United Nations demands justice for civilians deliberately and ruthlessly targeted in attacks in South Sudan (10.07.2018)

Civilians were targeted, with the elderly, people with disabilities and very young children killed in horrific acts of violence.

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 10, 2018 –  UN Human Rights monitors have documented what appear to be deliberate, ruthless and brutally violent attacks on civilians, particularly against women and children, by Government and aligned forces, as well as armed youth in parts of Unity State in South Sudan.

A report issued Tuesday documents acts that constitute gross violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law – that may amount to war crimes. The investigation has also identified three individuals who may bear the greatest responsibility for the violations committed. One of them was reportedly removed from his functions for his alleged implication in these violations.

The violence took place after clashes between the SPLA and associated forces, and SPLA-IO (RM) in Unity State culminated in a significant military operation by Government and associated forces between April and May in multiple areas in southern Unity. The military offensive was part of a broader cycle of violence in which opposition forces also carried out armed attacks resulting in civilian casualties.

The investigation by UN Human Rights monitors found that between 16 April and 24 May, at least 232 civilians were killed and many more injured in attacks by Government and aligned forces and armed youth on villages in opposition-controlled areas in Mayendit and Leer.

Civilians were targeted, with the elderly, people with disabilities and very young children killed in horrific acts of violence – some hung from trees and others burned alive in their homes, the investigation found.

Victims and witnesses described how SPLA and aligned forces would storm into villages in the early morning or around dawn, surround the village and start shooting at fleeing civilians. The attackers would then steal cattle, loot entire households and burn down houses and food stocks.

The report documents the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, with at least 120 women and girls raped or gang-raped, including children as young as four. One 20-year-old woman was still bleeding from childbirth when she was raped. Some of those who resisted were shot dead. At least 132 other women and girls were abducted.

The brutality and ruthlessness of the attackers, as described by survivors, suggests their intent was to take a “scorched-earth” approach, killing or forcibly displacing people, burning their crops and homes, punishing and terrorizing them to ensure they never return. Many fled under attack by gunfire and shelling.

“Some corpses seen by human rights monitors in villages in Northern Mayendit on 12 May exhibited bullet wounds in their backs,” the report states. “According to information received, the elderly, sick and persons with disabilities who were unable to flee, were often burnt alive, as the attackers set ablaze their tukuls with lighters.”

As a result, more than 5,000 sought sanctuary at UN protected sites in Leer and Bentiu. Another 8,000 are estimated to be hiding in bushes and swamps while 18,000 have sought refuge in Mayendit town. Humanitarian actors were also targeted. Three local aid workers were killed and facilities destroyed, leaving vulnerable people without desperately needed food, water, medicine and shelter.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called on the Government to halt all attacks against civilians, launch investigations and hold the perpetrators accountable, including those who bear command responsibility.

“The perpetrators of these revolting acts against defenceless civilians, including those bearing command responsibility, must not be allowed to get away with it,” High Commissioner Zeid said.

“There must be consequences for the men who reportedly gang-raped a six-year-old child, who slit the throats of elderly villagers, who hanged women for resisting looting, and shot fleeing civilians in the swamps where they hid. Those who ordered and facilitated these horrific crimes must be brought to account. The Government of South Sudan and the international community have the obligation to ensure justice.”

Zeid called on the Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan and the African Union to move quickly towards establishing the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan and humanitarian actors are taking action on a number of fronts, including increasing the peacekeeping presence in the area, providing aid to those in need, continuing to monitor and report on human rights violations and carrying out political engagement with Government officials, commanders of both forces, and civil society.

Ethiopia-Eritrea: Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed letter to President Isaias Afwerki – “thank you”

Statement of the Chairperson of the Commission on the Relations between 
Eritrea and Ethiopia (09.07.2018)

Ethiopian to Resume Flights to Asmara (10.07.2018)

Ethiopia-Eritrea: A New Era between the Nations Started Today!

Today is yet another historical day on the Horn of Africa. Just as the yesterday meeting was big enough. There was no paperwork and just a touch of hope, today, the Eritrean government and the Ethiopian government have signed peaceful declaration. They have declared peace. The war started on the May 6th 1998 is officially over now at the 9th July 2018. That is 20 years of warfare, cease-fires and skirmishes. Hopefully, that both parties can follow the agreement and enrich them, as the brotherhood can now grow together, instead of fighting them.

Today is a great day.

The governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea have reached the following joint agreement which reflects the desires and aspirations of their peoples:-

1. The state of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea has come to an end. A new era of peace and friendship has been opened.

2. The two governments will endeavor to forge intimate political, economic, social, cultural and security cooperation that serves and advances the vital interests of their peoples;

3. Transport, trade and communications links between the two countries will resume; diplomatic ties and activities will restart;

4. The decision on the boundary between the two countries will be implemented.

5. Both countries will jointly endeavor to ensure regional peace, development and cooperation.

Both governments express their gratitude to all friends of Eritrea and Ethiopia and call on them to redouble their solidarity and support” (Shabait.com – ‘Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia’ 09.07.2018).

Now, the diplomacy and the borders are opened, the countries has over night nearly decided to change their ways. That Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali and President Isaias Afwerki have suddenly changed the structure. 20 years of fighting and bickering are maybe over. Especially if the Algiers Agreement is followed now, that Ethiopia is giving up Badme, That would be a humiliating thing to do for the TPLF. Clearly, the PM are using his powers for good.

The Eritrean government has gotten a lot and also a closer partner, if they both are planning to hold this declaration and honor it.

Let’s hope that this is the real step towards peace and development between the brothers. Not more warfare and more skirmishes, create trust and build on the richness of both nations. Where the can make the Horn Peaceful, nation by nation and conflict by conflict. That Eritrea and Ethiopia are declaring peace, is a great news.

