South Sudan: A look into the President Salva Kiir’s visit to Addis!

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If you wonder what the Central Government of South Sudan is doing the neighbour country of Ethiopia. There are certainly many different answers, as the reports of Egyptian Airplanes have even been verified by Sudanese Regime in Khartoum. The South Sudanese wrote under an agreement with the Ethiopian regime, there might also be another reason as well, as the refugees goes into Gambella region. There are certainly lots of views and intelligence on the travels this time, as the crisis and the battles internally has reactions in Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia. Now it is just lacking UPDF to turn their cards into the SPLM/A battles in South Sudan. Take a look!

Salva Kiir team to Ethiopia seeking for forgiveness from Ethiopia:

“Sudanese President coming from his visit answering the reporters after Egyptians Military took a huge loss in involving in South Sudan civil war. Since the beginning of Feb. 2017, the Egyptian Military participated in bombardment in Unity State Upper Nile and Central Equatoria in Equatoria” (…) “In Unity State the Egyptian air force lodges its bombardment from 8:00 PM-11:00 PM, and that was daily until Feb. 20, 2017, due to the accident that happened with Egyptian air force bomber in Yei that went missing on Feb. 19, 2017, before lodge it’s bombardment” (…) “In Unity State all the captured cities using the Egyptian air force are recaptured and Kiirs terrorist took a big lost after a promising military combat from Egyptians army. Egyptians are using Sudan president to help cover up their loses” (…) “Kiir have no choose, but to take it to Ethiopia for more support diplomatically seeking for acceptance again from Ethiopian military to be mild to his terrorist regime after accepting Egyptian idea off sponsoring Ethiopian rebels. Kiir’s team that went to Ethiopia was to lie to the Ethiopians to them to cool down after Kiir’s aggression against Ethiopia” (SSUDA, 24.02.2017).

Presidential Spokesperson speaks about the talks:

“It will be something good for us, South Sudanese and Ethiopians, should these two leaders put into action what they will agree on. It’s our hope that the two agree on security issues. We don’t want any negative force to use another country’s territory to launch hostile activities on the other. Borders are really important to a country and having a good relationship with the bordering country is always the goal for both countries to progress together,” said Presidential Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny” (…) “South Sudan- Ethiopia borders are not safe and this is what has prompted the two to meet,” Ateny further stressed” (Sudan Tribune, 24.02.2017).

Answer from Foreign Affairs of South Sudan:

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan has read with dismay the unfriendly statement alleged to have been made by the Sudanese President Omer Hassan El-Bashir, during the press briefing on his return from Abu Dhabi to Khartoum, on Tuesday 21st Feb. 2017, that the Egyptian Government continues to support South Sudan with arms and ammunitions” (…) “The Republic of South Sudan is disturbed by this unfortunate, unfounded and baseless statement, specially because it came at a time that the two Countries and the whole region have agreed to exert more collective efforts towards the realization of peace and stability in the IGAD region” (…) “The Ministry, therefore, calls on the leadership of the sisterly Country, Sudan, not to forget its responsibility to work with South Sudan in the spirit of the Cooperation agreement and to address any issue that may arise between the two neighboring Countries through dialogue and direct communications at leadership level and diplomatic channels. There is no way Sudan and South Sudan can abandon each other, because both countries share the longest border in the region, which needs special attention from their respective leaders” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs – South Sudan, 24.02.2017).

Signed Agreement:

“The signing ceremony took place in Addis Ababa today, following the bilateral talks held between Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan” (…) “The accords inked covered roads and bridges, communication, information and media, and preferential trade agreement as well as border trade protocol” (…) “The two countries have also signed memorandums of understandings on cooperation in the construction of roads, diesel off-take arrangement, health, and energy” (…) “The leaders have agreed to engage each other to implement the agreements and address any matter that may arise in the future” (…) “Acknowledging that free movement of people and goods are pre-requisites for enhancing economic ties and expeditious implementation of these agreements, the two leaders have decided with immediate effect to start the construction road projects” (…) “Noting with satisfaction the existing bilateral ties, they also agreed to continue to hold ministerial commission meetings led by respective foreign affairs ministers twice in a year” (…) “Agreement was also reached to form Joint Border Administrators/Governors Committee (JBAC) to further strengthen cooperation on issues of security, trade, development and infrastructure along the common borders” (ENA, 2017).

