November 11, 2014 (SSNA) -- The leadership of the Greater Eastern Jikany Nuer in Diaspora (EJND) has vigorously rejected any peace deal that would retain president Salva kiir as the president. The group also demands Uganda to withdraw its troops from the violence-wracked South Sudan.

In a press statement extended to the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA), the agency said that any peace deal requiring Kiir to remain in power is not suitable; labeling the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation movement (SPLm) party meeting which was conducted in Tanzania last month as ‘dangerous’.

“If the rumors we heard about the Arusha, Tanzania meeting are true ‘to consider the President Salva Kiir to continue as the president of the Republic of South Sudan for the next few years’, [then], what is the logic behind this and where is the common sense to stop the president who killed the very civilians who brought him in power?,” the block asked.

The EJND further declared that South Sudan is not a safe place under the current South Sudanese President and that Kiir must either step down or face an increase resistance from opposing forces.

“In order to make South Sudan a safer and better place for humanity and wildlife to live in peace and harmony Salva MUST step down, otherwise we will resist Salva Kiir Mayardit’s regime until he agrees to a truce,” the agency warned.

The agency also criticizes Uganda for taking side in the conflict, demands Ugandan soldiers to leave South Sudan, and calls for Yoweri Museveni to be punished for using cluster bombs.

“For peace to prevail in South Sudan, Uganda MUST leave South Sudan and president Yoweri Museveni MUST be accountable for using cluster bombs on South Sudan soil on civilians in Jongle state comprising Bor, Murle and Lou Nuer,” it added.

The leadership of the EJND also indicated that it wants the victims of the ongoing war to be compensated, urges warring side to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, demands Kiir to admit that he ordered the killing of innocent Nuer in Juba late late year, and calls on the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to punish those who instigated the killings in Juba.

The press statement bears the signatures of Kir Riek Majiok, the President of Eastern Jikany Nuer Council of Australia, John Wiyual Kuach the Vice President of Eastern Jikany Nuer Council of Australia, Mary Nyanthuok Muon, the Chairwoman of Jikany Community of United States, Riek Gach Gatluak, Vice Chair of Jikany Community of United States, John Pur Kuon, the chairman of Jikany Nuer Community Association in Canada, and Isaiah Koang Malual, the Vice chairman of Jikany Nuer Community Association in Canada.

The Eastern Jikany Nuer in Diaspora is an umbrella organization for the Greater Jikany Nuer communities. It is made up of the Jikany Community of United States, Eastern Jikany Nuer Council of Australia, and the Jikany Nuer Community Association in Canada.

Darfur News Update by Radio Dabanga (5 - 11 November)

November 12, 2014 (SSNA) -- The villagers of Tabit in North Darfur are shocked after Unamid concluded on Monday that it did not find “any evidence or information” about a reported mass rape. The UN-AU peacekeeping mission visited the village, accompanied by government officials, five days after a verification patrol was denied access to investigate the mass rape of many women and girls in Tabit on 31 October. A delegation of five members of the Coordination Committee of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Darfur also visited the village last Friday. They told Radio Dabanga that they “met 60 women and girls, we looked into their eyes while they told us they were raped by Sudanese soldiers (...) How can [the Unamid] conclude the rape did not take place?”. A group of women in Tabit claimed it has treated “at least 50 women” who were raped. “What about all those girls? They are suffering.”

Several UN Security Council members raised serious concerns about the presence of Sudanese military while Unamid peacekeepers interviewed the villagers, atthe council's meeting on Monday. “I think that every Unamid staff member was accompanied by at least three people, from the security, police, or military,” a Unamid team member described to Radio Dabanga. A couple of Sudanese opposition parties and the council of Fur tribes on Tuesday demanded the formation of an independent inquiry into the mass rape, following Unamid’s statement. Despite the mounting evidence that the mass rape took place, Unamid stated last Monday that it “neither found any evidence, nor received any information regarding the allegations in the media during the period in question”.

Radio Dabanga last week recorded testimonies of several victims and two local leaders. They confirmed that government forces raped many, “around 200”, women and girls in the night of 31 October, when the soldiers were looking for a comrade who had gone missing in the area. The spokesman for the Sudanese army, Colonel El Sawarmi Khaled Saad, dismissed the allegations in a press conference on Sunday. He wondered how 200 women could have been violated, while Tabit is a small village. “The accusation does not resemble Sudan’s moral values. This is impossible.” He explained that a UN verification patrol was denied access to Tabit earlier last week because it had not obtained permission from the authorities.

Farmers slain by herders as land disputes flare up

Tensions between farmers and herders in the Darfur region flare up, owing to the grazing of livestock that coincides with the start of the harvest season. Militant herders killed four farmers in separate incidents in North Darfur this weekend. Three farmers were shot dead when armed herders opened fire on them in Shangil Tobaya, south of El Fasher, on Friday, a relative of one of the deceased told Radio Dabanga. Three other farmers were wounded, he said. In Kabkabiya locality, a mother was shot dead when she tried to prevent the herders from letting their cattle graze on her farm on Saturday. Her son barely survived the attack, a witness in Um Laota, 4 km north of Kabkabiya, reported. Farmers in villages east of Kutum town in North Darfur reported that their crops were damaged by the grazing cattle of herders. “They let their animals graze by force of arms,” one of the farmers revealed. He estimated the damage of the crops at “thousands of Sudanese pounds”. The early grazing does not start until February, farmers in Manawashi, South Darfur, stressed last week. Via Radio Dabanga, they called upon the herders to adhere to this schedule.

Insecurity and displacements in Darfur and South Kordofan areas will have a negative impact on the harvests that start in October, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network reported in September. Sudan’s staple food crops did enjoy above-average rainfall during the rainy season last summer.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

Hemorrhagic fever spreads in Sudan's South Kordofan

KADUGLI (11 Nov.) - People in Kadugli, Abu Jubaiha, and Habila localities in South Kordofan have complained about the outbreak of an unknown fever. Meanwhile, the state’s Health Minister acknowledged... FULL STORY

'Sudan army has no right to dismiss Darfur rape reports': activist

KHARTOUM (11 Nov.) - A human rights activist in Sudan said that the Sudanese army has no right to dismiss the accusations “until it has heard witnesses and victims from all sides”. The military... FULL STORY

South Darfur camp leader asks displaced to return for food rations

NYALA (10 Nov.) - Leaders of El Salam camp in Nyala locality, South Darfur, have asked the newly displaced people who left the camp to work on farms, to return immediately. They will be registered... FULL STORY

EU ambassadors call for improved access in Darfur

NYALA (9 Nov.) - European Union ambassador Tomas Ulicny stressed that the conflict in the Darfur region continues to witness “serious human rights violations”, and called on all Sudanese parties... FULL STORY

Sudanese stranded in Libya demand help from embassy

BENGHAZI (9 Nov.) - Sudanese citizens who have been stranded in Benghazi city, Libya, have complained about the disregard by the Sudanese Embassy in Tripoli and the Consulate in Benghazi to transport... FULL STORY

Khartoum hospital strikes after arrests, protest

KHARTOUM (7 Nov.) - The workers in the Khartoum Teaching Hospital went on strike on Thursday. Their strike is aimed against the security apparatus' summons and detentions of several members of the... FULL STORY

More South Darfur displaced arrested in security campaign

KASS (7 Nov.) - The security service arrested six more displaced people in South Darfur's Kass camp, accusing them of collaborating with armed rebel movements. 33 persons in total are now in... FULL STORY

High Red Sea officials arrested in Port Sudan

PORT SUDAN (7 Nov.) - A number of high government and corporate officials in Port Sudan were arrested on charges of collaborating with foreign countries, sources say. The arrests seem to follow a... FULL STORY

EU delegation donates €11 mln in aid to South Darfur

NYALA (7 Nov.) - The European Union will donate €11 million in aid to support development projects in South Darfur, following a visit of EU ambassadors to Nyala’s Kalma camp on Thursday. They met... FULL STORY

‘Corruption in Nyala land selling’: South Darfur committee

NYALA (6 Nov.) - Corruption and serious violations in the selling of investment lands took place in Nyala locality, South Darfur, without the knowledge of the Director of Lands of the state. The... FULL STORY

‘Al Bashir unfit to chair any reconciliation’: Sudan’s Umma Party

KHARTOUM (6 Nov.) - The National Umma Party described President Omar Al Bashir’s speech on Sunday, in which he slammed the opposition party’s agreement with a rebel alliance, as “lies” and “... FULL STORY

Civilians injured as artillery pounds Darfur’s East Jebel Marra

DERIBAT (5 Nov.) - At least seven civilians were injured in heavy artillery bombardments by Sudanese government forces on an area north of Deribat in East Jebel Marra on Tuesday. Witnesses told... FULL STORY

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Introduction

November 12, 2014 (SSNA) -- Since 2001, members of South Sudanese Diaspora in the Western Hemisphere have been building cordial relationships with the United States Government and its public. As a result, Dr. John Garang de Mabior started to receive generous receptions from the U.S government, schools and think tanks. The members of the South Sudanese Diaspora continued to raise awareness for the conflict in the then Sudan until CPA was achieved and the nation of South Sudan became independent. The relationship that the United States had developed with South Sudan during the war, CPA and post-independence period was a huge asset for South Sudan in helping it take off and become a fast growing African economy. Unfortunately, these dreams evaporated as prospect of John Garang’s developmental state programs were left in oblivion due to misgovernment and false-start. This was all the more exacerbated by the uncertainty that the current senseless war has brought. The country has now plummeted into deep crisis and is on a freefall! Therefore, warring parties must prioritize peace and immediate termination of the conflict in order for this divided nation to reconcile again and live in peace and harmony.

The coming to the U.S. of Dr. D’Agoot has rekindled a dying flicker of hope for a viable and mutually respecting relationships between the U.S and South Sudan and a possibility of restoring peace to South Sudan, if more efforts are deployed. Dr. D’ Agoot presented programs and initiatives of strategic insights and solution scenarios to South Sudan conflict in meetings with some members of U.S Congress (South Sudan Caucus and Congressional, who in March 2014, wrote a letter to President Obama about South Sudan crisis); The U.S Department of State Department – Office of the Special Envoy; think tanks, such as, The United States Institute for Peace (USIP), Center for Strategic, and International Studies (CSIS), George Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, and Woodrow Wilson Center; schools, such as, The George Bush Institute of Policy Analysis at Texas A&M University, National Defense University, and University of Florida; Human Rights groups; and Press and Media.

