Day: March 30, 2022

KINSHASA, Mar 30 (NNN-IRIN) – A helicopter of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), or MONUSCO, was shot down yesterday, by rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23), with eight people on board, said the DRC armed forces (FARDC).

The tragedy took place as several FARDC military positions had been attacked since early Monday by M23 rebels, in the Rutshuru territory of the north-eastern North Kivu province, the same area where the MONUSCO helicopter crashed.

“The helicopter was shot down in the midst of a mission to assess the population movements, caused by the M23 attacks in the region for humanitarian actions,” read the statement issued by the military governor of North Kivu, while accusing the M23 of having shot down the plane, in an area where rebels are staging an offensive.

According to the statement, the downed helicopter had eight peacekeepers and UN observers on board. For the moment, the military authorities have indicated that they are working hard to find the wreckage of the downed aircraft and survivors.

According to a MONUSCO briefing, released earlier, the helicopter, which was on a reconnaissance mission, crashed around noon, local time. The MONUSCO has not yet confirmed the FARDC accusations and the casualty.

The M23 is a group of former rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). The name came from the March 23, 2009, agreement between the CNDP and the Congolese government, which M23 leaders claimed had not been respected by the government.

The cause of the air crash remains unknown, and a search-and-rescue mission is underway.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

A new report on the human rights situation in the Central African Republic says combating impunity is key to achieving national reconciliation and a durable peace in the war-torn country. The report from a U.N. investigator was submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday.

The report says atrocities and human rights violations continue to be committed by various armed groups in the Central African Republic, including by the mainly Muslim ex-Seleka, the largely Christian anti-Balaka, and FACA, the Armed Forces of the C.A.R.

U.N. investigator Yao Agbetse accuses them of pillaging and looting villages and of threatening the civilian population with violence to exact illegal taxes.

He expresses particular concern about reports of ongoing human rights abuse by Russian mercenaries employed by the Wagner Group, a private security company, which reportedly has close ties with FACA.

He says witnesses have reported many crimes perpetrated by the mercenaries. Agbetse told the council they include sexual violence, intimidation, destruction of homes, racketeering, and torture.

“The Russian bi-lateral forces have also hindered investigations where violations of human rights were committed… As regards contractual relations with the C.A.R., under international law, the Russian bi-lateral forces are not a recognized international body,” he said.

Therefore, said Agbetse, the responsibility for violations falls on the Central African Republic government, which must take all measures to achieve justice for the victims.

In response, C.A.R. Minister of Justice Djoubaye Abazene told the U.N. council that his government is making major reforms. He says it is improving the security sector and has a new judicial and court system, which is working to shed light on allegations of human rights abuse.

“Investigations are now open for all presumed allegations in cases of human rights violations. Whoever the perpetrators may be and whatever their positions may be, they will be brought to justice and punished. You can be reassured of that,” he said.

The president of the C.A.R. Truth, Justice and Reparations Committee, Marie-Edith Douzima, said 87% of the population thinks it is possible to have lasting peace in the C.A.R. — providing those responsible for violence are punished.

She said it is vital to combat impunity for the C.A.R. to find a way out of the repeated crises afflicting the country. She noted that to date, no victims of sexual or other crimes have received compensation and reparations. That wrong, she added, must be rectified.

Source: Voice of America

Sudan’s foreign ministry said they want UNITAMS focuses its efforts more on peace implementation and elections than politics.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council, Volker Perthes on Monday warned that the country is heading for an economic and security collapse, five months after a military coup that paused a democratic transitional process.

On the same day, the Sudanese foreign ministry stated they formed a committee that responded to the report that Perthes had submitted its response to the issues raised in this quarterly report to the Security Council earlier this month before the briefing.

The statement further said that the same committee has been tasked with preparing a series of measures to reorient UNITAMS activities.

The ministry stressed they want to mission to pay more attention to supporting issues related to the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement, such as IDPs and refugees resettlement, and security arrangements besides the electoral process.

“Instead of concentrating most of UNITAMS’s activity on the political side only,” further stressed the statement.

After the coup, Perthes launched a process to facilitate an intra-Sudanese dialogue to settle the rift between the military and civilian components and to resume smooth implementation of the agenda of the democratic transition and peace implementation.

The military leaders had criticised the former prime minister for his request to establish the UN mission. Also, several times they voiced their suspicion about the role of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission.

On February 12, 2022, the head of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, openly slammed the UN envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes saying that he ignored the preparations for the elections, and is “subject to the influence of some groups” without further indications.

While the deputy head of the Sovereign Council on January 29, 2022, stressed that Perthes “should remain a facilitator, not a mediator between the parties.” referring to the UN initiative to settle the Sudanese crisis.

“The Sovereignty Council is not hostile to the (role of the) international community, but refuses to interference in the country’s internal affairs,” Hemetti underscored.

The foreign ministry said that the Executive Committee for Coordination with UNITAMS is now preparing an integrated matrix for Sudan’s demands from UNITAMS, to support the transition, adding it would be handed over soon to the UN.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The United States on Tuesday expressed concern over “growing tensions” in South Sudan, urging all the parties to respect a September 2018 peace deal that ended the nearly five-year civil war.

The call comes days after the armed opposition group (SPLM/A-IO) led by Riek Machar withdrew from the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMVM).