We can hope this will be manifested, that we will see Badme returned to Eritrea and that the militarized becomes commercial customs border and not closed. This might open Eritrea up and make more information leak not only into Ethiopia, but the world as whole. So the reality of the dictatorship comes more into the light. But the last piece, is only something we can hope is reaction and a bonus for the peace between the brothers of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

This is another historical day in our life-time. That is worth celebrating. Cheers! Peace.

South Sudan: SPLM/A-IO – Press Release – On the Entebbe Proposal (09.07.2018)

SSHRO: South Sudan’s peace agreement reward impunity and retains alleged international war criminals (09.07.2018)

South Sudan: SSOA Press Release on The Entebbe Proposal Governance (09.07.2018)

DP Ruto is a lot of smoke, but no fire!

DP Ruto: “The president and I have said that we will do our part in the fight on corruption. We have allocated resources to the agencies and added more people to these agencies” #DPRutoOnNTV” (NTV Kenya, 08.07.2018).

This here will be a short one. The Jubilee Government is all PR and no flair, they continue to borrow, become more and more colonized by the Chinese because of that. The Jubilee continues to steal land, state businesses and misuse funds, but nothing happens of significant change. The growth in Corruption is so steady, that its just tragic. That all the growing loans are killing the state, little by little.

Therefore, the speeches and ceremonies, the opening of commissions is more a flash in darkness, than significant change, as the state and the high-ranking officials walks away with wealth. They do so because of their allegiance to the state party. Even Orange Democratic Movement isn’t real opposition, as they are compromised by the agreement made by Raila Odinga, who is now a Senior Official representing Kenya, even in India.

That is why the words of William Ruto is pointless, the sugar-scandals, the biggest elephant of all – the Standard Gauge Railway project, the NYS Scandals and so many others, it isn’t funny. Their trickling down tear-drops, that turns into the ocean of despair. It is tragic how the funds are misused, how the state lack of governance and the oversight are taking for ride, while the elites, the ones connected to the party are all finding ways to eat on the government pay. They are just toying around with people’s future and day-to-day. They are mocking the state, taking land, taking tenders and misusing the trust of the people.

The circle of theft is happening again, and again, as the world keeps turning. That DP Ruto are saying these nice words on TV. Like he really fight it, the man, the hustle, the one who owns media houses, a village and different houses on various plots, different companies and even helicopters, the man on a decent paycheck, but not in the league of this. The man that donates nearly every weekend millions to good projects as he talks beautifully in churches. Clearly, the man has vast wealth created by meager millions, where he owns billions upon billions.

That is why he is all talk and no action. Which is understandable, as he will himself need to show his sudden progression and richness that he made out of nothing.

DP Ruto, do yourself and show the reality, not the fantasy, you might be saying the right words in some sense. But we know what is behind the facade. Peace.

South Sudan: Revised SSOA Response to the Mediation Proposal on the Security Arrangements Outstanding Issues (08.07.2018)

JUL/08/2018, The following is the response of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, (SSOA).

1.Demilitarization of Civilian Centres (as per Para 1.11.4)

1.1. The parties agree principally to demilitarize all of the following:

1. The National Capital city, Juba, State Capitals and civilian populated areas.
2. Schools, Hospitals, Business Centers, Places of worship, Houses, IDP Camps, Villages, and other civilian populated areas must be free of all military presence during the pre-transitional period.

3. Livelihood areas, e.g Roads, Water passages, Farms, Grazing areas.

The demilitarization process shall be accomplished within the Pre-transitional period to create a conducive atmosphere for confidence building, repatriation of refugees and return of IDPs in order to allow humanitarian service delivery to the affected population.

2.Composition of the Joint Transitional Security Committee (as per Para 5.12)

2.1 In the spirit of inclusivity, the Joint Transitional Security committee
shall be composed as follows:

i. TGoNU-(3 members)
ii. SPLM–IO-(3)
iii.SSOA–(3)
iv. IGAD–(1)
v. UNMISS-(1)
vi. AU-(1)
vii.TROIKA-(1)

2.2 Decisions of these committees shall be taken by consensus.

3. Time frame of Forces Unification (as per Para 7.5)

3.1 The Joint Unified Army/Joint Unified National Security shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with:

—- Protection of national borders.
—- Protection of Public installations.

3.2 The functions of the Joint National security shall be limited to data collection, analysis and reporting the product to the relevant authorities.

3.3 A nucleus of Joint Police and other Security Forces shall be established within the Pre-transitional period and shall be tasked with the Protection of civilians and their properties.

3.4 The Transitional period shall begin with joint unified forces, which the parties shall agree on its size guided by the principles of equal representation of states/Counties and diversity of our national

4. Third proposal:

In the event that the second proposal is objected to, it is further proposed that equal numbers of the Opposition and the TGoNU forces be deployed as Joint Unified Forces to carry out the function as in the Article 4.5 above.

5. Operationalization of the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA).

The Parties shall recommit to the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access (2017) and shall implement the monitoring mechanisms provided for in the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement (KDA) signed on 27th June 2018 as follows:

5.1 Re-notification of forces by parities leadership including the issuing of orders to cease military operations, and enforce the freezing of forces in their locations.

5.2 Declaration of dispositions and locations of forces not previously
declared on the 21st December 2017 (CoH).

5.3 Disengagement and separation of forces in close proximity as per priorities presented by CTSAMM.

5.4 Establishment of buffer zones and lines of control so as to delimit possible aggression, unexpected clashes and to allow access and delivery of humanitarian assistance and free movement of civilians.

5.5 Confirm and recommit to the mandate given to CTSAMM and enforce the restructuring thereof immediately. END