In these meetings, Dr. D’ Agoot elaborated that the country did not just drift to war but came as a result of collective failures of the SPLM leadership manage political risks. He said that given country’s colonial legacy, it did not inherit any viable institutions at the independence and post-CPA SPLM perpetrated sectarianism and patrimonial system which failed to deliver security, development and social services, build peace or build a nation. In the absence of unifying external enemy that Khartoum was, and given lack of transformational leadership, the lid on age-old tribal animosities and conflicting nationalisms was removed, and it resulted into these dire consequences, he added.

Dr. D’Agoot urged South Sudanese to rise above their bitterness parochialism and unite in order to secure a prosperous future for the country. He called for peace and peace now! Dr. D’ Agoot is very optimistic that South Sudanese people will overcome this major drift and the crisis that it has borne – and, together united in search of destiny will emerge stronger. He told the South Sudanese Diaspora while paraphrasing Massimo d’Aziglo that “what we have achieved by bullets (war) and ballots (referendum) is a country called South Sudan; what has however remained to be achieved by consent and compromise is the nation of South Sudanese.”  He further illustrated that many deeply divided societies in Iraq, Lebanon, the former Yugoslavia and even Sudan, have achieved statehood before, but that did not automatically translate into nationhood. In other word, he implicated sectarianism. He urged South Sudanese that we must take pride in our diversities and work our way out to achieve ultimate South Sudanese citizenry with unified sentiment, new narrative and purpose.

Dr. D’ Agoot on the Root Causes of the South Sudan Civil War:

Dr. D’Agoot described that since 1983, violence has not relented in South Sudan even though warring factions had concluded a number reconciliation pacts which did not have clear impact on the grassroots’ peace. Because of focus on the referendum, genuine reconciliation and healing based on justice and accountability did not take place. He narrated that whilst the violence is South Sudan was stoked by the current civil war as a political factor, it also has its origins in historical, cultural, social, and economic factors. The 15 December 2013 incident only acted as a trigger but it was not the only single cause to the crisis. If the conflict was not complex and multi-dimensional, nothing would explain its spread outside Juba, upward trend in ethnic mobilization and atrocious acts that followed the outbreak of conflict and which were clearly a prelude to genocide. 

Dr. D’ Agoot gave riveting accounts of the SPLM internal rivalries since its first split in July 1983 which led to internal bloody conflict with an unacceptable human costs and  civilian devastation in eastern Upper Nile and Jonglei. In the subsequent years, the SPLM also experienced series of arrests of its top cadres, defections and also disappearances while in detention. In the wake of the 1991 split, the political contestations within the SPLM resulted in a ‘degenerate war’ when forces allied to Nasir Faction carried out a mass slaughter of civilians in Bor. Even though reconciliation of the factions was achieved in 1988 and 2002, justice was not served. He also alluded to near-cataclysm of November 2004 at Yei when Cdr. Salva Kiir Mayardit almost split from the SPLM. He lauded Dr. Garang leadership dexterity in the Rumbek meeting that resolved the crisis by creating a thaw in frosty relationships and ultimately reconciling the differences – an attribute which helped the country sailed on a rough wave to the CPA.

Dr. D’Agoot stated that the current conflict started immediately after the death of the father of the Nation – Dr. John Dr. Garang de Mabior on July 30, 2005. As General Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr. Riek Machar assumed the mantle of leadership, it became abundantly clear that the SPLM party was suffering from acute malady of internal divisions along the lines of previous splits or near-splits. Eventually three loose centers of power emerged – namely, the Yei Faction, The Nasir Nasir and the Torit Faction – with the Yei Group calling the shots, he clarified.

Dr. D’Agoot told the diaspora that in 2008, South Sudan escaped another near-catastrophe when the SPLM Convention was almost rocked by power struggle – prompting three eminent South Sudanese elders and statesmen – namely, Uncle Abel Alier, Gen. Joseph Lagu and Gen. Andrew Makur Thou – to intervene to defuse the situation when the SPLM hierarchy was kept intact. This became part of the broader consensus building framework that brought the SPLM election victory of 2010 and the overwhelming vote for independence at the referendum in 2011. He clarified that the rule of the thumb is that compromise than rigidity worked then and can still work in the future. This fragile equilibrium was maintained until when president Kiir ratcheted the tensions through his ‘Nuclear Option which he called Tsunami’ and ineptly calculated plot to destroy the SPLM and hand over its power to his newfound friends and allies including the NCP converts and hire-guns.

Dr. D’ Agoot stated that what finally happened was not that the country just drifted to war, or the crisis struck as thunderbolt from the clear blue sky. The crisis was precipitated and midwifed by the risky acts of its leaders – especially the SPLM leaders and its chief executive officer, and the vice chairman. This war could have been averted had the SPLM leaders acted responsibly by promoting internal dialogue and democratic debate; or heeded to the advice graciously given by the South Sudanese religious leaders, ANC, AUHIP, and the USG.

Dr. D’ Agoot On the Juba Attempted Coup Narrative:

Dr. D’Agoot explained that what transpired on 15 December 2013 was a mutiny within the Presidential Guard/Tiger Division even though it was deliberately mischaracterized by the Juba Government as a coup d’état to justify clampdown on peaceful dissent. A coup d’état could have targeted the Palace, key public installations, Radio and Television, the Airport, Juba Bridge, Communication Centers, the Central Bank, or even some key ministers and personnel in the government, he highlighted. If indeed they were part of an alleged coup, they could have physically participated in the fighting bringing along with them many of their supporters who have now died or are still fighting in defense of President Kiir.

He asserted that the composition of the presidential guard division was partially responsible for the crisis. Because it was formed from two ethnicities; Dinka and Nuer with overt allegiances to the president and former vice president, this unit was always volatile flashpoints because the majority of this unit came from Warrap and Unity States.  Given the lack of professionalism in the SPLA and disproportionate inclination of the elements of the presidential guard unit to partisan and political influence, it goes without saying that Kiir and Machar quarrels could have a ripple effect in the security sector.

Dr. D’Agoot narrated that, on 6 December 2013, they organized a press conference to address the issues of reforms in the party after the chairman had resorted to use state instruments of power to emasculate opponents and suppressing debate. He explained that a huge legion of SPLM cadres including those still in the government – notably Nhial Deng, Mayom Akec and Deng Athorbei – came out openly to advocate for reforms and democratic transformation of the Party and the country. He stressed that 6 December Press Conference was a nonviolent political action which convened legally and dispersed peacefully. In a similar vein, those representing an opposing view, gathered in the same venue to outline their response which was equally bellicose and critical of the group.

Dr. D’Agoot described how he and his colleagues (SPLM Leaders – Former Political Detainees) were picked up in their houses on 16 December 2013 and whisked away by the security agents to detention cells. Following their unjust detention on trumped up charges, they were put through a botched court process on trumped up charges of treason, violence, insurgency, murder, insulting the president, etc., he explained. He stressed that even though they were subjected to undeserving treatment by their government; they are not bitter and have forgiven their jailers. “We consider our ordeal as a fleabite (which is not a killer) and the plight of our country as snakebite (which is a real killer and which requires an urgent treatment), he humbly said.

He stressed that although majority of his colleagues are veterans of war of liberation, they are opposed to violence but will pursue nonviolent methods of struggle against the Juba Government to effect change and reforms in the management of public affairs – for in this ongoing war there are no glories to make. He added that he and Pa’gan Amum had chosen to remain inside the country but were forced into exile by the Government to join the rest of their exiled colleagues. He suggested that there is a dire need to charter new course for justice, accountability and reconciliation in order to possibly restore stability and peace in our country.

Dr. D’Agoot asserted that crimes against humanity and war crimes were committed in South Sudan by both the government and the SPLM (IO). He also pointed out that the SPLM leaders collectively must first accept the responsibility for grave social and economic injustice to people of South Sudan in the loss of vision of the SPLM. He stated that thousands have been killed; hundreds of thousands displaced and almost half the population is at the brink of starvation.

On Human Rights abuses, Dr. D’Agoot scorned the futility of lame excuse often provided by President Kiir and his associates that the killings of Nuer civilians in Juba and subsequently attack of the Nuer IDPs in Bor happened because of the so-called attempted coup or atrocities committed by the ‘White Army’ when they took control of Bor. He argued that when Sudan was one country, many coup attempts took place in Khartoum and there were no targeted killings based on ethnicity and region. Granted that there was a coup attempt by Nuer officers; would it justify a wanton killing of innocent civilians because of ethnicity? He exclaimed! He further described as unacceptable the illogical justification and victim posture advanced by the rebel leadership to justify actions of their fighters in Akobo, Bor, Malakal and Bentiu as retribution provoked by atrocities committed in Juba. He said that South Sudan was already on a dangerous road, and this war was exacerbated by susceptible situation for conflict.

Dr. D’ Agoot asserted tha the tendency to encourage reprisals on the basis of ‘Coalitional Guilt’ because President Kiir or Dr. Machar happened to be from this or that tribe and that all those linked to them by tribe or ancestry are culprits by extension is a heinous crime of the first order, he added. He applauded the AU for constituting the Abosanjo Commission of Inquiry of war crimes in South Sudan. He also saluted the UNMISS for preventing genocide and ethnic cleansing in South Sudan. He then called on the warring parties to end hostilities and US Government to take stern action against perpetrators of violence in the country.  

Dr. D’ Agoot On Corruption and His Role in the GRSS:

Dr. D’Agoot made it clear that he had served as a Deputy Director General for Sudan National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) for five year and half (March 2006 – July 2011); and later as Deputy Minister for Defense for the Republic of South Sudan for one year and half (September 2011 – July 2013). He was appointed as a deputy defense minister at the height of crisis between Sudan and South Sudan when oil was shut down and austerity measures introduced. The kind of cash that saturated the government departments of the GoSS was not even there given the resource drought caused by the oil shutdown. We simply managed all the national security and defense challenges, including the border war on a shoe-string budget. However, while in the National Security he said he was well-salaried and had earned good fortune like any other Spy Chief in the world! Dr. D’Agoot said that he made declaration of assets when he came to serve in the GRSS and during his time in the Ministry of Defense, he squeezed the paymasters and recovered SSP79M (Seventy Nine Million South Sudanese Pounds) which he returned to the Ministry of Finance. He made it clear that he has never been implicated in corruption.

