Sudan: Darfur Sheikh Musa Hilal's relatives call for his release from Khartoum prison

Article from and by Radio Dabanga.org

Dated 23 August 2019 - Khartoum 

Relatives of Darfur militia leader call for his release

Vigil in Khartoum calling for the release of janjaweed leader Musa Hilal, August 22, 2019 (social media)

Relatives of former Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal organised a vigil in front of the office of the Sudanese Professionals Association in Khartoum on Thursday, demanding his release. The Revolutionary Awakening Council also called for the release of Hilal and hundreds of his affiliates arrested on November 26, 2017.

Amani Musa told reporters at the vigil that her father and a number of her relatives are being held for more than a year and a half. Their families have not been allowed to communicate with them.

She said her father was detained because of his opposition to the former regime. “He should have been released, like the rest of the political detainees, after Al Bashir was deposed.

Among the detainees are several of her brothers who have nothing to do with politics, she noted, including a student at the Garden City College.

Hilal’s relatives have repeatedly contacted Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’, Chief commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Deputy Head of the junta that deposed President Omar Al Bashir in a military coup on April 11, member of the recently established Sovereign Council. “To no avail,” Musa said.

She added that “certain entities” asked them not to resort to the media as this “could complicate the issues of the detainees”.

Last Saturday, East Darfuris in Khartoum organised a demonstration demanding the release of Musa Hilal.

Detained

In 2017, after years of close cooperation, Musa Hilal had become a thorn in the side of Khartoum.

The relationship between Hilal and Khartoum began in 2003. After Darfuri rebels took up arms against the government in February that year, Khartoum assigned Hilal, chief of the Arab Mahameed clan in North Darfur, as recruiter of militant Arab pastoralists (popularly called janjaweed) in Darfur.

With the full backing of the government, his militiamen targeted unarmed African Darfuri villagers, but they rarely came near forces of the rebel movements. In 2006, the UN Security Council imposed financial and travel sanctions on Hilal.

Hilal’s stance towards the ruling regime changed over the years. Mid 2013, he returned from Khartoum to his base in North Darfur, where his fighters, mainly members of the paramilitary Border Guards, launched widespread attacks on government forces and allied militias.

In March 2014, he established the Revolutionary Awakening Council (RAC), consisting of native administration leaders and militants from various tribes in north-western Darfur, who profited from vast gold sales in Darfur, according to a UN Security Council report in April 2016.

When the Sudanese government announced a nationwide disarmament campaign in July 2017, the RAC and Border Guards opposed the measures. On November 26, a large force of RSF militiamen raided the stronghold of Hilal in North Darfur, arrested him and his entourage, and transferred them to Khartoum. Hilal’s trial began, secretly, on April 30, 2018.

Hundreds of followers detained

In a statement on Thursday, the RAC repeated its call for the release of all political prisoners and detainees in the country.

According to the council's spokesman, Ahmed Mohamed Abakar, hundreds of affiliates of Hilal are being held as well since November 26, 2017. “Until now, their relatives do not know where they are detained. They have not been allowed to visit or contact them,” he told Radio Dabanga in an interview on Thursday.

According to the RAC spokesman, Hilal and his men are held in “secret detention centres of the former regime”. He noted that this way of keeping people detained is violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners, and called on “the UN Human Rights Council and other relevant organisations to intervene and visit these ghost houses to assess the human rights situation closely and take the required measures”.

Abakar further explained that the RAC has submitted several memoranda letters to “our partners”, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), demanding “the release of all prisoners of war and political prisoners tried under the former regime”.

He said they were disappointed by the FFC’s “negative role” concerning “the national concern about the fate of prisoners and detainees. “The position of FFC is contradicting the Declaration of Freedom and Change itself.”

He emphasised “the support of the RAC for all genuine national initiatives that seek to release its founder and head, Sheikh Musa Hilal, and all leaders and affiliates of the RAC, as well as for all international efforts to help restore human rights in Sudan”.

