been living in surplus crop-producing areas, including Ezo, Maridi, Yei and Mundri, ...

Ugandan rebels 'launch new raids'

BBC News - ‎Aug 2, 2009‎

The south Sudanese town of Ezo was also attacked recently by the LRA, which has a history of rape and killings. The LRA uses its base in the Democratic ...

Reports of Oil in Darfur are Exaggerated (Julie Flint)

From Alex de Waal's blog Making Sense of Darfur
Reports of Oil in Darfur are Exaggerated
By Julie Flint, Friday, August 7th, 2009:

Claims that the war in Darfur is intimately linked to vast untapped oil reserves have been made ever since the conflict began and are revived in The Scramble for Africa, where Steven Fake and Kevin Funk repeat a series of assertions that, as far as is known in the often secretive world of oil exploration, have no basis in fact. Thus far, all efforts to find oil in Darfur have failed in the almost 30 years since Chevron discovered the small and declining Abu Gabra and Sharaf fields that border Kordofan.

Unlike in southern Sudan, where the war for oil was terrible, the massive displacement in Darfur was not caused by the presence, or even hopes, of oil; it was caused by a vicious counter-insurgency to quash a rebellion, including by the regime’s Islamist rivals in the Justice and Equality Movement, that seemed to be threatening to take control of the whole region. If oil reserves are ever found in significant quantities in Darfur, they could become a source of contention. On present evidence, however, that seems unlikely. Most of central and western Darfur consists of non-sedimentary rock, which will not contain any oil deposits. Experts concur that the region has only two areas where there could be serious finds—southern Darfur, bordering Kordofan and Bahr el-Ghazal, and the very north-western corner bordering Libya.

Slowly-expanding new exploration in both areas has caused intermittent, and apparently very limited, local conflict, but so far has yielded nothing of commercial interest.

Although important discoveries have been claimed since the war in Darfur began—including by the Ministry of Energy and Mining, which often exaggerates its success—the claims have been vague, significantly lacking in detail, and, in the single most important instance, incorrect.

The most productive field in Darfur is Block 6, where Chevron first found oil in 1979. This concession straddles Kordofan and South Darfur and was awarded to Sudan’s most important oil partner, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), in November 1995. Early in the conflict in Darfur, CNPC relinguished most of the part of Block 6 that was inside Darfur to a group of small companies. Now called Block 17, there have not been any reports about activities there. The operator, Ansan, is a small Yemeni company with no track record in the upstream. (For a map of oil concessions, including in Darfur, see this map produced by the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan.)

The Darfur production in Block 6 is Abu Gabra, which is situated just inside Darfur and has been attacked several times by rebels, without lasting effect. Alleged production figures from the field vary from 20,000 to 60,000 b/d. CNPC has built a pipeline from the Fula field in Block 6, in the middle of Southern Kordofan, to Khartoum. The Abu Gabra oil is trucked out to Fula, which produces approximately 45,000 b/d. A small refinery at Abu Gabra, built before CNPC arrived, with a 2,000 b/d capacity, has been closed by CNPC. It produced mainly diesel.

In April 2005, Energy Minister Awad al-Jaz grabbed headlines by announcing discovery of a giant oilfield in southern Darfur that he said was expected to produce 500,000 b/d within months. The reported find was in Block C, a concession granted to a consortium called the Advanced Petroleum Company (APCO). APCO had started drilling late in 2004 and soon after claimed that its exploratory well had ‘oil in place’. But announcements of success were premature and proved illusory: the oil discovered was in insignificant, noncommercial quantities, and the well was soon reassessed as dry. Cliveden Petroleum, the largest partner in the original consortium, sold its share to High Tech, one of Sudan’s largest conglomerates that is controlled by a former Energy and Mining Minister, Abdel Aziz Osman. APCO stopped all activity and hasn’t resumed since.