Dr. D’ Agoot On Prospects for Lasting Peace in South Sudan:

Dr. D’Agoot emphasized that ‘Giving War a Chance’ to take its course is not the route to go. South Sudan is fragile and might rot in the process before that the war is ripe for settlement. The only option available is to ‘Give Peace a Chance’ and generate necessary ripening effect to pressure the parties to compromise, he said. “We call for an immediate termination of the conflict”; he stressed.

He also alluded to the need to ensure unimpeded access to the provision of humanitarian aid to the vulnerable population – further suggesting that any attempts to use food as a weapon of war must be met with vehement opposition that it deserves including the use of sanctions and prosecution for crimes against humanity.  

He also described the IGAD Protocol of August 2013 as contentious given the roadblocks and choke points that are inherent to it. In order to achieve peace, a careful bypass must designed around those roadblocks such as leadership architecture, eligibility or non-eligibility of the leaders of the warring parties in the next election, the issue of power sharing quotas and the President veto on the appointment of the Prime Minister. He also urged the United States government to remain seized with the peace process and to ensure that the people of South Sudan achieve peace and stability the soonest possible. He also asked South Sudanese communities in Diaspora to work together to destroy tribal fragmentations and create ‘South Sudanese’ eliminate hate speech in the cyberspace.

He suggested that justice and accountability are critical for the attainment of the lasting peace in the country. He said that South Sudan is a country that has precariously positioned itself at the crossroads and this nation must emerge from this conflict and set itself on a path towards sustainable peace. He urged South Sudanese people that there is a need to strategize ways of promoting peace, accountability and reconciliation to ensure healing. He is optimistic that the inquiry into the war crimes being conducted by the AU Special Commission under the former President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo, will release its findings soon. He hopes that, eventually, justice will be served in South Sudan and normalcy will return.

Dr. D’Agoot said that his group (the G-10) considers the issue of security sector transformation in the postwar period as the wicked problem of the entire peacemaking that might offset the peace; and called on the U.S. Government to redouble its commitment to help South Sudan out of this trap.

On the Arusha Intra-SPLM Dialogue, he maintained that in the absence of alternative national platforms, SPLM fragmentation – as we have seen – comes with dangers that impact negatively on national unity and stability of the country with far reaching consequences on society harmony.

In conclusion, it is important to point out that the audience that attended Dr. Majak D’Agoot’s meetings was diverse and engaging. It brought supporters of the Government, SPLM-IO, SPLM, FD, and others. They also came from different states and ethnicities of South Sudan. Given this medley of backgrounds, interests and expectations were diverse and these were manifest in the questions asked. It is common knowledge that some people came to Dr. D’Agoot’s events with the expectations that he will go viral and bitter against the government that detained him and his colleagues and caused them a great deal of vilifications. Others came to understand clearly where he and his colleagues really stand on the current crisis facing the country and to hear from the Horse’s Mouth their alternative narrative of 15 December 2013 incident. Others came to justify the claim by the government that they took part in plotting a coup d’état while other had come to argue why they took a middle course and did not join either President Kiir or Dr. Machar. Overall, the tour has achieved its desired outcomes and the organizing team would like to seize this opportunity to thank all who listened to him for their interest and the time they have invested to interact with him at various social and political levels. Finally, he said that “may God bless our Country South Sudan.”

This Statement Release was Prepared and Signed by Dr.Majak D’ Agoot USA Tour Committee in the following States: Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, New York, Texas, Missouri and Washington DC (USA).

Press statement: For immediate release; 12 November 2014

November 12, 2014 (SSNA) -- The South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) condemns in strongest terms possible the murder of former Yei Town; Cecilia Tito and her office manager who were killed by unknown armed persons on Friday night 7 November 2014 in Juba, South Sudan. According to various sources contacted, Mayor Cecilia and her officer were picked up at gun point from her home and later were murdered. The murder of Mayor Cecilia signals the level of inhumanity, hatred within South Sudanese society and utter disrespect of right to life which has reached an alarming rate in South Sudan. Her humiliation and final murder is an attack on the values of respect of humanity dignity which South Sudanese society has held for long but which have been diminished by tendency of institutions and individuals acting above the law.

SSHURSA sends condolences to the family, relatives, friends of Mayor Cecilia, people of Yei River County, people of Central Equatoria State and the entire South Sudanese society for such great loss. Her murder, like the assassination of Isaiah Abraham and the events of 15 December 2013, is an issue for which South Sudanese political leadership needs to renew its spirit to redefine destiny of South Sudanese people. What millions of lives were sacrificed for during the decades of independence wars was not for a lawless state. The level of lawlessness without functional rule of law enforcement mechanisms in South Sudan, has reached an extent that calls for conscience. The murder of Mayor Cecilia reflects similar circumstances against which South Sudanese fought the Sudan. Such situation is an unacceptable.

SSHURSA calls upon the government of South Sudan to genuinely investigate and apprehend the assassins. The government has always failed to bring anyone to justice in similar manner however, it remains the responsibility of the state to ensure that people and their property are protected and those who are responsible for such heinous crimes that violate human dignity particularly the right to life, are held accountable.

For more on this press release, contact SSHURSA through its Executive Director: Cell: +27749707905 E-mail: info@sshursa.org, South Africa

About SSHURSA:  SSHURSAis an incorporated non-political and non-profit making national human rights organization, founded by South Sudanese lawyers and Law Students on 5^th June 2007 at Law Development Centre (LDC), Makerere, Kampala, Uganda. In South Sudan, its operations started since 2009, with its headquarters in Juba and co-ordination offices in other states. Its vision: a democratic and human rights abiding South Sudan. Its mission is tomonitor, document and publish human rights status in the country. It also trains general public on human rights, constitution, rule of Law and international humanitarian law, all geared towards creating an informed citizenry that ensures justice and good governance oriented South Sudan. Website:  www.sshursa.org

Juba, November 15, 2014 (SSNA) -- The United States Ambassador to South Sudan, Charles Twining, said an SPLA soldier fired at his armored diplomatic convoy causing damage on windows and no one was injured.

“We have bulletproof glass, thankfully, because it put two big holes in them,” Twining was quoted as saying.

What caused the soldier to fire at US diplomatic convoy remains a mystery.

Colonel Philip Aguer, the Spokesperson for the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has denied that any shots were fired, claiming that a soldier of the SPLA only hit the US diplomatic vehicle “with the butt of his gun”.

Ambassador Twining stated that the incident occurred on the 19^th of October. He further added that all cars belonging to the US embassy were marked with diplomatic plates at the time of the incident.

Security in Juba has deteriorated soon after fighting broke out late last year.

Addis Ababa, November 15, 2014 (SSNA) -- An African Union (AU) diplomatic source in Ethiopia said the ongoing IGAD-led peace talks between South Sudan’s warring factions are not going well with many AU heads of States.

In an exclusive interview with the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA), source who demanded anonymity revealed that IGAD-led negotiations have become part of recurrent jokes among many leaders of the African Union. The source criticize South Sudanese political leaders.

“First of all, I am very sad to see our brothers and sisters dying every day there. I am equally sad to see political leaders of our youngest member [South Sudan] acting without clear roadmap for their people and the future of their country,” the source told the SSNA in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

“I can tell you that people joke everyday at the AU headquarters…and it is all about that IGAD-led peace talks are not convincing at all,” the source added.

The source also disclosed that many heads of States of the African Union are not sure whether or not IGAD will succeed in its search for a peaceful solution to the conflict.

“Frankly speaking, the current IGAD-led peace talks have already annoyed enough member States of the AU. People are asking themselves as to why East African Leaders who are respected members of the union unsuccessfully try to come up with a fair arrangement that could benefit both sides of the conflict,” the source continued.

The source further revealed that the African Union is currently weighing options that could counter the looming collapse of the peace talks, adding that a good number of influential African Union leaders are already fed up with IGAD’s numerous failed approaches and that they are in secret discussions.

Fighting erupted in Juba in Mid-December last year between different units of presidential guards after months of political turmoil among senior leaders of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) party.

President Kiir accuses his main-rival, Former South Sudanese Vice president Dr. Machar, of planning a coup, Machar denies the allegation saying Kiir premeditated the alleged coup in an attempt to try to get rid of his opponents.

By Mekonen Tefere

Addis Ababa, November 17, 2014 (SSNA) -- Peace Ambassador [Gatwech Koak Nyuon] Condemns the Drinking water poison in Kule refugee camp of Ethiopia and urges the UN and Ethiopian Government to Thoroughly Test the Water before Distribution and Investigate the Cause behind the Poison. 

Oxfam is tasked with water distribution in Kule Camp.

Gatwech deliberately talked to the refugees’ leadership through the mobile phone and confirmed that the incident had already taken place. More than 200 refugees are pronounced to be patients and admitted in MSF Hospital at Kule One (1).

Peace Ambassador discloses to the Media that refugees from ‘Zone-C’ become poison’s victims. He hoped that the Ethiopian Government and UN will work closely to implement the meticulous investigation to discover the cause of the poison and suggest the pre-testing for water as well as weekly water-tank cleansing by the concern Agency who deal with water. He said.

Gatwech strongly condemns the incident and term it as “lack of skill and specialization or motivational incident”.

Early this year in July, Gatwech launched his personal campaign to voluntary work as a voice for refugees by conducted a research in Refugee Camp and later named by Ethiopian Churches to be a Peace Ambassador. He launched a video Camp titled ‘Urgent call of prayer by Gatwech Koak Nyuon ’ two months ago and recently launched a pictorial campaign through his Official Fan Page ‘KICK WAR OUT OF SOUTH SUDAN’.

Ethiopia is nearly hosted more than 190,000 refugees mainly from Nuer tribe in Western Region of Gambella.

The author can be reached on: mekonentefere@gmail.com.

Darfur News Update by Radio Dabanga (12 - 18 November)

November 18, 2014 (SSNA) -- The head of the African Union panel that brokers the peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and the rebel SPLM-N, disclosed on Monday that the parties are close to concluding an agreement on the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. He further revealed that these peace negotiations will be “synchronised” with negotiations on the Darfur region with the armed rebel movements. 