View original article here:  https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/relatives-of-darfur-militia-leader-call-for-his-release

Sudan's Gold: Hemedti's untold power - Hilal’s militia made up to $54m pa controlling Jebel Amer goldmine

Article from Zimfocus.net - African Business Magazine

Written by TOM COLLINS

Dated 08 JULY 2019

SUDAN’S GOLD: HEMEDTI’S UNTOLD POWER

The power of Mohamed “Hemedti” Hamdan Dagolo, who has led the violent suppression of demonstrators in Sudan, is based not only on leadership of a militia but also his control of valuable gold resources. Tom Collins reports

After weeks of peaceful sit-ins outside the military headquarters in Khartoum, the uneasy truce between Sudan’s security forces and thousands of protestors demanding change was finally ruptured at dawn on 3 June. Members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – a militia widely condemned for human rights violations in its suppression of rebels in the western province of Darfur – fanned out across the city and proceeded to kill over 100 demonstrators.

A grim warning had been given just days before by Mohamed “Hemedti” Hamdan Dagolo, the leader of the RSF and vice-president of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), the body that has controlled the country since the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir in April. “My patience has limits,” he said.

Hemedti, along with the head of the army, Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, has emerged as a key figure within the TMC. With a violent past and control of a paramilitary force estimated to number as many as 40,000, many fear that he has set his ambitions on more than simply preventing Sudan’s transition to democracy.

His reported vast personal wealth – accrued from the gold trade, along with outsourcing his militia to the former regime and Saudi Arabia to fight the war in Yemen – under­pins his power.

In 2017, Sudan produced 107 tonnes of gold, making it the third-largest producer on the continent after Ghana and South Africa. Some 70% of output is estimated to be smuggled abroad, although the true size of the illicit trade is hard to quantify. Through his militia, Hemedti controls one of the country’s most lucrative gold mines – Jebel Amer in North Darfur.

By origin a member of the Rezeigat tribe in the Darfur region, Hemedti rose from humble origins as a trader of cloth and camels. In 2003, he joined the Janjaweed, a local militia that was waging a brutal campaign against Darfuri rebels on behalf of the government under the leadership of tribal chief Musa Hilal. The conflict has left 300,000 dead, according to UN estimates.

Through his role in the war, he gained favour with President Bashir, who in 2014 put him in charge of the RSF, which had been formed as an offshoot of the Janjaweed. The group was given the status of a regular force but retained its violent modus operandi, and Bashir began to use it as a bulwark against the strength of Sudan’s military.

“That’s when Hemedti became quite strong,” says Omer Ismail, senior advisor at the Washington-based NGO Enough Project. “Bashir was not confident in the army because the economy was deteriorating rapidly and there were many problems.”

Yet along with a position of almost unparalleled power, Hemedti’s ascendance was accompanied by access to riches. In 2015, a report drawn up for the UN Security Council found that Hilal’s militia was making up to $54m a year from control of the Jebel Amer goldmine. The following year, Hemedti moved against Hilal, who had come into conflict with the government, and seized control of the lucrative mine. Ismail estimates that his earnings may now outstrip those of his former boss.

With this money, the militia kingpin has been able to recruit jobless youths from the across the Sahel to the RSF, resulting in an ever-growing force which Ismail claims is presently “occupying” Sudan: “I would say that Sudan is occupied now because the troops that he is using to control and monopolise power, most of them are not even Sudanese. They are recruited from Chad, Mali and Niger. They are from the Sahel.”

As the RSF continues to sow terror, much of the gold coming from the Jebel Amer mine, which supports a surrounding settlement of around 70,000 people, is exported clandestinely to various international buyers via a shady and complicated web of smuggling activities.

“Almost everything makes its way east to Khartoum,” says Ismail. “From there it is almost exclusively sold to traders in the UAE.”

With very little capacity for smelting and refining gold in Sudan, the metal travels onwards in rough kilogram bricks to countries including Dubai, which act as a gateway for much of Africa’s illicit gold trade.

Comtrade data shows that the UAE imported $15.1bn worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any other country and up from $1.3bn in 2006. The share of African gold in the UAE’S gold imports increased from 18% to nearly 50% over the same period and the industry accounts for approximately one fifth of the country’s total GDP.