Hope that you got wiser as you have seen more of the state visit in Addis Ababa from the President Salva Kiir Mayardiit and his team. There are more to this and more not told, but this is what I could get of views on the matter. Unless, there showing more clear documentation of why the SPLM had to visit Ethiopia in this dire hour, where the famine and the civil-war continues. This is certainly not a visit in the hour of strength for the SPLM/A. There to many pieces of problems to be different. Peace.

Reference:

Ethiopian News Agency – ‘Ethiopia, South Sudan Sign Agreements, MoU that Forge Friendship’ (24.0.2.2017) link: http://www.ena.gov.et/en/index.php/politics/item/2795-ethiopia-south-sudan-sign-agreements-mou-that-forge-friendship

Ministry of Foreign Affairs – The Republic of South Sudan – ‘PRESS RELEASE:  South Sudan Disturbed By Sudan’s Bashir Baseless Statement of Egyptian Support’ (24.02.2016)

Sudan Tribune – ‘South Sudan president in Ethiopia for security talks’ (24.02.2017) link: https://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article61727

Mogadishu Declaration on Regional Cooperation on the Current Drought (22.02.2017)

East-Africa

Mogadishu – Wednesday, 22 February 2016The following joint declaration was made in Mogadishu by H.E. Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, and H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

1. We have come together as the heads of government of four countries in a region facing significant stress as a result of the current drought. Multiple seasons of failed rains and global weather patterns have, yet again, negatively affected the resilience mechanisms of millions of our people. This is evident in the immediate humanitarian crisis facing us today and will show up in longer term socio-economic vulnerability in communities that today are selling all their assets and uprooting their families for survival.

2. This situation, which may worsen in Somalia and result in a renewed famine over the coming months, could also have security and political implications in our region and beyond, as coping mechanisms are eroded and tensions over dwindling resources risks sparking conflict. Scores of people are moving both within countries and across borders in the hope of increasing their chances of survival. This upheaval is taking a particularly heavy toll on children and women, and makes people vulnerable to exploitation, human rights abuses and to criminal and terrorist networks. Drought-related disease outbreaks and inter-communal conflict are already on the rise.

3. While each of our governments is mobilising to respond, the dire situation calls for international collaboration and regional partnership between governments, civil society, aid organisations, business and international donors.

4. We commit ourselves to regional cooperation to facilitate a more comprehensive response and strong partnership.

5. We commit to strengthening our cross-border collaboration and our efforts to establish security and stability in Somalia to ensure an effective response to the drought and to enable further progress in peace building and state building in Somalia. We further commit to the provision of appropriate protection and assistance to those compelled to leave their areas of origin as a consequence of the drought, including those who have fled to neighbouring countries.

6. We will be consulting on a regular basis to review progress on these issues, and to agree upon any necessary collective action that will help our countries and region respond to this emergency. Furthermore, we have instructed our respective foreign ministers and drought response teams to work together and keep us briefed.

7. In the longer term, we commit to working together bilaterally and through existing regional bodies such as IGAD, the African Union as well as the United Nations to address the underlying structural issues that commonly affect our economies, environments and communities, including cross-border rangeland and water resource management.

END

FAO reports on the souring food prices in the East African Countries!