This ‘discovery’ provoked considerable confusion and a surge of new reports linking the Darfur war to oil. On 16 April, UPI correctly reported the find as being in ‘southern Darfur’. On 19 April, Reuters said the discovery was ‘southwest of El Fasher in North Darfur State’. This sentence was problematic—although El Fasher is in North Darfur, the discovery was in South Darfur. In September 2006, citing the 2005 Reuters report, Tomdispatch, an armchair blog with a tendency to ascribe US foreign policy to oil and oil alone, said a discovery in North Darfur (the italics are mine) had ‘effectively doubled Sudan’s oil reserves’. The blog continues to be widely circulated on the internet. Fake and Funk cite it as evidence that ‘Darfur, along with Kordofan, “may be the areas richest in oil in the entire country.”’

But the South Darfur find trumpeted in 2005 was a bust, and there have been no lucky strikes in North Darfur. Industry sources say that one of the companies that bought drilling rights to 125,000 square miles of the North Darfur desert—Block 12A— in November 2006 has reportedly had good seismic results. But it would be premature to claim even the possibility of oil wealth there: seismics identify potential; they do not find oil.

CAF Champions League 2009: Sudan's Al-Hilal and Nigeria's Kano Pillars go head to head today in Omdurman, Khartoum

Update: Click on 'CAF Champions League' label in footnote here below for latest news and results.

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Continental focus this weekend focuses on Sudan’s largest city, Omdurman which will be the centre of attraction as the group phase of the CAF Champions League enters the halfway mark with the day three matches.

Omdurman is also home to Sudan’s biggest clubs, Al-Merrikh and Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal will host Kano Pillars of Nigeria in clash that will prove crucial to determining the winner of Group A at the Al-Hilal Stadium in Omdurman, whilst Al-Merrikh will be seeking to redeem their dwindling fortunes against Zesco United at the Al-Merrikh Stadium also in Omdurman.

This is the first time in the history of Sudanese football that the two biggest clubs are housed in the same group in their quest for the cherished prize in the continental club football.

Read full story at KICKOFF - SUDAN GIANTS TOP CHAMPS LEAGUE BILL - Friday, 14 August 2009.

CAF Champions League Preview: Pillars Want To Stand Tall In ...

Goal.com - ‎Aug 13, 2009‎

A result for Nigeria's Kano Pillars in Friday's CAF Champions League tie against Al Hilal could set them on the road to a place in the last four. ...

Pillars' Chigozie suspended for Al Hilal Champions League clash Triumph

Hilal and Kano go head to head BBC News

Injured Kano Pillars Skipper Bala Mohammed Resumes Training Goal.com

Goal.com - Goal.com

all 19 news articles »

Click on labels here below for related reports, fixtures and results.

More than 2,000 people killed in South Sudan since Jan 2009 -UN

A humanitarian emergency is brewing in South Sudan warns UN Deputy Coordinator for South Sudan, Lise Grande.

Ms Grande said five states in southern Sudan are at risk: Jonglei, Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria and Northern Bahr El-Ghazal.

From United Nations Radio by Jocelyne Sambira, Thursday, 13 August 2009:
A humanitarian emergency is brewing in South Sudan warns UN Senior Official

UN Deputy Coordinator for South Sudan is warning that the country is in a critical phase due to severe food shortages and mass displacements caused by escalating inter-tribal conflicts.

"Since January of this year, more than two thousand people in Southern Sudan have been killed as a result of inter-tribal conflict and a quarter of a million people - two hundred and fifty thousand people have been displaced across the ten states."

Liz Grande told reporters in Khartoum on Wednesday that the situation is getting worse because of plummeting oil prices, forcing the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) to put a halt to much needed development plans.

"Probably no other government in the region has suffered as much from the global meltdown as Southern Sudan. It has lost a staggering 40% of the revenues that it expected."

The UN senior official estimates that 85 million dollars is the bare minimum needed to keep people alive in that region and much of the humanitarian funding has dried up.

The Secretary-General has warned that the recent inter-tribal fighting in South Sudan is destabilizing the entire country and putting at risk the progress made by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Photo: Deputy Coordinator for South Sudan, Lise Grande. (UN)

From Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, 13 August 2009:
UNMIS Describes A Critical Humanitarian Situation in South Sudan

(Khartoum) – Addressing a press conference in Khartoum on Wednesday on the humanitarian situation in southern Sudan, UNMIS Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Co-coordinator for southern Sudan, Lise Grande, said rural populations that depend on agriculture for survival have been going hungry since the first of June.

