Press Statement

August 28, 2010 (Khartoum) -- Mr Gier Chuang Aluong, the Government of Southern Sudan’s Minister in charge of security, held a press conference on the 26th instant in which he made baseless allegations against SPLM-DC and its Chairman, Dr Lam Akol, in connection with the Sudan Airways Helicopter that was held by the SPLA in Paloc airport early this month. As usual, these Spokesmen of GOSS would never rest until they drag the name of the SPLM-DC into their failures, blunders and inefficiency. But Gier Chuang has gone too far. He is quoted by the official GOSS website to have said the following:

“Critically, the minister explained that the crew and the passengers captured with the plane have given leads on the identities and motive of the sponsors of the operations. For instance, he explained that the crew reported that Dr Lam Akol have in the past contributed to the hiring of the helicopter and paid SDG 200,000 for ten hours’ operation to and from Belewic. (www.goss-online.org).

The minister is unashamedly manufacturing stories. We challenge him to produce the evidence he has on who among the crew said that, evidence of the payment and whether the money was paid for ‘the past’ or the particular flight that in which the helicopter was captured?

The lies of this small minister become more glaring when he is quoted by the same GOSS website as follows:

”Gen Gier explained that the SPLA received a tip from peace-loving members of the national intelligence about the helicopter, its trip and cargo on the 7th August 2010. The information intimated that the helicopter would deliver weapons and food supplies to Gen Athor. The SPLA together with the JIU laid ambush and intercepted the plane on its return trip. The minister explained that the security forces did not intercept the plane on the first leg of the trip to let it pick the passengers who would provide more information and evidence of the motive of the sponsors.” (www.goss-online.org).

You need not lay an ambush and intercept the plane; the route and time of the plane were known a priori and the plane in its forward journey did land in Paloc as scheduled. This is a misuse of the word “ambush” unfit of a General. If the allegation of Gier Chuang that the plane was carrying weapons and food supplies were to be believed, we would like to ask him a simple question: what “would provide more information and evidence of the motive of the sponsors” of the plane, intercepting it on the forward trip with the “weapons and food supplies” on board or seizing “passengers” on its return trip? Commonsense would suggest that it is better to catch the culprit red-handed. But commonsense is not so common to Gier Chuang and his ilk. Do not forget you are addressing intellectuals who will analyse every word you utter. On the incident in Paloc, the SPLA Spokesman, Kuol Deim, was quoted as saying:

“The units of SPLA Military Intelligence in charge of guarding the airport suspected the plane. When it was searched they found that it was carrying weapons, ammunition and nine military leaders of General Athor.” (Al Adath Arabic newspaper, No 1006 dated 12/8/2010 (in Arabic)).

Who do we believe, Gier Chuang or Kuol Deim, or none?

Gier Chuang has no credibility to talk on matters related to SPLM-DC. He was the one who misled the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly last June to lift the immunity of the SPLM-DC members in the Assembly on trumped up charges that they were involved in the horrendous murder of a Shilluk Paramount Chief in Panyikang County. The allegations were found for what they were; baseless. That day in the SSLA was a black spot in the history of Southern Sudan democracy. Up to now, the Assembly has not recovered from the repercussions of this sad episode. Gier Chuang seems to hold a personal grudge against George Athor and some observers think he was a factor in his mutiny.

Gier Chuang should stop besmearing the good name of SPLM-DC. He must present his claims to a credible court of law, otherwise, we will make him do so. It is an irony of fate that the security of South Sudan is in the hands of the likes of Gier Chuang who cannot tell the head from tail in such a complicated enterprise in this age of globalization.

August 26, 2010 (Khartoum) -- Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir will attend the ceremony of Kenya’s new constitution, Sudan state run media SUNA reports on Thursday.

SUNA initially broke the news saying al-Bashir will head to Kenya on Friday at the invitation from his Kenyan counterpart president Mwai Kibaki to attend the celebrations of the declaration of the new Kenyan constitution.

However, during a briefing to the media, Kenya's secretary to the Cabinet Amb Francis Muthaura indicated that presidents of Tanzania, Rwanda, Comoros, Somalia and Government of Southern Sudan as among those who would attend the occasion, according to the Daily Nation-Kenya.

“President Al-Bashir will be accompanied during the visit by the Minister at the Presidency of the Republic, Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih, the Presidential Advisor, Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail, the Foreign Minister, Ali Karti, and the Director of the National Security and Intelligence, Gen. Mohamed Atta”, SUNA further explained.

It is not clear as to why the president would only choose top government figures who are from his ruling National Congress party (NCP) without including anyone from his main peace partner, the SPLM.

Khartoum has increasingly becomes furious after al-Bashir was charged in June by the Hague-based court with three counts of genocide.

Omar al-Bashir who consistently refused to recognize court rulings went to Chad in June to attend three days summit of the Sahel-Saharan states – a move seen by many analysts as collective effort by Khartoum the defy the court.