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“In pastoral areas of Kenya, Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia, the widespread drought had a severe impact on pasture and water availability, and prices of livestock sharply decreased in recent months to very low levels, as livestock body conditions dramatically deteriorated. In these areas, the resulting sharp decline of terms of trade for pastoralists is severely constraining food access for large numbers of households” (FAO, P: 10, 2017).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has this month released a report that assessed the prices and the issues concerning food prices in the nations around the world. This is the droughts, lack of rain and the problems occurring after the El Nino that hit the African continent. Therefore, the sad reality with the influx of issues and variables, the food markets in different nations has hit a snag and they have gone up. At levels that are worrying, as the markets they haven’t had the same rise in added income compared to the prices of staple foods. This hits the poorest the most and gives them a harder day to day, as their added prices makes the cost of living even more turbulent and hazardous than it already is.

Like the Maize and Beans prices in Kenya:

“Maize prices increased in January by 9-14 percent in most monitored markets, as the output of the short rains harvest, currently underway in eastern and coastal lowlands, was sharply reduced due to insufficient rainfall. Prices of maize in January were 20-30 percent higher than 12 months earlier in several markets, also as a result of a below-average long rains harvest, recently completed in high potential western areas of the Rift Valley. Sustained imports from neighbouring Uganda contained the increased in maize prices. In drought affected coastal counties, sharper year-on-year price increases are recorded, and in December 2016 prices of maize in Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Taraka Nithi and Embu counties were up to 40 percent higher than a year earlier. Prices of beans are also at high levels and in January they were up to 40 percent higher than their year-earlier levels. Most pastoral areas were affected by drought, and prices of livestock declined in recent months as animal body conditions deteriorated. For instance, in Marsabit, Mandera, Garissa and Tana River counties, prices of goats in December 2016 were 15-30 percent lower than 12 months earlier” (FAO, P: 3, 2017).

That the prices of maize had added about 20-30 percent in a year time is worrying for the region, as the Kenyan market and the current state before the elections. The Kenyan state is borrowing at a steady haste for bigger infrastructure investments, but isn’t using funds to secure the agricultural output. This is lacking initiative or use of government subsidises to secure enough production, as much as there are droughts that has hit areas, where the prices has risen as a cause of lacking output or none as the climate has deteriorating the soil. That not only Maize has risen on higher prices, also the hiking of prices of beans shows the incapacity of agricultural output in general and also securing cheap government imports.

Like the prices of Maize and Sorghum in Somalia:

“Prices of locally-produced maize and sorghum continued to soar in January as the output of the 2016/17 secondary deyr harvest was affected by a severe drought and is estimated at 25 percent of last five-year average. In Mogadishu, prices of coarse grains increased up to 35 percent. In most markets of key maize producing region of Lower Shabelle, maize prices surged in January by 32-41 percent. Overall, prices of coarse grains in January in key markets of central and southern Somalia were up to twice their levels of 12 months earlier. Prices are likely to further escalate in the coming months, as an earlier than usual stock depletion will be compounded by concerns over the performance of the 2017 gu harvest. In pastoral areas, drought caused shortages of grazing resources, with deterioration of livestock body conditions. Livestock prices sharply declined in recent months, especially in the south, and are at very low levels, up to 60 percent lower than 12 months earlier. As a result of declining livestock prices and increasing cereal prices, terms of trade for pastoralists sharply deteriorated over the last 12 months. The equivalent in maize of a medium size goat declined in Buale market from 114 kg January 2016 to just 30 kg in January 2017. The severe drought has also caused a sharp decline in milk production and surge in milk prices” (FAO, P: 5, 2017).

So Somalia who has just gone through an election, has had a heavy affected by the drought, as the grains and food production has been hit by it. As proven with the rising food prices in Mogadishu and the prices has doubled in Central and Southern Somalia, in only a year! That proves the dire food situation, as the fierce internal fighting, the federation food production combined with the military fighting together with a drought has the food markets and food productions. Therefore the citizens and farmers are the losers, as they cannot have peaceful production, lacking rains and also insecurity of their own safety. All these things combined with the uncertainty of the electorate and the new administration. The steady rise of food prices has surely hit a population that did not need another crisis.