The negotiations with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North are adjourned for 'a few days’ because the delegations need to consult on some additional documents, Thabo Mbeki, chairman of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) said in the capital of Ethiopia. “We adjourn with really a lot of confidence that we are not too far from concluding an agreement.” The parallel meeting on the Darfur region, between the Sudanese government and Darfur’s rebel movements, will resume on 23 November. “There is one process, but two tracks,” Mbeki said, explaining that “the contents of the underlying documents [for South Kordofan and Blue Nile, and for Darfur] will be shared, to prove that there is a comprehensive peace agreement”. Peace negotiations between the government and the SPLM-N resumed on 12 November, after a  previous round in April stalled. Both sides stuck to their divergent positions on the cessation of hostilities and security arrangements.

UN agencies do not have access to areas held by the SPLM-N. According to the regional coordination unit SKBNCU, however, there are an estimated 650,000 people who are displaced by fighting between the government and the rebels in the SPLM-N areas of South Kordofan. Another 65,000 are displaced in Blue Nile’s rebel-held areas, as of October this year.

Sudan again blocks Unamid's mass rape investigation

The United Nations’ Secretary-General urged the Sudanese government on Monday to grant the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur “unfettered access” to Tabit, North Darfur, to investigate the serious allegations of a mass rape by Sudanese soldiers on 31 October. On Sunday, Khartoum announced it does not permit the Unamid to visit Tabit a second time. The Foreign Ministry said the claims of a mass rape have raised anger amongst the villagers. “They are very hostile against Unamid, which stained the reputations and chastity of the women in the area”. The government has tasked the special prosecutor of Darfur crimes to investigate the reports too. During the past week, the European Union, the United States, Norway, Sudanese opposition parties and women activist groups have called for unrestricted access for Unamid to Tabit and its population. Unamid stated it did not find any evidence for the mass rape after its first and only visit to Tabit, 50 km south-west of El Fasher, on 9 November. The mission did not mention that its investigators were heavily accompanied by Sudanese military and police forces, who filmed the interviews. Aicha Elbasri, the former spokesman of Unamid, criticised the peacekeepers for allowing their presence during the interaction with villagers, in an interview with APA. “The [forensic] evidence has disappeared, the population was intimidated by soldiers, and the government was in full control of the place,” she stressed, two weeks after the rape happened. 

Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the military arrested 26 men in Tabit last week, and that about 150 soldiers were transferred from the garrison to El Fasher in trucks last Wednesday. They said that military officers had asked which people in Tabit had spoken to Radio Dabanga, which reported about the mass rape on 2 November. Witnesses and victims described how Sudanese soldiers from a nearby garrison entered Tabit two days before, beat and dispersed all the men, and collectively raped "about 200 women and girls" for several hours.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

‘Heavy air raids’ in North Darfur

EL FASHER (18 Nov.) - The Sudanese Air Force has carried out intensive air raids on villages in North Darfur targeting civilians, utilities, water sources, livestock and farms. Speaking to Radio... FULL STORY

Displaced ‘arrested, whipped, tortured’ in South Darfur

KASS LOCALITY (18 Nov.) - Security authorities arrested eight displaced people in the area of Saboun El Fagur, east of Kass locality in South Darfur on Sunday. According to the women’s coordinator of the... FULL STORY

Firewood collectors raped, beaten in South Darfur
KALMA CAMP (18 Nov.) - Four women from Kalma camp in Bielel locality, South Darfur, were raped on Saturday, while other members of their group were beaten by militiamen. Saleh Issa, the Secretary-... FULL STORY

Reporter to face charges in West Kordofan
EN NAHUD (18 Nov.) - Journalist Aisha El Samani is to appear in court in En Nahud in West Kordofan next week to face charges related to entering and photographing military areas. El Samani, who works... FULL STORY

North Darfur's Tawila market closed since abductions

TAWILA (17 Nov.) - The local market in Tawila town, North Darfur, has been closed for almost a week as a result of the abduction of three men from inside the market. Militant members of the Abbala... FULL STORY

Two killings, abductions in Central Darfur spark protest

NIERTETI/TAWILA (16 Nov.) - Pro-government militiamen shot dead two people in Nierteti locality, Central Darfur, on Wednesday. The militiamen also abducted seven persons. A 45-year-old farmer in East Jebel... FULL STORY

Food relief for Darfuris displaced or affected by tribal conflict

ADILA/ABU KARINKA/UM DAFUG (16 Nov.) - Aid organisations managed to send food supplements to more than 2,000 children in East Darfur localities, after the supplies were stuck in the state's capital for the past three... FULL STORY

African Centre concerned about Sudanese stranded in Libya

BENGHAZI/TRIPOLI (15 Nov.) - The African Centre for Human Rights Studies expressed its deep concern over the sufferings of thousands of Sudanese stranded in the Libyan city Benghazi, because of the poor... FULL STORY

Health Ministry registers hemorrhagic fever in North Darfur

EL FASHER (14 Nov.) - The North Darfur Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported that 81 cases of hemorrhagic fever were registered between 28 August and 5 November in El... FULL STORY

Sudan launches demobilisation for ex-rebels in Darfur

EL FASHER (14 Nov.) - The Sudan Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission launched the demobilisation exercise for combatants belonging to different former rebel groups in Darfur on... FULL STORY

Inflation eases in Sudan: statistics office

KHARTOUM (14 Nov.) - Sudan's inflation rate declined for a third consecutive month in October, slowing to 28.2 percent from 39.2 percent in September, the Central Statistics Office said on Wednesday,... FULL STORY

Visit to Sudan’s detainees stopped by Presidency

KHARTOUM (13 Nov.) - A scheduled visit by members of Sudan’s National Dialogue Committee (NDC) to political detainees in Khartoum’s Kober Prison on Thursday was called-off by the Presidency at the... FULL STORY

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Note to Editor: Following the Ebola virus outbreak, the United Nations set up its first-ever public health mission – the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) to deal with the pandemic. In this interview with Newton Kanhema for Africa Renewal, David Nabarro,the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ebola, discusses the UN’s efforts to bring the virus under control.

New York, November 18, 2014 (SSNA) -- Africa Renewal: Can you tell us the status of the UN response to the Ebola outbreak?

David Nabarro: The outbreak is a completely unprecedented situation. We have had outbreaks of Ebola over the last 40 years but we’ve never had one on this scale. That's why the global community decided to mount an extraordinary response. The UN is supporting the efforts of governments, non-governmental partners and other international donors. We are bringing together all the different parts of the UN under UNMEER. We anticipate that 70% of people infected with Ebola will be under treatment by the end of November and that at least 70% of all burials will be safe and dignified.

We also anticipate that the disease spread would begin to diminish in the speed it was accelerating and that the outbreak curve would start bending downwards by the beginning of January 2015. There is still a long way to go in terms of people coming under treatment, but the burials are safer and more dignified and in some parts of the region the outbreak curve is beginning to bend. But I want to stress that we are still a long way from the outbreak being under control and ending.

We have seen more than 5,000 fatalities in the three most-affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Is the situation stabilizing?

Well, the situation is varied across the affected countries. In some counties in Liberia, there are reports that the acceleration rate is slowing down. In other areas, particularly some of the urban communities and particularly in parts of Sierra Leone, it’s still expanding at a rapid rate. We don’t have the full data. It is uneven but it’s what we expected: as the response intensifies we begin to see improvements in some areas.

How far do you think we are from seeing the end of this pandemic?

I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s quite a long way away. I’m not sure what lies between now and the end of the tunnel. The difficulty with an outbreak like this is that it is unpredictable and can take a sudden turn for the worse at any time. There can be new chains of transmission and we might find that fatalities have shot up more than two or three weeks ago. I’m reticent about making predictions, either how long it’s going to take or how bad it will be before we get it under control. If I put a date on it, then I will almost certainly end up being wrong. 

Is the current virus strain in West Africa more virulent than the strain we have seen in Central Africa?

There are no differences in the spread pattern. What really matters here is that everybody should know that if people come under treatment early, then there’s a good chance that they’re going to survive.

About $1 billion is needed to control the spread of the disease. How far have we gone towards that target?

In September 2014 the UN appealed for nearly $1 billion. As of now, we have received nearly $800 million. However, because the disease has spread further since the appeal, we have revised it upward to $1.5 billion so as to attend to the 70% of the cases under treatment and 70% safe burials up to March 2015. There may be a need for more resources after the end of March. 

There have been complaints that some countries are giving less than what is expected of them. How would you characterize the international response so far?

Well, in general, governments, the wider public, and businesses have been incredibly generous. What has happened is that sometimes they’ve gone back to national treasuries and asked them to re-examine the amounts they were putting up and to perhaps, come up with further contributions. One country has had four tranches of assistance. Several other countries have provided further bursts of assistance, hence I am not keen to criticise any country. We’ve also seen incredible generosity from foundations. For example, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation put in $100 million, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave $50 million, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation gave $20 million. Individual members of the public are putting money into charity appeals. Business people from all over the world have also been generous.

What is your assessment of contributions by African countries?

I’ve talked a lot with African leaders, with the African Union, ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States], the East African Community, and also with African business people and civil society. Africans are extremely concerned about this outbreak and are doing their share. 

We also hear some pledges have not been met. Is this true?

Most of the countries that pledged have actually remitted or committed their funds extremely quickly. I know of no country or organization that pledged and has not made the funds available. If there are any issues, they may be the normal administrative bottlenecks that sometimes occur with this kind of assistance.

In that case, the $800 million pledged has been delivered?

Not all the money is in bank accounts, but there’s a term called “commitment,” which has legal value because it means that the money will come, and we can afford, therefore, to spend against that money. It is only a pledge that must be received before being spent.  The $800 million reflects commitments. It’s been a very extraordinary response.

What is the UN doing to avoid delays, if there are any, in terms of the money coming in?

What I have been doing, for example, on the trust fund that the Secretary-General has set up and I am responsible for, is to establish a system so that we have a seven-day cycle. When the money comes in, we get proposals of how that money will be spent within those seven days.

Do you think this outbreak could have been avoided?

My role is to focus on where we are now. I’m sure that at some point there will be a need to do a historical analysis – what we call in medicine a “post-mortem.” That is not for me to do; it is not my area of expertise

When SARS hit Asia, you were playing the same role as now. Can you tell us what is different this time round?

