Day: October 9, 2021

The Ethiopian Prime Minister has accepted the proposal of the East African bloc, IGAD, that South Sudanese President Salva Kiir mediates process to settle the nearly one-year armed conflict with the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Presidential Spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said Friday the Ethiopian leader, Abiy Ahmed has officially accepted the proposal of the regional bloc which identified Kiir as a suitable person in the region to mediate the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia.

“The Ethiopian Prime Minister has now accepted the proposal by the IGAD which asked President Salva Kiir Mayardit to mediate the talk between the Government of Ethiopia and brothers from Tigray,” said Ateny.

Speaking to the UN Radio in Juba Miraya FM on Friday, he pointed out that the process would be launched soon as Prime Minister Abiy took the oath of office on 4 October for a second term after the elections.

President Salva Kiir was officially informed of the acceptance to mediate the talks by Prime Minister himself when he attended the inauguration ceremony this week,” said Ateny without indicating when the talks would begin.

In September, Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok who is also the IGAD Chair said Kiir was the right person for the job, pointing to his personal connection and relations with Ethiopian leaders.

“The Chair of IGAD requested President Kiir to go to Ethiopia believing that he is the right person to mediate the Ethiopian conflict. Hamdok said Kiir was the right person to mediate talks between Addis Ababa and the regional government in Tigray,” South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei, told media in September.

Hamdok later confirmed he had asked Kiir to mediate the talks between the Ethiopian rivals.

“The president accepted the request and now preparations are underway so that this mediation process starts,” Ateny said in a separate interview.

The Ethiopian northern region has been wracked by violence since November 2020, when Abiy sent troops into Tigray to contain activities of the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

His response resulted in a full-scale conflict that displaced some 2.1 million people in Tigray. Also, there are 250,000 people in the Amhara region and 112,000 IDPs according to the local authorities and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

It is not clear if the rebels would join the negotiating table.

Last July, the regional armed group called to negotiate a ceasefire agreement asked first for the withdrawal of the Amhara militiamen and Eritrean soldiers from the region.

Source: Sudan Tribune

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir sacked the leadership of the agricultural bank.

The Republican Order issued on Thursday night relieved Managing Director Rual Makuei Thiang and replaced him with Makur Makec Kuer.

Also, President Kiir removed Ujan Awan Ajan as the Deputy Managing Director and replaced him with Scopas Kojokiri Gonyi.

All the orders came into effect on Thursday 7th October.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The Sudanese government described statements by the deputy chairman of the Sovereign Council about the control of the police and intelligence services as a clear violation of the Constitutional Document.

In remarks to Sudanese secondary school teachers on Thursday, Mohamed Hamdan Hemetti said the police and the General Intelligence Service should remain under the control of the military component to avoid its use by the transitional civilian government to “oppress citizens”, as he said.

In response to this statement on Friday, Cabinet Affairs Minister Khaled Omer Youssif emphasized that two security agencies have to be under the control of the civilian-led government.

“The statements of the Vice-Chairman of the Sovereign Council over the subordination of the security and police agencies to the military, are a clear violation of the Constitutional Document.”

He added that the Document governing the transitional period “clearly states in Article 36 that the police are subject to the executive authority, and in Article 37 that the intelligence service is subject to the sovereign and executive authorities.”

Hemetti’s statements come in the context of the escalating tension between the civil and military components after the failed coup attempt on September 21 and the refusal of the military to secure the seaports and vital roads in eastern Sudan.

The minister stressed that this statement constitutes a direct threat to the constitutional document and vowed to address it “in a serious and strict manner.”

During the past two years, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok sought to promote a “harmonious partnership” between the civilian and military sides.

The current crisis should serve to correct the balance of power and to stick to the Constitutional Document as a basis for a democratic civil transition, wrote Madani Abbas a leading figure of the Forces for Freedom and Change on Friday.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The Troika countries called on eastern Sudan tribal protesters to end the blockade of the sea terminals and highways linking the Red Sea region with the capital and to negotiate with the government.

Protesters led by Mohamed Turk, a tribal Hadandaw leader blocked the seaports on the Red Sea and closed roads calling for the resignation of the transitional civilian-led government and military takeover of power.

Prime Minister said he understand their grievances and called for talks to discuss their reservations on the eastern Sudan peace agreement. But, the tribal group disdained his call.

In a statement released from Washington on Friday, the Troika countries – Norway, the UK, and the U.S.- voiced their strong support for the government efforts to address the complaints of the tribal group, pointing to the “serious impact” of the blockade on the Sudanese economy.

“The Troika joins with the civilian-led transitional government in calling for an end to the ongoing blockades of port and transportation infrastructure in eastern Sudan,” said the Troika.

They further urged the protesters to take up the government’s offer for talks instead of harming the national economy.

“We encourage everyone in the Sudanese government to intensify their efforts to resolve these protests,” added the statement.

The position of the military component on this crisis is perceived by the ruling civilian coalition as complacent about the blockades made by the tribal group.

The military are in open conflict with the civilian government over several issues and now refuse the government’s control over the police forces.

“The Troika fully recognizes the development challenges facing the people of eastern Sudan and is prepared to continue to work in partnership with Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government to address such challenges,” said the statement suggesting they would contribute to developing the impoverished region.

The three countries urged the international community to support fully the efforts of the Sudanese government to resolve this matter and to end the ongoing blockades.

Source: Sudan Tribune