Rising prices in South Sudan:

“In the capital, Juba, prices of sorghum and maize declined in January by 6 and 10 percent, respectively, partly as a result of the harvesting of 2016 second season crops in southern bi-modal rainfall areas, which improved the domestic supply situation. Prices of other staples, wheat flour, cassava and groundnuts, followed similar patterns. In markets located in central and northern uni-modal rainfall areas, prices of sorghum increased by 15-20 percent in December 2016 and January 2017, after having declined in previous months with the harvesting of 2016 crops. In January, food prices in nominal terms were between 2 and 4 times above their levels in January last year, due to insecurity, a tight supply situation, hyperinflation and a significant depreciation of the local currency” (FAO, P: 5, 2017).

In South Sudan the new crisis of internal battles hit, even after the long term peace-agreement was fresh and the battles that started in July 2016. The continued escalation has hit the country. South Sudan administration has been busy fighting the SPLM-IO. The SPLM-IO has also been busier fighting the SPLA/M. Therefore the engagement with trying to get people to live in peace and fresh produce to happen in the country has stopped. That together with the civil war the agricultural output has been lost with the fleeing civilians and burning villages. Therefore in this current state, the food prices rise as the lacking food stocks of internal produced are dwindling, as the state needs more import of foreign food. Not only the inflation rates of the currency, the food production has been unstable. Therefore the rising prices and the armed situation create the rise of food prices. So the stability of the nation will also secure the currency and also the agricultural output, as of now is more or less in need of food aid because of the current in-fighting and lack of government oversight. This is unhealthy and makes even the security of food into a limbo.

Rising prices of Maize in Uganda:

“Prices of maize followed a sustained upward trend in recent months, increasing in all monitored markets by 33-58 percent between August and December 2016. Subsequently, prices followed mixed trends in January, declining in the capital, Kampala, as the second season harvest increased supplies, remaining firm in Lira market, located in a major cereal producing area, and continuing to increase in Busia, a key cross-border hub with Kenya. Overall, maize prices in January were up to 75 percent higher than a year earlier and at near-record to record levels, as the upward pressure exerted on prices by a reduced second season harvest, affected by poor rainfall in southeastern parts bordering lake Victoria, was compounded by a reduced first season harvest gathered last June/July and by sustained export demand from neighbouring countries, mainly Kenya and South Sudan. In Kampala, prices of beans and cassava flour, important staples, are also at high levels, and in January they were about 25 percent higher than 12 months earlier” (FAO, P: 6, 2017).

Ugandan government has already showed lacking instruments to the current drought and the lesser output during the election and campaigning of the current leadership. This is proven now with the monetary issues that are in dire straight in republic. The proof of the rising prices as the export of maize and others to South Sudan, as the added refugees who also needs foods and are also supported aided food. The government needs to secure added food production and development of bigger yields of the staple foods. That the food prices have sky-rocketed as the region has all been hit in corridors and districts where the dried lands have killed of livestock and others. Government has showed lacking oversight and mechanism from the government has not helped the dry-lands and the aftermath. Because of this with the added strains of a cash-strapped government after a heavy-burden state after elections, has not stagnated or had initiatives to stop the growing prices of food.

Maize prices are rising also in Tanzania:

“Prices of maize continued to increase in January in all monitored markets, as production prospects for the vuli harvest, currently underway in northern and eastern bi-modal rainfall areas, are unfavourable due to poor and erratic rainfall. Further support to prices was provided by concerns over the performance of the msimu harvest, to be gathered from May in central and southern uni-modal rainfall areas, as early-season dryness affected planting operations and crop establishment. Prices of maize in January were almost twice their year-earlier levels in Arusha, located in the northeast, while they were about 25 percent higher than in January 2016 in Dar Es Salaam, the largest urban centre” (FAO, P: 6, 2017).