The substantial offtake of Sudanese gold in Dubai’s markets suggests that economic considerations are part of the UAE’s chequebook diplomacy, which saw a joint $3bn aid package pumped into Khartoum alongside Saudi Arabia.

Hemedti has close links with both Gulf countries as the agent who recruited around 15,000 of his troops to fight the war in Yemen against Houthi-led militia. Ismail speculates that he may receive anywhere between $2,000 to $3,000 a month per person as payment for outsourcing his troops.

Other gold routes, according to Ismail, include the “40-day route” through the desert, historically used to smuggle slaves and ivory to either Tripoli in Libya or Cairo in Egypt. Ismail estimates that the country has around 440 remote airstrips used in the clandestine trade.

“They put the gold in a Land Cruiser and smuggle the gold outside the city of Khartoum,” he explains. “Then one of the smaller companies who have licences to fly out of Sudan will set up a local flight. They will put the gold in the belly of the plane. The gold will then come back through Khartoum airport and onwards to its final destination.”

RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT

One of these destinations is Russia. Ramping up its presence across Central Africa and the Horn, Moscow has begun gold mining operations in Sudan over the last two years – predominantly in the northeastern region away from Darfur.

Sim Tack, global security analyst for Stratfor, says that the Wagner Group, a Russian private-military outfit with close links to the Kremlin, has been providing security to Russian companies working in the region.

“Russia has become very involved in mineral extraction in Sudan,” he says. “We have seen big accounts of Russia doing this in the Central African Republic (CAR) but at the same time they are doing it in Sudan. Sudan is the entry point into Africa which Russia is using to support its presence in CAR.” 

Data from the Russian central bank cited by Bloomberg show that its gold reserves have nearly quadrupled over the past 10 years, and that 2018 marked the most “ambitious year yet” for Russian gold-buying.

Much of Russia’s activities across Sudan and the CAR are shrouded in secrecy, and the Enough Project’s Ismail believes there is “no way of knowing” how large the trade is.

As for Hemedti, it’s clear that the vast amount of money earned from his gold-mining activities is a key enabler of the fearsome power he continues to wield in Khartoum and beyond.

SOURCE: http://www.zimfocus.net/2019/07/04/sudans-gold-hemedtis-untold-power-african-business-magazine/

Sudan: How did RSF chief Hemeti get his vast wealth?

HERE is a copy of another great tweet by Prof Eric Reeves @sudanreeves dated 1 August 2019: Where did #RSF chief #Hemeti get his vast wealth? And where has he invested it? Unsurprising, a great deal of the money has come from and flows back to the #UAE. I offer some information about his investment of Sudanese national wealth abroad, here and at: https://wp.me/p45rOG-2rB 

Where did #RSF chief #Hemeti get his vast wealth? And where has he invested it? Unsurprising, a great deal of the money has come from and flows back to the #UAE. I offer some information about his investment of Sudanese national wealth abroad, here and at: https://t.co/LTjfzcS3sw pic.twitter.com/Iu5XgqZ6Tn

— Eric Reeves (@sudanreeves) 1 August 2019

To visit the above tweet click here: https://twitter.com/sudanreeves/status/1156922478238818304

Sudan: Omar al-Bashir had cash worth $113m: $90m from Saudi royal family - $25m sent to him by Prince Mohammed bin Salman to use outside state budget

Article from the Financial Times

By TOM WILSON in Nairobi 

Dated Friday 23 August 2019

Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir faces court reckoning 

Photo:  Dictator who loomed over country for a generation faces corruption charges Omar al-Bashir sits inside a cage as corruption charges are read out © Reuters 

Thirty years after seizing power in a military coup and four months after widespread protests forced him from office, Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir, once one of the most notorious leaders on the African continent, this week appeared in court. 

He appeared not at the International Criminal Court that charged him with genocide in 2010 for trying to wipe out non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur, but in the east African country he has dominated for the past three decades. 

Dressed in immaculate white robes, Mr Bashir sat in a black metal cage as prosecutors and investigators described the corruption charges against him. 