The Sudanese president is wanted by International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Kenya is a member of Rome Statue and can implement the warrant if it chooses to do so.

The South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) has not independently confirmed the report whether or not president al-Bashsir left for Nairobi to attend the ceremony.

Press Release

South Sudan Youth Association in Ethiopia
August 23rd, 2010

August 25, 2010 (SSNA) -- We, a group of Southern Sudan Youth, have come together in Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa to organize ourselves to consider the contribution of youth in the upcoming referendum and to have a brainstorming on difficulties and issues faced by the GOSS to deal with post-referendum situation. We have come to realize that massive diplomatic campaign is required to promote the separation of South Sudan should the people vote for separation.

Despite our volunteer contribution to promote the cause of South Sudan people, the youth have decided not to work under the GOSS Liaison Office in Addis Ababa due to the following points:

1. The Southern Sudanese in Ethiopia have come to conclusion to work with the Bureau of South Sudan Referendum Commission in Juba to organize eligible voters in Ethiopia to exercise their right of self-determination. Refugees in Gambella, Addis Ababa, Jima and various refugee camps have gladly welcomed the position of the youth to work directly with Justice Chan Ariic in order to mobilize South Sudan refugees to vote in the upcoming referendum as stipulated in the South Sudan Referendum Act.

2. To demonstrate the seriousness of our campaign to let the people of South Sudan vote for separation, we protested and matched at the African Union building to show to Africa that South Sudanese in Ethiopia want to vote in the upcoming referendum as stipulated in the South Sudan Referendum Act. We appreciate the support from the Ethiopian people during our protest at Africa Union building to condemn the attempts of the NCP to postpone the referendum.

3. The youth have concluded that referendum must be exercised on time as per the provisions of the CPA. We call upon the SPLM Political Bureau not to waver in this to promote complete implementation of the CPA. We congratulate the SPLM Political Bureau, which met from August 13-16, for taking a firm position that referendum shall not be postponed.

4. We call upon the people of South Sudan to vote for separation in the upcoming referendum to maintain the human dignity of the upcoming generations. Voting for separation is reasonable given the failure of the NCP to transform the country from its current racist status to a more inclusive country for all.

5. We call upon the international community to condemn the ongoing genocide in Darfur and should prevent the NCP from turning the South into another Darfur in the making in January, 2011, as signs of the NCPs refusal to implement the CPA have become visible.

6. We call upon the African Union to allow the International Criminal Court to establish an office in Addis Ababa to bring to justice the perpetrators of Darfur genocide and to become a witness to NCPs activities of destabilizing South Sudan to create genocide.

For contact: South Sudan Youth Association
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

August 22, 2010 (Khartoum) -- Sudan is planning to build a nuclear reactor for electricity purpose, Sudan’s state run media SUNA reports.

“The government had begun to plan in early 2010 to develop nuclear energy”, Mohamed Ahmed Hassan el-Tayeb, director-general of the Sudanese Atomic Energy Agency, was quoted by SUNA as saying.

The director of SAEA said that officials from IAEA are expected to arrive in Sudan this week for further discussion.

SUNA said that Sudan will build its first nuclear power plant by 2010 with assistance from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"The Ministry of Electricity and Dams has already started preparing for the project to produce power from nuclear energy in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and is expected to build the first nuclear power plant in the year 2020," SUNA reported.

Iran is thought to be helping the Sudanese government build its first nuclear power plant.

However, some global experts on security believe that Iran may be using Sudan as a “scapegoat” to funnel weapons to Iran-sponsored terrorist organizations in Africa and the Middle East.

In May, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, was accused of operating a secret weapons factory in Sudan. But Sudan dismissed the charges as a “smear tactic” by the west.

Sudan is a member of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 1958.

August 19, 2010 (Khartoum) -- The Sudanese government on Thursday warned against any move by the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) to declare Southern Sudan as an independence state, saying the ruling party in the South will commit “political suicide” if it (the SPLM) chooses parliamentary vote without a referendum.

The warning comes just one day after Juba unveiled an ambitious plan for future cities of Southern Sudan - a plan designed to transform the war-torn region into animal-shaped cities.

“The SPLM wanted to divide Sudan. If the movement decided on declaring South Sudan's independence by a parliamentary vote without a referendum it would be committing political suicide”, Sudan’s ruling National Congress party deputy chairman Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters in Khartoum.

Dr. Nafie, who is also senior advisor to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, defended his party stance on the referendum process saying the NCP will agree to hold the referendum on time if it serves the best interest of the people of Southern Sudan.

The special advisor to the president accuses the SPLM of working against the unity of the Sudan.

The US special envoy to Sudan Major General Scott Gration (Ret.) is in Sudan for several days visit amid fear that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) may turn to a new North-South civil war.