This outbreak is in a part of the world where health systems are not the strongest. It’s also a virus with high death rates. It requires very close contact tracing. We have seen that countries that are able to act fast can get it under control, especially when they are prepared: Nigeria and Senegal are examples, Mali is also reacting quickly. We’ve also seen that in certain counties and districts in the affected countries where the response has been robust and intense, the virus’ acceleration has been reduced. So you need a high degree of organization and discipline. This means preparedness. 

Going forward, what have we learnt? 

Three words: preparedness, vigilance and solidarity. Being ready, being alert and working together, because diseases don’t respect borders. We must remember what this disease has done and put up defences so that this kind of suffering and misery doesn’t happen again.

Africa Renewal

November 23, 2014 (SSNA) -- Late Prophet Gony Yuot Chan was born around nineteen twenty eight at Pawarja, West of Haat Payam in Ayod County. He grew up at Haat where his parent came to build their resident. His father Yuot Chan Wangjak was from Bang Community (Chieng chie) but came to live with his in-law, Chiengper, Nyanuar Mut‘s ancestral kinsmen in Nyang Community. Yuot was married to many wives as Africans believed in having many children as source of wealth and protection.

Gony was tall and huge. He grew up faster than his age mates and couldn’t be challenged in a fight by his mate physically easily. He was initiated from childhood to adulthood during the year of Nyalang, a mad woman who used to said that her beautiful body could not be buried and fed on by ants instead should be eaten by human being. Nyalang’s dreams came to passed on a rainy day. As many were looking for shelter, she set a hat (luak) with goats in it on fire and ran into it(luak). The building burned on them into ashes. The residents came late for rescue but were lucky enough to have a ready meat to eat. They got busy eating not knowing that amongst the meat was Nyalang’s portion. They only discovered different bone which does not look like goats’ bone and came to know that it was Nyalang hers. The year was latter name after her as years were name after events those days. His age set is Guoluong. He was known as Bilyian after his Oxen.

As they were playing traditional dance as gentlemen, Gony jumped unusual jumped, as he landed, he told his friends and brothers that he was not feeling fine. He was taken home and the situation became worst. He was nurse without medical care for there was no hospital those days. There was no much to be done and everything was handed over to God to do his part. Gony mysteriously got healed. He began to do unusual things. They were at Nyalual a place near Haat Payam by then.

The spirit that possessed him came to be known as Deng as he explained himself through Bilyian the prophet. Deng’s primary responsibilities were to give rain, children to barren amongst others. He was there to help in time of trouble. Bilyian was the solutions point for many locals from far and close.

He got married to his first wife Nyapar Puoch Both and latter married forty eight others after her. The following are his wives:

• Nyapar Puoch Both
• Jany Nguot Nyak
•  Nyakhan Garang Diew
• Nyakoang Riek Bidiet
• Nyacuoka Gatkuoth
• Nyabieli Kulang Puot Khor
• Nyadiang Wal Yach Tieng
• Nyakuol Nhial Joak
• Nyangeay Tut Kuannyang
• Nyakoang Tut Dhuor
• Nyarieka Biel Pan
• Nyanewuor Wieu Luach
• Nyawuora Chok Koang
• Nyaniet Kuachnyang Tut
• Nyageng Gai Luok
• Nyakuok Kulang
• Nyadiang Panom Puot
• Kuon Rial Nyang
• Nyaroak Tong Wuol
• Nyakoakni Thou Joak
• Nyayiech Dar Nhial
• Nyadak Gai Their
• Nyabol Kulang Tut
• Nyalithe Lim Lam
• Nyapuoya Nyuon Wuol
• Nyabieli Koang Kang
• Nyayien Muolpiny Gatgak
• Nyakuei khan Pech
• Nyatut Bol Liem
• Nyabuok Ruot Khan
• Nyakek Maitek Mar
• Nyanjang Mayen Citang
• Nyakoang Gai Deng
• Nyamile Thiep Toch
• Nyaluak Thiep Chuol
• Nyabhaba Biel
• Nyaluak Kutin Juoth
• Nyaluok Nyak Chuol
• Nyaluok Mer Pakur
• Nyatapa Koryom Piem
• Nyatapa Mayuok Gany
• Nyapuoka Dhendhen Nguen
• Nyakoang Padiet Diing
• Nyaguen Deng Thior
• Nyayuak Bol Deng
• Nyaluak Kutin
• Nyadet Deng Kuol
• Nyakhor Bichok Tuel
• Nyathoari Kuol Garang

Gony sub-names his family as follows; Chieng-wuol, chieng-garang,chieng-buok, chieng-makuac,chieng-chak, chieng-biel and chieng-wieu amongst others.Gony dedicated forty eight of his wives to Deng under the above sub-name family. He married Nyaluak Thiep as his personal wife. The rest are Deng’s wives.

Gony left Haat and built his resident at Belewich and Payowyow due to the flood that displaced the people around the river bank in nineteen sixties which caused massive migration amongst the Gawaar Community.

In nineteen sixties, Gai Tut a rebel by then charged him (Gony) with responsibility of solving cases which cannot be solved by the local chiefs. With the respect he had earned from the local communities around he was able to bring solutions to difficult cases.

In 1967, Wichar Luoth had a case with his in-laws and wanted to separate with his wife hence he was demanding his dowry back. He was given almost all his cows but was told by his in-laws not to take one of the cows. They told him that he will come to take it latter because they want to use its milk to feed his baby. He disagreed and they took the case to local chiefs. The chiefs judged in favor of his in-laws but he could not agree to that. When the case was brought to Gony, he sided with the chiefs’ verdict and ruled in their favor. Wichar left the area and followed Gai and his group. While with Gai,Wichar missed informed him about the case. He gave wrong information concerning the issue at hand.

Paul Awel, a Dinka who was a deputy to Gai said, he will go and look into the case and will try his best to get a better solution. While on his way to meet BILYIAN (Gony), Wichar told Paul that he will risk his life trying to solve what he will not solved. He instead advised Paul to killed Gony before Gony killed him. Paul agreed to carry out the planned assassination. The insiders who did not agreed to be part of the evil plan sent someone to informed Bilyian as early as possible.

Gony went into hiding to see what the soldiers will do at home but he was in the area. When Paul Awel arrived at Gony’s resident he did not find Gony at home which provoked him to beat everyone around including Yuot and Nyanuar the parent to Bilyian demanding the where about of the prophet. No one was ready to reveal his whereabouts which caused the commander to be more furious. He killed Gony brother-in-law and asked Gony’s parent to eat the cooked human meat which they turned down and asked the soldiers to eat it if it will please them to do so.

When Bilyian heard of this, he planned to leave for Haat on the others of the river where he grew up. On his way the soldiers followed him and this called for a massive resistance from Great Pulwaar communities. Gony declared war and with the help of Deng, the spirit it was not easy for the soldiers. They were defeated by the gallant forces of pulwaar. Gony and Chief Gatwech Diet got assistance from the national government. They got guns and ammunitions from the government since it was an opportunity for the government to deal with the rebels. They also collaborated with Maker Thijok Dol from Lou Nuer and Prophet Kun Thol from Gaguang, Jikany Nuer.

The gallant forces of pulwaar followed the rebels wherever they go. The rebels’ then killed some girls in a cold blood and claimed that it was Gony guards who did that. This provoked Prophet Ruei to fight back Bilyian on behave of the rebel when they pursuit him to fight Gony with intention of getting divine support from another prophet hence the war between Gony and Ruei.

Gony was latter arrest together with other Nuer prophets by the governments with influence from the integrated rebels who were their former foes. Gony with his colleague were humiliated and were taken to different prisons and courts across the nation. Many of his colleagues lost their lives in the process but Bilyian came home more victorious.

Due to harsh condition and unhealthy environment he lost his sight and could hardly hear. He talked to people through an interpreter after his released. When he came back home he told his sons to go to school and convert to Christianity if it please them to do so. But he and his wives were not ready to abandon their religion and convert to a new one. They were not ready to buy that idea under the sun as long as they live.

In this current crisis in South Sudan, Gony mourned the death of more than five sons who died fighting for freedom or in self-defend. He would have played a great role personally but was unable to get actively involve as he would have wishes due to his age and health condition. He was a veteran and a freedom fighter.

Prophet Gony Yuot Chan has a kind heart. A heart that extend helps even to the enemies. He was a father and a grandfather to all in his life time. He passed away on 11^th/10/2014. Gony will be missed and remembered as a kind man who devoted his entire life on helping other. He was a symbol of unity and a role model to all who were with him.

He is survived by sons, daughters and grandchildren. He was a kind husband, father, grandfather, leader and above all a prophet just to mention but few. His memories will never die for generations to come. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

The profile of the late Prophet, Eng. Gony Yuot was compiled by his family for public used.

Press release

SUBJECT: NUER YOUTH AUSTRALIA’S POSTION ON PEACE AND SECURITY iN SOUTH SUDAN

November 23, 2014 (SSNA) -- On behalf of the Nuer Youth Association in Australia and on my own behalf, we strongly oppose and reject the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) proposal that give president Salva Kiir another chance to be the leader of the upcoming transitional government of South Sudan. From our perspectives, Kiir lost his legitimacy mandate as a president after ordering his private army to conduct genocide, massacre and crime against humanity. As the result of his misconduct of the country affairs, suddenly turned his barrel on his countrymen that resulted in loss of (20,000) innocent Nuer civilians on 15 to 21 December 2013 in Juba. Therefore, the situation escalated across South Sudan and the situation deteriorated at greater magnitude that confirmed President Salva Kiir as a criminal who violated human rights and committed crime against humanity. We, the civil society advise that IGAD and international communities should not to reward president Salva Kiir who responsible for human rights violations, such as gang rapping, looting properties, insecurity and creating mass displacement of ordinary civilians across South Sudan.

In regard to cessation of hostilities, we observed that some of IGAD leaders are not sincere or committed to bringing peace and stability to the people of South Sudan. As we are aware that some of IGAD countries such as Uganda forces and other mercenaries including Justice and Equality Movement (GEM) and SPLA north-Sudan

Fighting alongside president Salva Kiir forces since conflict started on 15^th December 2013. Whilst, IGAD and international communities have failed to bring President Salva Kiir to justice or force him to respect the cessation of hostilities that he signed on the 9^th January 2014. However, many peace agreements has been reached since 9^th January 2014, but were not honored by president Salva Kiir and his forces, which are still attacking civilians while his security agents still conducting assassinations against innocents Nuer civilians particularly in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) camps in Juba, Malakal, Bor and Bentiu towns.  

