Tuesday, December 27, 2011

South Sudan's Women: Building the World’s Newest Nation

Dec 15, 2011 7:27 AM EST

At a conference in D.C., women from South Sudan help develop solutions for problems with literacy, banking, agriculture, oil revenues, and other challenges facing their new nation.

In this image taken Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011,
Alice, a southern Sudanese women, sits
in her small room on a river barge docked
at the port in Juba, southern Sudan,
Pete Muller / AP Photo caption

Seven women from seven states in South Sudan arrived in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night—just five months after their country had become the world’s newest nation. They came carrying much more than their luggage. They were carrying a vision.

South Sudan’s women played a vital role in the founding of their country. During the war, they fought in the bush. They reached out to the women on the other side. With no other place to meet, they gathered under trees beside the river and started the dialogue that would form the basis for the peace. Some of them negotiated the agreement that ended the war. And women cast the majority of votes in both the election (60 percent) and the referendum for a nonviolent split from Sudan (52 percent).

Monday and Tuesday, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work on their next challenge. The delegation of South Sudanese women began crafting their messages regarding national priorities, to be presented at the International Engagement Conference (IEC) on Wednesday and Thursday.

UN urges South Sudan to act now to avert large-scale violence in Jonglei

UNMISS peacekeepers deployed in Jonglei State

26 December 2011 –

The United Nations today urged South Sudan to take all necessary measures to protect civilians in Jonglei state after reports identified thousands of armed youth preparing to attack a rival community.
“I am deeply concerned to learn of reports of this imminent large-scale attack on civilians in Jonglei State,” said Special Representative for the Secretary-General to South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson. “The Government must act now if we are to avert a major tragedy.”

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2011/pr11472.htm

Press Release No. 11/472
December 16, 2011 Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement after a meeting with H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, in Washington today:

"It was a pleasure to meet President Kiir and his delegation at the IMF headquarters. South Sudan, as the world newest country, has great potential to realize the dreams and aspirations of its people. We are hopeful that this new beginning will bring peace and prosperity for the people of South Sudan.
"South Sudan faces formidable challenges, including ensuring economic stability, building institutions to support sustained growth and managing oil revenue wisely. In this context, we are encouraged by various institutional and legislative steps under way regarding the central bank, public financial management, and the oil sector amongst others.
"I have assured President Salva Kiir that the IMF will be at South Sudan’s side to assist the country meet the above challenges through frequent policy dialogue and technical assistance.
"In recent months, the IMF has been providing technical support and training on tax and customs administration, public financial management, oil revenue and foreign reserves management, central banking and financial supervision, as well as macroeconomic statistics. Together with the authorities and donors, we are working on a 3-year program of dedicated technical assistance.
"The process of membership of South Sudan at the IMF is at an advanced stage. South Sudan has applied for membership earlier this year (Press Release No. 11/145) and I look forward to South Sudan becoming the Fund’s 188^{th member in early 2012," Ms Lagarde said.

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2011/pr11472.htm}

International Prosecutor Seeks Sudanese Official’s Arrest in Darfur Violence

By MARLISE SIMONS
Published: December 2, 2011
　
PARIS — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court put new pressure on the government of Sudan on Friday by seeking an arrest warrant for the country’s defense minister on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
　
The minister, Abdel Rahim Muhammad Hussein, is a close ally of Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who has already been indicted by the court for a variety of atrocities and genocide.

Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters

If the judges issue a warrant for Mr. Hussein, he will be the country’s fourth senior politician to be called to account for the violent campaign against civilians in the Darfur region of western Sudan during the conflict there between the Arab-dominated government and non-Arab rebel groups.

Violence on new South Sudan-Sudan border catches U.N. in the middle

NAIROBI, Kenya — The new nation of South Sudan faced another armed challenge on Friday as a rebel group aligned with rival Sudan to the north threatened United Nations peacekeepers, accusing them of assisting the South Sudanese army in combat against them.
The U.N. mission denied that it had provided air and ground logistical support to soldiers in their fight against the rebels. It said it had only evacuated 60 civilians by helicopter who'd been wounded in clashes between the rebels and the South Sudanese army, known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army. The U.N. mission said its mandate to protect civilians required it to do so and that it would do so again in the future, if necessary.

South Sudan and Sudan at loggerheads over oil talks

NAIROBI, Kenya — The South Sudanese government has seized what had been Sudan's share of the south's oil production and has decided to build a new pipeline that would not cross through Sudanese territory, the latest sign that the two former war foes are unlikely to resolve by negotiation the issues created when South Sudan became an independent country this summer.