The former president, who is expected to plead not guilty, spoke only to confirm his name, his age and his residence ” Khartoum’s Kober prison. 

For the millions of Sudanese citizens that struggled under his dictatorial regime and the hundreds of thousands that protested since December for his removal, it was a huge moment. “Bashir was the symbol of the regime since 1989,” said Wasil Ali, a Sudanese commentator and the former deputy editor of the Sudan Tribune, an online newspaper.  “People seeing him in court breaks a longstanding condition, it allows them to feel that Bashir is gone.” 

Despite an international arrest warrant, US sanctions and countless civil conflicts, Mr Bashir had clung to power, looming over the country for a generation. Ever present, barely a day went by without him giving a statement or making an appearance on state television. 

But as symbolic as the trial is, many also fear that the prosecution will not be sufficient to deliver justice. “It is a relief to see Bashir behind bars but we think this is not enough,” said Amjed Farid, a spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals Association, one of the groups that spearheaded the demonstrations that led to his ousting. “The current case against him is about money laundering and dealing in foreign currency [but] we don’t think this is the only crime that Bashir committed.”  

Though more charges could follow, Mr Bashir is currently accused of illicit possession of foreign currency and accepting gifts in an unofficial manner after a raid of his home in April, in which military officers said they found cash in at least three currencies worth $113m. 

At this week’s hearing, a police officer testified that Mr Bashir had admitted that some of the money was part of $90m he had received from members of the Saudi royal family, including the current de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

“The accused told us that the money was part of a sum of $25m sent to him by Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be used outside of the state budget,” police Brigadier General Ahmed Ali told the court. 

The revelation was further evidence of prolonged efforts by Saudi Arabia to maintain influence in Sudan. In 2015 Mr Bashir agreed to send thousands of troops to support the Saudi-led war in Yemen and in April, Saudi Arabia and its ally the United Arab Emirates were quick to back Sudan’s new military leaders. 

That Mr Bashir had received personal payments from another leader would have been shocking to many Sudanese, said Mr Ali, but pales in comparison to the violence and war crimes of which he also stands accused. “To see him on corruption [charges], I think that fuels a suspicion that the government is not serious about really prosecuting for the crimes that really matters,” he said. 

Over 30 years Mr Bashir’s secret police terrorised opponents, while his army officers led murderous military campaigns in the now independent South Sudan and in Darfur, South Kordofan and other regions of the country. 

Part of the problem is that under a transitional agreement signed last week, civilian administrators will share power for the next three years with military officers, all of whom served Mr Bashir loyally until his ousting and some of whom were directly involved in some of the former regime’s worst atrocities. 

Still, the SPA’s Mr Farid said there was little appetite in Sudan to hand Mr Bashir over to the International Criminal Court, which issued warrants for his arrest in 2009 and 2010 on charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The next hearing in Sudan is due in September.

“It is right for the Sudanese people to see Bashir facing justice in Sudan but this is conditioned on sufficient legal reform to guarantee that justice has been served and that all victims can present their cases against him,” Mr Farid said. “He needs to answer to his crimes and we don’t think there is any place for him to hide.”

View original article: https://www.ft.com/content/d54aa7fe-c4cf-11e9-a8e9-296ca66511c9

Sudan: AP interviews new PM Hamdok who vows to rebuild battered economy

Note from Sudan Watch Editor:  Further below are two comments left at the following FT article. The second comment ends by saying “It's thanks to the AU's unrelenting efforts that we have reached this encouraging outcome whence new challenges will have to be addressed in a positive and determined way.” 

The AU and its peacekeepers are doing a great job. 16 years ago the fledgling AU was derided and ridiculed. Not now. Well done Mr Mbeki et al!  Africa can be proud.  Read The AU’s role in brokering Sudan deal offers lessons for the future by Femi Amao, Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex, UK 21 Aug 2019.

