

South Sudan: Lt. General Ruai Kuol Jal Thor resigns from SPLM-IO and joins NPASS/NPAFSS (23.11.2017)






The report details the situation of IDPs from January 2014 to December 2016, a period largely marked by the Government military campaign “decisive summer” that led to mass civilian displacement.
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 21, 2017 – A report by the UN Human Rights Office and the African Union-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has called on the Sudanese Government to pursue effective, transparent and durable policies to enable the 2.6 million people internally displaced by the long-running conflict in Darfur to return home voluntarily or to reintegrate into host communities.
The report notes that, despite a ceasefire between the Government and various armed opposition groups which was largely held since June 2016, violence against internally displaced people (IDPs) continues to be widespread and impunity for human rights violations persists.
“I urge the Government to address fundamental issues that are preventing the return of displaced people, such as continued violence, including from armed militias, which raise continuing and justifiable fears for their safety and the lack of basic services that leave them dependent on aid,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
The report details the situation of IDPs from January 2014 to December 2016, a period largely marked by the Government military campaign “decisive summer” that led to mass civilian displacement. The report says there are reasonable grounds to believe that the military operations resulted in serious violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law.
With the unilateral ceasefires by the Government and most armed opposition movements in place since June 2016, there has been significantly less conflict-related displacement in Darfur during the first 10 months of 2017 than during the same period in previous years.
However, the inadequate presence and, in some cases, outright absence of law enforcement and judicial institutions in areas where IDPs have settled has led to serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, the report states.
Tensions between ethnic groups, frequently over land, continued to surface, often erupting in violence and triggering further displacement. The report says that while State governments, native administrations and traditional leaders have made considerable efforts to prevent and respond to such violence, the underlying causes of such conflict, remain unaddressed.
The vulnerability of displaced people within IDP camps remains a concern, the report says. In the majority of the 66 camps across Darfur, UNAMID continued to document cases of random shootings at night, acts of criminality and harassment of displaced persons and sexual violence, including rape, within and around IDP camps and farmlands. Victims cited the absence of police stations, lack of confidence in the authorities, social stigma and fear of reprisals as reasons for not reporting the attacks.
The report calls on the Government to carry out a prompt and comprehensive disarmament of armed militias to create an enabling and safe environment for IDPs to return, and also emphasises the need for extensive consultations with IDPs to ensure that their return and reintegration are carried out in full respect of their rights.
“The cessation of hostilities has provided the opportunity to focus on the situation of IDPs, which is so crucial to achieving peace. I urge the Government of Sudan to implement key elements set out in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, and renew my call to all parties to fully engage in efforts to bring lasting peace to Darfur,” said UNAMID Joint Special Representative Jeremiah Mamabolo.










South Sudan’s humanitarian partners appreciate the step that President Kiir has taken to ensure the free movement of supplies and personnel.
JUBA, South Sudan, November 14, 2017 – The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Alain Noudéhou, has welcomed President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s decree ordering free, unimpeded and unhindered movement of humanitarian organizations in the country.
“Ensuring unhindered humanitarian access is essential to save lives,” said Noudéhou. “South Sudan’s humanitarian partners appreciate the step that President Kiir has taken to ensure the free movement of supplies and personnel, particularly at a time when food insecurity continues to deteriorate and humanitarian organizations face pressure to expand their response.”
“We hope that the order will have a positive impact in reducing the many constraints faced by humanitarian partners that delay or prevent the provision of urgently needed help and which too often place humanitarian staff at risk,” he added.
“We look forward to seeing the order implemented on the ground swiftly and we will continue to work with all concerned authorities to ensure a safe and secure operational environment that is conducive to the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need.”

Dear Sir, His Excellency Benjamin William Mpaka of Tanzania.
I am writing to you as the months since the third term of Pierre Nkurunziza happen in 2015. We are in the end of 2017 and nothing has changed for the better. The Inter-Burundian Dialogue and Peace Process has been flawed by your making and lack of legitimacy, as the dialogue has been controlled by the Ruling Regime or CNDD-FDD, the party of President Nkurunziza. Who is on his third term and planing to extend it. This has been proved by reports of possible rule for another three terms. As the IEBC of Kenya was behind the recent flawed elections of 2015.
Therefore with the total control of the state of CNDD-FDD isn’t minimizing as the partners of the East African Community (EAC), which is the Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, whose has his stakes in Burundi as a mediator by proxy. Not that he is peaceful and with dialogue in his own republic. So there is nothing Nkurunziza can learn that is positive from him. Neither is there from Tanzanian counterpart John Pombe Magufuli, who is becoming like his neighbors. He is detaining oppositions and closing papers who write bad about him. Therefore, his partners in crime to say, isn’t making the Inter-Burundian dialogue trustworthy.
You off all should know this Benjamin, you have been checked and controlled. The government has banished certain parties and civil society organizations (CSOs). This should tell enough for you, but still you have been mediator into this. The whole charade and non progress as time goes along and the CNDD-FDD get everything.
Nkurunziza has the control and the Inter-Burundian Dialogue is just a ploy for the international interests. Clearly, the Burundian government are trying to deflect trouble and with their violence within. As they have left the International Criminal Court (ICC), but surely it must hurt the government that they are still investigating crimes against humanity that occurred during the membership of the court.
Since your work to build a peaceful nation seems futile. Since the CNDD-FDD are assassinating, detaining and scaring people into exile. There countless refugees in Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. All of this because of the violence of 2015 and after. The political oppression and harassment, as well as senseless killings of its own. That should make you wonder why you are still involved. You are tarnishing your reputation and your legacy, by spoiling time on this mission.
Nkurunziza wont leave, he will kill you if tries to take his place away and leave someone else as President. Pierre has no intention of leaving, he will burn villages and spread fear to rule. He even has his own Imbonerakure, are the party youth wing who is militant together with the army and police, who are systematically targeting people who dissent. This has been done and people has disappeared.
Mr. Mpaka is your name and legacy worth losing over this? Is this job so well-paid and so honorable, that you will keep it? What is your motivation to stay put? As the progression and the stalemate continues. There is nothing left soon, as the constitutional amendment and real opposition is either deceased or in exile. Is that the dialogue you preserve and that you see as fruitful?
I just have to ask, because the time is going, the CNDD-FDD isn’t become better or changing. Neither is Nkurunziza who is using the state for his profit. There is nothing to give… nothing at all. You are on a pointless mission, a mission to sustain the draconian dictatorship and give it legitimacy as it is silencing its opposition. Is that your value? Is that what you want us to associate with your name?
Mpaka, the loyal stooge and nemesis of the Burundian democracy and freedom? Is that you Sir? It seems so, unless you leave and not tarnish your name anymore. Better to be in peace and work in quiet in Tanzania, than being used by Nkurunziza as a pawn for the international community. That is what you is, your role is worthless and a bother. But a needed stooge to keep up the facade of dialogue. Even when in reality, there is none and will be none.
Nkurunziza surely will pay you handsomely, even Museveni and Magufuli, but we will remember that you gave way for a leader who kill and destroy to stay there. That is who you are Benjamin, you might not like it, but you are. Remember that! Peace.
Best Regard.
Writer of Minbane