“We call for both sides to observe fully their obligations under the existing peace agreement and note that inflammatory rhetoric is counterproductive and should cease immediately,” said Ned Price, Department Spokesperson.

He said the SPLM-IO’s withdrawal from all peace agreement monitoring and verification mechanisms undermines the peace agreement and must be “immediately” reversed as ceasefire monitoring bodies investigate the recent violence and seek to hold perpetrators responsible.

Washington urged President Kiir and First Vice President Machar to do their utmost to de-escalate tensions and to uphold their respective obligations under the 2018 peace agreement, including its ceasefire provisions.

“We call on both leaders to resume implementation of key, long-delayed provisions of the revitalized peace agreement, including taking the necessary steps to establish an inclusive process to draft a new constitution, to establish necessary electoral legislation and mechanisms, and to respect the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly,” said Price.

Further calls were also made for the regional states and institutions such as the regional bloc (IGAD), that are guarantors of the revitalized peace agreement to take swift action to lower tensions and put the peace process back on track prior to the expiration of the already extended transition period in February 2023.

“All sides bear responsibility for the deteriorating situation. Neither President Kiir nor First Vice President Machar have made good faith efforts to implement the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement, and both have resisted serious attempts to move South Sudan towards the peace, security, and prosperity the South Sudanese people continue to desire,” stressed Price.

The U.S official further called on all members of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity to take the actions necessary to be seen as credible in the eyes of the South Sudanese people, starting with full adherence to and implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The interim Secretary General of South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM), Peter Lam Both has said the defections in the armed opposition faction (SPLM/A-IO) meant its leader was no longer in control.

First Vice President Riek Machar leads the armed opposition movement.

“The reality is that Dr. Machar and his supporters know that he is not in full control of his forces. It is not that they are paid to defect. No one can purchase the whole movement even if funds are available”, said Lam.

He added, “We have been saying that the war in South Sudan is a war for power-sharing. If some leaders don’t see themselves in their party as getting lucrative political positions, they defect and join another group in protest to the decision of their party leader. Dr. Riek Machar of all people knows this more than anyone and we had hoped that he would not blame the disintegration of his party on other people or political parties”.

The SPLM official, while reacting to the Troika’s concerns on the peace deal implementation, said Machar’s decision to leave out some members of his own faction, caused them to defect and crossed to the government where they hoped would get employment to sustain their political ambitions.

He specifically cited defections from the Juba government to other political organisations, including the Machar-led armed opposition faction.

“There are leaders from SPLM who defected and joined SPLM/A-IO for the possibility of greener pastures on the other side. The same is true for leaders from SPLM/A-IO and their supporters who defected and joined the SPLM. In 2015, for example, the majority of generals who fought the war in 2013-2014 on the side of SPLM/A-IO defected and either established independent movements some of which are now in SSOA, or joined the Government. Who incentivized their defection in 2015?” asked Lam.

The senior ruling party official blamed the First Vice President for the defections of armed opposition generals who formed Kitgwang faction.

The Kitgwang Declaration was a coup by the former SPLA-IO former chief of staff, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual on August 4, 2021, in which he replaced Machar as leader of the armed opposition group sparking deadly clashes.

“After the signature of the R-ARCSS and formation of the Revitalized Government of National Unity, mass defections from SPLM/A-IO were witnessed as a protest to the decisions of their leadership for failing to appoint them in the government positions they wanted,” stressed Lam.

Analysts, however, argue that the row is not about a lack of political will to implement the peace deal or stalemates over key issues that require dialogue for implementation, but rather an exhibition of a power struggle to continue to claim and assert political relevance in the country’s affairs.

The legitimacy of the current expires in 2023 and the government and the opposition suffer irrelevance without the peace agreement or elections.

But while opposition supporters accuse the ruling party of using dirty tricks, the genuine divisions in the opposition have undoubtedly hindered its ultimate goal of removing the ruling party faction under President Salva Kiir.

Meanwhile, the speaker of the transitional national legislative assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba, said it was high time parties to the 2018 agreement commit themselves to peaceful dialogue to resolve issues requiring discussions in order to move the country forward.

“This blame game is not helping. There is an incentive to forging collaborative working relations. The agreement needs to be implemented in the spirit of consensus and compromise. Unfortunately, what is happening is the finger pointing to delay the process”, she explained.

According to the former SPLM Secretary General, lack of opportunities in parties have largely contributed to defections from one entity to another.

“We have colleagues who have defected from us and joined other parties and we did not blame them because defections are individual choices and decisions to make. But it happened in other parties, they tried to find faults in others. This is wrong and people should know that there are defections for political reasons. They are always plotting against each other, but they always want to blame the SPLM and the president, said Kumba.

She further stressed, “We have nothing to do with their troubles. That is their own affairs. They should not find fault in others”.

The SPLM was initially founded as the political wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). The party, in the aftermath of the civil war that broke out in the country in mid-December 2013, split into the SPLM-Juba faction headed by Kiir, SPLM-IO led by Machar and that of the country’s former political detainees.

In January 2015, delegates from three factions of the SPLM party signed a 12-page agreement in Arusha, Tanzania, laying out key steps toward reunifying the party. Those who signed include the party loyal to President Kiir, the SPLM/A-IO led by Machar, and members of the former political detainees.

Source: Sudan Tribune