March 21, 2022

WFP Southern Africa Seasonal Monitor (March 2022)

SUMMARY

The Season So Far

Although rainfall performance improved in January, many areas were still seeing below average conditions when another prolonged dry spell hit in February. Parts of central and southern Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and parts of Zambia and Malawi were affected by extreme dryness from early February to mid-March. Some of these areas experienced their driest February in the past 40 years and serious impacts on rainfed maize production can be expected.

Recent Developments

As of mid-March, the region has been affected by a total of 3 cyclones and 2 storms thus far, all making landfall in the same areas (i.e. certain districts of eastern Madagascar and central/northern Mozambique). Between mid-February and mid-March, Tropical Storm DUMAKO, Tropical Cyclone EMNATI and Tropical Cyclone GOMBE brought much needed rainfall to dry areas in Madagascar and northern Mozambique, but also caused extensive flooding and damage.

Impacts

Given that some forecasts for the remainder of the season project normal to below normal rainfall across much of the region, the outlook is not promising. Below average cereal production is anticipated in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, with severe impacts on production in certain provinces. Parts of Malawi and Zambia are also likely to register below average production.

Outlook

Regional maize supply in the upcoming 2022/23 marketing year is expected to be average, as opening stocks are likely to be above average and production is anticipated to be average at best. Although the region may have adequate maize availability to meet its demand, access among import dependent countries will be constrained by high prices at source markets. This is particularly concerning given that the region has already been seeing elevated prices in major markets such as South Africa and Zambia, and the situation has been exacerbated by global commodity prices skyrocketing following the Ukraine conflict. Although the region does not rely heavily on international maize imports, South Africa’s maize prices will likely remain elevated in line with international prices.

Source: World Food Programme

March 21, 2022

Five healthcare workers abducted in Sudan’s South Kordofan

Gunmen abducted five healthcare workers of the South Kordofan State while vaccinating children against measles in the SPLM-N held locality of Abu Kershola, the governor said on Sunday.

The health personnel, including two women, were taken to an unknown location.

“The staff members of the State Ministry of Health participating in the unified immunization programme were taken to an unknown destination by an armed force,” Governor Musa Jabr told the Sudan Tribune.

Source: Sudan Tribune

March 21, 2022

U.S. sanctions Sudanese police for serious human rights abuse

The U.S. Treasury on Monday added Sudan Central Reserves Police (CRP) to its list of sanctioned entities on Monday, for serious human rights abuse.

The CRP, which the protesters also call Abu Tira, is one of the security forces that used excessive force against the anti-coup protesters after the coup of October 25, 2021.

“We condemn Sudan’s security services for killing, harassing, and intimidating Sudanese citizens. These actions are exacerbating the crisis in Sudan and are a direct contradiction to the Sudanese security services’ stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan’s political crisis and return to a democratic transition,” said Brian E. Nelson Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

The Sudanese government joint forces killed 88 people during the demonstrations against the military coup led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

In line with the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of the CRP that are in or come within the United States, or that are in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC”.

Also, the designation prohibits all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of CRP.

This is the first time that the U.S. sanctions a Sudanese entity after the collapse of the isolated al-Bashir regime.

The U.S. administration did not inflict similar sanctions against the Rapid Support Forces that accused of grave human rights violations, crime against humanity and war crimes.

Recently, they stopped taking part in the anti-protest forces deployed in the capital.

In addition, the decision avoids imposing targeted sanctions against the Sudanese military leaders who imposed the state of emergency and ensured immunity for the use of excessive force.

Source: Sudan Tribune

March 21, 2022

Sudan’s military want to use detained committee members as bargaining chips

Erwa al-Sadiq, a member of the suspended Empowerment Removal Committee, said on Sunday that the military leaders have taken the committee leaders hostages to force them to accept a political settlement.

Last month the Sudanese authorities arrested the leaders of the committee including the alternate chair and member of the Sovereign Council Mohamed al-Faki and charged them with breach of trust.

Al-Sadiq who is abroad told the Sudan Tribune that the committee, which is tasked with the dismantlement of the former regime institutions and companies, worked to curb robberies of public money and to combat the smuggling of gold and resources.

“The committee revealed operations through Port Sudan airport linked to the Russian Wagner group, fought the drug mafia, stopped land grabbing, and corruption in the sale of the state-owned companies.”

He further added that they got files threatening the interests of powerful people “who allied to overthrow the government of the outgoing Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok”.

He added they put their hands on corruption files linked to the ousted President Omer al-Bashir and ministers, bank directors and senior officials under his regime.

“Committee members who are facing accusations of breach of trust are taken hostage for political bargaining, as they did with Hamdok before, they arrested them until they accept a dreamy settlement,” he said.

He further asserted that the coup leaders and their committees would not find not any charges against his detained colleagues.

The committee leaders are accused of embezzling public funds but they deny the charges saying that the confiscated properties and companies are managed by security and ministry of finance officials.

The suspended Empower Removal Committee on Monday announced they would release all the cases they investigated to inform the Sudanese about the merits of their decisions.

“Also, the people will be informed about the danger of this coup against the gains of the revolution and the return of the people’s wealth to a few influential class,” reads the statement.

In November 2019, Sudanese transitional authority passed a law to dismantle the al-Bashir regime, including dissolving the former ruling National Congress Party.