Although, we are very sincere and clear about the peace and stability in South Sudan, thus we do not support IGAD proposal to keep us under president Salva Kiir leadership, which is responsible for lost of our loved ones. Therefore, we do not trust president Salva Kiir to lead South Sudan anymore.

We, Nuer youth of Australia reject president Salva Kiir to be the leader of the upcoming transitional government of South Sudan for following reasons:

§ President Salva Kiir has admitted that he recruited and trained about 30,000 militias from Dinka tribes in two States of Warrap and Northern Bahr El Ghazel under Paul Malong direction. Such act indicate that president Salva Kiir intentionally planned to kill, massacre and genocide against innocent Nuer civilians in Juba, while the root cause of the conflict was a politically motivated between Salva Kiir and his rivalry colleagues.

§ Salva Kiir is responsible for the killing of (45,000) innocent Nuer civilians in Juba, Malakal, Bentiu and Bor, which he is the masterminded of the current conflict in South Sudan.

§ Salva Kiir chosen to protect his suicidal regime by inviting foreign troops and other mercenaries such as Ugandan forces, Justice and Equality Movement (GEM) and SPLA north-Sudan.

§ Salva Kiir recently signed military cooperation between his government and the Ugandan government to prolong the war and continue killing innocent Nuer civilians.

§ Salva Kiir did not honour the promises he made during peace process by breaking cease-fire agreements.

§ Salva Kiir mobilised youth from different tribes (e.g. Maban, Shulluk, Dinka Bor, Equatorans, Bahr El Gazal and Murlei) and he armed them to kill innocent Nuer civilians.

§ Recently, the South Sudan’s parliament under Kiir leadership has passed a deadly Security Bill with intention to kill every Nuer and particularly IDPs as the closer target for his forces to carry out crimes against humanity and the prove was recent innocent occurred in Malakal when a Nuer Aid worker was kidnapped and many Nuer disappeared in Juba.

§ Since Juba massacre 15 December 2013, we call on president Salva Kiir to step down to give peace a chance and end the conflict in the South Sudan, but he rejected South Sudanese call and he decided to use oils money to buy weapons from Chinese companies to kill more innocent Nuer instead of helping vulnerable people (e.g. IDPs).

§ President Salva Kiir has destroyed entire Nuer nation at large including properties, livestocks and other assets in the greater Upper Nile region.

All the above-mentioned reasons are truthful and factual. Therefore, we cannot or will not accept Salva Kiir to be given another chance to commit more genocides or massacres against our people. We need new leadership in South Sudan, which will respect human rights and rule of law.

However, we support immediate peace in South Sudan as we have been calling for peace since 15^th December 2013. We want a permanent peace and not a fake peace as IGAD want to impose on South Sudan. We support transitional government that has assurance and guarantee the safety of Nuer civilians in South Sudan. For example, we support;

§ Only two leadership positions, the President and Prime Minister;

§ We strong suggest that the President should be only a ceremonial position;

§ Prime Minister position should have all the executive powers to run the country affairs;

§ Reformation of all government institutions;

§ Both parties forces should be separate until interim period has finalized;

§ We MUST hold government Accountable for Juba massacre of the innocent Nuer civilians;

§ Restructuring South Sudan as a federal state;

§ For peace to prevail in South Sudan, all Ugandan forces and other mercenaries MUST leave South Sudan soil immediately;

§ The United Nations and Government of South Sudan MUST Compensate all the innocent Nuer people who have been massacred, displaced to neighboring countries and those who are forced to live in the (UNMISS) camps.

Finally, we thank you and appreciate your leadership and reaffirm our solidarity and unequivocal support to the SPLM/A under leadership of Dr. RIAK MACHAR TENY DHURGON.

Yours Sincerely,

For Immediate Release

November 23, 2014 (SSNA) -- The influx of the displaced persons (IDPs) from eastern sisterly Pigi County to Old Fangak Payam of Fangak County has been ongoing for the last couple of weeks. This incessant influx was triggered by the recent past clashes in Khorfulus and Canal between the SPLM/A—rebels and GRSS forces, an influx which is now causing looming humanitarian situations there on the ground. About more than thirty thousand (30,000) people have now come from Pigi and settled in the Southern part of Fangak County in addition to another over 18,000 displaced people from Unity state who came in since January, 2014 at the beginning of the crisis.

As may be widely known to everybody, the large part of Fangak County is situated in an Island; almost it is a swampy area intersects by multiple number of small rivers—streams. Thus, Floodwater from Phow River and these small streams does easily reach residential areas, so it has now over flooded several villages in and around Toch, Old Fangak and Mareang Payams among others which of cause displaced residents from their homes villages. These floods as well can pose not only the displaced persons IDPs to be susceptible to water accompany diseases—water borne diseases but also to those living in high pieces of lands near it. Right away, the floods forced some of the Thiang community members to move to Lak’s areas northward, this month, in search of high lands in order to wait there until the months of December comes and then return. Even the cattle on which many people depend are also dying from diseases because they cannot get any medications either.

To round it up, the total number of IDPs from Pigi and floods displaced ones in Fangak county’s Old Fangak Payam and other parts is now estimated to have reached more or less than forty-five thousands (45) internal displaced persons (IDPs). However, these people are in an extreme dire need of humanitarian assistances. Therefore, we are calling upon the UN including World Food Program (WFP) and all International Humanitarian Agencies (NGOs) to step in, provide and deliver both food & none food items for the displaced persons (IDPs) there in the county. The none food items should include mosquito nets, plastic sheets, blankets, fisher nets, hooks, saucepans, plates, buckets, cooking & all basic needs containers. Additionally, the provisions of environments Sanitations too and Medical relief donation to help treat the fatal but preventable diseases affecting the people as well as livestock mostly in Toch and Mareang Payams are urgently needed.

Lastly and not the least, we are also calling upon the International Community to mount punitive measures on South Sudan’s peace blockers who cling on personal gains at the expense of South Sudanese innocent populations, should they fail to bring peace (balanced sharing of powers) through IGAD-mediated peace process in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the next last round of talks. So that the sufferings of South Sudan population across the country, the displaced internally (IDPs) and in neighboring countries-Refuges; from the present catastrophic situations come to an end.

Signed by:

Darfur News Update by Radio Dabanga (19 - 25 November)

November 25, 2014 (SSNA) -- Peace negotiations on the conflict in the Darfur region between the Sudanese government and two of the main rebel movements in Darfur started in Addis Ababa on Monday. The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Arko Minawi (SLM-MM) immediately handed the mediating African Union panel their vision for a comprehensive solution to Sudan’s political and other issues. Speaking to Radio Dabanga on Monday, Minawi accused the government’s delegation of “political propaganda”, through saying that the negotiations in the Ethiopian capital only concern a cessation of hostilities. “As leading mediator Thabo Mbeki said at the opening ceremony on Sunday, this is the start of a political process that resolves all the issues of Sudan,” the rebel leader repeated. During this speech, Mbeki emphasised the necessity to search for a comprehensive peace in Sudan (audio file). Last week, the chairman of the AU High-level Implementation Panel revealed that the track for peace negotiations on South Kordofan and Blue Nile states will be “synchronised” with the track for Darfur. These talks with the rebel SPLM-N are currently adjourned.

The leader of the government's delegation, Amin Hassan Omar, said on Sunday that the Doha peace agreement (2011) should be implemented to lay a solid foundation for durable peace in Darfur, and called upon the JEM and the SLM-MM to subscribe to this agreement. “But the peace talks in Addis Ababa could be the ground for a comprehensive solution,” said JEM’s chief negotiator, Ahmed Tugud Lisan. He claimed that the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, signed in May 2011 by the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement, and by JEM-Bashar in April 2013, “no longer applies”.

The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid El Nur has refused to take part in the Addis Ababa peace talks. “Personally and morally, I cannot go to this opening session, while my sisters are being raped in Tabit and killings still continue in Darfur, Nuba Mountains, and Blue Nile,” El Nur told Radio Dabanga last weekend.

Unamid office shut-down ‘not owing to rape investigation’: Sudan

Internally displaced people in Darfur stressed that troops of the UN-AU joint peacekeeping mission (Unamid) should not leave the region before they are replaced with alternative forces to protect them. Unamid confirmed that Khartoum had sent a verbal request to put an exit strategy from Darfur in place, days after the government blocked Unamid from sending a second investigation team to Tabit. The village near El Fasher, North Darfur, is suspected to have been the scene of a mass rape of many -“about 200”, according to a village elder- women and girls by Sudanese soldiers on 31 October. A Unamid spokesman has stated that such an exit strategy is already considered in UN Security Council resolution 2173.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga for the displaced population, Hussein Abu Sharati, the spokesman for a Darfur refugees association, accused Unamid of having “a clear lack of care towards the displaced”, but still feared that civilians will be targeted more in case the peacekeepers withdraw. Sudan has already shut the Khartoum-based human rights office of Unamid, calling the bureau outside Darfur “a violation of its mandate”. The Foreign Ministry explained that it is not a “restriction because of the spreading of false allegations about a mass rape in Tabit”. “We are trying to return ... Unamid to its mandate,” under-secretary Abdallah Azraq said. Last Friday, Azraq told the press that any re-investigations of the mass rape “is a humiliation for the state and a violation of the sovereignty of the state”, despite calls from the UNSC and the UN Secretary-General. The special prosecutor for crimes in Darfur, however, went to Tabit last Thursday to investigate the allegations. The government also escorted reporters to carry out inquiries that same day. Most reporters were identified as working for state-owned media.
After interviews conducted by Radio Dabanga with victims, health workers and elders in Tabit confirming the incident, Unamid sent a verification patrol on 9 November. It was accompanied by armed forces, security officers and police. The mission said in a public statement that it had not find any evidence to prove the rape allegations. According to an internal UN field report, however, the villagers seemed intimidated by the Sudanese forces and did not answer to questions freely.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

East Darfur villages burned, residents displaced

KALMA CAMP (25 Nov.) - On Monday morning, 98 displaced villagers from the Labado area in East Darfur arrived at camp Kalma East. The fled their homes when pro-government militiamen burned their villages... FULL STORY