Four months into nationhood, South Sudan struggles

NAIROBI, Kenya — A South Sudanese rebel leader with suspected ties to Sudan declared more people "must die" for the cause of peace and democracy in the world's youngest nation after talks here between him and the South Sudanese government broke down after less than a week of negotiations.
Even though it is barely four months old, South Sudan is already struggling to withstand the full burden of statehood, weighted down in no small part by the icy hostility it shares with the government in Sudan, its northern neighbor and historical enemy.

Rebel leader reportedly killed in South Sudan

Posted on Tuesday, 12.20.11
By ALAN BOSWELL
McClatchy Newspapers
NAIROBI, Kenya -- A major rebel leader was killed by South Sudan government forces, officials said Tuesday, providing a possible boost to the fledgling East African government and U.S. ally.
The aging rebel, George Athor, was intercepted by a military patrol near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and killed, said South Sudan military spokesman Philip Aguer. Reports that Athor was killed in a firefight could not be confirmed.

Humanitarian needs must take priority in South Sudan, warn aid agencies

UN's warning of 'gathering storm of hunger' tempers focus on foreign investment agenda at two-day conference.

MDG : Hillary Clinton Speaks At South Sudan International Engagement Conference

Speaking at the South Sudan international engagement conference, Hillary Clinton said the country was in need of 'intensive care'. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Speaking at a two-day development and investment conference for South Sudan in Washington DC, Hillary Clinton said the newly-independent country had the potential to be "one of Africa's breadbaskets". Clinton, the US secretary of state, indicated that America would partner with the private sector to help supply advanced seeds and other technologies to boost farmers' yields in South Sudan, which she said was in need of "intensive care" from the international community.

Clinton's sentiments were backed by the US aid agency, USAid, which announced it will help guarantee up to $7m in bank loans – including support for smallholder farmers – to South Sudan's agriculture sector. The details are still being finalised.

JUBA, 20 December 2011 (NASS) – The leader of the most disturbing rebel group in South Sudan, Lieutenant General George Athor was killed around 1800 hours yesterday by the SPLA border patrol at Morobo County-Central Equatoria State when infiltrating South Sudan from Rwanda.

This was announced today by the Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan Hon Dr Riek Machar Teny in a press briefing in his office.

Policy statement and achievements of the Ministry of Interior passed by parliament

Reported by Matata Saf

presenting the policy statement and achievements of his ministry.

Acting Speaker Rt Hon Akot (centre) flanked by the Clerk (left) and Legal Affairs Advisor (right).
[Photo: Marchelo Leopoldo Oder]

JUBA, 21 December 2011 – The South Sudan National Legislative Assembly in its Sitting No. 41/2011 which was chaired by the acting speaker Right Hon. Gen Daniel Awet Akot received a presentation of the Policy Statement and Achievements of the Ministry of Interior by Hon. Gen. Alison Manani Magaya.

Fire guts Beijing Juba Hotel again

Billowing smoke at the scene of the fire.
[Photo: Matata Safi]

People try to rescue property.
[Photo: Matata Safi]

JUBA, 22 December 2011 – For the second time today at about 12noon fire gutted Beijing Juba Hotel destroying property worth millions of pounds. The block that survived last year’s fire is what has been reduced to ashes today. The block that is mostly built of prefabs accommodates many of the hotel’s clients who are both nationals and foreign clients.


			Ms Page stresses a point. [Photo: Matata Safi] JUBA, 22 December 2011 – The American Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan Susan Page has assured of the readiness of the American business community to invest in the Republic of South Sudan. Speaking to the press in Juba yesterday the US Ambassador said the December 14th to 15th Iternational Engagement Conference that was sponsored by the government of the United States of America, UK, Norway, UN, African Union, World Bank IFC and NGOs had scored two important successes that will see many investors coming to invest in the world’s newest nation. Ambassador Page outlined the waving off of sanctions on the oil sector with South Sudan and the commitment of the government of the Republic of South Sudan to join the International Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a body that looks at transparency over payments which oil, gas and mining which are aimed at improving the service delivery to all citizen of a member country as being landmark achievements. She explained that the removal of the sanctions on the oil sector in South Sudan will allow easy importation of equipments and other items for the development of the oil sector. “These two aspects are tremendous achievements for South Sudan for it will become easy doing business here in South Sudan for investors”, she said.

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Juba, South Sudan – IRI released the results of the first-ever public opinion poll from the newly independent Republic of South Sudan (PDF), which separated from Sudan on July 9, 2011. This unique poll, fielded September 6-27, 2011, assesses a range of issues related to democracy and governance, including: the general environment and government priorities; voting behaviors and attitudes toward democracy; attitudes toward women and general demographics of the people of South Sudan.