[Lise Grande-English]: “Here is the bad news. The hunger gap for large part of the whole population in five critical states is going to be extended not to mid-August, but all the way through to mid October there us going to be a lot of hungry people in Southern Sudan, that hunger gap will go from early June right away through to mid-October, now, in terms of food assistance that will be required again, work is still being done right now by the World Food Programme and we can give you an indication that, remembering that ninety-six metric tonnes were already required, out of that WFP has only received eighty- thousand metric tonnes , so there is a gap of sixteen thousand metric tonnes right now. Then you add on top of that the food that is going to be required because the first harvest has failed and we are looking at the significant increase of assistance that is going to be needed. Of all the states in the south that have been hit hard, Jonglei may be the worst. We already know that the largest failure, the biggest failure in harvest is going to be precisely in that state”.

Grande said the UN agencies and humanitarian organizations in southern Sudan have asked for 412 million USD.

She said out of the requested amount what has been received is less than 60 million USD, adding that in order to save the lives of many people who are in need of food in southern Sudan, 85 million US dollars are urgently needed.

[Lise Grande]: “What is the red line? The red line is 85 million USD. You want to keep people alive in the south, 85 million USD, that is it, that is the bottom-line. More than ninety-percent of the entire population exists on less than one dollar a day. One out of every seven women that becomes pregnant is going to die. Of all of the deadly diseases in the world, there are thirteen of fourteen of them in southern Sudan. But for me there are two sets of statistics that sum up the situation in southern Sudan: the maternal mortality rate is the highest in the world, more women die during pregnancy than any place on the globe. Things are really, really, really tough in the south. Four years after the signing of the CPA, southern Sudan is facing an unimaginable set of problems. I know that a lot of attention that is given to Darfur. This is deserved, but the key point is that the south deserves much more than it is receiving, particularly now that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is entering its critical stage”.

Grande said that throughout southern Sudan almost the entire population is facing a life-threatening situation.

[Lise Grande]: “Southern Sudan is facing crisis right now. It is caused by a combination of factors. Number one, the rain has been late, number two, the high level of insecurity and displacement that I have just described, number three there has been disruption of trade and number four, related to that has been a sharp increase in the price of food. We add all that together and we have a big food deficit. The WFP originally estimated for 2009 that 1.2 million people in southern Sudan are going to require some kind of food assistance and they appealed for ninety-six metric tonnes to do their part. We have started receiving data from hard-hit locations like Aweil in Bahr El-Ghazal. Data has indicated that the malnutrition rate was exceptional. In Aweil, the severe malnutrition rates are twice the emergency threshold."

Grande added that another factor that contributed to hunger in southern Sudan is the budget crisis. Southern Sudan has suffered a lot due to the recent drop in oil prices. The Government of southern Sudan has lost forty percent of the this year's expected revenue.

She said five states in southern Sudan are at risk: Jonglei, Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria and Northern Bahr El-Ghazal.

Click on labels 'humanitarian disaster' and 'Jonglei' (here below) to see related reports and updates.

Salah Abdallah Gosh becomes Presidential Adviser - Sudan's new security chief is Mohamed Atta Al-Moula

From AFP, Thursday, 13 August 2009:
Sudanese president names new intelligence chief: state media

KHARTOUM — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has replaced the influential intelligence chief Salah Gosh with his close aide in the agency, the official Suna news agency reported early Friday.

"President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omar Al-Beshir, has issued a Republican Decree appointing Salah Abdalla (Gosh), as a Presidential Advisor," a statement said.

It said general Mohamed Atta Al-Moula would take over as the head of the National Security and Intelligence Organ.

Salah Abdalla, known as Salah Gosh, had run the Sudanese intelligence services since the end of the 1990s and remains one of the most influential figures in Sudan.

