
South Sudan: JMEC Statement on HLRF (17.04.2018)














BANGUI, Central African Republic, April 12, 2018 –
Joint Communiqué of the African Union and the United Nations on the Peace Process and the Situation in Bangui:
We, representatives of the African Union and the United Nations, decided to undertake a joint visit to the Central African Republic (CAR) to express our solidarity and full support to the Central African people and for the peace process in the Central African Republic. We also share a message of complete unity and common resolve of the African Union and the United Nations.
We are pleased in this regard that our visit coincides with the first meeting in Bangui of the International Support Group for CAR since the country’s return to constitutional order. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to talk with the Central African authorities, and have also held talks with President Touadéra.
Having arrived yesterday, we are also concerned about persistent tensions in the PK5 neighbourhood of Bangui. The operations conducted by the Government and MINUSCA on 8 April were aimed at putting an end to the activities of criminal elements that endanger the lives of peaceful citizens, in a neighbourhood that is also the economic hub of Bangui.
In these difficult times, we wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and we deplore the many wounded, to whom we wish a speedy recovery.
Above all, we wish to emphasize that this operation to restore order and State authority has the sole purpose to protect the people who seek our protection against the criminal elements who oppress them. We want to make it clear that we are determined to act to protect the entire population, across the country.
We strongly deplore and condemn the attempts to instrumentalise this operation, as well as the attacks perpetrated against peacekeepers, about 20 of whom have been wounded, and one who succumbed to his wounds.
We would like to remind you that any attack against peacekeepers is a war crime. Their authors and those who support them will certainly have to answer for their crimes in court.
We also wish to express that an offer of a peaceful settlement had previously been made to the targeted groups, who rejected it.
Finally, we wish to emphasize that, in close coordination with the Government of the Central African Republic, we are ready to use all means available to the international community to create conditions for the restoration of peace in CAR. Among these means, dialogue will be our first action followed by, if necessary, the use of force.
Our joint presence here, in collaboration with the Central African Government, is intended to reaffirm our unambiguous commitment to the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, which, as the United Nations Security Council has stated, represents the only way forward to exit from crisis.
To the people of Bangui, we also call for calm. We ask them not to be victim to rumours and manipulation. Your authorities are working hard with MINUSCA to restore public order and ensure the protection of all civilian populations, without distinction.
Signed,
Mr Smaïl Chergui
Peace and Security Commissioner of the African Union
Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations

10th April 2018, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, accompanied by representatives of the Office of the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers, held consultations on 10th April 2018 with representatives of the South Sudanese Civil Society Stakeholders to the HLRF to discuss key outstanding issues at the Forum, including positions of the various parties and possible compromises. The consultations are pursuant to the decisions of the IGAD Council of Ministers at its 61stExtra-Ordinary Session on South Sudan held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 26 March 2018 to reconvene the continuation of Phase II of the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) to conduct consultations and undertake shuttle diplomacy with the parties and stakeholders to the HLRF to narrow the gaps between the Parties, prior to the next reconvening of the Forum.
The consultations focused on the key areas of disagreements on governance and security arrangements at the HLRF. Under governance, the following issues were discussed: the composition of the transitional government; structure of the government; responsibility sharing; number of states and size and composition of the Parliament.
On security arrangements, the following issues were discussed: timeframe for reintegration/unification of forces and approach to the formation of one national army; security for Juba during the Transition; demilitarization of civilian centers; cantonment of forces and Security sector reform or establishment of new security services.
Following extensive deliberations, the representatives of the Civil Society and stakeholders at the HLRF made recommendations for considerations by the Parties at the HLRF.