Source: Sudan Tribune

March 21, 2022

Senior SPLM official denies resignation claims, backs Kiir

A senior member of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) has dismissed allegations that he has resigned from his presidential advisory position, saying he remains committed to President Salva Kiir’s government.

Kuol Manyang Juuk made the remarks in a statement to explain the context in which he has been speaking on the SPLM leadership before the signing of the 2005 peace agreement and his desire to go live private life.

“It was the year 2015 when I tendered in resignation in writing to H.E the president who rejected it. I again more than once expressed to him my desire to resign from government and go to the farm. His response was that insecurity prevailing in the country will not make me succeed and can be a threat to my life and therefore would not let me go and that once the situation improves, he will let me go”, Kuol publicly wrote on Sunday.

He wondered why his explanation was being misinterpreted by distractors.

“My reasons for leaving the government were not political. It was my desire before the CPA [Comprehensive Peace Agreement] was signed. I had on many occasions expressed to both the late comrade Dr. John Garang de Mabior and comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit my desire not to work in the government, but go to the private sector specifically agriculture,” said Kuol.

The aide recently urged Kiir to allow citizens exercise freedom of expression.

In an interview with Eye Radio, Kuol said it was time for citizens to express their political views without fear of arrest or intimidation.

“My statements to the media are facts we all know as citizens of South Sudan. These crises were there within southern Sudanese that was why there was many liberations movement during the 17 years long of war of liberation struggle from 1955 to 1972. It is the same attitude towards us that resulted in the breaking up of the southern Sudan government in 1983. It is the same attitude that causes war amongst us in the years 2013 and 2016,” wrote Kuol.

He added, “It is the same attitude where we are now unable to implement the revitalized agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan”.

The former army chief of general staff cautioned those peddling “lies” about him allegedly with intentions of winning the South Sudanese leader’s favour.

“Please never take me to be opposed to comrade Salva Kiir Mayardit whom the people of South Sudan elected to be the president and was elected by the SPLM National Congress. I am advising those who are near President Kiir not to tell lies to H.E about me,” stressed Kuol.

“1’m equally telling those who want me to publicly announce my opposition to President Kiir that I am not opposed to him and will never,” he added.

Kuol said he was ready to quit his advisory role and retire into private life.

“Those who want my position of presidential adviser can go to the president and I will be happy to go home and stay with my family and join the private sector of business”, he noted.

The senior presidential advisor’s statement comes less than a month after Daniel Awet, another leading member of the country’s ruling party asked Kiir to step down in order to preserve the legacy of the movement.

Source: Sudan Tribune

March 21, 2022

UN documents widespread rape of women, girls in South Sudan

Widespread rape is being perpetrated by all armed groups in South Sudan often as part of military tactics for which government and military leaders are responsible, either due to their failure to prevent these acts or for their failure to punish those involved, a new United Nations report revealed.

“It is outrageous and completely unacceptable that women’s bodies are systematically used on this scale as the spoils of war,” said Yasmin Sooka, the chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan.

“Urgent and demonstrable action by authorities is long overdue, and South Sudanese men must stop regarding the female body as ‘territory’ to be owned, controlled and exploited,” she added.

The 48-page report is based on interviews conducted with victims and witnesses over several years. Survivors detailed staggeringly brutal and prolonged gang rapes perpetrated against them by multiple men, often while their husbands, parents, or children have been forced to watch, helpless to intervene.

Women of all ages, the reported stated, recounted being raped multiple times while other women were also being raped around them.

“Anyone reading the details of this horrific report can only begin to imagine what life is like for the survivors. These accounts are unfortunately just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone, inside and outside governments, should be thinking what they can do to prevent further acts of sexual violence and to provide adequate care for the survivors,” said Andrew Clapham, member of the Commission.

According to the report, South Sudanese women are physically assaulted while being raped at gunpoint, typically held down by men while being abused by others. They are told not to resist in the slightest way, and not to report what happened, or they will be killed.

In the damning document, a woman described her friend being raped by a man in the jungle who then said he wanted to continue to ‘have fun’ and further raped her with a firewood stick until she bled to death.

Husbands searching for abducted wives and daughters often spend years not knowing their fate. Some learned they were abducted by men from rival ethnic groups and forced to bear multiple children – one such man was so traumatized he wanted to take his own life.

The Commission found that these attacks were not random opportunistic incidents, but usually involved armed soldiers actively hunting down women and girls. Rape carried out during attacks on villages are systematic and widespread.

The Commission said the failure of political elites to deal with security sector reform and to provide for the very basic needs of armed forces on all sides, contributes to a permissive environment in which South Sudanese women are regarded as currency.

“The Government of South Sudan has the primary obligation to end impunity for serious crimes. The Commission has noted the recent Government initiatives to address sexual violence in conflict, including establishing a special court and holding military justice proceedings,” the Commission said.

“The Commission welcomes these measures, but they remain woefully inadequate given the scale and extent of crimes. The 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement offers a framework to address the drivers of conflict and sexual violence if fully adhered to.”

“It is scandalous that senior officials implicated in violence against women and girls, including cabinet ministers and governors, are not immediately removed from office and held accountable. To address this pervasive violence in conflict and other contexts, those in positions of command and other authority must promptly and publicly adopt a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards sexual and gender-based violence.” said Barney Afako, a member of the Commission.

South Sudan laws provide for protection of women and girls from sexual abuse and exploitation and gender-based violence, including rape, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Source: Sudan Tribune