Day: October 20, 2021

A compact digest of the past week’s most-read highlights, from the heart of Sudan. Subscribe to receive this digest weekly in your inbox.

PM Hamdok: ‘Sudan facing worst and most dangerous crisis’

October 17 – 2021 KHARTOUM Sudan is facing the worst crisis, that threatens the transition, and even threatens the entire country, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok emphasised in an address to the Sudanese nation on Friday evening.

Thousands of people participated in a demonstration in the capital Khartoum on Saturday.

Hamdok said that “the failed coup attempt on 21 September was supposed to turn from a threat to an opportunity, to alert to everyone to the dangers threatening our country, so that people would pay attention to the causes of the crisis and the door to evil… but instead, the coup attempt became the door through which strife could enter, and all the hidden differences and accusations from all sides came out, putting our revolution in jeopardy.”

Supporters of the parties and armed struggle movements that signed the Charter for the Unity of the Forces for Freedom and Change on Saturday, participated in demonstrations in front of the Republican Palace on Saturday, along with native administration leaders, members of Sufi sects, and representatives of a number of tribes.

They chanted slogans calling for the completion of government institutions, the return of trade unions, and a comprehensive reform that includes all state institutions.

Economist warns for ‘dire consequences’ of Sudan’s political tensions

October 15 – 2021 KHARTOUM Economic expert Hasan Bashir has warned for the negative effects of the current political tensions on the domestic economy, as well as foreign investments.

The recent media disputes between the military and civilian components of the Sudanese government are “dangerous” as they have a negative impact on Sudan’s reputation. In addition, the weeks-long closure of the sea ports and main roads in Red Sea state by Beja protestors has already brought huge losses to exporters and importers.

The economist considers the stability of the exchange rate despite the political instability “a positive indicator”. “Yet, if the current situation continues, it may lead to a fall of the Sudanese Pound.” He further warned that alternative use of Egyptian land ports will lead to higher transport costs, which will push inflation figures to new highs.

PM Abdallah Hamdok stated on Wednesday that “the economic reforms are no longer easy to influence, though overall indicators are still stable despite what the country has been going through during the past few weeks, in various states [in eastern Sudan] and the political crisis [in Khartoum]”.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The North Darfur state government declared a State of Emergency in Tawila and Dar El Salam localities on Tuesday for security reasons, following repeated attacks and security breaches, with the intent to secure the harvest season.

The emergency measures prohibit carrying of weapons, wearing a kamadol (scarf covering the face) and unofficial toll collection on roads, in addition to firing weapons into the air and the use of motorcycles.

Earlier on Tuesday, market traders in Tawila closed their shops and stalls, because of the increased killing, rapes, robberies, and plundering in the locality, reportedly without any reaction from the authorities.

People reported to Radio Dabanga that the passengers of two vehicles were beaten and robbed of their belongings north of Suswa village while they were on their way from Tawila to El Fasher on Tuesday.

On the same day, a farmer sustained head injuries during a beating from gunmen on his farm near Suswa, after he defended his daughters.

Also in Tawila locality, armed men attacked the area of Terodanat in Tarni administrative unit. They beat the villagers with whips and sticks on their farms, injuring two people, and stole their property.

El Fasher witnessed protests in front of the governor’s house against the ongoing violence in Tawila locality. The protesters carried the body of a person killed on Monday, demanding the governor to punish the perpetrators.

The displaced complained of being prevented from cultivating and harvesting their lands. They called on the international community to protect civilians, noting that the attacks continue for the third month.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains announced on Tuesday the closure of more roads in the Red Sea state, on the 33rd day of the closure ports and national roads.

A delegation of the Civil Forces Initiative from the Red Sea state has arrived in Khartoum and reports about the suffering of the people in the state due to the cessation of economic activity, the high prices, and scarcity of necessary commodities.

During its meeting with Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok on Monday, the delegation called on the central government to move quickly to address the difficult situation in eastern Sudan.

The Prime Minister confirmed the continuation of dialogue with representatives of the High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains, expressing the government’s determination to reach a quick solution that will relieve the suffering of the people of Red Sea state and all the people of Sudan.

The Prime Minister has met with the head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, following the mission delegation’s visit to Red Sea state.

Hamdok said that the delegation’s visit to the east of the country helped develop dialogue on reaching solutions to the problem of the east in general. The dialogue revolved around the current political situation and efforts to get out of the current crisis.

September witnessed large protest actions in eastern Sudan. The High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains opted for these actions to put more pressure on the Sudanese government to cancel the Eastern Sudan Track protocol in the Juba Peace Agreement. Protestors have been blocking the main roads in Red Sea state, including the Khartoum-Port Sudan highway, railway lines since September 17. Most of the sea ports also remain closed up to now.

In late September, a group of activists in Khartoum filed a lawsuit against the Beja leaders, based on charges concerning the undermining of civil state authority, inciting hatred, and sabotaging the national economy. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported in early October that the closure of Red Sea state’s Southern Port has already cost the Sudanese treasury “large sums”.

