South Sudan: Letter showing the state repaying debt in Crude-oil – “Subject: Payment of Outstanding Bills for Al Cardinal Investment Company Limited” (24.10.2017)

South Sudan: “Subject: Resignation as Justice of the Supreme Court, of the Judiciary of South Sudan” (14.11.2017)

South Sudan: Humanitarian Coordinator welcomes President’s order on humanitarian Access (14.11.2017)

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.”

My letter to H.E. Benjamin William Mpaka please give up the Inter-Burundian Dialogue!

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

South Sudan: Gen. Paul Malong Awan letter – “Re: Position statement on the ongoing Crisis and Peace initiative” (08.11.2017)

Harvest season provides meagre respite to South Sudan’s hunger crisis (06.11.2017)

The number of people experiencing severe food insecurity across the country is likely to drop to 4.8 million for October to December, down from six million in June.

JUBA, South Sudan, November 6, 2017 – The current harvest season in South Sudan will not end the hunger crisis as conflict persists in most of the country and hyperinflation puts food out of reach for many, according to the updated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released today by the Government of South Sudan, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, and other humanitarian partners.

The number of people experiencing severe food insecurity across the country is likely to drop to 4.8 million for October to December, down from six million in June. However, the 4.8 million who are severely food insecure are 1.4 million more than at the same time last year, and much of this growth has been in the Emergency category (step 4 on the IPC’s 5-step scale).

“The harvest season has not brought much relief to the millions of people in South Sudan who don’t have enough food. The country’s greenbelt has been ravaged by fighting, and finding a peaceful solution to this man-made tragedy should be the top priority or the situation will get even worse next year,” said Serge Tissot, FAO’s Representative in South Sudan.

The food security situation is projected to deteriorate at the start of 2018 and the ‘hungry season’ – when households typically run out of food before the next harvest – is forecast to start three months earlier than usual. Many people have few means of coping with the stresses of the lean season, and the situation is forecast to become increasingly fragile.

“A massive humanitarian response helped stop famine in parts of the country this year. But even in the current harvest period, millions of people need sustained assistance to survive,” said Adnan Khan, WFP Representative in South Sudan. “It is chilling to see that in a worst-case scenario, similar conditions could appear in multiple places in the lean season in 2018.” 

The teams who conducted the analysis identified two counties, Wau and Ayod, where a total of 25,000 people are facing catastrophic conditions according to the IPC scale. Of greatest concern is Greater Baggari, a sub-area of former Wau, where 10 per cent of the population is facing famine-like conditions because insecurity has heavily constrained livelihood activities and humanitarian assistance.

There is an urgent need for a humanitarian corridor from Wau to Greater Baggari area to allow agencies to provide comprehensive assistance.

Critical levels of malnutrition

Malnutrition has also worsened compared to the same period last year, with surveys showing malnutrition rates in most communities well above the World Health Organization’s emergency threshold of 15 percent, and with more than 30 percent of the population malnourished in several counties.

More than 1.1 million children under the age of five are forecast to be malnourished in 2018, including nearly 300,000 severely malnourished and at a heightened risk of death.

“Too many children are going hungry in South Sudan. More than one in five of those struggling to feed themselves is a child under five years of age,” said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF’s Representative in South Sudan. “This has created a malnutrition crisis that is putting many lives at risk.”

Food prices soar

Insecurity continues to hamper food production and disrupt markets. Coupled with a failing economy, this has led to extremely high food prices. Large sacks of staples such as sorghum, maize, and wheat flour have increased in price by up to 281% compared to last year, and were as high as 560% during May, the peak of the lean season.

In Juba, a 100kg bag of sorghum costs 11 285 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP), compared to 4 314 SSP a year ago, and is vastly beyond what most families can afford.

Nationally, millions of people are surviving on humanitarian assistance in South Sudan, and if security conditions further threaten organizations’ operations the situation will rapidly worsen.

The report warns that continued conflict coupled with further access constraints on aid agencies and economic instability will likely result in the deterioration of already dire conditions in multiple locations across South Sudan in 2018.

Rapid response

Humanitarian teams are facing enormous logistical and security challenges to reach communities in need.