Photo: Photo: Sudanese security chief Salah Abdullah Gosh (SMC/ST/Sudan Watch archive)

Further reading

Sudan Watch, 10 March 2006 - Sudan's head of intelligence Sala Gosh given entry to UK:

April 29, 2005 Reuters excerpt:  The chief of Sudan's Mukhabarat intelligence agency, Maj. Gen. Salah Abdallah Gosh, told the [LA] Times: "We have a strong partnership with the CIA. The information we have provided has been very useful to the United States." Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail acknowledged in an interview that the Mukhabarat already had served as the eyes and ears of the CIA in neighboring countries, including Somalia, a sanctuary for Islamic militants.

Sudan Watch, 12 March 2006 - Sudan's Salah Gosh met UK and US officials last week in London for talks on al-Qaeda and Darfur peace process

1. Entrenching Impunity: Government Responsibility for International ...

   Salah Abdallah Ghosh, the general director of Security and Military Intelligence based in Khartoum, has overall responsibility and is considered by most ...
   www.hrw.org/reports/2005/darfur1205/7.htm - Cached - Similar - 

2. Salah Gosh (Sudan)

   AfDevInfo People Database Record for Major General Salah Abdullah Gosh (Sudan)
   www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/peo/peo_22202.html - Similar - 

3. AP: Salah Gosh "Dismissed" | Enough

   The Associated Press is reporting that Salah Gosh , the head of Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services, and an influential ...
   www.enoughproject.org/.../ap-salah-gosh-dismissed - 23 minutes ago - Similar - 

4. EMM News Explorer: Salah Gosh

   24 Apr 2009 ... World news clustered, updated every day. Explore the news, following stories by time, place or person.
   press.jrc.it/NewsExplorer/entities/en/104590.html - Similar - 

5. TPMCafe | Talking Points Memo | The Salah Gosh Test

   17 Feb 2006 ... One man named is Salah Gosh, who is the head of Sudan's National Security and Intelligence Service and often credited with devising ...
   tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2006/.../the_salah_gosh_test/ - Cached - Similar - 

6. rubber hose: the public relations push of salah gosh

   5 Mar 2009 ... Salah Gosh, the head of Sudanese intelligence, was recently quoted in Sudanese news reports as calling for the “amputation of the hands and ...
   upyernoz.blogspot.com/.../public-relations-push-of-salah-gosh.html -Cached - Similar - 
   

Sudan’s Bashir removes powerful intelligence chief
Sudan Tribune, Friday 14 August 2009.

Sudan intelligence chief replaced

BBC News - ‎8 hours ago‎

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has replaced the country's influential intelligence chief Salah Gosh, the official Suna news agency reports. ...

Sudanese president names new intelligence chief: state media AFP

Sudan President dismisses powerful spy chief The Associated Press

Sudan's Bashir removes powerful intelligence chief Sudan Tribune

TIME - NewsHour

all 127 news articles »

Click on label 'Salah Abdallah Gosh' (here below) and scroll through related reports and updates in Sudan Watch archives.

FULL INTERVIEW: Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir (PBS & Time 13 Aug 2009)

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir spoke with Time magazine's Sam Dealey in early August about the International Criminal Court's warrant for his arrest, the fighting in his country and relations with the United States.

This report is part of a collaboration between the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and Time magazine.

From PBS
Full Interview: Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir
Originally Aired: Thursday, August 13, 2009



SAM DEALEY, Time correspondent: On the issue of Darfur, in testimony last week before the Senate, the United States special envoy Scott Gration said he no longer believed that genocide is taking place in Darfur. Do you feel vindicated?

OMAR AL-BASHIR, Sudan's president: First, we appreciate General Gration's courage. We know that these facts are rejected by influential centers of power. We stress the fact that the situation in Darfur proves that there is no genocide or ethnic cleansing. The evidence is that displaced citizens from areas where there was fighting, and it is natural that in any area where there is military combat, civilians will emigrate, these citizens emigrated to government controlled areas under the Sudanese Army, the police and local authorities. The movement of citizens toward government-controlled areas seeking security is evidence that the government could not be responsible of such acts [genocide, ethnic cleansing].