15 die in new Misseriya clan clash in West Kordofan

MUGLAD (24 Nov.) - Fifteen people were killed and more than 30 people sustained injuries in renewed clashes between two Misseriya clans near Debab, West Kordofan, on Sunday, a Misseriya leader... FULL STORY

Four raped in Darfur's East Jebel Marra

DERIBAT (24 Nov.) - Militia members raped four women in Jawa, south of Deribat, in East Jebel Marra on Monday. A relative of one of the victims told Radio Dabanga that several militiamen attacked the... FULL STORY

Two children, soldiers die as army-Darfur rebels clash, Jebel Marra

EAST JEBEL MARRA (23 Nov.) - A rebel movement has claim to have killed 18 Sudanese troops during an attack on a military base in East Jebel Marra today. A local resident reported that the clash resulted in... FULL STORY

Worldwide protests, social media outrage grow for Darfur rape claims

NEW YORK/LONDON/KHARTOUM (23 Nov.) - The mass rape that Sudanese soldiers allegedly committed in a village in North Darfur more than three weeks ago continues to incite people worldwide to rally for the victims and... FULL STORY

'Many displaced, malnourished by South Kordofan fighting': survey

WASHINGTON (21 Nov.) - A humanitarian needs assessment in rebel-held parts of South Kordofan state found that 92 percent of the displaced people has left their homes because of the fighting between the... FULL STORY

West Darfur displaced boycott elections registration

SIRBA (21 Nov.) - The internally displaced people living in the camps in West Darfur's Sirba locality have boycotted the registrations for Sudan's national elections. They were offered food and... FULL STORY

North Darfur medics threaten strike after colleague attacked

EL FASHER (20 Nov.) - The doctors at the hospital of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, have threatened to stage a 72-hour strike unless several conditions are met. Their conditions include putting an... FULL STORY

Church property confiscated in Khartoum while people pray inside

KHARTOUM (Updated 20:49) (20 Nov.) - The Sudanese police and special forces have seized the house of a pastor in Bahri, Khartoum North, on Wednesday. In the meantime, leaders from various churches in Khartoum,... FULL STORY

Sudanese students supporting Darfuris beaten, detained

KHARTOUM (19 Nov.) - More than 100 students were detained on Monday during a raid on the University of Bahri in Khartoum. A woman student told Radio Dabanga that agents of the National Intelligence... FULL STORY

16 Darfur rebels sentenced to 13 years

EL FASHER (19 Nov.) - On Monday the Special Court in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur convicted 16 members of the armed movements for charges of violating laws on criminal association, arms and... FULL STORY

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Pagak, November 26, 2014 (SSNA) -- The military wing of the South Sudanese rebels, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO), has accused the Ugandan air force of conducting strange flights over its territories. The rebels said their military counterintelligence division started monitoring Uganda fighter jets from the moments they left Kampala for Juba.

The accusation happens as rebels prepare to start their consultative conference in Pagak, Maiwut County, Upper Nile State.

“Between November 10-19, agents of our military counterintelligence division on the ground had informed us of unusual military activities both in Kampala and Juba. Then, on November 23, four Su-30MK2 fighter jets left Entebbe military airbase for Juba International Airport,” a senior General of the SPLA-in Opposition in Pagak told the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA).

The rebel General said Uganda's fighter jets have been acting recklessly and that the suspicion was quickly confirmed soon after military jets of Uganda landed in Juba.

“Less than six hours after they landed on the far east of Juba's airport, two jets took off and headed to Bor. There, the same jets began their unusual journey to our territories,” he said.

"When they left Bor, they headed to Malakal. Then, after we spotted them they changed their flight route and headed to the direction of Unity State, and then they make a quick U-turn and headed back to Jonglei state”, he revealed.

“I can assure you…we are 100% sure that Juba regime is seriously ill and it is being treated in Kampala by Ugandan military doctors,” the visibly furious rebel General added.

The SPLA-IO General warned of “serious consequences” if Uganda continues what he calls “fishing tactics”, asserting that the anti-government forces are capable of deliver crushing blows to any aggressor including Uganda air force.

In December 2013, Ugandan Air force Bombed Rebel Bases in Jonglei State. Uganda denied any involvement.

However, a report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) later confirmed that Uganda has used cluster bombs against rebel forces.

On the 5^th of November, documents of the Ugandan military war plans were leaked the SSNA; the transcripts disclosed that Uganda has completed its war plan against South Sudanese rebels. The documents further revealed that Kampala, Juba, and unnamed countries of the Great Lakes Region are poised to launch a major military offensive against the rebels in either late December or early next year.

The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) is currently fighting alongside South Sudan’s government soldiers against forces loyal to South Sudan’s Former Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar. Rebels have on many occasions called on Ugadna to withdraw its military from South Sudan.

Press release

November 26, 2014 (SSNA) -- Normal executive protocol or not, removal of Bor County commissioner is a disruption of his much needed public services during these critical times. The governor’s action has left the residents of Bor County in a state of consternation. 

But before we get wrap-up in the Juba’s state of affairs, it is important to acknowledge the distinguished leadership of Dr. Agot Alier Aleek. A medical Doctor by profession, Dr. Agot has served his community in various leadership capacities both in the Sudan and South Sudan. 

He is a man with distinguished public services records.  He once served as a deputy governor (2000-2005) of Jonglei during the Sudan second civil war (1983-2005). Despites the challenging nature of his appointment under the rigid Khartoum regime, Dr. Agot served the people of Jonglei with honor and compassion.  

After his tenure ended as a deputy governor, he was given another opportunity to serve as a minister of health until the warring (SPLM and NCP) parties signed a comprehensive peace Agreement on January, 2005. South Sudan gained self-determination and it was then that Dr. Agot decided to move back to the South. He then became an advisor to Governor Kuol on health and land issues respectively.

In September 2012, after South Sudan gains her independence, he was appointed a commissioner of Bor County by the former Governor of Jonglei, General Kuol Manyang Juuk. It was within his new capacity that Bor residents have felt his humility and dedicated self-sacrifice. He had touched and changed lives. 

We are all familiar with the calamity that took place in Bor during Riek Machar second rebellion. Thousands of Bor residents had perished and thousands others made homeless by Riek Machar’s warlords and militia.

Despites the daunting challenges presented by the war, Dr. Agot steadfastly stood with his people in the bush. He made sure that the wounded and the underprivileged were located and moved to safe haven. 

He continued the journey with them to Guol-yar displaced camp. There in Guol-Yar, Dr. Agot continued to uplift the spirits of the despaired Bor civilians and even more strikingly offered his medical services to the wounded and the sick. 

Many of our members who had visited Guol-Yar have told unique stores about how he continued to inspire performance in the displaced camp. We wished the governor had consulted the community before executing his executive order. However, Bor County members respect the governor’s decision.   Whether the decision was politically motivated or not that is yet to be defined. 

Logically speaking, the system of governance in South Sudan continues to defy public belief.  The president firing elected governors and the governors firing commissioners. Make you wonder, are merit factors such as good performance considered when making hiring and firing decisions?

Shouldn’t the Attorney general and the parliament be involved in such a decision making? What is the job of the parliament?  What is the office’s term (2 or 4 years) for the commissioners?  What if commissioners were elected? Would governors still have the authority to fire them without public consultation? 

These are rhetorical questions but the state of affairs in South Sudan defy logic.  On the end note, we the members of Bor County solute the outgoing commissioner for his outstanding services and we hope to see him serve our community at a difference capacity in the future. We would welcome the incoming commissioner as well and we would like to see him/her serving at the same capacity as Dr. Agot!

Written and signed by:

Addis Ababa, November 28, 2014 (SSNA) -- Heavy fighting between government and rebel forces broke out in Fangak County, Jonglei State, late Friday with both sides using heavy artilleries, the South Sudan News Agency has learned.

The latest fighting casts doubts on the success of the ongoing peace talks in Ethiopia.

South Sudan’s government troops launched successful attacks on rebels’ positions and took control over the administrative Headquarters of Fangak County, Phom El Zaref, according to the military Spokesman for the SPLA-in Opposition, Brig. General Lul Ruai Koang.

Koang said government soldiers have been shelling their outposts for days and that their forces decided to make a tactical withdraw, warning that the SPLA-in opposition is ready to retake all areas from government troops at any time.

“After three to four days of heavy shelling of Phom El Zaref, the Administrative HQs of Fangak County in northern Jonglei State by Government's Artillery and Riverine Units, our Gallant SPLA Forces under overall command of Maj. Gen. Gabriel Tangiye completed tactical withdrawal from the town centre and took positions at vintage points,” Koang said in a public statement.

Koang stated government forces deliberately set houses on fire, adding that the town that they burned down is mainly a Ghost town because all its residents left for their safety.

“Kiir's tribal army entered Phome El Zaref and deliberately burned all down all the structures which survived the un-proportionate and destructive artillery, mortar fires used,” he added.

On November 26, rebels’ positions in Fangak County came under heavy attacks from government forces stationed in Uluak on western bank of the White Nile in Panyikang County, Upper Nile State.

The spokesman for the anti-government forces also disclosed that forces loyal to South Sudan's Former Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, had inflicted heavy personnel and equipment loses on the government’s troops and capturing 300 different weapons.

Meanwhile, the office of the SPLA-Juba Spokesperson, Philip Aguer, has refused to comment on the new fighting.

By Justin S. Kwaje

Juba, November 30, 2014 (SSNA) -- A senior army general within the government armed forces, under President Kiir revealed to South Sudan Liberty News (SSLN) correspondent, in an exclusive meeting in one of the hotels in Juba, that during a closed door session with senior army officers mainly from the President’s home state of Warrap and Bahr el Ghazal regions, during which the generals were instructed by the President to be vigilant and were directed by the President to immediately and careful plan an assassination against the national security minister Obute Mamur, as he is a heavy weight, in particular if the Equatoria region descends into rebellions as now they feared, imminent. The playbook has been seen with the Nuer rebellion!

Our informant revealed that the President is worried about the rumors of the uncovered secret military camps in Kapoeta, and now that of yet a new rebellion within Greater Equatoria.