That President Magufuli and his party like to be the example of the East Africa. Here the Tanzanian government are delivering the same sort of levels of rising prices. The maize prices are affected by drought and the Tanzanian government also have had to take in the refugees from other nations of late. This together with the less rainfall has pushed the prices on maize in Tanzania. Certainly the prices that doubled shows signs of lacking agricultural output and less yields as the rains and drought has happen during the last 12 month.

The numbers of rising food prices together with the lacking yields shows the worrying signs of lesser rain and longer dry seasons. This all hurt the citizens and the customers in the central regions or in urban areas who buys the foods from the agricultural districts, as much as the violence and the crisis in South Sudan and long term effects of the civil war in Somalia. This happens after the drought and other political issues, together with little efforts to add the yields, shows in the rising prices of staple foods. So now the people have to pay more for the same food they would have bought last year, in some places not only 20% added, but up to double or tripled. This is certainly added strains on the personal economy of the citizens in these nations. Peace.

Reference:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – ‘Food Price Monitoring and Analysis – Bulletin’ (14.02.2017)

Ethiopia: La Nina and Indian Ocean Negative Dipole-Induced Drought (13.02.2017)

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Statement by the IGAD Executive Secretary on the current drought in the Greater Horn of Africa (08.02.2017)

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The Drought Situation

The Horn of Africa is in the midst of a major drought resulting from La Niña and reduced moisture influx due to the cooling of the ocean water in the east African coast. Whilst Member States of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are adept at managing droughts, what makes the current drought alarming in the Equatorial Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region is that it follows two consecutive poor rainfall seasons in 2016 and the likelihood of depressed rainfall persisting into the March – May 2017 rainfall season remains high. The most affected areas include, most of Somalia, South-eastern Ethiopia, Northern Eastern and coastal Kenya, and Northern Uganda.

The climate predictions and early warnings produced by IGAD through advanced scientific modeling and prediction tools, which were provided to Member States and the general public, have elicited early actions (preparedness and mitigation measures). Highly comparable to the 2010 GHA drought, the current depressed rainfall and resultant poor vegetation conditions since March 2016 eroded the coping and adaptive capacities of the affected people. It also depleted water points, reduced crops, forages and livestock production, increased food insecurity, and adversely affected the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in the region.

The number of food insecure human population in the region is currently estimated at 17 million. Certain areas in South Sudan and Djibouti are already under an emergency food insecurity phase, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) classification scale. In Somalia, the number of food insecure people doubled in the last year alone.

In the drought affected cropping lands (over Deyr area in Somalia and coastal Kenya), 70 to 100 percent crop failure has been registered. Livestock mortality has been particularly devastating amongst small ruminants with mortality rate ranging from 25 to 75 percent in the cross border areas of Somalia-Kenya-Ethiopia. In addition, livestock prices have dropped by as much as 700 percent.

Terms of trade have declined in the region, with Ethiopia registering a figure of almost 10 percent. This is exacerbated by a substantial negative impact on external balances, as well as a small impact on financial sector-soundness in the other countries. The overall impact on fiscal positions is a likely increase in current budget spending and deterioration in the fiscal balance and weak adaptation capacity.

Despite the downtrend in global agriculture commodity prices, the drought has resulted in an increase in domestic food prices in the region. Cereal prices (e.g. maize) have gone up by about 130 percent, while those of critical food items such as oils, beans and wheat flour increased by at least 50 percent in some pastoralist areas. The limited financial and institutional capacity for effective adaptation to reduce exposure and vulnerability will result in limited safety net to the most vulnerable households.

Drought Response in the Horn of Africa

With the early warning and technical assistance provided by IGAD, Member States have initiated early action to mitigate the adverse impact of the current drought.

Somalia and South Sudan have declared drought emergencies. Kenya announced a doubling of expenditure on food relief to ease the pressure in the drought-affected counties, while Uganda shifted some of its development resources to finance emergency response in order to address food insecurity and livelihood protection. In Somalia, the President of the Federal Republic, as well as state and regional administrations led the issuance of appeals for support and coordinated actors and efforts that scaled-up food security activities to respond to the humanitarian needs of the country.