SAM DEALEY: What aspect of responsibility do you take, then, for Darfur? As we said, there have obviously been some issues as with any more, but were mistakes made?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Any government in the world, when facing an armed rebellion, has a constitutional, legal and moral obligation to resist these militants. This happens everywhere. You will find in all the world's countries that militants that take up arms against a government are classified as "terrorists." Even those who resist occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine are classified today as "terrorists." Except in Sudan, when some take up arms, the government is [considered] guilty! This is a clear targeting of the government.

As a government, it is our responsibility to maintain security for all citizens in Darfur. A rebellion happened there, from a small group, and any attempt to picture the militants as representatives of the people of Darfur is a big mistake. This is a minority of outlaws that initiated military operations against the government. The government did its best [in the beginning] to accommodate the situation peacefully, and did not react until the rebels rejected all attempts to reach a peaceful solution.

When the rebels attacked El Fashir, the capital and largest city in Darfur, attacked the airport, destroyed a number of airplanes and even occupied parts of the city, the government then had to fulfill its responsibility.

SAM DEALY: So there are no actions specifically though which you feel in retrospect were mistakes, or....

OMAR AL-BASHIR: In any war, mistakes happen on the ground; this is not the policy of the government. We are a government that functions according to laws. The security apparatus functions according to laws and whoever intentionally transgresses [the laws] is held accountable to law. We are the only country, in the Third World at least, that removed immunity from members of the armed forces, police and security and took them to trial. They were tried and some members of these forces were even executed, because they transgressed. Human mistakes happen .We've seen greater mistakes committed than what has happened in Darfur by ten times in Afghanistan and Iraq, but we hold accountable and put to trial persons [who break the law], as a responsible government.

SAM DEALY: "Do you still maintain that only ten thousand have died in Darfur?"

OMAR AL-BASHIR: This is what we believe the number to be according to all the events that have taken place in Darfur. There is fighting between the armed forces and the rebels, so there are [a number of deaths] among the rebels and members of the armed forces. There are also tribal conflicts, which are not connected to any ethnic group [in particular]; it is not, as portrayed, an "ethnic war."

Most of the intra-tribal fighting in fact is between tribes of Arab origins over resources, because years of drought that hit the area, made the scarcity of resources one reason for conflict, between nomads and peasants, between nomads themselves because gazing lands have become limited, because of the decline in rainfall. Conflict, therefore, between youth that heard their livestock is likely. We maintain that there is a problem in Darfur, and its main reason is environmental before anything else.

Arrest warrant

SAM DEALY: How do you perceive the ICC's arrest warrant. Is it a nuisance or something more serious?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: We are not concerned with the ICC except for one issue; the methods that the Court followed had a dangerous impact in signaling a message to the armed rebel groups that they should not reach peace with this government because its president is wanted by international justice, which will definitely lead to the government's fall, and therefore, there is no need to talk to the government which is perceived to have the international community against it. This is the most dangerous thing with this Court. The ICC is a political court and not a court of justice.

SAM DEALY: So you believe the ICC is an illegitimate organization?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: We think that the ICC is a tool to terrorize countries that the West thinks are disobedient. The African position today, by consensus, is not to cooperate with this court, and it has reached a conviction that this Court is directed against the countries of the Third World and a tool of neo-colonialism.

SAM DEALY: One of the things Mr. Ocampo alleges in his application for indictment is that there is a clear command-and-control structure within the Sudanese government. That you are not only president, but you are Field Marshal of the Armed Forces, and therefore you are directly responsible for every action down to the lowest enlisted man. At the same time, there are ceasefires that are signed, and while the rebels have certainly violated their share, so has the Sudanese government. And to what degree do you control the apparatus of the government?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: As I mentioned, there are laws that govern the armed forces. Yes I am the commander-in-chief to these forces, but there is a joint-chiefs- of-staff, there are joint-chiefs for the army, the air-force, like the organization of any armed forces. The army conducts military operations with the support of the air-force. There are joint-operations-staff, units and leaders that manage operations on the ground, in addition to field-commanders.