The majority of South Sudanese feel that the country is headed in the right direction, and citizens overwhelmingly approve of their national government officials. A notable 82 percent of respondents reported having either a very favorable or favorable impression of the president of South Sudan, as did 71 percent regarding the parliament. Similarly, sixty-seven percent of respondents reported being very satisfied or satisfied with the performance of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, the country’s ruling party.

The poll also revealed that a majority (59 percent) of South Sudanese feel that their overall security situation has improved within the last year. Crime and security – along with health – were listed as the most important issues facing the country; therefore, the general optimism regarding security is encouraging. When asked about specific security concerns in their daily lives, however, respondents expressed that cattle raiding and local crime, 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively, were of the highest concern.

Although poll responses suggest that South Sudanese women currently do not have societal equality, a majority of citizens appear to be willing to alter the status quo. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated that women would make good legislators, and half of those surveyed believe that women should make up at least 25 percent of the government at all levels. Most encouraging, 86 percent of respondents reported that it is likely or very likely they would vote for a woman in an election.

The nationwide survey sampled 2,225 adults aged 18 and older from all 10 South Sudanese states. The study was organized and analyzed by Pechter Polls, while the survey research was fielded with the assistance of Samahi LTD, a local South Sudanese survey/research firm. The survey was administered through face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice: Dinka, Nuer, Juba Arabic, Classical Arabic or English. Margin of error did not exceed plus or minus 2.1 percent.

http://www.gossmission.org/goss/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1277&Itemid=1

We Must Take Great Care of Our Children During the Xmas Festivities

In Christmas celebration the children of Juba like children in other parts of the Christian world were the happiest. They like their fellow kids in other ten states of Republic of South Sudan should extra happy to celebrate this Christmas in a free nation of their own. Mostly dressed in very clean clothes mostly new clothes and shoes bought by their parents for the occasion which they considered the most important day for them in the year, the children have taken over the streets of the city and the internal roads which run in-between plots of the residential quarters and moved in tens.

Sudanese parliament says South Sudan "biggest security threat"

December 26, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese parliament has branded the newly independent state of South Sudan as the main security threat to Khartoum, citing Juba’s alleged support to rebels seeking to topple the government.


FILE - The Sudanese parliament

In a closed door on Monday between the Sudanese parliament’s security and defense committee and the upper echelon of security apparatus, including intelligence chief Mohamed Atta, defense minister Abdul Rahim Hussien and interior minister Ibrahim Mhamud, South Sudan was described as the main security threat to Sudan.
The three hour meeting, which was devoted to discussing the security situation in the country, said that the designation was warranted by Juba’s support of the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SRF), an alliance of Sudanese armed groups seeking to topple the government.
South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July this year under a 2005 peace deal that ended nearly half a century of intermittent civil wars between the two sides.
The recently separated countries often exchange accusations of supporting rebels on each others’ territories, with Khartoum saying Juba is backing the rebellion of its erstwhile allies in Sudan’s border regions of South Kordofan and Blue Nile while Juba accuses Khartoum of supporting southern rebel groups.
Following the meeting, the parliament’s speaker Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir told reporters that a report produced by an emergency parliamentary committee tasked with assessing the security situation in the country had concluded that “the biggest security threats are represented in the South Sudanese state, Kauda alliance [an alias of the RSF] and some rebel groups in Darfur.”
Sources told Sudan Tribune that the parliament’s security and defense committee was intending to question the two ministers and the intelligence chief about the deteriorating security situation in north Darfur and north Kordofan state following the attacks launched this week by the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in those areas but the killing of JEM’s leader Khalil Ibrahim forced the committee to revise its agendas.
The meeting also hailed the killing of Ibrahim as a "great victory" and congratulated the security apparatus’s efforts which salvaged the situation in hotspots.
In a related context, the parliament’s speaker revealed that the legislative body in corroboration with the federal Ministry of Justice is intending to draft an anti-espionage law.
Al-Tahir further said that the proposed law was demanded by security authorities in the country, adding that the parliament’s session in the upcoming period would be dedicated to deliberations on the bill in order to pass it

Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The United Nations urged South Sudan to protect civilians after its air patrols detected thousands of members of the Lou Nuer ethnic group preparing to attack on Murle communities in the eastern Jonglei state.

“I am deeply concerned to learn of reports of this imminent large-scale attack on civilians in Jonglei state,” Hilde F. Johnson, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s special representative, said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. “The government must act now if we are to avert a major tragedy.”