Article from the Financial Times.com

By TOM WILSON in Nairobi 

Dated Thursday 22 August 2019

Sudan’s new prime minister vows to rebuild battered economy

Economist Abdalla Hamdok sworn in under transitional agreement

Photo: Abdalla Hamdok is expected to form a civilian cabinet next week © AP

Sudan’s new prime minister has vowed to make peace with the country’s rebel factions and rebuild its battered economy as he seeks to bring an end to the uncertainty that followed the military overthrow of dictator Omar al-Bashir in April after months of anti-government protests.

Abdalla Hamdok, a respected former official of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, was sworn in on Wednesday [21 Aug] under a transitional agreement that will see the military share power with civilian administrators until elections are held in three years’ time. “The government’s top priorities are to stop the war, build sustainable peace, address the severe economic crisis and build a balanced foreign policy,” he said.

In the wake of Mr Bashir’s ouster, the military had initially pledged to pass power immediately to the civilian opposition but then stalled, leading to further violence. Under the new deal signed last week Sudan will be run by an 11-member sovereign council made up of military and civilian appointees until the elections are held. For the first 21 months, the council will be headed by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has run the country since April, before the leadership rotates to a civilian. Lt Gen Burhan was also sworn in on Wednesday. 

Though the deal places Sudan under the ultimate control of the army for another 21 months, it is the first time that the north African country has not been under full military rule since Mr Bashir seized power in coup in 1989. The long transition period is seen as a victory for the pro-democracy movement, which has said it needs at least three years to rebuild the state hollowed out under Mr Bashir if the country is to have any chance of holding free and fair elections. 

Mr Hamdok’s appointment was celebrated across Sudan, where hundreds of thousands of citizens staged protests in the past nine months and hundreds have been killed. Born in Sudan’s central Kordofan province, Mr Hamdok holds a PhD in economics from the University of Manchester and has had a long career as a respected international economist. 

“Hamdok is a Sudanese scholar and a technocrat with a track record of achievement,” said Amjed Farid, a spokesperson for the Sudanese Professionals Association, one of the groups that spearheaded the protest movement that toppled Mr Bashir. 

“He faces a lot of difficult questions and a very dark legacy of the Bashir regime but I think he, and the team he is about to select, has enough popularity and peoples’ support to implement the very difficult emergency plans needed to rescue Sudan in this transitional period of three years,” said Mr Farid. 

Thirty years of autocracy, corruption and the prolonged impact of international sanctions on Mr Bashir’s government have brought the Sudanese economy to its knees. Last year the value of the Sudanese pound plummeted by 85 per cent against the dollar and inflation reached nearly 70 per cent, one of the highest levels in the world. Mr Hamdok is expected to form a civilian cabinet next week. The ministers of defence and interior will be selected by the military.

Two Comments

Misfan 

This is one of the best outcome Sudanese people can hope for. Now its the international community must keep the pressure on the military to loosen their grip on power. All the well wishes for new democratic era for Sudanese people. 

OTTOANGY 

Allow me Misfan to share your wishes " for a new democratic era " in Sudan. The success of the battle for democracy in that country could turn out to be of pivotal impact for other countries in the MENA region. No other country could some day become a more promising role model for other entities in that area, given the fact that Sudan is an Arab and African country, a transit avenue from the Arabian space to black Africa. But given the unsavoury winds currently blowing in the Arab world I guess that the role of the African Union and particularly of bordering countries like Ethiopia will be vitally important for the success of the budding Sudanese democracy. It's thanks to the AU's unrelenting efforts that we have reached this encouraging outcome whence new challenges will have to be addressed in a positive and determined way.

To visit original article click here: https://www.ft.com/content/25258566-c4ba-11e9-a8e9-296ca66511c9

Further Reading

Article from MSN.com

Written by JUSTIN LYNCH, Associated Press (AP)

Dated Sunday 25 August 2019

AP Interview: Sudan PM seeks end to country's pariah status
Full story here: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/ap-interview-sudan-pm-seeks-end-to-countrys-pariah-status/ar-AAGjlYi

Sudan: Flooding kills 62 could be a national disaster - White Nile state worst hit, S. Sudan refugees affected

Article from Middle East Eye.net

By Kaamil Ahmed

Dated: 25 August 2019 08:51 UTC 

Health crisis looms for Sudan's new government as flooding kills 60

Concerns growing that floodwaters could cause disease outbreak in Sudan

Sudan's new transitional government could immediately face a health crisis, aid workers have warned, after flooding caused by ongoing heavy rains killed at least 60 people, according to the UN's children agency UNICEF.  

Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and dozens of people killed by roofs collapsing or electrocution, UN spokesman Jens Laerke told a press conference on Friday. 

"If this is not treated as a national disaster very soon, we will soon see a waterborne disease outbreak and possible cholera," a UN insider told Middle East Eye. 

Here is a copy of two tweets by Benjamin Strick @BenDoBrown dated 16 Aug 2019:

Intense flooding in #Sudan's far east town of Kassala (كسلا) this week. Footage from Tuesday shows floodwater rushing down from Totel Mountain (جبل توتيل) into #Kassala. This video was filmed from this corner: https://t.co/D4NPmFzUDR pic.twitter.com/hBPzSTCREk

— Benjamin Strick (@BenDoBrown) 16 August 2019

To visit above tweet click here: 

https://twitter.com/BenDoBrown/status/1162398355626045441

Sudan's own Humanitarian Aid Commission also warned that once the rains subside, disease-carrying mosquitos could breed in the stagnant waters left behind. 

The worst-hit area of Sudan has been White Nile state, according to the UN, where almost 70,000 people have been affected and camps for South Sudanese refugees have been damaged. 

At least 190,000 people have been affected by the heavy rains, which has hit all but three of Sudan's 18 states and is expected to continue in coming days. 

The UN warned that shelter for displaced families has become an urgent need because so many have been destroyed. 

Amsterdam-based Sudanese broadcaster Radio Dabanga reported that protests were held in the capital Khartoum this week, demanding that more be done for areas affected by the floods. 

Members of a new transitional joint civilian and military government were sworn in this week, including a new prime minister. 

The government was formed after months of protests that in April this year ended former president Omar al-Bashir's three decades in power and called for civilian rule.

View original article here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/health-crisis-looms-sudans-new-government-flooding-kills-60
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Death toll from floods in Sudan climbs to 62

CAIRO (AP) - A Sudanese health official says death toll from flooding triggered by heavy rains has climbed to at least 62 people across the country in the past two months. Acting Deputy Health ...

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Sudan: $150M needed for floods plus $1.1B for humanitarian aid

Article from and by The New Arab & agencies Follow @The_NewArab

Dated 23 August 2019

Rain and floods killed 54 in Sudan since July

Photo: The worst affected area is While Nile state in the south [Getty]

Rain and flash floods have killed 54 people in Sudan since the start of July and affected nearly 200,000, the United Nations said Friday.

Rain and flash floods have killed 54 people in Sudan since the start of July and affected nearly 200,000, the United Nations said Friday.

The worst affected area is While Nile state in the south but Khartoum and other regions have also been affected.

"More than 37,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged," the UN said, quoting figures from the government body it partners with in the crisis response.

"Humanitarians are concerned by the high likelihood of more flash floods," it said, adding that most of the 54 recorded deaths were due to collapsed roofs and electrocution.

The floods are having a lasting humanitarian impact on communities, with cut roads, damaged water points, lost livestock and the spread of water-borne diseases by insects.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said an extra $150 million were needed from donors to respond to the floods, in addition to the $1.1 billion required for the overall humanitarian situation in Sudan.

SOURCE: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/8/23/rain-and-floods-kill-54-in-sudan-since-july

Sudan: Sovereign Council declares state of emergency in Port Sudan after at least 16 killed

THERE could be a lot more to this story than meets the eye.  It and the timing seems strange and complicated.  Port Sudan is Sudan’s main sea gateway, and is used by South Sudan to export oil.  External and internal forces appear to be at work, interfering to fuel the conflict and spread it to other areas.

According to Sudan's power-sharing agreement, the sovereign council declares a state of emergency following a request from the cabinet, which is not yet in existence. The state of emergency must then be approved by the legislature within 15 days, according to the agreement, although the legislature is yet to be formed.  Read more here below.