For example, the US air-force in Afghanistan mistakenly bombed a wedding and killed 147 civilians. But you cannot say that the US president should be tried for this because he is the commander-in-chief of US forces, not even the [American] head of chiefs-of-staffs would be put to trial. But if it was proven that the field-commander that ordered this operation made this decision without confirming whether this was a gathering of civilians or combatants, then he is the one to be held responsible, and laws are clear on this. I mentioned that the law holds accountable those who transgress the law, and we've held trials.

SAM DEALY: How many cases have been prosecuted?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: I do not recall [exactly], but I do recall that we removed immunity from a member of the [National] Security; he was put to trial in link to some events, and was found guilty and executed. There are a number of other examples that I do not recall at the moment, because they are trials carried out on the ground.

SAM DEALY: One of the effects of course of the ICC, of the arrest warrants, is that you'll be unable to travel to - say - the United Nations. How effectively can you represent the country if you'll be unable to...?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Up to now, I have not felt [any] restrictions of movement. I am not a minister of foreign affairs where I am supposed to travel frequently to other countries, conferences and meetings. A president has his deputies, assistants, and his specialized ministers, so it's not necessary for a president to travel to every country. But I have traveled all necessary travels.

SAM DEALY: What is your governing style? Is your governing to be very hands on and to micromanage, or are you one who likes to delegate more often. What is your actual governing style?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: We implemented the federal system in Sudan. And if you look at the constitution, you can see the degree of powers that were delegated to the states....You will find that most of the powers that existed in the federal government were transferred to the states....... It is not possible for a president in a country like Sudan, the size of Sudan, with the immense problems of Sudan, to administer and manage everything.

SAM DEALY: So you don't control all the power, and you don't exercise all the power?

It's very diffuse throughout the government?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Yes, its spread out and everyone hold's their responsibility. There are regulatory agencies and in each state there are parliaments. Governors are responsible to their parliaments and to the president for their performance. I don't follow the details; no one can follow the details in a country like Sudan.

U.S.-Sudan Relations

SAM DEALY: The items currently on the table with relation to the United States is moving Sudan from the United States terror list, its list of nations that sponsor terrorism; restoring diplomatic relations; and perhaps the end of sanctions. What are the responsibilities of Sudan to achieve these?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: We are convinced that all the accusations made against Sudan are baseless. American intelligence agencies, whether the CIA or FBI, confirm that Sudan does not host or support terrorism. After the events of September 11, many predicted that Sudan would be one of the U.S.'s targets. But the U.S. did not target Sudan because its own agencies confirmed that Sudan does not host or support terrorism... .

U.S. special envoys that came to us, and I recall Danforth and Zoellick. Danforth came and had an appreciated role in helping reach a peace agreement in southern Sudan. He tied the removal of Sudan [from the list of terrorism sponsoring nations] and the removal of sanctions and the blockade against Sudan, and normalizing relations [with the U.S.] to the signing of the peace agreement. He did not mention terrorism or any other activities of Sudan that were needed to remove the sanctions. He said the only thing needed was to sign a peace agreement with the SPLA.

But unfortunately, after we signed, there was no response ... e think there are pressure groups in the United States that are stronger than the government's obligations. After we signed the peace agreement in Abuja, I received a telephone call from President Bush personally, and he spoke with great admiration and appreciation to what had been achieved in Abuja, and that the United Sates was now ready to interact with all openness with Sudan. But of course, he couldn't continue along this line.

SAM DEALY: You feel that the responsibility then, that the failure to follow through on those promises was entirely due to the weakness of the United States government? Were there any actions by the Sudanese government that contributed to that as well?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Until now, no specific action has been required of us in order to have these punishments removed. We were asked to sign a peace agreement to have the punishments removed, we signed, and they have not been removed. We signed a peace agreement in Abuja, and they have not been removed.

We think that the most recent special envoy's efforts, General Gration, and the new direction the American administration is taking to change the policies of the previous administration, and not to fall in its same mistakes. We have great hope that these efforts, and with the complete cooperation between us and the American special envoy, we will normalize relations with the U.S.

South Sudan

SAM DEALY: If the South does vote to secede, what will the North's reaction be?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Giving the citizens of south Sudan the right to self determination is something that all political forces agree on, be it the government or the opposition. Because the war lasted for long periods, the first war was for seventeen years and the second time was for twenty years, we were convinced that unity cannot be imposed by force.