The informant disclosed to South Sudan liberty news that Kiir’s worries stem from the fact that, the now suspected general, another heavy weight Equatorian general, Mr. Martin Kenyi is a close friend to Obote Mamur, therefore the President suspects kenyi would have not acted alone, the President alleged that Obote Mamur is the mentor of Martin Kenyi, if indeed Kenyi has defected as alleged by the government, then Mamur is implicated. As readers can recall, this is the second time this year, the warrap thugs are plotting against Mamur and SSLN is at the forefront in reporting it.

Given this government has proven beyond doubt it is blood thirst even to the point of killing women and children, we choose not to ignore any such information leaked to us by government insiders and informants!

Our source reports, during the closed door security meeting, the generals have tried to forged evidences to implicate Martin Kenyi, but the data did not add up to link him to any rebel groups, even then, they the generals are determined to patched together evidences toward elimination of Kenyi.

During the closed door meeting the President and his Warrap generals resolved as business order number one, given the growing threat of rebellions within the greater Equatoria, Mamur should immediately recruit more Dinka army faithful to bodyguard him, since at the moment, he is heavily guarded by Elite eqautorian army unit who are his longtime faithful.  The planed changed in the ranks of body guards to Dinka faithful is to make Mamur vulnerable to assassinations! The Warrap Generals are worried, that should war engulf Juba, Mamur who has surrounded himself with heavily armed Equatorians, who are also well trained with sophisticated armors, if they are not neutralized now, in the eventuality of any rebellions, they will turn their guns against Kiir.

Our informant further revealed that the same Generals under the directives of Kiir, held a secret meeting with General Johnson Juma Okot, AKA JJ Okot, another Equatorian heavy weight but Kiirs faithful and a staunch supporter, they sought him with the objective to use JJ  Okot to supply light and heavy machine guns to Acholi Panyakwara, Magwi and Agoro who are loyalist to JJ Okot, To exploit the uneasy relations between the Acholi Panyikwara and the Madi.

The primary objective is that the Acholi militia should be use to defuse any upraising in Greater Equatoria. The Acholi militia is to be paid, armed and encouraged to fight the Equatorians. They see the Acholi Panyikwara as their only loyalist in the Greater Equatoria. In this goal, while the Acholi Panyikwara fights the rest of the Equatorians, the government forces will concentrates in fighting the rebellions under the former vice President Riek Machar; this is a divide and conquered at its best.

What these Warrap generals do not realized is, it is only a handful, closely associated Panyikwara, close relatives of JJ Okot, who are favoring the Dinka because of the benefit Okot managed to amassed under Kiirs government from which he JJ Okot is the greatest beneficiary among the Panyikwara people but also perhaps the whole of Equatoria, while the rest of the Acholi has nothing to do with him and his handful Acholi group of Dinka faithful!

According to the general who asked for his identity to be concealed due to fear of his personal security and that of his family, President Kiir, in addition is very worried about the sitting governor of Central Equatoria State, Hon Clement Wani Konga. During the meeting they agreed that the SPLA should increase security surveillance around the residence of Governor Konga, to monitor his activities and movements, they also agreed to beef up security around the Governor’s house to ensured, in case of war engulfing Juba, the Governor should be the first target to stop the rebellion from expanding to Mundari land, and to create psychological warfare to other high ranking members of Equatorian in the armed forces from defecting.

Our informant also disclosed that there was a proposal to reshuffle the position of the vice President James Wani Igga with the Governor of Western Equatoria State, Hon Joseph Bakasero, in doing so, Western Equatoria will be kept in the governments camp justifying it by that James Wani is ineffective and not doing enough to recruit the Equatorians, simply because he has no influence among his people, the Equatorians, as such, the generals believe Governor Bakasero is the only influential person who will be use to convince the Equatorians including Martin Kenyi to rejoin the government.

According to our informant the debate about switching the position of Vice president ended in the air, as they could not reach an agreement, since there are Warrap generals who insist Wani Igga’s loyalty must be rewarded not tempered with, but his lack of followers and influence among Equatoria worries them, since in the case of an Equatorian rebellions, he is of no help for them.

Other agenda discussed included the position of the minister of foreign affairs, Dr. Benjamin Barnbas. Some of the generals see him as inactive and ineffective, and others suggested that he should be moved to the ministry of health while the current head of the ministry of health Dr Riak Gai to head the ministry of foreign affair.

Dr Riak Gai is seen by the generals as someone with vision and influence, if properly used by the government he, Dr.Gai will exert his influence in reaching out to many Neur. The generals sees Dr Benjamin Barnbas as someone with no influence since the Nuer do not recognized him as one of their own, given his mother is from Dinka.

Finally, our informant revealed, the generals urged the president to work hard in order to forge a peace deal with “the Nuer rebellion”, as they call it, given the now rumored “Equatorian rebellions” as they coined it, before they could link combined forces with the growing threats within the Greater Equatoria. They are keenly aware this could mean the end to their regime.

In the views of the generals, if a deal is quickly reached with “the Nuer rebellion”, then the Nuer army will be use to fight against the Equatorians whom they accused of waging a war of separations from the rest of South Sudan.

The generals further believe that if indeed the rumor of Kenyi’s rebellion is confirmed, they urged the president to launch an immediate media campaigns and project any rebellion in Equatoria as for Kokora and for break away from the rest of South Sudan in order to win the support of the Nuer, as per their views, they the Nuer have always fought for a united South Sudan and are now fighting for a Federal South Sudan.

My fellow countrymen, there you have it! As it is said, there is no smoke without fire! Again when it comes to this regime, we rather let you be the judge than we second-guessing our informants! We report, you decide.

You must be vigilant and alert, should the above leaked information be true, then it clearly reveals how the Warrap generals have no national interest other than tribal agendas. Should we forget Kiir’s own words? “This power I have belongs to you, they want to take it away from me, will you let them?” the answer from the Warrap generals by the above and as witnessed in December 15^th 2013, is an emphatic NO, at all cost…they, the Warrap generals intend to keep Kiir in power for life, and will not hesitate to unleashed lethal means to eliminate whomever they see as a threat to their tribal dominants and survivals in the republic of South Sudan, this includes the killings of women and children to inflict terror and strike fears in the hearts of all who leave in this our great nation that deserves to exist free of tribal tyranny.

By Mekonen Tefere

Addis Ababa, November 30, 2014 (SSNA) -- The Office of South Sudan Artist Association in Ethiopia (SSAAE) had disclosed to the media that the Association is due to launch its existence officially in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia next week (Saturday, December 06, 2014).

The Chairperson for ‘SSAAE’, Mr. Khor Deng Jang (aka ~ Khor DJ) said that the Association is alarmed by the current crisis and he believes that Artists are the best people to advocate for peace and justice in the Country. “I urge the entire Artists in South Sudan and in abroad to advocate for Peace and Justice”, he added.

The concert is a campaign to aware the International Community on current South Sudan crisis.

In another hands, Paul Bayoy (aka ~ Paul B) the Secretary for the Association said that the event is open for every citizen who is willing to come and join them during the day. “We are happy to host all of you”, Paul said in an exclusive interview on Sunday, November 30, 2014. 

Gatwech Hoth, the Head of Organizing Committees confirmed to the reporter that the event would be highly secured while some dignitaries from the communities are expected to appear. “We have invited some respected leaders from the communities including the Peace Ambassador [Mr. Gatwech Koak Nyuon] to show-up and share the launching with us”, Hoth said on the phone. Mr. Hoth added that the event would exactly kick-off by 10:00am to 06:00pm at Gerji Hall near Unity University.

The Author can be reached on: mekonentefere@gmail.com.

Dear Readers,

December 1, 2014 (SSNA) -- In this second issue of the SSLS newsletter, Peace and Justice, we explore opportunities for justice on the African continent and here at home in South Sudan.

Press release

December 2, 2014 (SSNA) -- The South Sudan in general and Naath nation in particular will start mourning/commemorating on 15^th December 2014 the lives of more than 20,000 innocent civilians mostly children, women and elderly Nuer people massacred on December 15-19 2013 in Juba, South Sudan. In addition to other unspecified Nuer civilians killed in Unity state as well as in Upper Nile state plus 278 more innocent civilians slaughtered at UN base in Bor on 17 April, 2013. The corroborated number of Nuer civilians genocide in Juba, Bentiu, Malakal and Bor is over twenty thousand two hundred and seventy eight (20, 278) civilians, this is the first and the worse ever committed genocide in twenty first (21) century but the second one to 1994 Rwanda’s genocide committed in late 20s century.

Therefore, despite the horrific state of being we are still in, we the survivors of Juba, Bentiu, Malakal and Bor’s Massacres currently at PoCs in South Sudan and in Refugee camps will commemorate December 15^th 2013 jointly with other Naath (Nuer) Community members worldwide who have already started activities pertaining to upcoming December 15^th  2014 commemoration day(s)of the Nuer Massacre.

The killing of over 20, 278 Nuer innocent civilians is the first of its kind in Naath’s history, so their death will be yearly commemorated at all corners of the world on December 15^th by the Nuer nation and South Sudan as a whole. This year, the Nuer Youths in collaboration with, as part and parcel of Nuer Community in South Sudan will mourn and commemorate 15 Dec 2014, the Nuer Juba Massacre which killed 20,000 civilians.

The Nuer Youths and the Nuer people at all PoCs in South Sudan and across the world have agreed that all Nuer mourners on December 15^th 2014 must:

Put on but not white clothes; because white dress implies peace, however, the Nuer nation is at the sorrowful stage of commemorating the death of 20,278 civilians massacred and peace is not there even in South Sudan.

Only put on/wear black, red or colored clothes as normally wear by mourners in commemoration to the beloved massacred ones.

Match on the street silently with only one or two persons, while handling written banners, chanting “the killer of 20,278 Nuer civilians must be accountable” “Why did you kill our innocent children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters in cold blood for no good reason in Juba?” etc.

Not eat anything that has blood, like fish and meat; because December 15^th was the starting day of the massacre and on the following days the Nuer community members in Juba were forced to eat the flesh of their slaughtered mothers, daughters, sons, fathers or relatives.

A decision that killed systematically, indiscriminately more than 20,278 innocent people, we repeat; 20,278 innocent Nuer people in cold blood after all and right after South Sudan’s Independence for which they had voted, has put on trail the world newest nation building.

Let’s make the world understand. Hey “you over there”!

Signed by: The Leadership of the Nuer Youths in South Sudan