The USD 730 million allocated by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia boosted the response effort which, coupled by an above-average meher harvest, resulted to an almost 50 percent reduction in the number of food insecure people, for example, from 10.2 million to 5.6 million.

IGAD continues to reinforce the actions of its Member States using them as guide for complementary action on drought responses. Below are some of the major actions being undertaken by the IGAD Secretariat and its specialized institutions to manage the drought in the region:

  • Through its specialized institutions, IGAD continues to monitor and provide analysis of the evolving situation and advise Member States and the general public on measures to mitigate its impact. The 45th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 45), which ends today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will present the consensus climate outlook for the next season (March – May 2017) and its likely impact on disaster risk management, livestock production, water, energy and health etc.
  • A multi- humanitarian coordination mechanism led by IGAD that includes UN agencies, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and other Non-State Actors (NSAs) is effectively working to coordinate the response effort, as well as guide the recovery process once the situation stabilizes.
  • IGAD is also working with relevant national authorities, UN agencies and CSOs in each member state on the development of an Integrated Regional Appeal that will articulate the priority initiatives within the response plan for each Member State.
  • Furthermore, IGAD will support institutional arrangements and capacity building that needs to be in place to allow humanitarian response plans to be implemented in timely, effective manner.
  • A regional Ministerial Meeting will be convened by IGAD at the end of this month to launch the Integrated Regional Appeal and secure financial resources, which further complements the response undertaken by national authorities and humanitarian and development partners, while at the same time building resilience to climate-induced disasters.

Through the IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) Platform, the ultimate purpose and objective of IGAD and its Member States is to mitigate the adverse effects of disasters through building resilience of relevant national institutions, communities and people, to end drought emergencies and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the region.

In this regard, IGAD will remain vigilant in monitoring and advising the people of the region on the drought situation through its’ specialized institution, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) domiciled in Nairobi, and shall continue to support and complement regional and national actions on drought response and recovery.

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on the situation in South Sudan (07.02.2017)

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[New York, 7 February 2017] The Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, expressed grave concern at the continued level of violence in several areas of South Sudan. “President Salva Kiir has made a commitment to end the violence and bring about peace, yet we still see ongoing clashes, and the risk that mass atrocities will be committed remains ever-present,” said the Special Adviser. The peace process has yet to be accompanied by a complete cessation of hostilities, undermining the likelihood that the National Dialogue proposed by the Government will be seen as credible.

More than 52,000 South Sudanese fled to Uganda in January alone, coming primarily from areas in and around Yei, Morobo, Lainya and Kajo-Keji. Some 24,000 arrived between 25 and 31 January, of which 4,500 arrived in a single day, on 28 January. Many have given accounts of the killing of civilians, destruction of homes, sexual violence, and looting of livestock and property, and cite fear of arrest and torture.

The Special Adviser is particularly alarmed at the situation in Kajo-Keji, Central Equatoria, (south of Juba), where civilians have fled in fear of violence en masse. The access of the United Nations peacekeeping mission to and around Kajo-Keji has reportedly been restricted despite the serious security situation, as peacekeepers were initially blocked from accessing the area.

The freedom of movement of residents has also reportedly been limited. Some have reportedly been instructed to leave Kajo-Keji. Others who fled their homes and moved towards the border area between South Sudan and Uganda were reportedly intercepted by government forces. Those seeking refuge report using a number of informal border crossing points to enter Uganda, as armed groups are preventing the use of major roads, forcing them to travel through the bush often without access to food and water.

Various areas in the Equatorias, among other regions, have been similarly targeted, and some 20,000 people were displaced from Wau Shilluk in Upper Nile in the last week, following violence that left many without emergency health care, safe drinking water, food and shelter.