Article from Reuters.com

By Khalid Abdelaziz, Writing by Nafisa Eltahir; editing by David Evans

Dated Sunday 25 August 2019 7:59 PM 

Sudan's sovereign council declares state of emergency in Port Sudan

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan’s newly-created sovereign council formally declared a state of emergency in the city of Port Sudan on Sunday, following tribal clashes that police say have killed at least 16 people.

The acting governor and the head of the national security service for the eastern Red Sea state, of which Port Sudan is the capital, were both dismissed, said Brigadier Altahir Abuhaja, spokesman for the sovereign council.

This comes at a delicate time for Sudan, following the signing of a power-sharing agreement earlier this month.

The joint military-civilian sovereign council was sworn in last week, as was Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is set to form a government later this week.

Clashes between members of the Beni Amer and Nuba tribes, which have flared up in the past, were re-ignited on Wednesday and continued into Saturday morning, a police statement said.

Eyewitnesses told Reuters they heard and saw gunfire in the Port Sudan neighborhoods where both tribes live.

Port Sudan is Sudan’s main sea gateway, and is used by South Sudan to export oil.

“The relevant authorities have observed the use of firearms in the conflict for the first time, which reveals the existence of external and internal interference to fuel the conflict and spread it to other areas,” Abuhaja said.

Security services were placed on high readiness in order to quell any escalation, and an investigative committee has been formed, he added.

The police statement said reinforcements had been sent to the area.

“The transitional sovereign council emphasizes the neutrality of the military and security services ... Anyone who is shown to be biased to either side because of affiliation or support will be dealt with decisively,” Abuhaja said.

Two members of the sovereign council had visited Port Sudan on Thursday and met with tribal leaders in an attempt to bring an end to the fighting.

According to the power-sharing agreement, the sovereign council declares a state of emergency following a request from the cabinet, which is not yet in existence. The state of emergency must then be approved by the legislature within 15 days, according to the agreement, although the legislature is yet to be formed.

Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, Writing by Nafisa Eltahir; editing by David Evans

SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics-idUSKCN1VF0WO

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Article from and by Radio Dabanga dated 21 August 2019

Demonstrators block Port Sudan road after child injured by army

The incident came a day after the city’s month-long curfew was lifted, which was imposed after clashes in which dozens of people were killed.

Read full story at tweet by Eric Reeves:  https://twitter.com/sudanreeves/status/1164520909903990785

Sudan: Needs $8B in foreign aid over next 2 years - Plus $2B of foreign reserves deposits in next 3 months

Article from Africa News.com

Written by Reuters

Dated Sunday 25 August 2019

Sudan needs $8 billion in aid to rebuild economy

Sudan needs $8 billion in foreign aid over the next two years to cover its import bill and help rebuild its ravaged economy after months of political turmoil, its new prime minister said on Saturday.

Abdalla Hamdok, sworn in three days earlier to head a transitional government after the ousting of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir, said up to another $2 billion of foreign reserves deposits were needed in the next three months to halt a fall in the currency.

The 61-year-old economist, who has worked for the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, said he had started talks with the IMF and the World Bank to discuss restructuring Sudan’s crippling debt, and had approached friendly nations and funding bodies about the aid.

Mounting public anger over shortages of food, fuel and hard currency triggered mass demonstrations that eventually forced Bashir from power in April.

“We are in communication to achieve this,” Hamdok said in his first interview with a foreign media outlet. “The foreign reserves in the central bank are weak and very low.”

“However,” he said, “there won’t be a forced prescription from the IMF or the World Bank on Sudan.”

On the politically tricky topic of government subsidies for bread, fuel, electricity and medicine, Hamdok said any changes would only be made after “deep discussions” with the people.

“The people are the ones who will make the decision on this issue,” he said.

He also said he had been talking with the United States to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism – a designation which has left Khartoum isolated from most of the international financial system since 1993.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. government, the IMF or the World Bank.

SOURCE: https://www.africanews.com/2019/08/25/sudan-needs-8-billion-in-aid-to-rebuild-economy/