FAO has provided fishing, crop- and vegetable-growing kits to more than 4.2 million people, many in difficult to reach or conflict-affected areas, to support them to grow or catch their own food. FAO has also vaccinated more than 4.8 million livestock, to protect these livelihood assets for vulnerable families.

UNICEF, together with its partners, has treated more than 160,000 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) so far this year. It has a target for the year of reaching 207,000 malnourished children across the country. As part of its multi-sectoral approach to addressing the issue, UNICEF has also provided over 750,000 people with safe drinking water and a further 230,000 people with access to sanitation facilities.

WFP and its partners have has assisted 4.6 million people in South Sudan so far in 2017 with cash or food, including nutrition support for children under the age of five years. Emergency mobile teams usually travelling by helicopter on over 135 missions to areas isolated by conflict have supported 1.8 million people this year.

UNAMID calls for collaborative approach to Darfur weapons collection in IDP camps (06.11.2017)

UNAMID peacekeepers on the ground during the incident reported that more than 100 government military vehicles, including trucks with mounted weapons and armoured personnel carriers, briefly entered parts of the camp.

EL FASHER, Sudan, November 6, 2017 –  On 2 November 2017, armed government forces entered Kalma IDP camp, South Darfur, in a show of force to conduct a weapons collection campaign in the state.

UNAMID peacekeepers on the ground during the incident reported that more than 100 government military vehicles, including trucks with mounted weapons and armoured personnel carriers, briefly entered parts of the camp.

“While UNAMID acknowledges the significance of the ongoing arms collection exercise, it regrets the entry by the Government forces to Kalma IDP camp was not coordinated with the mission to avoid any potential tension and violence”, said UNAMID Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo.

“We call on the Government and IDPs to work with UNAMID in a collaborative way in order to advance the weapons collection campaign.”

Following Thursday’s incident, UNAMID continues to engage with government authorities and Kalma IDP camp leaders in accordance with its protection of civilians mandate.

South Sudan: “Issuance of Orders to the Chief of Defense Force of the SPLA, 2017 A.D.” – The order stop of privileges of Gen. Paul Malong Awan (30.10.2017)

Burundi: “Portant sur la Demande de l’OLUCOME aux etats Parties a la Convention des Nations Unies Contre la Corruption de Voter une Resolution Obligeant le Burundi de mettre en Application les Recommandations emises dans le Rapport d’Examen (03.11.2017)

Eritrea: Statement of ELS on the Protest of October 31 (02.11.2017)

The Eritrean Law Society (ELS) is closely observing developments that have led to, and that have followed after, the unprecedented civilian protest of 31 October 2017, which occurred in the heart of the capital city of Eritrea. The protest was prompted by the announcement of a drastic government decision that affected the status of educational establishments administered by Eritrean religious institutions. Another major motive for the protest is the arbitrary arrest of respected elders and spiritual leaders, notably Haji Mussa Mohammed Nur, who strongly opposed the government decision.

Although the details of causalities are not yet fully known, ELS is concerned by the fact that brute force, including live ammunition, was used to suppress the protest, which was nothing more than a peaceful demonstration against a drastic government measure affecting the lives of thousands of people. In our view, the protest signifies one fundamental reality. In today’s Eritrea, citizens have no choice of whatsoever nature in pursuing their individual and group aspirations, life plans, goals, and purposes. Eritreans do not also have access to independent and impartial institutions, including courts of law that can safeguard their fundamental rights and freedoms in the event these essential entitlements are wantonly violated by government authorities.

History dictates that no population can be ruled forever under the yoke of unbearable authoritarianism. There is an urgent need in Eritrea for a full return to a system of governance based on constitutional order, the requirements of democratic accountability, and respect for the rule of law, including the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of the Eritrean people. ELS would like to take this occasion to make a call on the international community and those who can play a role by pushing for a full return to a democratic system of governance in Eritrea.

Meanwhile, the following reminder is also important for all peace-loving and justice-seeking Eritreans. We shall stay the course and remain vigilant against all sorts of divisive and cheap political machinations orchestrated by the authoritarian regime in Eritrea, its brazen apologists and messengers. It is always important to remember that the regime will make continuous recourse to methods that promote its narrow political agenda as well as frustrate the momentum ushered by the protest of 31 October.

Eritrean Law Society
Executive Committee
November 2, 2017