The continuation of war is a continuation of distrust and hatred because war is all injustices. In this situation we decided to give the South the right of self-determination and gave ourselves a period of six years with the goal of building trust between Southern citizens and Northern citizens and to cultivate a culture of peace, because most of the youth in the South today were born and raised during the war.

Our goal is to achieve development in the South that would convince Southern citizens to vote for peace. We think that six years as a transitional period is a short time to rebuild an area the size of Southern Sudan, it is not an easy task.

SAM DEALY: Part of the agreement that ended that civil war was that there will be wealth sharing. And so far some $7 billion dollars has been transferred to the South. What do they have to show for it? Where has that money gone?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: One of the trust-building elements is commitment to the peace agreement, and second, giving our brothers in South Sudan the opportunity to rule their country, because one of their complaints was that there was an attempt to impose custody or hegemony from the North.

Therefore, the agreement stated that the government of South Sudan should receive a share of oil revenue, and at their request, they would establish their own review agencies in South Sudan, and they don't want to be subjected to the review agencies of the federal government, therefore, the government of South Sudan should be asked about these funds. There is a parliament in South Sudan, and I addressed the parliament there, and I asked them, as a legislative and controlling body, to hold the Government of South Sudan accountable and inquire about these funds.

SAM DEALY: Will southern Sudan be a failed state from day one? Do they actually have the capacity or the institutions to run a country?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: Because we know that our brothers don't have the experience of governance, and to govern a place like South Sudan that is ravaged, lacking basic infrastructure and services for citizens, and as we mentioned, the youth grew up during the war and carry weapons, and an unemployed youth caring a weapon might use it to meet his needs.

There is no experience of governance ... We asked them to benefit from the government's experience to establish institutions of governance and to put laws and regulations and to make use of Southerners who were in the civil service, because you cannot govern a state without a civil service. So our brothers, because of the distrust that was created during the war, refused this offer ... We are still in contact with them to help them administer a large country like South Sudan, which is not an easy task.

Future Plans

SAM DEALY: After 20 years in power and with presidential elections coming up next year, did you ever consider not standing for the presidency again?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: The choice is that of the Sudanese people. That is a democratic choice, and we are absolutely committed to having elections next year... We are ready to accept any result, and call on anyone who wishes to observe these elections to come to Sudan and we will make it possible for them to move or be at any place they wish, and to get any information they want because these elections we insist, God willing, will be free and fair, and we will have a large number of witnesses to it ... we believe we will win these elections, but we will not decide winning the elections, but we think we will win it, and we think, that the others [political parties], are aware of our popularity and wide popular base.

SAM DEALY: When will it be enough? When do you think your task will be done, and what is that task, what legacy have you not created yet?

OMAR AL-BASHIR: A person's aspirations to see the betterment of their country has no ceiling. We thought that after signing the peace agreement and achieving peace in south Sudan, that this was an achievement one could end their political life with.

But the agreement itself made it necessary to have the president, and the chair of the SPLA, as president of the Government of South Sudan, to continue [in their positions] to supervise the implementation of the agreement.....

Political work in Sudan, as I see it, is not a comfortable task. It is tiring, exhausting, and with great responsibilities. I used to tell some presidents who's periods had ended that the best thing is to be a "former president;" someone who is respected, appreciated, and without any responsibilities.

Click on label here below to read some previous interviews.

Vit Hassan's magical guide through Sudan

His colleague photographer who visited Vit in Sudan David Haberlah says:

"Vit Hassan is for sure the boldest and daring photographer in Sudan. His existance as a Czech-Sudanese Christian-Muslim is theoretically impossible but he is the man to defy any constraints.

Make sure you employ him on any expedition in Africa's biggest country, but before that ask him what "the sun is shining" is standing for ;-)"

Well what's holding you, go and see Vit's work and if you think you have some cents over to support this artist, do it 'cause he deserves it!

Photographs by Vit Hassan. Source of photo montage and text: The Challenge, February 04, 2006 - VIT'S MAGICAL GUIDE THROUGH SUDAN