In November 2016, the Special Adviser drew attention to the dire situation in Yei River State, following his visit to Yei River town, where credible information suggested that a scorched earth campaign was underway, targeting suspected opposition members and civilian communities believed by authorities to be their supporters. He reported the expulsion of farmers from their land, looting of property and burning of villages, as well as brutal violence against civilians.

Despite extensive discussions in the United Nations Security Council in November and December 2016 on a proposal to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan and increase targeted sanctions, agreement was not reached on either proposal.  In the meantime, weapons have continued to flow into the country.

In the margins of the January 2017 African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations in a joint statement expressed their deep concerns over the continuing spread of fighting and risk of inter-communal violence escalating into mass atrocities. “If South Sudan is to achieve peace,” the Special Adviser affirmed, “all belligerents must urgently cease hostilities and invest in the peace process to settle their differences, before the territorial fragmentation and destruction of the social fabric of this young country become irreversible.”

Ethiopia: February, the month when activists, politicians and journalists are scheduled for the Federal Court!

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The State of Emergency done by the Central Government in Ethiopia has not died down, as the military and policing of Amhara and Oromo regions are continued from 2016. When the clampdown from the Central Government put in place enormous regulations on activities, sanctioned media stations and radio stations; as well as they have detained opposition leaders and activists behind bars without proper trial. This has been achieved with the military and police officers going in the regions with fierce attitude and silencing the people.

Therefore the newly released court dates in Ethiopia shows that the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) still continuing their oppression towards the ones who are dissenting from their regime.

The EPRDF is taking civil activist Yonathan Tesfaye will be in court for witness hearing on the 6th February in the Federal High Court on the 4th Bench. On the 7th February the Zone9 Bloggers will be in court, one of them is Soleyana Shimeles and five others. They will get a verdict on their Prosecutors appeal. Their appeal will appear in the Federal Supreme Court.

The Authorities is putting Gurmessa Ayano and Bekele Gerba on trial together with other main leaders of Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), which are 22 people who they have charged with some ill-intent of sorts. Their Court hearing will be on the 10th February when the remaining witness hearing. This will happen at the Federal High Court 4th Bench.

On the 14th February it will be a defence hearing in the case of Journalist Getachew Shiferaw, he will appear in front of the Federal High Court and the 4th Bench. On the same day the civil activist Nigist Yirga is in court with 5 more activist as their case are to receive Prosecutors reply to Defendants Preliminary Objections. They will also be courtside in the Federal High Court and the 4th Bench.

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This is only the well-known cases that are in the works of the oppressive behaviour of the Ethiopian government and state apparatus that appears to do what it can to dismantle the CSOs, the media and opposition parties. We can see that the targets this month is the OFC leaders, a journalist and activists are in court, even bloggers who reveal things the press doesn’t consider and fears to write about. Therefore the need for international scrutiny and question the behaviour of the EPRDF is needed. Their violence and oppression cannot continue. This in not justice, this is pure injustice against civilians who just works for fair society and liberty. Peace.  

 

Joint Troika Statement Welcoming AU, IGAD and UN Declaration on South Sudan (31.01.2017)

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South Sudan: Press statement on Malakal (30.01.2017)

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The Mission reiterates its call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and fully implement the peace agreement. 

JUBA, South Sudan, January 30, 2017 –

Statement Attributable to the Office of the Spokesperson, UNMISS:

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) remains deeply concerned about the outbreak of fighting between the SPLA and SPLA in Opposition in and around Malakal town, including intermittent shelling that has been reported over the last few days. UNMISS reports that on Sunday, the situation in the town remained tense.

The Mission continues to patrol regularly in Malakal and reports that the town is largely deserted.

The Mission reiterates its call on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and fully implement the peace agreement.

UNMISS will continue to act within its capacity to protect South Sudanese civilians in imminent danger and calls on all parties to silence the guns to  enable the movement of humanitarian aid and personnel to affected areas.

Joint Press Statement by the AU, IGAD and the UN Consultations on South Sudan, January 29, 2017

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