
South Sudan Council of Churces: Statement on IGAD High Level Revitalisation Forum – Intra- South Sudanese Stakeholders Consultations from the South Sudan Council of Churches (19.05.2018)











“S-O-S, please someone help me
It’s not healthy for me to feel this
Y-O-U are making this hard” – Rihanna on ‘SOS’ released 14. February 2006
This is what it seems like, it doesn’t seem like economic viable effort or worth enterprise, when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs to loan and get donor aid valued $41 million United States Dollars, it seems more like quick rich scheme, than anything else. Borrowing funds to print currency never seems like a good idea, especially when the state has itself 300 external stakeholders keeping this in order and fragile alliances all over. You can wonder who will benefit from the Somali Shillings (SoS).
Out of the measure of doing so, 26 million will go to procurement and printing the shillings, the 4 denominations they are put in. This all is done in measure against counterfeit, but nearly none of the loaned or donor-funded money will go to that, only 0.06 million US Dollars. Meaning a measly and insignificant amount money will actually go to stop the counterfeit currency floating around.
That is why I am suspicious, if they are just thinking of printing them, and dropping them in the markets in Mogadishu, how will this benefit the citizens and the Federal Republic itself?
Because it seems like another piece of Bond-Notes, where the funding of the enterprise is bound on foreign currency and foreign bound loans, which makes it an extra debt on the state. As the IMF is co-sponsor and the one behind the enterprise, they are securing as a foreign entity, the national and federal currency. Which happens to be SOS. All of that should send the smoke-signals and the tapping on the floor. Send the signal “SOS”.
Because they state: “This letter provides IMF staff’s assessment on the readiness of the Central Bank of Somalia (CBS) to issue a new national currency under Phase I which will be limited to exchanging the counterfeit Somali shilling notes currently in circulation with new currency” (IMF, 11.05.2018). That is why I question it too, since so little of the funding for the project goes to counterfeit operations, will it be successful? Do they think the magic wand of new paper-money will compensate for the one that is counterfeit right now? How will they go about the exchange from old to new, and will they do that with all currency or will they accept the old-counterfeit to get rid off all fake currency floating around?
Seemingly, it seems like borrowing more money, to print a new line of SOS, which is an SOS to the world. Also, where the IMF needs a huge sum of money, to procure and print them, while the state only get scraps and no direct plan to really eradicate the counterfeits. Because they are only putting up a Counterfeiting Framework, but not initially working against it. Meaning, it is just borrowing and printing new shillings, without any purpose of actually combatting the problem itself. Which is rare thing to do.
Let see how this goes, but I hope this is not a IMF sponsored Bond-Notes project, because that is how it seems like, borrowing funds and donor funding to get new currency floating. Not a good idea, more issues as I see it. That is just me though. Peace


During this week, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2018, meaning this is becoming actual law, that all citizens of Kenya has to comply to. As this is the legal framework and provisions, that can incriminate or be used against the citizens. They are really prepared to assault the digital world and the ones putting content online.
Two of these provisions, which is really cracking down on the online content is article 22 & 23:
22:“A person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with intent that the data shall be considered or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five millions shillings or to imprisionment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both”.
23: “A person who knowingly publishes information that is false in print, broadcast, data, or over a computer system, that is calculated or results in a panic, chaos, or violence among citizens of the Republic, or which is likely to discredit the reputation of a person commits an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding five millions shillings or to imprisionment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both”.
This is clearly attacking and if they finds something as fake, they can make the people liable and criminal. While the Jubilee party and President signed this off, their own party should be careful signing this off. As they have worked with Cambridge Analytica and Harris Media, created fake news and also spread wrongful deceitful messaging online. This has been deliberate by them during the General Election of 2017, as well as the Jubilee has spread fictitious promises. Just like the fantastic trains and massive stadiums. Therefore, Kenyatta should know better.
They will use this law to go against the likes of Cyprian Nyakundi and others. The ones like the Elephant and others. Who are not spreading the message of the state, but are questioning their powers. Kenyatta knows this, even his own Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU), who spread the news of an honorary title from the UNICEF to Kenyatta. Which was false, I even got caught in the hype. I know I did, because it seemed like possible, as a month before the WHO gave a Mugabe a title too. Therefore, I got pissed and felt it was unfair to give a title for championing youths, when he destroyed the lives of plenty with the crackdown on protests during the elections.
Therefore, this sort of bill should make sure the PSCU also get arrested on their malicious content and propaganda. Even the planned messages from the team around the President should be spotless, however, the PSCU isn’t. They should have been, since the President has sanctioned these provisions. Why I am concerned, as they are putting restrictions on others, but the Social Media program of the state itself has been questionable and attacked the public itself.
We now can see what the state wants to do to its own citizens, as the are getting stronger provisions to follow and to track, in the end also making their content illegal. This is not just for safety, because these sorts of laws can be used against whistleblowers, and even the ones who drops data online on frauds and such. Since its damaging for the government, this might be a criminal offense for some.
What is the definition of a panic? Is it that Kenyatta cannot stomach a beer? Is it that DP Ruto don’t get a handshake? What is the stakes? Because the provisions that matters for most of the citizens are vague, meaning it depends on the interpretation of the officers and judges. That is not a good signal, that is a bad one, however, doubt the PSCU will get into trouble. More like bloggers, writers and television journalists that suddenly will be detained, because Kenyatta didn’t like what they said, wrote or broadcast. Peace.

Congestion at the site is creating huge challenges for humanitarian agencies who are returning to the area to respond to the urgent need to supply food, clean water and medical services for the displaced families.
JUBA, South Sudan, May 17, 2018 – Up to 150 peacekeepers are being rapidly redeployed to the Unity region to boost the UN Mission’s efforts to protect civilians being deliberately targeted by warring parties.
“What we are witnessing on the ground is the deliberate killing of civilians as well as the sexual violation and abduction of women and children. Homes and livelihoods are being systematically destroyed in a way that prevents families returning to their homes and being able to support themselves,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer.
“Our fresh deployment will enable peacekeeping troops to patrol deeper to reach remote villages where the worst atrocities are taking place to create a protective presence and deter further fighting. It will also support the reinforcement of our base at Leer where many civilians are seeking sanctuary,” said David Shearer.
Thousands of civilians are fleeing the intense fighting as armed forces make their way down from Koch towards Leer. At least 30 villages or settlements have been attacked. UNMISS peacekeepers and human rights teams have witnessed the bodies of civilians killed during the fighting left unburied, dozens of huts burnt to the ground, cattle raiding and the destruction of critical services such as boreholes, medical clinics and food stores.
“The atrocities that we are documenting are a clear violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. Two aid workers have been killed and two wounded in the past month. Those responsible must be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said David Shearer.
A site next to the UN base at Leer previously held approximately 500 internally displaced people but the surge in violent clashes has increased numbers to about 2000. Almost 70 per cent of those seeking shelter are children.
Congestion at the site is creating huge challenges for humanitarian agencies who are returning to the area to respond to the urgent need to supply food, clean water and medical services for the displaced families. UNMISS is working closely with the agencies to support the safe delivery of aid.
The Mission continues to engage with local authorities and to urge the warring parties to stop the fighting and adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed by all parties just five months ago.