“a military leader of a nation or part of a nation, esp one who is accountable to nobody when the central government is weak” (Collins English Dictionary – ‘Warlord’).
There one of these days, something striking and so profound, that you lose your grip of reality. It will come one of these days, when all glass shatters and everything you believe in will vanish. That is not today, since the Juba administration, the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), which has led to another brutal civil war in South Sudan. Have evidently given an offer to one of their generals to assassinate Dr. Riek Machar, the former First Vice-President of South Sudan. If that doesn’t make the alarm-bell running, nothing does. I am sure the same offer came within the time the tanks was driving down the streets of Juba and the rebels of SPLM/A-IO went into the bush of the Democratic Republic of Congo, after failed peace-agreement and settlement between SPLM/A and SPLM/A-IO.
So yesterday’s revelations says a lot:
“South Sudan’s presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told reporters in Juba today that the failed plot to pursue and kill the former first vice president turned rebel leader Riek Machar originated with Gen. Paul Malong. “The Central Bank of South Sudan was opened at night and $5 million was released for military operations against Riek Machar,” Ateny said. The government blamed Paul Malong for failing to kill the main opposition leader after receiving as much as $5 million for military operations after rebels forces had been driven out of the capital Juba. “Malong took the money but Riek Machar was not killed. He [Malong] failed to pursue Machar and Riek Machar did not face any difficulty. But he [Malong] took the money,” Ateny said, while accusing the former military chief of massive corruption, barely one day after he officially declared himself a rebel” (Radio Tamazuj, 10.04.2018).
That the government today, years after the brutal attack on Machar in Juba and left him fleeing, after the sacking of Gen. Malong last year and his sudden, but not strange new rebellion against the state. Then the state reveal their devious plan to kill Machar. Not like that would be surprising in some aspect, these are violent affairs and death follows. The SPLA and SPLM/A-IO has fought dozens of skirmishes and certainly not the last. Because, none of them seems to be willing to back down. While more rebels appear, more groups and some coalitions of rebels, also comes out of the dust.
That the state doesn’t think this implicate themselves and only tarnish Malong, that is really foolish. This shows how little lack of governance and will of institutions, that the central government, which was supposed to co-operate with Machar. Would actually hire someone, a fellow general and his troops to kill him. The problem isn’t directly that Malong would kill him, but that the government gave him money and a contract to do so.
The TGoNU has really with this story sold themselves short. They thought it was a brilliant way of tarnishing the efforts of Malong to start his rebellion. Well, it shows that he does whatever to get by and get wealthy, but it also shows how the state moves and tries to make people disappear, that they don’t like or don’t want to co-operate with. That is what this signals, that they are putting money on people’s head. If they start to test the structures and the people on-high.
We can just imagine who sanctioned this and who payed Malong, that is the big-deal and that shows who thought it would be a good arrangement. To settle the difference not with consensus, but by the guns. That is why this is War-Lord mentality. Peace.






Today, the three fellow dignitaries that was in-charge of deporting Miguna Miguna back to Canada for the Second showed up to Court. Not that it really mattered, because it is farce and the saga continues. They act still with contempt and the show of illegitimacy of their activity, the answers of the CS Fred Matiangi, the Immigration PS Gordon Kihalangwa and IGP Joseph Boinnet in Court wasn’t that flattering. Is is more an insult of natural intelligence. That is why isn’t worth noticing and showing to the world.
The Miguna scandal that is drawn out of proportion, is because of how its handled, what the state has done and how they acted upon it. Nothing has handled with care or after procedure. It has been less protocol and more ignorance is bliss. But the aftermath shows the indifference, that wolves are circling around the sheep. The eagles are flying over their prey, they are all waiting for the moment to strike. To hunt and to get their reward.
You can wonder what these gentlemen are out of this, what is stripes and their value for money. What did they get out of deporting Miguna for the second time? What was the purpose of the exercise, other than making Kenya looking foolish abroad? They certainly succeeded in doing that. Kudos, Matiang’i, Boinnet and Kihalangwa. You did it and deserves a token of success. Maybe a fake DVD will be sufficient?
The Courtship today was just a facade of forged play, it is an insult to the judiciary, who had dozens of Court Orders to bring him to Court and get justice for Miguna. But the state, these gentlemen deported him, they detained him on unknown location, they took him hostage and sent him on a plane. They have done that twice. They even made parts of JKIA M.I.A and that is special. Like Miguna was magician who could suddenly create all sorts of troubles with a passport, a phone and his hat.
With all finesse and attitude, the Kenyan Government needs to grow a pair, need to structure itself right and get a reality check. The balances and the ignorant state of affairs cannot continue. The contempt and the ignorance of the Courts, is the reason, that the Jubilee and their top-dogs are acting with impunity. They are not caring, but showing-up after the man is deported again. He is again a ghost in courts.
You can wonder if Miguna is the grandest thief, the biggest cartel boss of Kenya, even if he smuggled all sugar and drugs out of Somalia to run for governor of Nairobi last year. Because, surely there must be more valid reasons, more concerns and more underneath, if the three gentlemen would do this charade, unless they are three stooges of Kenyatta and Ruto. Who are playing forged games by Cambridge Analytica and trying to figure the pulse of Kenyans. To see if they care about a citizen losing citizenship and being deported. FYI: they do. They feel insulted and so should you.
This is not fun and games, this a sad reality. It should have been otherwise, but it isn’t. The State doesn’t give a damn, they are violently and aggressively taking their own. They are sending them away. Not giving in.
Miguna didn’t deserve this, neither did anyone else get the state sanctioned violence during the campaigns, the post-election from the police or the government. But they did, because they don’t really matter. Not like the President do, who has a motorcade passing Mombasa Road yesterday with 38 cars. Not all of Kenyans are that wealthy, they are kidnapped and lose their citizenship, because of your rule.
The world knows this now and your loyal minions are serving that will, taking away everything from the people who doesn’t matter to you. It is evident. Miguna is one of them, first of many, who knows who else will be kidnapped and taken away, lose their rights and lose their place in the Republic. Who knows?
Only Kenyatta and Ruto does, because they orders this mess. Peace.