Before Gration departure to Sudan, the US State Department expressed "concern and dissatisfaction" over the upcoming referendum vote which is an important part of the CPA.

"We believe that keeping the referenda on track is part of building a lasting peace and our ultimate goal is, obviously, full implementation of the CPA. So we don’t want to see any delays”, Acting Deputy US State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said.

The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission tasked with day-to-day operations of the referendum is deadlocked over the selection of its Secretary General.

The two main peace partners formed the nine member commission in June as part of their commitment to implement the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The people of South Sudan are expected to choose secession over unity by January 2011.

August 18, 2010 (Juba) -- The semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) on Wednesday unveiled a $10.1 billion ambitious plan for future Southern Sudan cities; the new plan which has already been drawn up bears animal-shaped cities.

In the plan, Juba, the current capital city of Southern Sudan will be relocated to an undisclosed location and will be designed in the shape of a rhinoceros. The new city will be called "Rhino City".

The plan comes in less than five months before ahead of a scheduled January referendum on independence.

"It's very innovative. That's our thinking. It's unique. It's the Ministry of Housing thinking you have to be unique to attract the people," Daniel Wani, undersecretary of Southern Sudan's Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning was quoted by AP as saying.

It is rumoured that all Southern Sudan State capitals will differ in shapes.

The speculation is that Yambio, the capital city of Western Equatoria State will be shaped like a pineapple and Wau, the capital city of Western Bahr el-Ghazal State, will be shaped like giraffe.

It is not yet known where the vastly under-developed region will get the funding from. But Southern leaders are reported to be in talk with some global investors for the possibility of securing the funding.

One regional Observer who asked not to be named said that this new development is a reconfirmation of that Southern Sudan will split from the North one way or another.

"This new development from Juba proves that Khartoum doesn’t have full control over Southern Sudan. This is a smack on the faces of those who are against South Sudan secession, Omar al-Bashir must get use to it, there is no way around it”, he explained.

Detailed architectural drawings of Rhino City show that Central Equatoria's police headquarters would be situated at the rhino's mouth, an amusement park at the ear, an industrial area along the back and residential housing throughout the four legs, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which was signed in 2005 ended the bloody civil war between North and the South. The CPA allows the people of South Sudan to decide in next January whether or not they want to remain part of the united Sudan or form their own independent State.

August 15, 2010 (Washington) -- The United States special envoy to Sudan Major General (Ret.) Scott Gration may soon be nominated to replace Michael Ranneberger as US ambassador to Kenya, a Washington based blogger reports.

Josh Rogin, who owns the Washington insider blog, “The Cable”, cited “multiple administration sources” in his report as having provided him with credible information.

“The news comes in the wake of a contentious principals-level meeting at the White House last week, in which Gration clashed openly with U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice over the direction of Sudan policy”, Mr. Rogin wrote in his report.

Ragin added that “at the meeting, Rice was said to be "furious" when Gration proposed a plan that makes the January referendum a priority, deemphasizes the ongoing crisis in Darfur, and is devoid of any additional pressures on the government in Khartoum”.

The plan was later endorsed by all cabinet members including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

One Washington Observer believes that Gration may have fallout with some influential figures within the administration.

"The fact that he's being rotated out of this position suggests that he may have won a number of battles but lost the war. If people were overwhelmingly happy with his performance, it seems odd you would move him out to be ambassador of a neighboring country," said John Norris, executive director of the Enough Project, a leading Sudan anti-genocide advocacy organization, was quoted by “The Cable” as saying.

In June, Gration expressed his disappointment over violence in Darfur; he calls upon the government of Sudan and Darfur rebel forces to refrain from violence, and urged the African Union/United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to protect the people of Darfur.

“The recent spike in casualties caused by increased fighting between the Government of Sudan and JEM is deeply troubling. I'm also gravely concerned about reports of continued banditry, assaults, and gender-based violence targeting civilians, as well as recent kidnappings of peacekeepers and humanitarian workers”, Gration said in June.

The American special envoy also said that the international community is planning for January 9, 2011 – a reference to referendum on South Sudan independence.

The US special envoy to Sudan is a son of missionary parents, grew up in Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and is fluent in Kiswahili, according to “The Cable”.

August 11, 2010 (Bentiu) -- The Sudan’s People Liberation Army (SPLA) on Wednesday said unidentified gunmen ambushed a lorry carrying soldiers and civilians in Unity State, killing 23 and wounded eight others.

The attack took place on Sunday but it is not clear as to why the authority did not report the incident earlier.

A spokesman for the Southern army said 17 of those killed were soldiers and six civilians including the driver.

"Bandits are active around that area, but lately it has been peaceful. This attack comes as a big surprise”, South Sudan’s army spokesman Malaak Ayuen Ajok said.

"Eight others were wounded, and the situation is now under control", he added.

The South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) will keep you updated. Stay tune…