Sudan’s Ministry of Livestock has announced large losses due to the continued closure of ports, roads, and infrastructure in the east of the country, estimated at $83 million within one month.

In a press statement on Sunday, Minister of Livestock Hafiz Abdelnabi said that the losses from the revenues of local fees for livestock exports amount to SDG 120 million to date.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The South Sudan minister of public service Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro, and a delegation from his ministry visited Eastern Equatoria State on Monday to streamline the pension system and discuss challenges in the scheme.

“We came with the team to discuss the pension scheme in the state and to see how you are collecting the pension of the civil/ public servants in this country,” Bakasoro told Radio Tamazuj. “We are coming here to discuss the pension of the servants because so many civil servants, police name them, go without pension. So, what is happening and what can we do to guarantee their pension is paid so that when they retire they have something to go with to their homes.”

The General Manager of the South Sudan National Pension Fund Nul Jacob Mayendit said the fund is designed to make the pension paid to retired civil servants attractive.

“We want to make sure that every civil servant is covered since 2006 up to now. There are few South Sudanese who have been sent for retirement not because the population was employed at the age of 18 years but because the retirement itself, the package that is available for people to go for retirement is not attractive, that if you sent somebody for retirement then you give him/her 22,000 SSP as pension so it is not attractive,” he said.

Jacob adds, “The pension fund will want to come in collectively and invest it so that now by the time anyone is to go for retirement at least there is a lump sum that will be enough for them.”

Abala Jildo Remy, the acting minister of public service in Eastern Equatoria said the ministry has prepared a list and files of employees who should receive the pension fund.

He said poor pay and a delay in salary payments has harmed service delivery in the state as qualified state desert government jobs for greener pastures.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

The Forces of Freedom and Change-Central Council (FFC-CC), a group of 10 allied parties and movements signatory to the Charter for the Unity of the Forces for Freedom and Change, has welcomed Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok’s initiative to resolve the current political crisis in Sudan.

At an emergency meeting on Monday, the Sudanese Council of Ministers decided on the formation of a seven-member committee headed by Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to discuss ways to contain the acute crisis between the ruling partners.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, the FFC-CC announced its opinion on the separation of two issues. The first is the evaluation of the partnership and the reform of the transition institutions, to be discussed by the FFC and the military component.

The second issue concerns the completion and strengthening of reforms within the FFC. The dialogue on this issue should be done with the Sudan Liberation Movement, under the leadership of Minni Minawi and Jibril Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Movement, who recently formed the FFC-the Founding Platform (FFC-FP).

In a statement yesterday, the FFC-CC called for preparing for dialogue on the two issues separately, stressing the need to resolve the current crisis in accordance with a comprehensive and decisive reform plan based on the Constitutional Document. This includes transferring the presidency of the Sovereignty Council to civilians, reforming the government according to the assessment of the Prime Minister and FFC, reforming the military and security sector, leading to a unified army, and reforming the justice system.

October 21 March of the Millions

The FFC-CC and the Resistance Committees in the country continue their preparations for the October 21 March of the Millions in support of democratic transformation. While 37 professional bodies, preparatory committees, and union steering committees announced their participation in the March of the Millions demanding to hand over the presidency of the Sovereignty Council to civilians, support the dismantling of the former regime, and hand over wanted persons to the International Criminal Court.

On Monday and Tuesday, a number of Resistance Committees conducted promotional and advertising campaigns for the October 21 march.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) is training journalists and media practitioners at a workshop in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

The three-day media workshop which started on Tuesday will tackle the safety and protection of journalists, ethics, gender-based violence, and trauma healing among others.

The 20 journalists attending the workshop are from Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, and Western Bahr el Ghazal States. Journalists from Lakes State, who were invited, did not show up.

Juma Peter, AMDISS Media Development Officer, addressed the journalists on the first day of the workshop. He said, “We have two very important mandates; number one is that AMDISS is a media advocacy group that works for the welfare of the journalists, advocating freedom of expression and access to information. Number two, we have media training through the Media Development Institute that was established to professionalize the media in this country.”

David John Jongo, the Director-General for Western Bahr el Ghazal’s information and communication ministry welcomed AMDISS for empowering journalists and called for regular training.

“I want to confirm to you that as the state information and communication ministry, we are so happy and we wanted to thank the AMDISS administration in Juba for taking a long journey to train our journalists,” he said.

The official encouraged the journalists to be brave while executing their duty guided by the journalists’ code of conduct and ethics.

One of the trainees, Husna Machar who works at the Don Bosco Radio Station in Tonj, Warrap State, shared her expectations.

“My expectations from the three-day training is that we wish that the trainings empower us greatly when we gather and disseminate the news so that it helps our communities. We must avoid issues that cause problems to us and our communities,” Husna said.

Source: Radio Tamazuj