Sudan Sticks to 50% Representation in Abyei Council
(Sudan Vision) The Abyei Joint Oversight Committee (AJOC) agreed in Addis Ababa to hold its next meeting in mid February in Abyei in the presence of the co-chairs of the committee. Al-Khair Al Fahim, AJOC co-chair (Sudanese side) told Sudan Vision by telephone from Addis Ababa that the two sides confirmed their previous decisions and agreed to refer their differences over representation in the Abyei Council to the two presidents to resolve. Regarding the other party’s demand for 60% of the seats in the council, Al-Fahim said there is no provision in the agreement supporting that claim. He said Sudan’s position is that each party should be represented by 50%.
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New Dawn agreement is strategic breakthrough for Sudan, JEM
(Sudan Tribune) The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) praised a political charter recently signed by the political forces and rebel groups saying it represents “a strategic and historic breakthrough” for Sudan since its independence. The political declaration calls to bring down the regime of the National Congress Party by political and military means. Main opposition political forces showed reservations over issues included in the charter related to the secular state and use of arms to topple the regime. But the government nonetheless threatened to ban the opposition parties and described them as “agents of foreign powers”. Speaking to Sudan Tribune about the agreement, Ahmed Hussein Adam, JEM foreign affairs secretary, minimized the reactions of the Uma National Party and the Popular Congress Party stressing they have no other alternative but to join the other opposition forces to topple this regime. He said that these forces also tempered its position to avoid a ban of its political activities by the government after threats by President Omer Al-Bashir and the leadership of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).
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Congolese President receives Message from President Albashir
(Sudanese Radio) The Assistant of the President of the Republic Nafie Ali Nafie has handed over Tuesday a message from the President of the Republic Omer Albashir to the President of Congo Denis Sassou N’Guesso in the capital Brazzaville. The message deals with the relations between the two countries and recent agreements between Sudan and South Sudan besides efforts exerted so far by Sudan to implement the agreements for the stability of the two countries. The Congolese President stressed on importance of solving the pending issues between Sudan and South Sudan within the African context.
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Sudan justice minister threatens officials over non-submission of financial disclosure forms
(Sudan Tribune) The Sudanese justice minister Mohamed Bushara Dousa vowed to criminally prosecute constitutional post-holders who fail to file their financial disclosure forms unless they show good cause for not doing so. Dousa directed the ’Unlawful and Suspicious Enrichment’ prosecutorial division to start proceedings against officials who fall under this category and are not responsive to requests in this regard. The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir issued a decree last week which establishes a committee headed by Dousa that would review financial disclosure forms for constitutional post-holders to ensure its accuracy and consistency.
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African mediators press Sudans to end stand-off
(Reuters, Chicago Tribune) The African Union sought on Monday to defuse hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan that brought them close to war last year and end a freeze on oil exports that threatens to wreck their economies. South Sudan seceded from the north in 2011 after decades of wars but border disputes and disagreements over oil pipeline fees have dragged on, delaying the economic development that would bring hope to their war-weary populations. Monday’s session, attended by Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel Raheem Mohammed Hussein and his southern counterpart John Kong Nyuon, focused again on how to implement the buffer zone, AU officials in Addis Ababa said. Animosity runs high between Bashir’s government in Khartoum and his former foes up the Nile in Juba.
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UN Confirms Biggest Forced Displacement in Darfur Since Years
(Radio Dabanga) A statement issued by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan on Wednesday, 16 January, confirms the biggest forced displacement in Darfur since years. A dispute between Abbala and Benni Hussein tribesmen led to the spark of hostilities in the gold mining area of Jebel ‘Amer, North Darfur, on 6 January. Initial reports suggested that at least 60,000 workers fled the region in the first two days of clashes. Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, said in the statement that inter-tribal fighting in the Jebel ‘Amer gold mining areas of North Darfur has left more than 100 people dead and forced an estimated 70,000 people to flee their homes and seek refuge in places like Al-Seraif, Saraf Omra, Garra Az Azawiya, Kabkabiya and Abu Gamra.
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